Acropora Help Please

[ycnibrc]

Have u do an icp water test? If all parameters check out then something else like heavy metal and other elements that regular test kit can't test. Check for chlorine in your rodi water. 4 years old system shouldn't have any problems keeping acro alive. Look like your equipment is adequate. But being your tank is in the garage a lot of stuffs can get into your tank dust, pollutants, chemical so it will be hard to pin point the cause

 

[madweazl]

I run carbon (Two Little Fishies) 24/7 as directed (1/4 cup per 25g IIRC) and havent observed any negative effects to the corals or fish. I don't see your phosphates as an issue either, certainly not to the point of killing corals. If you do begin to run GFO to bring them down, know that it does so rapidly. I ran half the BRS recommended dose at about 50% flow through their reactor and it dropped phosphates by 50% in 24 hours (start slow if you use it). If you believe the phosphates are a potential issue, I wouldnt wait for the ICP to start corrective action if you're confident in your current test results.

In regard to the MP40s; do you have room behind the tank to mount them on the back wall so they're only moving water across a 36" spread vice 60"? Dont use your sand to judge adequate flow within the tank. For sake of comparison, I have two MP40s running reefcrest at 100% in a 75g and it certainly isn't too much, it is about as low as I'd want to run it (especially as the corals start to grow out).

 

[Flippers4pups]

Thank you so much everyone! This is really getting me thinking and I really do appreciate all of the help!



Very interesting about the carbon. My understanding is that carbon helps create clear water and gets rid of any metal like substances. the current carbon I am running is probably depleted so I may just pull that a couple days before taking the ICP test sample to confirm it's not adding any value.

My alk has stayed pretty consistent around the mid 8s. Some corals are eating the alk and calcium right now and probably all of the coraline on the back wall of the tank.

I have been able to keep a couple good size colonies of montipora digitata, as well as various other softies and lps, even a clam on the sandbed. I do have about 7 frags of acropora in the tank right now that I have purchased within the last 30 days. They are looking decent so far. It is going to be interesting to see the progress of those and it will be helpful to post the play by play here.

I wanted to wait to add any GFO until after the ICP test, unless it wouldn't affect the results then there is no point in waiting.





Really curious about the light acclimation and duration. I did get three SPS yesterday from a local reefer. Should I start them on the sand bed and then progressively move them up?

Yes, using a bayer mixture for dipping.

RO/DI is showing 0 TDS. Just ordered more sediment filters and carbon blocks for a fresh start. I could be better at changing these every 6 months or so, I need to write that down.

GAC isn't the best at absorbing heavy metals. It's best at removing DOC's, dissolved organic compounds.

 

[gherewolf]

It is my opinion, and I wouldn't take it for much but... you feed way too much food, like on another level overfeed. 6 cubes everyday, no wonder your phosphates are at 0.15, how are you not battling an algae outbreak with all those nutrients in the water, especially with the amount of light on the tank?
You could use the lanthium chloride as suggested, RedSea Nopox, to pull the phosphates down however if and when you stop dosing it you may get a spike in nitrates, as what I understand from my LFS your basically dosing a sugar which target feeds a specific bacteria, if you abruptly stop dosing that newly formed bacteria may begin to die off, hence the spike. However in your case you have a 4 year old tank so I don't know...

Id start out by feeding less, maybe every other day, look at it this way, the fish frenzy when food is introduced is because it is naturally programmed in the fish's head that they don't know when the next meal will be it could even be several days so eat up while you can.. Hopefully this bit gives you something to think about maybe others have input.

I haven't always fed this much but did so in an attempt to get my nitrates and phosphates detectable. Well I sure did on the phosphates alright. I have seen other really nice SPS tanks with relatively high phosphates but probably not as high as 0.15. But I have also seen tanks with 0 phosphate looking fantastic. I hear/read most are trying to keep it detectable but under 0.05.

I do like to feed heavy and my nitrates are right where I want them. I may just throw a little GFO in there to get that down and then see what happens. Thanks for the advice!

Have u do an icp water test? If all parameters check out then something else like heavy metal and other elements that regular test kit can't test. Check for chlorine in your rodi water. 4 years old system shouldn't have any problems keeping acro alive. Look like your equipment is adequate. But being your tank is in the garage a lot of stuffs can get into your tank dust, pollutants, chemical so it will be hard to pin point the cause

I have an ICP test kit coming next week and should probably get the results week after next. How would I go about testing for chlorine in the RO/DI?

I run carbon (Two Little Fishies) 24/7 as directed (1/4 cup per 25g IIRC) and havent observed any negative effects to the corals or fish. I don't see your phosphates as an issue either, certainly not to the point of killing corals. If you do begin to run GFO to bring them down, know that it does so rapidly. I ran half the BRS recommended dose at about 50% flow through their reactor and it dropped phosphates by 50% in 24 hours (start slow if you use it). If you believe the phosphates are a potential issue, I wouldnt wait for the ICP to start corrective action if you're confident in your current test results.

In regard to the MP40s; do you have room behind the tank to mount them on the back wall so they're only moving water across a 36" spread vice 60"? Dont use your sand to judge adequate flow within the tank. For sake of comparison, I have two MP40s running reefcrest at 100% in a 75g and it certainly isn't too much, it is about as low as I'd want to run it (especially as the corals start to grow out).

