Chemistry / Tank’s 1 Year Anniversary, how am I doing?

[TheDallasCollector]

Hi all,

My 400 gallon tank is approaching the 1 Year mark and overall I think the tank is doing pretty good. Fish and inverts are all been perfectly healthy, that said, I do struggle with keeping all of my Acro’s alive. Also, occasionally I’ll see a light brown algea that gets on ~10% of my corals and it usually kills them (primarily Goni’s seem to be susceptible.). Also, I just lost a bounce mushroom that has been doing great for about 6 months ‍but again I feel like overall things are doing ok. Here are my levels;

pH - 8.35
Nitrate - 0 ppm
Nitrite. - 0 ppm
Phosphate - .09
Alkalinity - 9.48
Calcium - 428
Salinity - 40.5

I have almost zero coralline algea growth, but other algeas seems to be coming in at a normal/healthy pace.

I run skimmer 24/7.

I do run a large UV a few days per week.

My sump is a 72” long and I keep the fuge lights on 24/7. The chaeto is growing like wildfire so I remove 2 large handfuls per week.

I haven’t added bacteria since I cycled the tank.

I was worried my system is too “steril” because of the frequent use of the UV system and also because I run the fuge lights 24/7.

I have 4 tangs, 1 fox face, 5 fire fish, 2 clowns, 2 azure damsels.

Anything jump out at you as being way off, or any suggestions to have an even better Year 2 with the tank? TY

 

[ThePhoReefer]

Risky running 0 nitrate

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Risky running 0

Good to know. Would you dial back the fuge lights to be 10 or 12 hours, instead of 24?

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Is it possible to feed meaty foods more generously? Your phos is fine, so you don't want to increase that necessarily (coral foods, pellets, etc).

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Is it possible to feed meaty foods more generously? Your phos is fine, so you don't want to increase that necessarily (coral foods, pellets, etc).

I will start doing that, right now I feed 2 frozen cures of mysis, so I’ll bump it up to 4. (The shrimp are going to be in heaven!)

 

[1ocean]

Salinity 40? Is that a mistake? Kinda hight for mushrooms and zoas if yo have them , they just kinda melt away...
Thats a bit high...35 is key or somewhere between 32 to 35...

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Salinity 40? Is that a mistake? Kinda hight for mushrooms and zoas if yo have them , they just kinda melt away...
Thats a bit high...35 is key or somewhere between 32 to 35...

Happened to me, my nice bounce mushroom turned to mush. My Apex salinity checker was telling me 35.5 but my Hanna (which I just got) told me 40. Problem addressed. To your point, I bet the hyposalinity caused a few more issues I wasn’t happy with.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Good catch. Everything else looks good except that you want to raise nitrates. If heavier feeding isn’t sufficient, look up Randy Holmes-Farley’s post on dosing food grade sodium nitrate. He links to a dosage calculator used by freshwater aquascapers!

 

[X-37B]

I would run the fuge opposite the lights to start.
Feed more!
You have 13 fish.
I have 15 fish in my 120 and feed 8+ cubes a day.
I practice heavy in heavy out.

 

[Redfoxtang]

I agree with that size tank and nitrates running low add some more poopers. The corals won’t disagree with that.

 

[TheDallasCollector]

Good catch. Everything else looks good except that you want to raise nitrates. If heavier feeding isn’t sufficient, look up Randy Holmes-Farley’s post on dosing food grade sodium nitrate. He links to a dosage calculator used by freshwater aquascapers!

Awesome thanks, I’ll check that out. If doubling down in the feedings doesn’t change things much change in 7 - 10 days then I will resort to a dosing Plan B

 

[TheDallasCollector]

I agree with that size tank and nitrates running low add some more poopers. The corals won’t disagree with that.

Hahaha putting 10 Anthias in on Monday — they eat 3 times per day I hope they poop just as much!

 

[TheDallasCollector]

I would run the fuge opposite the lights to start.
Feed more!
You have 13 fish.
I have 15 fish in my 120 and feed 8+ cubes a day.
I practice heavy in heavy out.

I thought so too, I can start a dang chateo farm over here. I’m going to try that out thx