Feel like quitting 2 years almost no growth please help sps dominate

[Robinson]

Also what is this calibration you speak of? I took the lights out of the box installed them as per the packet and then par’d out the tank accordingly

Radion: Calibration via EcoSmart Live

Overview If you are seeing any significant spectral differences between your Radions, please follow the steps below to perform a calibration. Calibration will help to reduce any differences in col...

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This is not going to change your overall output, but will help with the spectra of the lights. Is recommended to do this at least one time to have all fixture acting the same and probably putting out the same power.

 

[Crustaceon]

I think you’re on the right path but may have stepped a little bit too far in one or more directions. I think you’re ok from a nutrient perspective but I wonder if Alk and PAR could be off. Every system is a little different and you really do have to find that “sweet spot” when it comes to parameters. IMO, I think you’re on the high end of those spectrums for your system. A simple way to know for sure is to slowly back off on the light or the alk for a week and watch for new growth. When lighting or alk is too high for the corals, they can get a little “miffed” even though they still have good coloration. Sometimes we have to stop pushing them so hard to get them to cooperate.

 

[Ryan Mansa]

I think you’re on the right path but may have stepped a little bit too far in one or more directions. I think you’re ok from a nutrient perspective but I wonder if Alk and PAR could be off. Every system is a little different and you really do have to find that “sweet spot” when it comes to parameters. IMO, I think you’re on the high end of those spectrums for your system. A simple way to know for sure is to slowly back off on the light or the alk for a week and watch for new growth. When lighting or alk is too high for the corals, they can get a little “miffed” even though they still have good coloration. Sometimes we have to stop pushing them so hard to get them to cooperate.

I don’t think my alk level of 8.5 or so and a par of 450 is brain melting crazy , but like I have already done I pulled a whole hour off the schedule , how about this I will re rent the meter tonight from BRS and will re par the tank at 2 pm when lights are at Max ?

 

[Potatohead]

Personally the light intensity is third or fourth on the list of things I would be changing. First I would probably run lights at full rip about 6.5 - 7 hours. Maybe an hour ramp up and a couple down if you want some time with the blues at night. I do agree flow was a good idea but I probably wouldn't have halved it, maybe 20-25% drop.

For me:

1 - Flow
2 - Alk
3 - Light period
4 - Intensity

JMO

 

[Ryan Mansa]

Personally the light intensity is third or fourth on the list of things I would be changing. First I would probably run lights at full rip about 6.5 - 7 hours. Maybe an hour ramp up and a couple down if you want some time with the blues at night. I do agree flow was a good idea but I probably wouldn't have halved it, maybe 20-25% drop.

For me:

1 - Flow
2 - Alk
3 - Light period
4 - Intensity

JMO

Flow I’ll put back in 50 days time if I don’t get a alk drop

alk - what would you put it to then ?
light period is 7 hours full T5 is 10 hours , blues on 2.5 hours each side ( I can’t see blue lights hurting my stuff )
Intensity - I will re rent a par meter then

 

[Potatohead]

Like I said before for an acro tank I would lower to about 7.6. Maybe even lower.

Your LED setup to me seems fine. I'd probably drop the T5's to seven hours also.

Again, IMO:

Step one - Lower flow 25%, reduce T5 to seven hours. Wait a few weeks. If positive results, then I would:
Step two - Reduce my alk/cal dose by about 10% and let it fall into the 7's (420 calcium) over about 3-4 weeks. Observe for another month
Step three - Reduce light intensity slightly, maybe 10-15% just to observe what it does

 

[Ryan Mansa]

Like I said before for an acro tank I would lower to about 7.6. Maybe even lower.

Your LED setup to me seems fine. I'd probably drop the T5's to seven hours also.

