Could this be why I've been losing SPS?

[jpas]

I would not add any more acros until you are growing coralline algae. I have always found if coralline is not growing, corals usually do not.

 

[kevin_e]

I would not add any more acros until you are growing coralline algae. I have always found if coralline is not growing, corals usually do not.

Oh, I definitely agree about waiting a bit. I'm going to get all my numbers logged and monitor for consistency for a little bit. Then go to softies and LPS.

 

[kevin_e]

I have a little diy chaeto Fuge and that’s my only nutrient export now, besides the acros filtering the water. I pulled my skimmer out over a month ago because the nutrients were so low.

I'll probably give it a shot if my nitrates are high. Obviously my skimmer isn't effective enough, and or I need to do more water changes to keep that detritus limited. I know a filter sock would help, but I hate those things. They sit in there too long, get clogged too quickly, and I forget and hate washing them.

 

[kevin_e]

I would add checking for pest to that to do list. Your params are awful by any means and as long as its stable I cant see that beingthe cause.

Yes, I do periodically. I've dealt with red bugs many a time over the last 10 years.

 

[kevin_e]

How stable is your alkalinity? How often do you test? Not dosing and not testing much in a 1.5year old tank may mean you are having pretty significant swings. Even if you dont have much growth there are biological processes in the tank that should reduce your params more than water changes can handle, imo, unless your doing large ones frequently.

How high do you have those 2 mp10s running, doesnt sound like much flow? I have 2 mp40s, 1 tunze 6055 and an mp10 on my 90g and run them all on average 60-80%. Pics of your tank and corals would also help everyone diagnose.

One thing you mentioned about your tissue loss that caught my attention is "patchy or blotchy", I forget which. The cause for this is usually different than from the base or tips which ime is either ph/alk/nutrient/salinity related and could be happening in areas that arent receiving ideal light/flow instead. Could possibly be aefw as well but I dont think so since your talking about legit tissue loss and not just patchy discoloration. Again, pics would help here.

How do you measure salinity?

How many fish do you have and how much (and what) do you feed every day?

I wish I had an answer for the alkalinity stability. I neglected the tank and made assumptions re alk/calc when I shouldn't have. That includes not doing water changes.

Well, it is 2 MP10s on a 2' by 2' cube. It is definitely good flow. They needed a good cleaning, however (again, neglect), so I am sure flow was reduced.

Yeah, it's not AEFWs. I don't seem them on the coral and I haven't added anything for months upon months on end. Maybe since the summer. Plus, it's tissues shedding.

pH should be fine. I actually run a skimmer line outside that is also scrubbed with Soda Lime. pH ranges 7.8-8.1.

Salinity is measured with a calibrated refractometer and maintained with a Smart ATO.

Could be nutrients. I think my focus right now is the low calcium and possibly nutrient issues. I'll also be monitoring alk. for consistency.

I will be doing bi-weekly 10% water changes (vacuuming out detritus from sump, cleaning powerheads, skimmer cup etc. at that time). I'll start testing every parameter weekly. I can say that none of this stuff was getting done for several months on end.

 

[SeaDweller]

I wish I had an answer for the alkalinity stability. I neglected the tank and made assumptions re alk/calc when I shouldn't have. That includes not doing water changes.

Well, it is 2 MP10s on a 2' by 2' cube. It is definitely good flow. They needed a good cleaning, however (again, neglect), so I am sure flow was reduced.

Yeah, it's not AEFWs. I don't seem them on the coral and I haven't added anything for months upon months on end. Maybe since the summer. Plus, it's tissues shedding.

pH should be fine. I actually run a skimmer line outside that is also scrubbed with Soda Lime. pH ranges 7.8-8.1.

Salinity is measured with a calibrated refractometer and maintained with a Smart ATO.

Could be nutrients. I think my focus right now is the low calcium and possibly nutrient issues. I'll also be monitoring alk. for consistency.

I will be doing bi-weekly 10% water changes (vacuuming out detritus from sump, cleaning powerheads, skimmer cup etc. at that time). I'll start testing every parameter weekly. I can say that none of this stuff was getting done for several months on end.

Sounds like me. I wouldn’t do 10%, I’d do larger WC if you could. I mean you have a cube, so opt for 25-30% if you could.

