Kato
Active Member
Hi,
Even after 10 years in reefing I learned a valuable (and expensive) lesson around SPS corals after losing roughly 50% of what I had. The whole thing is quite interesting and a good example of cause and effect so wanted to share.
Background:
So I have a Waterbox 180 documented in the this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...nning-after-transfer-eu.986890/#post-11402035
About 70% of stuff was moved from my reefer 350. Some details:
SPS dominated tank with:
Nyos skimmer, T5 + AI LED combo, co2 scrubber, kalkwasser, good quality Carbon in a sock (not reactor), All4Reef, Refugium with Chaeto, Full apex, trident testing, Nitrate 1-2, PO4 0.03, Alk 8, Cal 440, Mag 1400 (measred when the STN had begun).
What happened?:
Tank was doing great for 4-5 months after the move from my reefer 350. Acro's growing well, colors good, was happy. Easy to see growth weekly. Then suddenly I noticed STN from the base on the easier SPS like birdsnest. After roughly 1 month I had lost a baseball sized birdsnest (took me 3 years to grow out) and a very nice pink hystrix that was big as well. Then the other more picky Acros started to STN as well from the base up. Lost quite a few there. I also lost a plate sized green plating Monti (red one was not happy but survived)
Ok taking a step back, what did I change? What exactly did I do that caused this?
Thinking about it, within the last two months I changed the following or had the following incidents which could affect things:
I raised my salinity (34->35ppt)
I increased my LED intensity slightly (65->75%)
I changed from my old spectrum used on the reefer 350 to the AB+ that was easy to set up via the Apex MXM module
I started to tinker a bit with Zeovit. Started with ZeoBak and ZeoFood dosing twice per week
I added 2 pieces of real live rock (imported. Just dropped in tank)
Trouble dialing in Kalkwasser with a few Alk swings (8->10 and 10->8 during a 24 hour period once or twice)
I increased the scheduled for lighting my Chaeto (8->10 hours)
Foxface fish added
Added more Copepods
Which one of the above caused it you think?
Took me roughly 2 weeks to figure it out (with experiments) and tank is now back on track with great growth. It really was a surprise to me even after having quite a few of successful tanks over the years. But one does not start a 'new' tank that often and there's always stuff to learn in this hobby. I find this one to be a textbook example of only changing one thing at a time and observe is no joke. Shall let you know in a few days...
Even after 10 years in reefing I learned a valuable (and expensive) lesson around SPS corals after losing roughly 50% of what I had. The whole thing is quite interesting and a good example of cause and effect so wanted to share.
Background:
So I have a Waterbox 180 documented in the this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/w...nning-after-transfer-eu.986890/#post-11402035
About 70% of stuff was moved from my reefer 350. Some details:
SPS dominated tank with:
Nyos skimmer, T5 + AI LED combo, co2 scrubber, kalkwasser, good quality Carbon in a sock (not reactor), All4Reef, Refugium with Chaeto, Full apex, trident testing, Nitrate 1-2, PO4 0.03, Alk 8, Cal 440, Mag 1400 (measred when the STN had begun).
What happened?:
Tank was doing great for 4-5 months after the move from my reefer 350. Acro's growing well, colors good, was happy. Easy to see growth weekly. Then suddenly I noticed STN from the base on the easier SPS like birdsnest. After roughly 1 month I had lost a baseball sized birdsnest (took me 3 years to grow out) and a very nice pink hystrix that was big as well. Then the other more picky Acros started to STN as well from the base up. Lost quite a few there. I also lost a plate sized green plating Monti (red one was not happy but survived)
Ok taking a step back, what did I change? What exactly did I do that caused this?
Thinking about it, within the last two months I changed the following or had the following incidents which could affect things:
I raised my salinity (34->35ppt)
I increased my LED intensity slightly (65->75%)
I changed from my old spectrum used on the reefer 350 to the AB+ that was easy to set up via the Apex MXM module
I started to tinker a bit with Zeovit. Started with ZeoBak and ZeoFood dosing twice per week
I added 2 pieces of real live rock (imported. Just dropped in tank)
Trouble dialing in Kalkwasser with a few Alk swings (8->10 and 10->8 during a 24 hour period once or twice)
I increased the scheduled for lighting my Chaeto (8->10 hours)
Foxface fish added
Added more Copepods
Which one of the above caused it you think?
Took me roughly 2 weeks to figure it out (with experiments) and tank is now back on track with great growth. It really was a surprise to me even after having quite a few of successful tanks over the years. But one does not start a 'new' tank that often and there's always stuff to learn in this hobby. I find this one to be a textbook example of only changing one thing at a time and observe is no joke. Shall let you know in a few days...
Last edited:
