Constantly Failing At SPS What Am I Missing?

[RMS18]

I don't use tap water. Never said I did.

My current tank is a total ugly, PITA. That's another thread though and I don't want to bring that into this thread. I have a thread all about it already.

For this thread and trying to find the "issue", we can't definitively say it's the RO water being used. We just can't. We have no clue what's in that reading. It could be "stuff" that is totally acceptable and the average reef should be able to handle and even possibly use. It could also be super toxic and killing everything. The latter is extremely unlikely since the store that provides the water isn't killing SPS in 2 days using the same water.

To claim 100% (your words) the OP will see a difference with "better" water is misleading and false hope. COULD it be the problem? Yes. It could also be 99 other things. Things we can't even detect or test for.

The one common theme that stands out is the use of dead rock and a young tank. Do some have success with SPS, dead rock and young tank? Of course. Does that mean that isn't the issue here? No. There are way too many reports of dead rock, a young tank and SPS death that we can't rule that out. No matter how stable everything is, how immacualte the husbandry is or what system (Zeovit in this case) is used.

Sometimes things just don't work in this hobby and it takes a major shake up to fix it. For Paletta's tank it was all new LIVE rock and that's been the case for quite a few people. So we can chase "issues" for months on end and may never fix it. The OP could also spend the couple hundred bucks on all new LR and see if that works. (After the new RO unit is setup of course since that is a much easier fix and will be needed any way.)

As for successful tap water tanks, they're out there if you search. Especially in the cheap (sorry any Utahn reading this) state I live in. Our local board is filled with tap water tanks that do fine. It's also full of unsuccessful tap water tanks. My point is that we can't just claim it is one thing because it doesn't meet the status quo of what this hobby has turned into.

I'm sorry but I'd never used live rock again. Been there done that and it was nothing but a nightmare in one of my LPS tanks. It was fiji LR and I had every bad hitchhiker out there but a great white shark. My best tank I had was a LPS with dry rock, a fuge and T5 lighting. I had to frag weekly to keep things from growing out of the tank.

 

[rtparty]

I'm sorry but I'd never used live rock again. Been there done that and it was nothing but a nightmare in one of my LPS tanks. It was fiji LR and I had every bad hitchhiker out there but a great white shark. My best tank I had was a LPS with dry rock, a fuge and T5 lighting. I had to frag weekly to keep things from growing out of the tank.

The majority of my LPS look fantastic in my current tank. You just have to look past the hair algae. I've always found LPS to be easy though so I don't really use them as a barometer.

I've had bad hitchhikers from LR as well. I also had a tank that could keep any SPS I put in and wasn't a nightmare for almost 12 months...

 

[CoralWealth]

I don't use tap water. Never said I did.

My current tank is a total ugly, PITA. That's another thread though and I don't want to bring that into this thread. I have a thread all about it already.

For this thread and trying to find the "issue", we can't definitively say it's the RO water being used. We just can't. We have no clue what's in that reading. It could be "stuff" that is totally acceptable and the average reef should be able to handle and even possibly use. It could also be super toxic and killing everything. The latter is extremely unlikely since the store that provides the water isn't killing SPS in 2 days using the same water.

To claim 100% (your words) the OP will see a difference with "better" water is misleading and false hope. COULD it be the problem? Yes. It could also be 99 other things. Things we can't even detect or test for.

The one common theme that stands out is the use of dead rock and a young tank. Do some have success with SPS, dead rock and young tank? Of course. Does that mean that isn't the issue here? No. There are way too many reports of dead rock, a young tank and SPS death that we can't rule that out. No matter how stable everything is, how immacualte the husbandry is or what system (Zeovit in this case) is used.

Sometimes things just don't work in this hobby and it takes a major shake up to fix it. For Paletta's tank it was all new LIVE rock and that's been the case for quite a few people. So we can chase "issues" for months on end and may never fix it. The OP could also spend the couple hundred bucks on all new LR and see if that works. (After the new RO unit is setup of course since that is a much easier fix and will be needed any way.)

