Brown acros and slow growth.. suggestions??? Tank Info below

[Taylor Harnden]

I went ahead and got a test just out of curiosity. I have had problems with acros browning after a couple months in the system. Things are growing but slowly. I recently bought a new skimmer. Sro 5000sss in hopes of keeping my nitrates and phosphates down. System is a 180g with a 80-90g sump.

I run 5 hydra 26 hds with a 4 bulb t5's retro kit. Pic below.. t5's run for 5hrs each day during peak hrs.
Sro 5000 sss skimmer
2 gyre 250's for flow
Dosing oceans blend part 1 and 2
I recently fed every day but I cut back to every other day in hopes of bring down phosphates.

Parameters:
Alk 7.8-8.1
Calcium - 425
Mag 1280-1300
Nitrates 5-10
Phosphates .2-.16 trying to get them down. I run phosguard.

I do a 40g water change every 4-6 weeks and dose vinegar every day as well.

I have a heavy fish load of 25 fish.
There is no algae in the tank or sump but do have a few spots where cyano is growing.
Tank is 8 months old but stable for about 4 months. ( changing and adding lights first 4 months) Any suggestions for color and growth? I'm assuming tank needs to mature and I need to get my phosphates down. Any other things to improve? Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Taylor Harnden]

No suggestions?

 

[mannyhernz]

Your lithium is up there...isnt it toxic to sps?

 

[Taylor Harnden]

Everything I've read says it's normal

 

[CoralNerd]

Maybe you got too aggressive with po4 removal too fast?

Hey why does the test repeat all the categories, I mean listed items?

 

[Taylor Harnden]

They said it was a computer glitch. But phosphate started coming down after I got the new skimmer.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

They said it was a computer glitch. But phosphate started coming down after I got the new skimmer.

It may be your rather high phosphates. Browning in corals is be caused by an over population of zooxanthellae which can be a result of high nutrients. I definitely don't think too lows of lights is causing it lol.

I found this: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co....asked-questions-on-ultra-low-nutrient-systems

 

[bif24701]

It may be your rather high phosphates. Browning in corals is be caused by an over population of zooxanthellae which can be a result of high nutrients. I definitely don't think too lows of lights is causing it lol.

I found this: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co....asked-questions-on-ultra-low-nutrient-systems

I agree

However it's really a balance of light/PO4/NO3.

I've noticed that when my system was new and NO3/PO4 where really low corals where very pale and I couldn't have much light.

I increased NO3 with potassium nitrate and colors came back well.

If NO3 is >10ppm some corals brown a little.

Is NO3 is <1 ppm they pale.

Lights are 2x Kessil AP700 + 2x T5 60" retrofit: Also have 10" skimmer. SRO5000. Try increasing the duration of the T5s to 8 or 10 hours.

I would also get my PO4 to <.04

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I agree

However it's really a balance of light/PO4/NO3.

I've noticed that when my system was new and NO3/PO4 where really low corals where very pale and I couldn't have much light.

I increased NO3 with potassium nitrate and colors came back well.

If NO3 is >10ppm some corals brown a little.

Is NO3 is <1 ppm they pale.

Lights are 2x Kessil AP700 + 2x T5 60" retrofit: Also have 10" skimmer. SRO5000. Try increasing the duration of the T5s to 8 or 10 hours.

I would also get my PO4 to <.04

Very true! Re-reading that article it kind of sounds one sided. Thanks for filling in the other half that some nutrients are good

 

[Taylor Harnden]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep trying to lower phosphates and try running the t5's a little longer.

 

[luke33]

I think your sps will be fine over time. Your tank is still fairly new and your phosphates are pretty high for sps imo, although others may disagree. I think if you slowly lower your phos below .1 they will start to slowly color up. I would also make sure they are getting 300 par or higher. Other than that I think you are good to go, tank is looking pretty good. I doubt you need to add any coral food with that many fish!

And keep your alk stable

 

[Taylor Harnden]

Gotcha I'll keep everything stable and work on getting my phosphates down. Thanks for the suggestions

 

[sghera64]

I recently fed every day but I cut back to every other day in hopes of bring down phosphates.

Parameters:
Alk 7.8-8.1
Calcium - 425
Mag 1280-1300
Nitrates 5-10
Phosphates .2-.16 trying to get them down. I run phosguard.

I do a 40g water change every 4-6 weeks and dose vinegar every day as well.

I have a heavy fish load of 25 fish.
There is no algae in the tank or sump but do have a few spots where cyano is growing.
Tank is 8 months old but stable for about 4 months. ( changing and adding lights first 4 months) Any suggestions for color and growth? I'm assuming tank needs to mature and I need to get my phosphates down. Any other things to improve? Any suggestions are welcome!

The ICP test of 10-May-2017 says that your P is 0.02. I presume that is just elemental P (Pi as biologists refer to it). I believe PO4 is 3.04 times that or 0.061 and NOT 0.2 as you wrote on 25-May-2017. Or, have they suddenly risen by that much.

If the ICP test is correct, then your PO4 levels don't strike me to be that high.

 

[Taylor Harnden]

I checked it tonight and looks to be .08. Do you see anything else that would cause browning out? Otherwise I'm hoping that was the problem because it up to .32 a month ago.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I checked it tonight and looks to be .08. Do you see anything else that would cause browning out? Otherwise I'm hoping that was the problem because it up to .32 a month ago.

It's just the higher phosphate and nitrate. Get those down.
Try to get the alk at 8.5 or or a little more.

Your on the right track.

Don't sweat the triton test man. It's another way to chase numbers but more expensive.

 

[pirate2876]

That's a lot of UV off the Hydra. I run mine closer to 30% and the RB and Blue at about your levels.

 

[Coronus]

My opinion.....no3 and po4 are too high. Water changes are happening too infrequently. By waiting 4-6 weeks, trace elements are not being replaced correctly and fast enough. Start doing 15 to 20 percent every 2 weeks. Bring down po4 with gfo if possible. But only use a tiny bit. About 1/2 cup. Thats it. Just a tiny bit to reduce and not shock the tank or cause another problem. I never use more than a qtr cup on a 125 sps tank.
My tank is ulns and has been that way for 6 years. No no3 or po4. Colors pop.
Reduce nutrients gradually, start doing water changes every 2 weeks or even weekly to replace trace elements. Start gfo.

 

[Coronus]

 

[Coronus]