Again, IMO:

Step one - Lower flow 25%, reduce T5 to seven hours. Wait a few weeks. If positive results, then I would:
Step two - Reduce my alk/cal dose by about 10% and let it fall into the 7's (420 calcium) over about 3-4 weeks. Observe for another month
Step three - Reduce light intensity slightly, maybe 10-15% just to observe what it does

Wow that is a extreme reduction on all fronts of the battle , very interesting well all I can say at this time is I will certainly note this and day 60 if I’m not getting a alk drop and doser increase then I will go to my Chems and start there , I’m holding off on equipment changes , next phase would be chems and 60 days after chems I’ll go back to lighting , I will re rent the par meter , if I get anywhere in the 350-450 range like I originally par’d the tank out at , I can’t see lighting being a issue I would be hard pressed but in 120 days time I might have to move that slider off 100 percent intensity

 

[TeotheCoral]

Thank you my goal was to alternate shapes and types and colors and when they all mushed together I thought it would like pretty radical my plan might not be a working at the moment though !

I like the way you keep the rocks to a minimum and to elevate the SPS.

 

[Zoajohn]

Didn’t get to read the whole thread, but I had the same issue. What I found was that flow was too high, and my Acros preferred alk around 7. I lowered my MP10 down to 50% from 85-90%. Now they’re able to take all the light!

 

[Ryan Mansa]

I like the way you keep the rocks to a minimum and to elevate the SPS.

With the dimensions of the Red Sea 250 awkward imo a centered lifted “Bommie” style scape was the only thing coming to my mind for the build , thank you very much , if I ever do a new build I will not buy this shape of aquarium because IMO it limits scape ideas , I would much rather a shorter longer deeper tank a cool tank to me would be like 48 x 30 x 16-18 but thanks I’m trying to work with what I got ! And still be able to enjoy a lot of critters in there !

 

[Ryan Mansa]

Didn’t get to read the whole thread, but I had the same issue. What I found was that flow was too high, and my Acros preferred alk around 7. I lowered my MP10 down to 50% from 85-90%. Now they’re able to take all the light!

Please read if you can , I have lowered the flow and in 60 days time I’ll do a alk drop

 

[Ryan Mansa]

Chem test

 

[TeotheCoral]

With the dimensions of the Red Sea 250 awkward imo a centered lifted “Bommie” style scape was the only thing coming to my mind for the build , thank you very much , if I ever do a new build I will not buy this shape of aquarium because IMO it limits scape ideas , I would much rather a shorter longer deeper tank a cool tank to me would be like 48 x 30 x 16-18 but thanks I’m trying to work with what I got ! And still be able to enjoy a lot of critters in there !

I have a Red Sea 170 and always wanted a 250. My wife would let me get anything bigger.

 

[Ryan Mansa]

I have a Red Sea 170 and always wanted a 250. My wife would let me get anything bigger.

Nice tech on that tank , and love that scape ! You gotta do that style scape I feel with tanks like ours to get a nice look IMO , that will fill in beautifully!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Could be. I just set it up a couple weeks ago

 

[Ryan Mansa]

Love all these pics chas and everyone else please flood this with anything you guys want !!! These are all good data points and ideas

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Love all these pics chas and everyone else please flood this with anything you guys want !!! These are all good data points and ideas

Ok
But just a few more

 

[Rick5]

Ok
But just a few more

Your tank really hit its groove (although things were looking good before - but the growth pictures stand out to me). I’m digging it.

Are you attributing the growth to the higher PH, tweaked light settings, all of the above or something else? I don’t think you mentioned changing anything else but I may have missed it.

 

[mtippett]

Your tank really hit its groove (although things were looking good before - but the growth pictures stand out to me). I’m digging it.

Are you attributing the growth to the higher PH, tweaked light settings, all of the above or something else? I don’t think you mentioned changing anything else but I may have missed it.

We had minimal growth or frequent die-back for SPS until we adjusted the pH with a CO2 scrubber (daily variance is typically 8.0-8.2 (natural cycle), and lowered the lighting (Kessil AP700). We haven't had dieback, and the Top-Shelf aquatics SPS are around their third splitting and growing, gave some corals that we are concerned are growing *too* much.

So higher pH and lower lighting was our special sauce.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

When I first read everything I felt too much light. Get that adjusted then wait. Many corals take months before they really grow. SPS will still grow at 200 par. With high par shorter light cycle. Bet you don't get a lot of coralline only in shaded areas.