Coral help and algae

[reefernoah]

My corals haven’t had good polyp extension since the new light controller . Looking for help.Tank Info / Parameters

Tank size: 10 gallon reef
Tank age: ~9 months

Lighting: NICREW Reef LED mounted ~10.5" above water
Tank depth: ~12.5"
Flow: Sicce Voyager Nano 1000 aimed upward

Livestock:
• Blue devil damsel
• Fire shrimp
• 2 trochus snails

Corals:
• Branching SPS coral (tips lighter, poor polyp extension)
• Yellow Fever mushroom (brown strings/dots forming)
• Asterospicularia / star polyp coral (polyps currently closed)

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.026 (refractometer calibrated)
Alkalinity: 10 dKH
Calcium: ~400–460 ppm
Phosphate: ~0.125 ppm

• Added PhosGuard to reduce phosphate

Current issues:
• SPS not extending polyps for about a week
• Yellow fever mushroom producing brown strings/dots
• Asterospicularia closed
• Film algae on rocks and some green/brown film on sand

 

[reefernoah]

Light is at B 75, V 80, W 25, green and red 5 each

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would not use Phosguard. I consider your phosphate level very good and the risk of aluminum release is undesirable.

Did you have some earlier lighting where the corals looked better?

 

[reefernoah]

I would not use Phosguard. I consider your phosphate level very good and the risk of aluminum release is undesirable.

Did you have some earlier lighting where the corals looked better?

Yes but I just got the controller and the lighting was more blue heavy and didn’t have numbers it was preset

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Light is at B 75, V 80, W 25, green and red 5 each

What wattage is the nicrew?

 

[reefernoah]

Light is at B 75, V 80, W 25, green and red 5 each

What wattage is the nicrew?

100W

 

[Pistondog]

My corals haven’t had good polyp extension since the new light controller . Looking for help.Tank Info / Parameters

Tank size: 10 gallon reef
Tank age: ~9 months

Lighting: NICREW Reef LED mounted ~10.5" above water
Tank depth: ~12.5"
Flow: Sicce Voyager Nano 1000 aimed upward

Livestock:
• Blue devil damsel
• Fire shrimp
• 2 trochus snails

Corals:
• Branching SPS coral (tips lighter, poor polyp extension)
• Yellow Fever mushroom (brown strings/dots forming)
• Asterospicularia / star polyp coral (polyps currently closed)

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.026 (refractometer calibrated)
Alkalinity: 10 dKH
Calcium: ~400–460 ppm
Phosphate: ~0.125 ppm

• Added PhosGuard to reduce phosphate

Current issues:
• SPS not extending polyps for about a week
• Yellow fever mushroom producing brown strings/dots
• Asterospicularia closed
• Film algae on rocks and some green/brown film on sand

Maybe turn down the intensity for a few weeks, then gradually raise.
Ditto the advice on phosphate level, it is good, no treatment required.

 

[reefernoah]

Light is at B 75, V 80, W 25, green and red 5 each

What wattage is the nicrew?

Apologies, I mean 65W

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Apologies, I mean 65W

Personally I would turn it down to about 50%.
Its a strong light, did it replace a low-powered light? If it was a low powered light before, maybe even go to 30% to start and then slowly ramp up

 

[reefernoah]

Apologies, I mean 65W

Personally I would turn it down to about 50%.
Its a strong light, did it replace a low-powered light? If it was a low powered light before, maybe even go to 30% to start and then slowly ramp up

It was the same light, the light came with 7 preset modes and the controller sold seperatly to customize the colors.

 

[mcarroll]

• Added PhosGuard to reduce phosphate

Current issues:
• SPS not extending polyps for about a week

At least in the telling, these sound related....plus I've seen bad reactions to dropping phosphates too fast via this method, so it fits with that experience as well.

Your phosphate wasn't bad to begin with anyway.....≥ 0.10 ppm isn't a bad limit. I wouldn't suggest any lower than ≥ 0.05 ppm.

It was the same light, the light came with 7 preset modes and the controller sold seperatly to customize the colors.

I would duplicate the previous settings as exactly as you can.....otherwise your corals appear to be having a a rough transition to the new light setup.

This is typical BTW....any time a change to lighting it made, it's best (if possible) to duplicate the old light as closely as possible before making more substantial changes in a controlled manner.

 

[gusherfrog]

Alk a little high, 8.5 -8.7 is good range

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Alk a little high, 8.5 -8.7 is good range

That seems a surprisingly narrow recommendation. Folks have good success across the whole 7-11 dKH range, and corals thrive in the ocean below 7 dKH. :)

 

[Ryanliyikun]

Sounds like the new light controller is probably the main culprit—sudden lighting changes can easily cause reduced polyp extension, especially with SPS. Your phosphate is also a bit on the higher side, and adding PhosGuard can drop it quickly, which can stress corals too. The combo of lighting change + nutrient swing is likely what you’re seeing.


I’d keep things stable for now—don’t make more big changes, run the lights a bit lower intensity if possible, and let the tank adjust. The film algae and mushroom behavior also point to some instability. As long as nothing is rapidly declining, this should improve once everything settles back in