Help with SPS in my tank

[arking_mark]

I could use some help with SPS in my tank. I'm not seeing good growth, color, or PE. I'd like some advice from the R2R community.

I'm thinking placement of powerheads and lighting may be suboptimal.

Tank: 5' long RS 525xl
Age: 9 months old
Total volume: 400L
Lighting: 2 x Kessil 360x, 1 x Kessil AP9x
Aquascape: Dry rock and DSB
Powerheads: 2 x Reefwave 45, 1 x Octo Pulse 2
Sump: Trigger Platinum 34"
Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo w/ recirculating CO2 Scrubber
Return Pump: Ecotech L1
Controller: GHL (Temp, Salinity, pH, & Alk)

Parameters:
Temp: 76.5 to 77.5
Salinity: 1.0264ish
Alk: 7.7ish dKH
Ca: 450ish ppm
Mag: 1450ish
NO3: 3-5ppm
PO4: 0 - 0.06 (usually 0.03ish)

Dosing:
2.5ml/min Kalkwasser (~ 0.8 dKH)
21ml/day All-for-reef (~ 0.3 dKH)
16ml Red Sea Energy AB+

Feeding: Very varied from Panta Nori, True Algae, Freeze Dried Mysis, TDO Chroma Boost, Sea Veggies, Freeze Dried Bloodworms, Reef Chili, Nutridiet Marine, Masstick, DKI Marine, Frozen Cyclopod, Frozen Coral Gumbo, Frozen Multipack, Frozen Bloodworms

Fish:
Candy Basslet (7 months)
Powder Brown Tang (6 months)
2 x Mollies (8 months)
Clown (7 months)
Bicolor Blenny (2 months)
2 x Gold Headed Slepper Gibies (3 weeks)
1 x Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (2 weeks)

Non-sps Corals:
Lots of softies (Zoas, Mushrooms, flower anemones)
Some LPS ( Jellybean Chalice, BSA Tittie Twister, JF Dayglo, Frogspawn, & Space Invaders)

SPS:
Bubble Gum Digi
Aquatic-man large frag (3 months)
Vivids PC Rainbow Colony (3 weeks)
Vivids Rainbow Mini Colony (6 weeks)
Walt Disney frag (1 day)
Thing Frag (1 day)
24k Milli Frag (1 day)
Pikachu Frag (1 day)
Pink Cadillac frag (1 day)

Lighting schedule (Kessils have narrow relector)

Pictures:

 

[desagon]

In my experience, sometimes they just need a bit of time to really settle in. Especially in a newer system. I’ve had a few that took about 6 months to start growing (like the Oregon tort) and others that started growing after a week (bonsai).
I also have my lighting running for 11 hours a day.
Someone with more experience might have more input.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Over the course of several weeks, slowly raise your light intensity up to 90-100%. Run the lights for 8-10 daily, off the rest of the time.
Raise the temp to 78-79. They need lots of light to get a good growth rate going. Higher temp will speed up the metabolism.

 

[Pistondog]

I could use some help with SPS in my tank. I'm not seeing good growth, color, or PE. I'd like some advice from the R2R community.

I'm thinking placement of powerheads and lighting may be suboptimal.

Tank: 5' long RS 525xl
Age: 9 months old
Total volume: 400L
Lighting: 2 x Kessil 360x, 1 x Kessil AP9x
Aquascape: Dry rock and DSB
Powerheads: 2 x Reefwave 45, 1 x Octo Pulse 2
Sump: Trigger Platinum 34"
Skimmer: Aeraqua Duo w/ recirculating CO2 Scrubber
Return Pump: Ecotech L1
Controller: GHL (Temp, Salinity, pH, & Alk)

Parameters:
Temp: 76.5 to 77.5
Salinity: 1.0264ish
Alk: 7.7ish dKH
Ca: 450ish ppm
Mag: 1450ish
NO3: 3-5ppm
PO4: 0 - 0.06 (usually 0.03ish)

Dosing:
2.5ml/min Kalkwasser (~ 0.8 dKH)
21ml/day All-for-reef (~ 0.3 dKH)
16ml Red Sea Energy AB+

Feeding: Very varied from Panta Nori, True Algae, Freeze Dried Mysis, TDO Chroma Boost, Sea Veggies, Freeze Dried Bloodworms, Reef Chili, Nutridiet Marine, Masstick, DKI Marine, Frozen Cyclopod, Frozen Coral Gumbo, Frozen Multipack, Frozen Bloodworms

Fish:
Candy Basslet (7 months)
Powder Brown Tang (6 months)
2 x Mollies (8 months)
Clown (7 months)
Bicolor Blenny (2 months)
2 x Gold Headed Slepper Gibies (3 weeks)
1 x Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (2 weeks)

Non-sps Corals:
Lots of softies (Zoas, Mushrooms, flower anemones)
Some LPS ( Jellybean Chalice, BSA Tittie Twister, JF Dayglo, Frogspawn, & Space Invaders)

