Can't keep SPS

ScottB · Dec 30, 2020

Sorry the losses continue. Like I wrote in post #16 here, I don't believe you are doing anything wrong other than managing your own expectations of what life your 9 month old biome can consistently support. I might need to read back a bit to see if PAR has been removed as a potential factor.) Your setup is great. Your numbers are all fine.

Given a live rock start, you should be really close to a sufficiently mature biome. With a dead rock start add six more months before placing fault on your method. Add another slimer and monti digi and stay the current course. Add some more live rock to the sump if you like.

IslandLifeReef · Dec 30, 2020

ScottB said:
Sorry the losses continue. Like I wrote in post #16 here, I don't believe you are doing anything wrong other than managing your own expectations of what life your 9 month old biome can consistently support. I might need to read back a bit to see if PAR has been removed as a potential factor.) Your setup is great. Your numbers are all fine.

Given a live rock start, you should be really close to a sufficiently mature biome. With a dead rock start add six more months before placing fault on your method. Add another slimer and monti digi and stay the current course. Add some more live rock to the sump if you like.

@ScottB, the OP stated that his SPS were at 150 PAR with some getting close to the 200 PAR mark. His tort is at 180 PAR. While I agree that his system may just need some more maturity, to me it sounds like his corals are slowly starving do to a lack of light (food). IMO, the OP really needs to increase his light if he wants to keep SPS.

ScottB · Dec 30, 2020

IslandLifeReef said:
@ScottB, the OP stated that his SPS were at 150 PAR with some getting close to the 200 PAR mark. His tort is at 180 PAR. While I agree that his system may just need some more maturity, to me it sounds like his corals are slowly starving do to a lack of light (food). IMO, the OP really needs to increase his light if he wants to keep SPS.

Wow, missed that part.

Two ReefLEDs on a 3 foot tank should be enough to push 300 to the top easypeasy.

qhduong · Dec 30, 2020

@ScottB @IslandLifeReef I am upping Par to the right range by acclimating last week. Here's the target of 80%. I'm also now using 2 XR15.

IslandLifeReef · Dec 30, 2020

qhduong said:
@ScottB @IslandLifeReef I am upping Par to the right range by acclimating last week. Here's the target of 80%. I'm also now using 2 XR15.

If that is the output at 80%, I would consider going higher. I’m surprised that 2 XR15’s only put out that much PAR at 80%. As I stated earlier, you may want to play with the spacing and height of the lights to get better PAR and PAR spread while you still have the meter.

qhduong · Dec 30, 2020

IslandLifeReef said:
If that is the output at 80%, I would consider going higher. I’m surprised that 2 XR15’s only put out that much PAR at 80%. As I stated earlier, you may want to play with the spacing and height of the lights to get better PAR and PAR spread while you still have the meter.

Yeah that's the output at 80%. Going to 90% will add about 30-50 par. Height can't be adjusted with rms mount (recommended by brs and ecotech). I've played with spacing too, this seems consistently spread imo.

IslandLifeReef · Dec 30, 2020

qhduong said:
Yeah that's the output at 80%. Going to 90% will add about 30-50 par. Height can't be adjusted with rms mount (recommended by brs and ecotech). I've played with spacing too, this seems consistently spread imo.

Then raise the output unless you plan on only using the very top of your rockwork. If you still have the reefled 90’s, I would consider mixing those with the XR15’s to boost your PAR if you don’t want to raise your output to 90%-100%.

qhduong · Dec 30, 2020

IslandLifeReef said:
Then raise the output unless you plan on only using the very top of your rockwork. If you still have the reefled 90’s, I would consider mixing those with the XR15’s to boost your PAR if you don’t want to raise your output to 90%-100%.

Ok I'll acclimate them up to 90%. I just thought running a little lower par for longer period would be OK.

