ICP test review

[frofan]

Looking for a review of my tank. It’s 2 years old, mainly fish with a few LPS. I really want to keep SPS but have had zero luck. They quickly (4-6 weeks) lose tissue, turn white, and die.

Tank is a 36” wide Red Sea 300. I’m dosing mg, ca, kh, and npx. Tank has a 1” sand bed, Marco dry rock aqua scape. Flow is provided with MP40s, lights are radions. Parameters have been stable at what the test provided.

I’ve had some battles with hair algae, which is why I’m trying to keep params low.

Trying to understand why some corals have died and improve success going forward.

 

[Minifoot77]

Not having nitrate and the other traces won't help but what are you lighting the tank with?

 

[CHSUB]

Stop the NPX, step #1. Your nutrients are very, very low.

 

[frofan]

I’m only dosing 4ml NPX. Phosphates jump up to around .12 without it. Nitrates have always remained under 10.

Lighting is two xr30s. Running a modified AB+ at 30%.

 

[Minifoot77]

I’m only dosing 4ml NPX. Phosphates jump up to around .12 without it. Nitrates have always remained under 10.

Where do they go without the npx?

 

[Carv120222]

Looking for a review of my tank. It’s 2 years old, mainly fish with a few LPS. I really want to keep SPS but have had zero luck. They quickly (4-6 weeks) lose tissue, turn white, and die.

Tank is a 36” wide Red Sea 300. I’m dosing mg, ca, kh, and npx. Tank has a 1” sand bed, Marco dry rock aqua scape. Flow is provided with MP40s, lights are radions. Parameters have been stable at what the test provided.

Trying to understand why some corals have died and improve success going forward.

I feel your pain! I still struggle with SPS after 12 years of keeping a reef tank. Sometimes less is more, watch your dosing, don't over do it. In my experience I've found that a "dirty" tank seems to keep them a little bit happier, don't use too many chemicals (GFO, NoPox, etc) to strip all of the nutrients out. Keep parameters stable, as we've all heard, is key, and... BE PATIENT! (I know this is hard, bad things happen fast, good things are sloooooow to develop).

The only "important" parameter i see that's out of whack is the Iodine. Slowly add some Lugals and bring it up. Slow and steady wins the race. I'm totally guilty of being impatient, and rushing things. Make small changes and MONITOR CONDITIONS until you have everything dialed in.

I know this is nothing ground breaking here but just go slow and don't expect an amazing tank overnight. Good luck!!!!!!

 

[frofan]

Have played around with dosing some nitrate but need to get it dialed in. Highest I have recorded nitrates is 10.

 

[CHSUB]

Have played around with dosing some nitrate but need to get it dialed in. Highest I have recorded nitrates is 10.

Nitrates were “nn” on your ICP . Assumed that is effectively 0.00?

 

[frofan]

Yes, they read zero on my Hanna tester regularly as well. I need to get a better nitrate dosing schedule setup.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Looking for a review of my tank. It’s 2 years old, mainly fish with a few LPS. I really want to keep SPS but have had zero luck. They quickly (4-6 weeks) lose tissue, turn white, and die.

Tank is a 36” wide Red Sea 300. I’m dosing mg, ca, kh, and npx. Tank has a 1” sand bed, Marco dry rock aqua scape. Flow is provided with MP40s, lights are radions. Parameters have been stable at what the test provided.

I’ve had some battles with hair algae, which is why I’m trying to keep params low.

Trying to understand why some corals have died and improve success going forward.

I agree the nitrate is very low. I'd feed more or dose N somehow.

Many traces are also low. I'd also use a trace element supplement such as Tropic Marin A and K.