 

[lake985]

If your calcium was that low over time with your alk that high that could be your issue. The big 3 all need to be in balance. If one is high and the rest are low, stuff is going to be way out of wack. Alk being high is the most dangerous of the big 3 as well. It’s not at dangerous levels or anything, but it’s elevated enough that it could potentially not allow corals to create new skeleton properly and grow. If you keep your calcium at 450 you should be fine with that alk. Or if you want your calcium at 375-380 drop your alk to 7.5ish. Same goes for mag.
If your calcium is around 480, mag can be 1400, but alk better be 9.2+.
Calcium at 430, mag should be 1330-1350ish, alk 8-9.5
Calcium 400, mag 1300-1330, alk 8-8.5
Calcium 380, mag 1260-1280, alk 7.2-8
They just all keep in balance is what I’m trying to show.
Hope this helps someone.
It took me awhile for some reason to fully grasp how important the big 3 macro elements are to each other.

I've been struggling with keeping everything balanced and your explanation just made it seem so simple. Thanks for posting this!!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

If y’all have a smaller tank and want a simple way to balance the big 3 give polyplab ONE a try.

 

[Dana Riddle]

The PAR numbers you posted don't sound right. That Sunlight Supply luminaire with a 400-watt lamp should be delivering much more light than reported. Maybe I missed it, but the RTN is from the bottom up, right? Or is it from the top down?

 

[Hemmdog]

I've been struggling with keeping everything balanced and your explanation just made it seem so simple. Thanks for posting this!!

Wooo! Good! Your welcome :)

 

[Oshengems]

So many reasons, my sump is full of detritus I’m still getting great growth and color

 

[Potatohead]

So many reasons, my sump is full of detritus I’m still getting great growth and color

I think a lot of detritus is actually sand (other than bare bottom tanks I guess) and basically inert. If your tank is low in nutrients I agree some detritus can actually help.

 

[SeaDweller]

I think a lot of detritus is actually sand (other than bare bottom tanks I guess) and basically inert. If your tank is low in nutrients I agree some detritus can actually help.

Try blowing some back up into the DT and watch the PE...

 

[Oshengems]

Try blowing some back up into the DT and watch the PE...

Yup when I do water changes I like to do it from my sump 5g out 5g in and dust does make my sps polyps extend more I used to think it was the new/clean water

 

[SeaDweller]

Yup when I do water changes I like to do it from my sump 5g out 5g in and dust does make my sps polyps extend more I used to think it was the new/clean water

I've seriously done so much better I feel with taking out filter socks. I run my frag/holding tank with just LR and a skimmer and I feel things are so much healthier with stuff in the water column for the acros

 

[Oshengems]

I've seriously done so much better I feel with taking out filter socks. I run my frag/holding tank with just LR and a skimmer and I feel things are so much healthier with stuff in the water column for the acros

I’m not a fan of extra work(cleaning socks) I took them off on my 2-3month in but did see detritus/sand build up on my 1st chamber which I had read that was a bad thing but now I read is not as bad as we thought, it just looks ugly and nasty I think that’s why we scare of it.

 

[kevin_e]

The PAR numbers you posted don't sound right. That Sunlight Supply luminaire with a 400-watt lamp should be delivering much more light than reported. Maybe I missed it, but the RTN is from the bottom up, right? Or is it from the top down?

The RTN/STN just seems random and throughout the entire tank at various levels. This light has also been up for 10 months and the issues are only a couple months new. Also with regards to PAR, keep in mind that I set my light like 18" off the water and the top of my rock is like 10" down. That's 28" before it reaches the top of my rock where I was getting near 400 PAR. I set that intentionally as I didn't want much more than 400 anywhere coral were.

 

[kevin_e]

I think a lot of detritus is actually sand (other than bare bottom tanks I guess) and basically inert. If your tank is low in nutrients I agree some detritus can actually help.

I have decent sized aragonite. Unfortunately mine isn't sand.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

The RTN/STN just seems random and throughout the entire tank at various levels. This light has also been up for 10 months and the issues are only a couple months new. Also with regards to PAR, keep in mind that I set my light like 18" off the water and the top of my rock is like 10" down. That's 28" before it reaches the top of my rock where I was getting near 400 PAR. I set that intentionally as I didn't want much more than 400 anywhere coral were.

550 par

400 par

450 par

550 par

450 par

400 par

 

[Dana Riddle]

The RTN/STN just seems random and throughout the entire tank at various levels. This light has also been up for 10 months and the issues are only a couple months new. Also with regards to PAR, keep in mind that I set my light like 18" off the water and the top of my rock is like 10" down. That's 28" before it reaches the top of my rock where I was getting near 400 PAR. I set that intentionally as I didn't want much more than 400 anywhere coral were.

Ok, that makes sense.