Loosechangereef · Jan 2, 2021

My reciepe to keeping sps in a 50 gallon waterbox with 1 xr15 and 2 orphex strip light, and 1 in tank ws skimmer.Started with 40 pounds hatian live rock, w\c a least every 2 weeks, dose brightwells code a and b make from powder,also a hang on refuge with miracle mud and cheato,Alot of flow, in the current market there is alot of different pumps you can get.Dont chase numbers try to keep it basic exp heatersand salinity.aslo get fish in there and feed.Dont chase numbers and i contribute my sucess is to use ro\di water and make sure reading 0 tds.
I try note to use phosphate remover
also i use a low phospherous meter
Carbon occasionaly just to polish water
Test alk frequently
Took about 14 months to alk to settle in, now i test alk once a week sometimes twice,also make sure your calcium is at least 400
Sps like w\c especially every 2 weeks in a mature system about 20 percent
I dose 2 part twice , once in morning around 10 and at night around 10
I noticed my sps where healthiest around 1 . 5 years, they are and encrusting where they are fighting now
Note: good indiciation which most people keeping sps is coraline algae incrusting alot.
Also start ur corals low get a frag rack and move up especially if you are using halides.
Dont add to many chemicals at once , i try note to add any.
Note: i do add oyster feast, reef roids , phyto,but feeding fish is the most important, just watch your phosphates, but phospahates are ok corals need it not too high
Sps are verysensitive but if your system is mature they will thrive
Good luck keep it basic and dont sweat it out

qhduong · Jan 5, 2021

Well just an update. The tort and the 2 frags all STN. My monti cap is basically gone, I see like 1 polyp. The green digi is really brown, but I see polyps coming back a lot. The red digi I have in many spots in the tank. Colors are kind of fading, polyps tucking in, hope I don't lose them too. Alk consumption resumed, params still stable. Only thing that might be off is nutrients, nitrate now is at 12-20ppm (nyos), phos 0.13. I'm debating water change due to recent dino problem. Carbon still running. Not sure what to do other than keep params stable for now.

Any other suggestions?

ryshark · Jan 6, 2021

qhduong said:
Well just an update. The tort and the 2 frags all STN. My monti cap is basically gone, I see like 1 polyp. The green digi is really brown, but I see polyps coming back a lot. The red digi I have in many spots in the tank. Colors are kind of fading, polyps tucking in, hope I don't lose them too. Alk consumption resumed, params still stable. Only thing that might be off is nutrients, nitrate now is at 12-20ppm (nyos), phos 0.13. I'm debating water change due to recent dino problem. Carbon still running. Not sure what to do other than keep params stable for now.

Any other suggestions?

Those nutrients are fine. I’ve never dealt with Dinos but maybe they are releasing something. With my current tank the SPS issue ended up being the stupidest thing. Low salinity from bad calibration solution. Once I fixed that I was good.

qhduong · Jan 6, 2021

ryshark said:
Those nutrients are fine. I’ve never dealt with Dinos but maybe they are releasing something. With my current tank the SPS issue ended up being the stupidest thing. Low salinity from bad calibration solution. Once I fixed that I was good.

Yeah I think originally it was the dino, but they have been gone for at least a week or more now. Been running carbon in a reactor, dosing mb7. Checked salinity with Milwaukee and refracto using 2 different calibration fluids.

maybe the corals have been too stressed and I need to just wait it out... Might send in another icp test next week to see.

ryshark · Jan 6, 2021

qhduong said:
Yeah I think originally it was the dino, but they have been gone for at least a week or more now. Been running carbon in a reactor, dosing mb7. Checked salinity with Milwaukee and refracto using 2 different calibration fluids. maybe the corals have been too stressed and I need to just wait it out... Might send in another icp test next week to see.

That may be all you can do for now. Wait, ICP and water changes after the dinos are gone.

qhduong · Jan 14, 2021

Pulled my UV offline 2 days ago. So far things are looking good. Parameters stable. Added a green slimer and an unknown sps (maybe monti spongode?), 2 birdnests, and 2 hammers.

So fat everything is doing good.

qhduong · Feb 4, 2021

Not sure if anyone is still following but after taking my UV offlineand running some rowaphos for phosphatw, dino came back and my coral took another hit. Luckily I caught it and was able to clean the sleeve of my UV.

So far I took rowaphos offline, fed more, and started feeding some frozen every night. Took off filter floss as well. Tank seems dirty with little particles, and phosphate are higher, but the tank is looking better than ever. Polyp are extended, even a little nub of a digi I left on a rock is growing... Sent another ICP yesterday.