Thank you for the heads up on the GFO. I may do 1/4 the recommended dose at that rate because I am so concerned about rapid change. I am still hearing that 0.05 or less is what I should be shooting for. This may be my immediate step before collecting water for the ICP.

My MP40 are situated so they are pointed at each other over the 60" spread of the tank. I do have room behind the tank. I have tried two on the back wall and two on either side of the tank but I feel like the flow wasn't thorough. I'll have to post some pictures to give a general idea of the setup.

GAC isn't the best at absorbing heavy metals. It's best at removing DOC's, dissolved organic compounds.

Ok got it. How do DOCs play into the health of acropora?

 

[gherewolf]

This is somewhat mind boggling. You are doing good things...

I am beyond confused! Figured this is the best place to go.

 

[madweazl]

And for what it's worth, six cubes is no where near over feeding 30 fish. I feed at least three cubes, a whole clam, and pieces of algae sheets every day for eight or nine fish in the 75g.

 

[dwest]

I am beyond confused! Figured this is the best place to go.

You didn’t add any silicone to your system anywhere did you? Adding sump baffles or other? I’m convinced the non aquarium version has caused me some major problems in the past.

 

[Paul Howard]

How about some pics of tank, frag tank, sump? (worth thousands of words, maybe)

 

[gherewolf]

And for what it's worth, six cubes is no where near over feeding 30 fish. I feed at least three cubes, a whole clam, and pieces of algae sheets every day for eight or nine fish in the 75g.

Ok good to know. The fish seem to eat that amount pretty quickly. My nitrates seem good at 5 and although the phosphates are high I'd rather keep feeding the same and drop that with gfo.

You didn’t add any silicone to your system anywhere did you? Adding sump baffles or other? I’m convinced the non aquarium version has caused me some major problems in the past.

I did when I added an overflow to the frag tank but used the aquarium safe version.

How about some pics of tank, frag tank, sump? (worth thousands of words, maybe)

I will load some from tapatalk...I think that's the easiest way....

 

[gherewolf]

Wow these are really blue.

 

[dwest]

Wow these are really blue.

Do you think the flame angel could be nipping?

 

[dwest]

Wow these are really blue.

Also gonna throw out one more.. Does anyone think that large green sarcophtyon in the frag tank could be a problem? He is runnng GAC.

 

[gherewolf]

Do you think the flame angel could be nipping?

I haven’t seen him nip....yet. I could keep a better eye on him though.

 

[gherewolf]

Also gonna throw out one more.. Does anyone think that large green sarcophtyon in the frag tank could be a problem? He is runnng GAC.

I think you may be seeing the branching GSP colony. However, I do have a pretty good size leather in the back left on the display tank shot.

 

[dwest]

I think you may be seeing the branching GSP colony. However, I do have a pretty good size leather in the back left on the display tank shot.

Do your snails do well?

 

[Daniel 123]

The corals you've been losing... in the frag tank? If that's the case I too have lost many sps corals in a similar way to you that were otherwise healthy for a solid month. I added some soft corals to the frag taank one of which being a large sarco, I started losing most of the sps corals there after, while I could not prove it was the soft corals I did conclude that nothing else changed except that they were added and so I stopped with the soft corals.
Does the frag tank share the same water with the main tank, if not your main tank dilutes any pollutants in the water much more than your much smaller frag tank. Just some more info to throw out there.

 

[gherewolf]

Here is a piece I picked up last week. I dipped but mounted immediately to a higher rock because it came from a high spot under a 250w halide.

Lost a little color but the strangest part is that the tips look like they are turning white already and you can see little pieces of brown algae growing on them.

 

[ycnibrc]

I haven't always fed this much but did so in an attempt to



I have an ICP test kit coming next week and should probably get the results week after next. How would I go about testing for chlorine in the RO/DI?

BRS sell the test kit

 

[Flippers4pups]

Do you have any idea of what par your getting with your T5's?

I haven't always fed this much but did so in an attempt to get my nitrates and phosphates detectable. Well I sure did on the phosphates alright. I have seen other really nice SPS tanks with relatively high phosphates but probably not as high as 0.15. But I have also seen tanks with 0 phosphate looking fantastic. I hear/read most are trying to keep it detectable but under 0.05.

I do like to feed heavy and my nitrates are right where I want them. I may just throw a little GFO in there to get that down and then see what happens. Thanks for the advice!



I have an ICP test kit coming next week and should probably get the results week after next. How would I go about testing for chlorine in the RO/DI?



Thank you for the heads up on the GFO. I may do 1/4 the recommended dose at that rate because I am so concerned about rapid change. I am still hearing that 0.05 or less is what I should be shooting for. This may be my immediate step before collecting water for the ICP.

My MP40 are situated so they are pointed at each other over the 60" spread of the tank. I do have room behind the tank. I have tried two on the back wall and two on either side of the tank but I feel like the flow wasn't thorough. I'll have to post some pictures to give a general idea of the setup.



Ok got it. How do DOCs play into the health of acropora?

In over abundance, they can fuel nuisance algaes, fuel bacterial blooms and cloud the water collum.

 

[DarthSimon]

I second above post... Buy or rent a par meter. I thought my Radions were strong enough at 50% until I bought a par meter and found out my upper level sps areas were only around 160 to 180... I bumped up my power and dialed in 250 to 300 range, and now my sps grow like crazy... Alk is also super stable from CaRx.