GSP not growing

[jda]

Some of the black sand is volcanic and has heavy metals in it - not good for reef tanks. Some of it is fine. Hard to know the difference if you don't know where it came from. If you run a magnet through the sand, will some of the sand stick to the magnet?

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

What is the funnel like coral at the top right?

It’s a regular ol’ leather…

 

[Tahiti]

Some of the black sand is volcanic and has heavy metals in it - not good for reef tanks. Some of it is fine. Hard to know the difference if you don't know where it came from. If you run a magnet through the sand, will some of the sand stick to the magnet?

When I first got into the hobby I bought black sand it ended up scratching my glass! Also it didn't stay black and turned almost like a dark brown so I got rid of it. Never again.

 

[wrgoff]

Some of the black sand is volcanic and has heavy metals in it - not good for reef tanks. Some of it is fine. Hard to know the difference if you don't know where it came from. If you run a magnet through the sand, will some of the sand stick to the magnet?

If my memory serves me correct. I believe it is "CaribSea" Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Live Reef Sand. I am looking at adding "Ecosystem Aquarium Miracle Mud" to my sump. And I am plumbing in a Bio Pellet reactor. The mud should add in some trace elements (at least that is what the tell me). The Bio Pellet reactor will reduce my high nitrates.

FYI I have had the black sand in there since I setup the tank (as a FOWLR) about 5 years ago.

Bill

 

[wrgoff]

If my memory serves me correct. I believe it is "CaribSea" Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Live Reef Sand. I am looking at adding "Ecosystem Aquarium Miracle Mud" to my sump. And I am plumbing in a Bio Pellet reactor. The mud should add in some trace elements (at least that is what the tell me). The Bio Pellet reactor will reduce my high nitrates.

FYI I have had the black sand in there since I setup the tank (as a FOWLR) about 5 years ago.

Bill

I think you might be right. After doing some more reading, some people who used it were stating the same thing. Before I remove it (it wasn't cheap), I think I will take a water sample into a near by fish store, and have them test it for high nickel and vanadium.

Hopefully this is the issue.
Thanks for the insight. I really do appreciate it.

 

[wrgoff]

Question for everyone.. Do you all run activated carbon? and how do you use it. Ie in a reactor or just place it in a high flow area in your sump?

 

[wrgoff]

Another question: I have an old fluidized sand filter. I use to use it up until I added my sump, Should I hook it back up. They really do lower ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. I had good luck with it, with my old canister filters.

 

[dank.reefer]

Temp: 75 - 78 degrees F
PH: 7.7 (i know it is a little low)
Ammonia: 0.09
Nitrite: 8.0
Nitrate: 57.2
KH: 5.8
Phosphate: 0.9

GSP is usually quite resilient and as such is usually quite difficult to kill, and grows like a weed regardless of parameters. I wont keep it anymore because I don't want it to take over. That being said, the temp is a little low try and keep above 78° (78-81°), PH is low try and keep between 8 and 8.3, alkalinity should be above 8, phosphates are too high should be around .1 or lower, and nitrate is high but this could be due to the high nitrite try and keep this between 8-15. Why is there detectible ammonia and nitrite? Is this a testing problem or is your tank still cycling or do you not keep up on water changes or carbon dosing? What test kits are you using? I don't even test for ammonia or nitrite as It doesn't even show up after the tank is cycled unless something is going way wrong and things are dying. Are things dying?

Either way something is throwing your water parameters out of whack. What are you using for top off water? Could these elements be coming from tap water? Are you topping off? Do you have an ATO? I don't think trying different corals would prove successful until you get these numbers back in check.

I just read that you said that you just ditched your canister filter and switched to a sump. Canister filters do a lot more than just filter particulate. They are also a large portion of of your biological and chemical filtration. If you just took that off line and switched to a brand new sterile sump you are probably in the middle of cycling the tank again. If the sand bed and LR is 5 years old as you have stated there may be decaying detritus in there that was/is putting of ammonia and nitrite that the canister was cleaning up. Many people discount the value of canister filters in reef keeping but the fact of the matter is that they work and they keep things stable. I have a 20g frag tank running off of a just a canister with just the coarse sponge and a Chemipure blue bag and a HOB protein skimmer right now. I actually have to dose nitrates and phosphates in that system to keep them up and it has been going strong for a year. I think that canister was likely doing a lot more than you gave it credit for. If it is still cycled I would get it back online.

