CoopsCoralReef
Active Member
Hey everyone. I know the topic of SPS browning has been debated since the beginning of reef keeping, but I thought I would come here and ask for everyone's thoughts on my tank and the reason for my SPS browning. I have a Reefer 250 with the following equipment and parameters.
Flow: 2 MP10 + Return (Sicce 3.0)
Lighting: 3 AI Prime (2 hour ramp up, 7 hours @ 80% 20k, 2 hour ramp down)
Skimmer: Skimz SN-123
Reactor: BRS GFO/Rox Carbon
PH: 7.9-8.0
Alk: 8.5-9.0
Cal: 450
Mag: 1360
NO3: 0.25
PO4: 0.00-0.04
I use Red Sea test kits for all testing, and I like all of them. One thing to note though, my phosphates have always tested to the lower three colors on the color wheel, since the beginning of the tank, and I have tested phosphates every week routinely.
Here is a brief synopsis of the last 5 weeks. On August 19th, I began using Red Sea NOPOX. My nitrates were at 5ppm, and I had some hair algae, so I wanted to bring it down to around 0.5-1ppm. At the same time, I stopped the use of GFO and was only running carbon. After about 3 weeks, my nitrates reached 0.25, so I stopped using NOPOX. My nitrates remain at 0.25. Around this time, or maybe a few days before, I noticed my acros developing a brown tint to them, and all are gaining slightly more brown as the days progress.
At first I believed this may have been a nitrate reduction issue. But after looking at photos, I think the signs point to phosphate. I was seeing very good color (at least I thought so) and some really good growth. Below are 4 photos of my Pearlberry and As the Pearlberry has browned, the algae behind it near the birdsnest has increased.
August 20
September 3
September 14
September 23
Could my phosphate kit be bad? I do plan on adding either an additional MP10 or MP40, as I do have some dead spots in the tank (as seen in the photos, one is by the birdsnest). Sorry for the long post; just hoping someone could provide some advice [emoji4][emoji4]
Flow: 2 MP10 + Return (Sicce 3.0)
Lighting: 3 AI Prime (2 hour ramp up, 7 hours @ 80% 20k, 2 hour ramp down)
Skimmer: Skimz SN-123
Reactor: BRS GFO/Rox Carbon
PH: 7.9-8.0
Alk: 8.5-9.0
Cal: 450
Mag: 1360
NO3: 0.25
PO4: 0.00-0.04
I use Red Sea test kits for all testing, and I like all of them. One thing to note though, my phosphates have always tested to the lower three colors on the color wheel, since the beginning of the tank, and I have tested phosphates every week routinely.
Here is a brief synopsis of the last 5 weeks. On August 19th, I began using Red Sea NOPOX. My nitrates were at 5ppm, and I had some hair algae, so I wanted to bring it down to around 0.5-1ppm. At the same time, I stopped the use of GFO and was only running carbon. After about 3 weeks, my nitrates reached 0.25, so I stopped using NOPOX. My nitrates remain at 0.25. Around this time, or maybe a few days before, I noticed my acros developing a brown tint to them, and all are gaining slightly more brown as the days progress.
At first I believed this may have been a nitrate reduction issue. But after looking at photos, I think the signs point to phosphate. I was seeing very good color (at least I thought so) and some really good growth. Below are 4 photos of my Pearlberry and As the Pearlberry has browned, the algae behind it near the birdsnest has increased.
August 20
September 3
September 14
September 23
Could my phosphate kit be bad? I do plan on adding either an additional MP10 or MP40, as I do have some dead spots in the tank (as seen in the photos, one is by the birdsnest). Sorry for the long post; just hoping someone could provide some advice [emoji4][emoji4]
