Mentor

[Demonic]

Btw I always judged bulb changes with algae growth. The spectrum on the T5 bulb changes over time. When your lights start to grow algae then it’s time to change the bulbs.

 

[scabbedwings616]

I appreciate the help and need it. The last picture is a coral I’ve had for a while and gone thru new salts, dkh spike, and a few other events of the tank but it isn’t growing. Poly extensions all out. it

 

[scabbedwings616]

What light fixture do you have?

Aquatic life 6 bulb t-5

 

[BestMomEver]

The tips seem to grow algea. I snip that and it happens again. But some just completely bleach. Magnificat fox face, unicorn tang(hope there aren’t any tang police here), diamond goby, swallowtail angel, lawnmower Belen today, orange shoulder tang.

Stay back tang police! I too love tangs! You may have high phosphate because of your bioload. That’s a bunch of fish for 90 gallons. That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them now (you will when they get larger) but it does mean your filtration needs to be top notch. In the end I would hang on to two of the small tangs... maybe the foxface and a yellow or other zebrasoma species. And even then, if they reach full size, your tank will be too small.

That being said... let’s move on. Algae.... if you have bunches and you’re phosphate is still high then something is amiss. Did you say you have a refugium?

 

[Demonic]

The lighting seems sufficient to grow corals. Does that fixture have individual reflectors.
The 90 is pretty deep, was the placement of the SPS random or top/bottom

 

[scabbedwings616]

Btw I always judged bulb changes with algae growth. The spectrum on the T5 bulb changes over time. When your lights start to grow algae then it’s time to change the bulbs.

It’s more of a burnt tip then algea. Very little algae in the tank.

 

[scabbedwings616]

Edit

I use the timer setting on the aquatic life itself. 4 hours of whites the rest is all blues.

 

[scabbedwings616]

Stay back tang police! I too love tangs! You may have high phosphate because of your bioload. That’s a bunch of fish for 90 gallons. That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them now (you will when they get larger) but it does mean your filtration needs to be top notch. In the end I would hang on to two of the small tangs... maybe the foxface and a yellow or other zebrasoma species. And even then, if they reach full size, your tank will be too small.

That being said... let’s move on. Algae.... if you have bunches and you’re phosphate is still high then something is amiss. Did you say you have a refugium?

Yes a refugium 20g. Lights are on when the main lights are off. Same for all the tanks

 

[Demonic]

I use the timer setting on the aquatic life itself. 4 hours of whites the rest is all blues.

How long overall for the timer?

 

[Demonic]

Also did you buy the rock/sand secondhand?

 

[scabbedwings616]

The lighting seems sufficient to grow corals. Does that fixture have individual reflectors.
The 90 is pretty deep, was the placement of the SPS random or top/bottom

Typically spends a few days on the rack, then I place the sps where they are gonna try and live.

 

[Demonic]

Typically spends a few days on the rack, then I place the sps where they are gonna try and live.

Standard ops as well.

 

[BestMomEver]

Yes a refugium 20g. Lights are on when the main lights are off. Same for all the tanks

You may have said this stuff but tell us your maintenance schedule. How often do you do water changes, change filter socks, etc? Also, what do you dose?

 

[scabbedwings616]

How long overall for the timer?

8-7 with blue on and the whites come on at 10 and go off at 5.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

You need to check your PAR. Water chemistry never becomes and issue until corals start growing, depleting minerals, and then dying due to either insufficient minerals or poor dosing skills. If corals just come to die in your tank, it’s probably the lighting to blame.

I once thought my lights were sufficient and focused on water chemistry. Once my lfs sent me home with an Apogee to borrow, I was shocked at how low my PAR was. I tripled the PAR and then added another light for coverage. That’s when my corals suddenly started growing.

Bad husbandry and dosing is what killed them off afterwards:-(

 

[scabbedwings616]

Also did you buy the rock/sand secondhand?

Oh no, started fresh. Tanks almost 3 years old

 

[scabbedwings616]

You may have said this stuff but tell us your maintenance schedule. How often do you do water changes, change filter socks, etc? Also, what do you dose?

2 week water changes, filter socks every 3-4 days, and I use a calcium reactor on the tank. Media change when I see a small dip in the dkh for a week.

 

[Demonic]

Oh no, started fresh. Tanks almost 3 years old

Have you ever kept SPS under this particular light fixture. This may be the culprit. If it doesn’t have individual reflectors then I would assume the PAR is rather low beneath the surface.

 

[BestMomEver]

8-7 with blue on and the whites come on at 10 and go off at 5.

Maybe cut the whites back a few hours. I have Radions so my lights come up gradually. But at the peak of the day, my whites only stay on for about 4 hours. If you spend any time in the ocean, there’s not a lot of white light past about 10 feet. Try to lessen the amt of time your whites are on. IME, SPS bleach from the top down if the light is too intense. It burns them. If they bleach from the bottom up it might be parasites. The only times I’ve ever had random bleaching was when the power head was blowing right on them or when they were being stung.

 

[scabbedwings616]

Have you ever kept SPS under this particular light fixture. This may be the culprit. If it doesn’t have individual reflectors then I would assume the PAR is rather low beneath the surface.

Yes. I have lots of zoa right now and they are growing like crazy.