 

[wrgoff]

Temp: 75 - 78 degrees F
PH: 7.7 (i know it is a little low)
Ammonia: 0.09
Nitrite: 8.0
Nitrate: 57.2
KH: 5.8
Phosphate: 0.9

GSP is usually quite resilient and as such is usually quite difficult to kill, and grows like a weed regardless of parameters. I wont keep it anymore because I don't want it to take over. That being said, the temp is a little low try and keep above 78° (78-81°), PH is low try and keep between 8 and 8.3, alkalinity should be above 8, phosphates are too high should be around .1 or lower, and nitrate is high but this could be due to the high nitrite try and keep this between 8-15. Why is there detectible ammonia and nitrite? Is this a testing problem or is your tank still cycling or do you not keep up on water changes or carbon dosing? What test kits are you using? I don't even test for ammonia or nitrite as It doesn't even show up after the tank is cycled unless something is going way wrong and things are dying. Are things dying?

Either way something is throwing your water parameters out of whack. What are you using for top off water? Could these elements be coming from tap water? Are you topping off? Do you have an ATO? I don't think trying different corals would prove successful until you get these numbers back in check.

I just read that you said that you just ditched your canister filter and switched to a sump. Canister filters do a lot more than just filter particulate. They are also a large portion of of your biological and chemical filtration. If you just took that off line and switched to a brand new sterile sump you are probably in the middle of cycling the tank again. If the sand bed and LR is 5 years old as you have stated there may be decaying detritus in there that was/is putting of ammonia and nitrite that the canister was cleaning up. Many people discount the value of canister filters in reef keeping but the fact of the matter is that they work and they keep things stable. I have a 20g frag tank running off of a just a canister with just the coarse sponge and a Chemipure blue bag and a HOB protein skimmer right now. I actually have to dose nitrates and phosphates in that system to keep them up and it has been going strong for a year. I think that canister was likely doing a lot more than you gave it credit for. If it is still cycled I would get it back online.

I replaced the canisters (I had two Ehiem) a little over a year ago. So no they are no longer a option. I suspect it might be my back sand that is the real issue. I ordered a "ATI ICP-OES Complete Saltwater Water Test Kit" from amazon. This will give me an idea on what my nickel and vanadium (as well as others) levels are at. I have always used RODI water (from my "Koolermax AR-122 6-stage RO+DI"). I use to also run a fluidized sand filter. I am actually thinking about re-adding it. Plumbing it into my manifold, as well as both carbon and bio pellets.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I have the Hanna HI97115UC Bluetooth Marine Master Multiparameter Checker. It is all digital.

I have only been keeping track of my temp, ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, and must recently started keeping track of KH, and Phosphate. Is there any others I should be keeping?

Sept 4 readings
Temp: 75.4
PH: 7.7
Ammonia: 0.04
Nitrite: 14.0
Nitrate: 62.5
Salinity: 34 ppm

Nov Readings
Temp: 75.4
PH: 7.7
Ammonia: 0.09
Nitrite: 8.0
Nitrate: 57.2
Salinity: 34 ppm
KH (just starting keeping this): 5.8
Phosphate (just started): 0.9

With all that said, my fish are really happy. But as I said the GSP is not looking real good.

lots of cyano bacteria in that picture this could also be effecting all aspects of the tank, see how its smothering your corals....I'd tackle that issue first then hit the books.

 

[dank.reefer]

When was the fluidized sand filter removed? I only ask because again the numbers look like the tank is cycling. If mechanical or biofilters were removed or changed and replaced and the bio media from those filters not moved to the new filter then you lost a lot of your nitrifiying bacteria. That sump looks awesome but it also looks brand new. And there also doesn't appear to be any filtration media in there like carbon,gfo,or biopellets or sponges. I think your tank is cycling and you should probably wait until the ammonia and nitrite are gone before adding anything else. Just my opinion.

 

[wrgoff]

lots of cyano bacteria in that picture this could also be effecting all aspects of the tank, see how its smothering your corals....I'd tackle that issue first then hit the books.

I think the Cyano is because of the high nitrates.

