d2mini's "Essential Focus" Mixed Reef Build

[bubbaque]

Dennis is it possible to post a few pics of the sps?

 

[najer]

I would double check you lighting output, sounds like the acros are reacting to less light, if you went up 5% and they say up to 20% they might be right!

 

[bubbaque]

Brs did a video on actual par loss and I think it was 10%.

 

[Janci]

I suspect a combination of all those changes might trigger a reaction of the corals.
The effects of Alk swings are not yet very truly known. A 1 day swing can cause rtn in one tank and nothing in another.
I have added the diffusers last week and have not adjusted intensity yet.
My tank is similar in size and lighting to yours. Tomorrow I measure PAR levels and compare to the previous levels. Will let you know the outcome asap.

 

[SelimSeven]

You can check your potassium levels

 

[najer]

I suspect a combination of all those changes might trigger a reaction of the corals.
The effects of Alk swings are not yet very truly known. A 1 day swing can cause rtn in one tank and nothing in another.
I have added the diffusers last week and have not adjusted intensity yet.
My tank is similar in size and lighting to yours. Tomorrow I measure PAR levels and compare to the previous levels. Will let you know the outcome asap.

I don't run radions and I know this is a new step change for people, trying the diffusors, it will be interesting to see a report, including mounting height on a few tanks, someone should start a thread!

 

[d2mini]

You can check your potassium levels

Potassium levels at the end of January were only slightly low at 341. And I followed Triton's dosing recommendation to correct it.

Update on other parameters, nothing crazy except the high mag which I'm always plagued with for some reason, no matter what test kit i use. But when Triton tested it, it was only 1200.

pH now ranges from 7.76 to 8.0.
Alk 7.6
Calc - 540
Mag - 1700
Salinity - 1.0256
Nitrate - 2-3ppm
P04 - 0.1 ppm

@bubbaque I don't have time to take pics over the next few days but not too hard to imagine.
Some colors turning brown, or completely stark white sticks.

 

[UWC]

Whenever I hear all sticks looking bad out of know where, some brown, some rtn etc. I instantly think salinity. Check, calibrate and double, triple check again.

 

[d2mini]

Whenever I hear all sticks looking bad out of know where, some brown, some rtn etc. I instantly think salinity. Check, calibrate and double, triple check again.

Boom.
My new-ish probe wasn't calibrated correctly.
Tried a different calibration fluid and now it matches my refractometer... both reading 1.029. ;Wideyed

 

[UWC]

Boom.
My new-ish probe wasn't calibrated correctly.
Tried a different calibration fluid and now it matches my refractometer... both reading 1.029. ;Wideyed

Salinity is one of those things that is so important, yet so easily overlooked. Hope that solves your issue

 

[d2mini]

Salinity is one of those things that is so important, yet so easily overlooked. Hope that solves your issue

Me too, thanks!

Not sure how much of an effect this had but I'm sure it didn't help matters.
Since I have the AWC system going all day long, I turned off the saltwater replacement and it's filling with just ATO water each time, to slowly bring levels back down over a few days.

 

[Velcro]

did you ever figure out your pH situation?

 

[d2mini]

did you ever figure out your pH situation?

Ya, a stronger feed pump that allowed for a little bit slower effluent allowed me to decrease the c02 output which helped get it the ph a bit higher.
I still have a c02 scrubber ready to go, just haven't had time to hook it up yet.

 

[Velcro]

Ya, a stronger feed pump that allowed for a little bit slower effluent allowed me to decrease the c02 output which helped get it the ph a bit higher.
I still have a c02 scrubber ready to go, just haven't had time to hook it up yet.

I switched to the alternative tuning method of having a steady stream (as slow as possible before it becomes a broken stream) and turning the pH up to around 7.1-7.2. My pH in the tank didn't change much and things are rock solid now.

 

[d2mini]

Well this is interesting... now my ph is over 8.2.
So was the high salinity causing my low ph issues???

 

[Janci]

I suspect a combination of all those changes might trigger a reaction of the corals.
The effects of Alk swings are not yet very truly known. A 1 day swing can cause rtn in one tank and nothing in another.
I have added the diffusers last week and have not adjusted intensity yet.
My tank is similar in size and lighting to yours. Tomorrow I measure PAR levels and compare to the previous levels. Will let you know the outcome asap.

Happy you found the problem.
It took some longer then expected but here are my PAR measurements with and without diffusers.

Without the diffusers..
Right above water level PAR is 620
Just under the water line PAR is 450-500
At 8 inches PAR is 320
At 14 inches PAR is 260
At 16 inches PAR is 240
And at the bottom at 20 inches PAR is 200

With diffusers...
Right above water level PAR is 530
Just under the water line PAR is 380-450
At 8 inches PAR is 280
At 14 inches PAR is 240
At 16 inches PAR is 200
And at the bottom at 20 inches PAR is 160

 

[Brew12]

Well this is interesting... now my ph is over 8.2.
So was the high salinity causing my low ph issues???

I would consider it very unlikely to have been a direct factor.

pH is only impacted by Alkalinity and CO2. Higher salinity normally would mean higher Alkalinity along with higher pH. If you were still controlling Alkalinity within your normal band then you shouldn't have seen a change in pH.

I don't know enough about Calc reactors to know if there would be an indirect connection between how the reactor was working and the amount of CO2 in the tank.

 

[HolisticBear]

pH is only impacted by Alkalinity and CO2

Could the pH have increased due to increased photosynthesis? Basically, once the salinity slipped the corals got stressed and stopped (or slowed) their normal photosynthesis and consumed less CO2 as a result. Once they resumed normal CO2 consumption with good salinity, we saw the pH increase.

 

[shred5]

One of my favorite creatures to watch when the lights go out (or before they come on, in this case).

He's been hanging around since the tank restart in April.
Hoping he continues to do well. Filter feeders are tough to keep!

I have not checked in on your build in a while but very nice..

I had a basket star come in on a gorgonia once. He lasted about 6 months but that was a long long time ago.
They are cool. should be able to feed him at night. Probably not to bad to keep nowadays.

good luck tank is looking good.

 

[Brew12]

I would consider it very unlikely to have been a direct factor.

pH is only impacted by Alkalinity and CO2. Higher salinity normally would mean higher Alkalinity along with higher pH. If you were still controlling Alkalinity within your normal band then you shouldn't have seen a change in pH.

I don't know enough about Calc reactors to know if there would be an indirect connection between how the reactor was working and the amount of CO2 in the tank.

Not sure. I don't know how much CO2 corals actually consume.... well over my pay grade!