Giving up on SPS?

[BroccoliFarmer]

Ok...after a year of unsuccessfully trying to keep SPS..i might just have to throw in the towel. Would love some last minute advice before I officially concentrate on growing coralline algae which grows fine.
I recently purchased a nice sized shipment from @SBB Corals. some of the most amazing pieces I have ever seen. After two short weeks, my tips are already suffering from STN.

Parameters:

1. Trident: Alk 8.8 and pretty steady.
   1. Has fluctuated by +/- 0.3 over the course of daily cycles of dosing being on and off and periods of photosynthetsis, etc.
2. Trident: Calcium 480 (yeah, i know, a little high)
3. Trident: Magnesium 1344
4. Hanna: Phosphates 0.05
5. Hanna: Nitrates 25.4 (yeah..i know, a little high)
6. Refractomer: Salinity 1.026
7. Trident Par Module: 300-400 Par
8. Trident: PH night time minimum 7.8'ish DayTime maximum 8.1

I am using an AquaticLife T5 hybrid with NooPsyches.
NooPsyches are on 50% of royal blue, UV, GreenBlue and Light blue. 0% on Coolwhite and Red
T5s are 4x54watt. 3 blue, 1 Actinic

Any help / indications would be appreciated.

 

[Miami Reef]

I don’t see anything wrong with the chemistry you posted that would cause the problems you are seeing.

However, you left the most important parameter: temperature! I’ve seen a huge correlation with high temperatures and STN/RTN.

What’s the highest the temperature ever gets to?

 

[spsick]

With tips doing that you may try gradually moving to a lower alkalinity. For the past 5 years my reef has hovered in the 7s and I’ve had next to no coral mortality vs in the past with higher alk.

 

[Jekyl]

Nitrate would be my first guess. Most sps heavy tanks keep it at around 5.

 

[X-37B]

White tips looks like growth to me not stn? Parameters look ok. Ca at 480 will not hurt anything or cause stn.
With nitrates at 25 I would focus on reducing to <10. I run <5.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

I don’t see anything wrong with the chemistry you posted that would cause the problems you are seeing.

However, you left the most important parameter: temperature! I’ve seen a huge correlation with high temperatures and STN/RTN.

What’s the highest the temperature ever gets to?

goes from 77-79. Hits 77, heater comes on. 79, fan comes on.

 

[ycnibrc]

How old is your tank? Start with dry rock or live rock? Do u dose any kind of bacteria or just regular cycle the tank?

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

White tips looks like growth to me not stn? Parameters look ok. Ca at 480 will not hurt anything or cause stn.
With nitrates at 25 I would focus on reducing to <10. I run <5.

I am hoping...the alkalinity uptake has been significant..but those are pure white tips..no flesh on them at all. Lol..would be funny if i am actually starting to be successful but didnt know what success is supposed to look like :D

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

How old is your tank? Start with dry rock or live rock? Do u dose any kind of bacteria or just regular cycle the tank?

Started May of last year.

I dose Phosphates to keep them above zero
Dose Nitrates (currently on pause until they come down)
Dose carbon to bring down the nitrates.

 

[X-37B]

With tips doing that you may try gradually moving to a lower alkalinity. For the past 5 years my reef has hovered in the 7s and I’ve had next to no coral mortality vs in the past with higher alk.

Big fan of 7dkh. I have found over the years that lower dkh, NSW levels are preffered.

 

[Miami Reef]

goes from 77-79. Hits 77, heater comes on. 79, fan comes on.

This temperature is good. I’m not sure I see anything parameter wise that would be causing this.

Not even high nitrates would cause something like STN, definitely not at 25ppm.

 

[X-37B]

My stag has some pretty large white growth tips.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Big fan of 7dkh. I have found over the years that lower dkh, NSW levels are preffered.

Interesting. Big reason I was keeping alk that high was me trying to keep my PH up...good insight..thank you

 

[Lavey29]

Have you done a recent ICP to check everything?

 

[dwest]

If they are white tips (bad) algae will start growing on them within days. If they are growth white tips (good) no algae.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

To get this conversation really going post two more pics. One of your whole tank and one of your whole filtration.

 

[Miami Reef]

Interesting. Big reason I was keeping alk that high was me trying to keep my PH up...good insight..thank you

If you want to keep your ph up I’d highly recommend using a 2 part containing sodium hydroxide for the alkalinity part: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/second-new-diy-two-part-recipe-with-higher-ph-boost.357080/

 

[X-37B]

Interesting. Big reason I was keeping alk that high was me trying to keep my PH up...good insight..thank you

Interesting as I run a carx on that system in the pic. My ph goes from 7.9-8.2 on all systems.
I also dose trace which I have done for 6 years now and would not run a system without it.

 

[X-37B]

If they are white tips (bad) algae will start growing on them within days. If they are growth white tips (good) no algae.

Well said!

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

If you want to keep your ph up I’d highly recommend using a 2 part containing sodium hydroxide for the alkalinity part: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/second-new-diy-two-part-recipe-with-higher-ph-boost.357080/

I am dosing Kalkwasser

If they are white tips (bad) algae will start growing on them within days. If they are growth white tips (good) no algae.

That is the think...I am starting to see the familiar brown markings on the top which indicate they are not growth tips.