So I am trying to get those down. I am adding a reactor with bio-pellets. If anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

 

[wrgoff]

When was the fluidized sand filter removed? I only ask because again the numbers look like the tank is cycling. If mechanical or biofilters were removed or changed and replaced and the bio media from those filters not moved to the new filter then you lost a lot of your nitrifiying bacteria. That sump looks awesome but it also looks brand new. And there also doesn't appear to be any filtration media in there like carbon,gfo,or biopellets or sponges. I think your tank is cycling and you should probably wait until the ammonia and nitrite are gone before adding anything else. Just my opinion.

I have added a bunch of things to the sump area in the last 9 months. ie Maxspect Nano-Tech Bio-Spheres, and bio plates, Sponges from in the spaces that separate the refugium and skimmer section, and the skimmer section and where the return pumps are. I also have ceramic media (EHEIM MECH, and EHEIM SUBSTRAT). But I just have them in sitting in the sump. I probably need to put them in a place that will force water through them.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I think the Cyano is because of the high nitrates.

So I am trying to get those down. I am adding a reactor with bio-pellets. If anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

vacuum it out with a water change, those will help lower nitrates at the same time, you could up your filtration and skimming.

 

[Kate Vellis]

I am new to keeping corals. So I thought I would start with GSP. I have had a fish tank for the past 30 + years, mostly fresh water (ie African Cichlids). I have had my salt water tank up and fish in it for about 4 years. It is a 240 Gallon Tsunami tank. I recently (almost a year ago) added a Synergy Reef CL-60 sump. I am having trouble getting my GSP to grow. My tank is somewhat dirty. My tank is 8 feet wide X 2 feet high X 2 feet Deep. I am running 4 Current USA Orbit Marine LEDs (36 inches). I do have an Aquamaxx ConeS DCQ-3 protein Skimmer.

Temp: 75 - 78 degrees F
PH: 7.7 (i know it is a little low)
Ammonia: 0.09
Nitrite: 8.0
Nitrate: 57.2
KH: 5.8
Phosphate: 0.9

Any ideas why my GSP is not growing? I know my Nitrite and Nitrate is a little high, and I am getting ready to plumb in a Bio Pellet reactor.
I am also having trouble keeping my Cheato.

Here is a picture of my setup.

This is purely anecdotal, but I have GSP in my big tank where the pH is around 8 to 8.2 and tried moving some to a smaller tank where i have been struggling to get the pH above 7.8. The GSP is gorgeous in the tank with the higher pH and looks barely alive in the lower pH tank. Sorry I don't have all the parameters - i haven't checked in a week or two.

 

[Benji k]

This! GSP can take a bit of time to take off especially if the tank is new. PAR, nutrients, and flow are key to GSP growth. Once these hit the sweet spot, it’ll take off!

This tank is so cool we’re did you put your gsp when you first got it to get it to grow up the back wall and does that anemone ever try to sting other corals

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

This tank is so cool we’re did you put your gsp when you first got it to get it to grow up the back wall and does that anemone ever try to sting other corals

THANKS! I placed the GSP mid-way on the back so it could grow toward the light. And yes the magnifica does sting the corals. That’s why it is on its own shelf. It killed my large long poly leather in a matter of hours unfortunately.

 

[Benji k]

THANKS! I placed the GSP mid-way on the back so it could grow toward the light. And yes the magnifica does sting the corals. That’s why it is on its own shelf. It killed my large long poly leather in a matter of hours unfortunately.

This is an inspiration for my reef tank that’s cycling now thank you so much for sharing

 

[Quintin]

If my memory serves me correct. I believe it is "CaribSea" Hawaiian Black Arag-Alive! Live Reef Sand. I am looking at adding "Ecosystem Aquarium Miracle Mud" to my sump. And I am plumbing in a Bio Pellet reactor. The mud should add in some trace elements (at least that is what the tell me). The Bio Pellet reactor will reduce my high nitrates.

FYI I have had the black sand in there since I setup the tank (as a FOWLR) about 5 years ago.

Bill

Just my humble opinion but stay away from carbon dosing and bio pellet reactors until your water chemistry is right first. Then do plenty of research before going down that rout.

Also make sure you’ve got a big enough skimmer as you gonna start pulling a lot of skimmate when the bio pellets kick in.

 

[wrgoff]

I have some good news out of all of this. I am now getting my measurements to come more in line.

PH is now at 8.1 (from 7.7)
Nitrates at 29.9 (from 57.2)
Phosphates stayed the same at .9
Nitrites have risen to 13 (from 8)
Alk is at 13
Calc: 426
Mag: 1365 (a little high)

The bad news is the GSP died.