SPS:
Bubble Gum Digi
Aquatic-man large frag (3 months)
Vivids PC Rainbow Colony (3 weeks)
Vivids Rainbow Mini Colony (6 weeks)
Walt Disney frag (1 day)
Thing Frag (1 day)
24k Milli Frag (1 day)
Pikachu Frag (1 day)
Pink Cadillac frag (1 day)

Lighting schedule (Kessils have narrow relector)

Pictures:

I stopped the ab+ as it reversed polyp extension for me.
Had success with a powerhead 5s on 5s off to create waves action.
Also maybe try a plating monti to gage your tanks sps readiness.
What others have said about lighting..

 

[arking_mark]

Over the course of several weeks, slowly raise your light intensity up to 90-100%. Run the lights for 8-10 daily, off the rest of the time.
Raise the temp to 78-79. They need lots of light to get a good growth rate going. Higher temp will speed up the metabolism.

Lighting at 30% throws 250-300 PAR mid tank. Turning it up to 90-100 will be very high, no?

 

[arking_mark]

This BC Aquatic-man has been in the tank for 3 months with no PE.

It's been tabling a little and until 3 days ago was completely green like the left hand side.

Not sure if it not being completely green is an issue or it doing something else.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

light, water, and nutrients. The only thing that seems off to me is your lighting. Are you positive those PAR are correct? Maybe leave the AP9X where it’s at and bump the 360s up to 100% to get a higher PAR across the tank.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

light, water, and nutrients. The only thing that seems off to me is your lighting. Are you positive those PAR are correct? Maybe leave the AP9X where it’s at and bump the 360s up to 100% to get a higher PAR across the

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I would agree that seems like very minimal lighting for acros. Have you used a PAR meter on your tank or are you going by manufacturer ratings? I also feel that your tank is a bit young for acros. You may have some do well, and others not so much until your tank is fully seasoned and stable.

 

[arking_mark]

light, water, and nutrients. The only thing that seems off to me is your lighting. Are you positive those PAR are correct? Maybe leave the AP9X where it’s at and bump the 360s up to 100% to get a higher PAR across the

I'm using a Seneye for measuring the PAR. I'm having difficulties with my softies on the sand because it's over 150 PAR except in the shade.

I am using the Kessil narrow reflectors which decreases spillage and increases PAR.

 

[Pistondog]

Look for brown as an indicator of low light, white as too much or something else.
Try to rent an apogee to cross check the seneye.
I had a seneye, but didn't trust par. Bought apogee 510, no questions now.

 

[Pistondog]

I'm using a Seneye for measuring the PAR. I'm having difficulties with my softies on the sand because it's over 150 PAR except in the shade.

I am using the Kessil narrow reflectors which decreases spillage and increases PAR.

Maybe shut off one of the 360s and move the softies to that side of the tank

 

[bobnicaragua]

Add T5

 

[arking_mark]

Look for brown as an indicator of low light, white as too much or something else.
Try to rent an apogee to cross check the seneye.
I had a seneye, but didn't trust par. Bought apogee 510, no questions now.

How did the Seneye compare with the Apogee?

 

[arking_mark]

Add T5

Not sure I want to add more lights. I've seen good success from others with just Kessils.

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

Lighting at 30% throws 250-300 PAR mid tank. Turning it up to 90-100 will be very high, no?

From what i have read, the Seneye isn’t as accurate as Apogee and there are two models of Apogee with one being better at detected LED emitted PAR than the other.

 

[arking_mark]

Look for brown as an indicator of low light, white as too much or something else.
Try to rent an apogee to cross check the seneye.
I had a seneye, but didn't trust par. Bought apogee 510, no questions now.

So I'm not seeing browning or bleaching at this time.

What I'm seeing here is a change from a solid green coral, as it appears on its left side, to something more pinkish with green tips.

Can't be bleaching...it's been in my tank for 3 months.

Flow has changed though. What are the signs of too much or too little flow?

 

[arking_mark]

I'm wondering if I have some flow issues... I have my ReefWave 45 mounted vertically.

Top pushing water across the back:

Bottom pushing water to the front:

 

[bobnicaragua]

Not sure I want to add more lights. I've seen good success from others with just Kessils.room to improve your coverage. It isn't necessarily, but it would help.

Not sure I want to add more lights. I've seen good success from others with just Kessils.

As the tank grows in, T5 will provide better coverage and basically make what you are trying to accomplish easier.

 

[SamMule]

What makes you think the color changes are not a positive response to something? From what I can tell, BC aquatic man is not supposed to be green. I have seen some much more knowledgeable folks on here state that PE is not necessarily an indicator of health.
Personally, I think the parts that have changed look much better. If it's growing and the colors are desirable, why go down the rabbit hole?