As for successful tap water tanks, they're out there if you search. Especially in the cheap (sorry any Utahn reading this) state I live in. Our local board is filled with tap water tanks that do fine. It's also full of unsuccessful tap water tanks. My point is that we can't just claim it is one thing because it doesn't meet the status quo of what this hobby has turned into.

Okay well we will find out soon once he gets his RO/DI.

 

[Midrats]

I'm sorry but I'd never used live rock again. Been there done that and it was nothing but a nightmare in one of my LPS tanks. It was fiji LR and I had every bad hitchhiker out there but a great white shark. My best tank I had was a LPS with dry rock, a fuge and T5 lighting. I had to frag weekly to keep things from growing out of the tank.

Was it out of the rock tub at the LFS? They often throw rock in there from decommissioned tanks that got shut down for a reason, pests. You need some TBS Pukani or some real Walt Smith rock right off the plane from Fiji. Not one nightmare since the Eighties.

 

[RMS18]

Was it out of the rock tub at the LFS? They often throw rock in there from decommissioned tanks that got shut down for a reason, pests. You need some TBS Pukani or some real Walt Smith rock right off the plane from Fiji. Not one nightmare since the Eighties.

Not a tub but a glass tank, it was fiji rock but for sure. Maybe I would consider putting some in my sump and order it online this time. I will add this idea to my list.

 

[rtparty]

Not a tub but a glass tank, it was fiji rock but for sure. Maybe I would consider putting some in my sump and order it online this time. I will add this idea to my list.

I'm about to order some Fiji live rock from Blue Zoo. I've been told it's super clean and cured pretty quickly. I plan to cure it and then move it to my new 120g I am picking up tomorrow. If I can't get the 120 ready in time, it will go in my current tank until I'm ready to transfer some things over.

This might be a good "test" to see if a lot of my issues have truly been from the dead rock.

Again, I hate to hijack in any way but maybe it will help you or others?

My dead rock was pressure washed and cleaned super well. I inspected for any decaying matter and removed it. I did not bleach or acid bath it. (May be part of the problem?) I cured it for almost three months and used MicroBacter7 plus pellet food to get the bacteria going. I ran a skimmer as well. Once setup, I added a small piece of LR and some chaeto from an established system plus live sand. This all ran for over another month with only snails added.

 

[RMS18]

I'm about to order some Fiji live rock from Blue Zoo. I've been told it's super clean and cured pretty quickly. I plan to cure it and then move it to my new 120g I am picking up tomorrow. If I can't get the 120 ready in time, it will go in my current tank until I'm ready to transfer some things over.

This might be a good "test" to see if a lot of my issues have truly been from the dead rock.

Again, I hate to hijack in any way but maybe it will help you or others?

My dead rock was pressure washed and cleaned super well. I inspected for any decaying matter and removed it. I did not bleach or acid bath it. (May be part of the problem?) I cured it for almost three months and used MicroBacter7 plus pellet food to get the bacteria going. I ran a skimmer as well. Once setup, I added a small piece of LR and some chaeto from an established system plus live sand. This all ran for over another month with only snails added.

It's all good, it's also good information for me as well. Btw nice job on your suggestion to BRS for their ULM series tanks.

 

[Sean1986]

rtparty quick question, when did you start seeing the uglies after you set up your tank with dryrock? Just sounds like we kind of set up our tanks similar. Dry rock pressure washed and cleaned well. I also went through with a brush and tweezers and removed anything I could and I also seeded with Bacter7. Just asking so i can keep a look out around the same time you started getting algae issues. So far im in the clear, just a couple diatom spots at times.

Hopefully your RODI unit arrives today or monday Bmwm235i!

 

[rtparty]

rtparty quick question, when did you start seeing the uglies after you set up your tank with dryrock? Just sounds like we kind of set up our tanks similar. Dry rock pressure washed and cleaned well. I also went through with a brush and tweezers and removed anything I could and I also seeded with Bacter7. Just asking so i can keep a look out around the same time you started getting algae issues. So far im in the clear, just a couple diatom spots at times.

Hopefully your RODI unit arrives today or monday Bmwm235i!

The chrysophytes showed up a couple months in after the initial cure. I had no idea what it was and left it alone for a while. They are SUPER rare though from what I can find. I'd watch for dinos and don't let your nutrients hit 0. Watch nitrates and phosphates as close as you can.

Fiji Mud and some pods from Algae Barn can also bring diversity that you need.

 

[johnbr]

Hi guys,

Literally just finished all 11 pages. I'm new to the hobby and I''m starting a new 120G tank. One thing that I can't stop thinking after reading so many situations in other threads is that there NO, NO exact formula for this hobby. You can do exactly what your friend did and still have problem. Oh but, wait that guy did that and his tank is perfect. It seems the IT DOESN'T MATTER each tank is each tank like us humans.

Another thing that I'm feeling right now is JESUS there's no many stuff that you can play with, methods, equipment it's overwhelming sometimes. I hope @Bmwm235i can sort this out and I'm looking forward for you my friend and at the same time learning. At this moment my tank is in his second day of the cycle, long road ahead.

I don't want to steal your thread please don't get me wrong I just saw you guys were talking about stability and water is everything. I just added the Dr. Tim One and One and a block to add more surface area for the bacteria to grow. If there's anything else I can do please feel free to share =D.

I'm concern since I came to this hobby just for the SPS.

Best Regards and Good Luck

 

[RMS18]

Valve installed... Just waiting for the rodi system... Unfortunately due to the winter storm we had last week the rodi system is showing up 5 days late.

 

[North Borders]

Valve installed... Just waiting for the rodi system... Unfortunately due to the winter storm we had last week the rodi system is showing up 5 days late.

noticed the red cap on the end of that pipe you "teed" into. You're not installed on a hot water line are you?

 

[Mike810]

Looks like he tapped on the right side. Normally hot is on the left unless Mickey Mouse paid a visit

 

[Peng]

In that situation my strategy is to reduce factors by turning off and removing gadgets. In your case you can remove zeovit and instead use skim & filter socks plus water changes for nutrient control. Go back to the basics so you have more control over the factors and can alter them to see if results are different. Zeovit can suck in so many things it’s hard to control and analyze. Feeding your zeobac also feeds bacteria populations that you don’t want to encourage - STN/RTN causing vibrios and such. In short I would pull off zeosystem and only use skimmer, a bit carbon, and water changes to minimize factors.

 

[North Borders]

Sorry, I have a limited knowledge of plumbing. I see red and assume hot water line.

 

[RMS18]

noticed the red cap on the end of that pipe you "teed" into. You're not installed on a hot water line are you?

Nope that's the cap to a staticguard can lol.

 

[RMS18]

In that situation my strategy is to reduce factors by turning off and removing gadgets. In your case you can remove zeovit and instead use skim & filter socks plus water changes for nutrient control. Go back to the basics so you have more control over the factors and can alter them to see if results are different. Zeovit can suck in so many things it’s hard to control and analyze. Feeding your zeobac also feeds bacteria populations that you don’t want to encourage - STN/RTN causing vibrios and such. In short I would pull off zeosystem and only use skimmer, a bit carbon, and water changes to minimize factors.

Thanks, I do not believe I'd be able to maintain low enough nutrients by doing this. There are 8 fish in the system. I know po4 would not stay low enough to keep sps. Po3 would increase even more... And my fish aren't going anywhere

 

[happyhourhero]

I have 9 fish and run Nitrates around 25 with P04 @ .28. Sps are colored and growing well. I would stop all the Zeo stuff too.

 

[drawman]

As an alternative, Siporax is great for nutrient control it just takes a few months before it starts working and you need space in your sump for it.

Hopefully you see improvements with the RODI

 

[Sarah24!]

Just curious if this is a typo in your parameters and it hasn’t been mentioned yet. You show your salinity at 1.035. That’s really high actually. Most salinity is from 1.024 to 1.027. I run mine at 1.025 consistently.