My Acro is turning brown):

[nano_ryan]

What are the settings on the philzon? Black box type lights can be par monsters. I have one on a 20 long frag tank and with blue at 22 and whites at 5 I get 200 par at the bottom in the middle. Light mounted 16" off water.

Also everything except the acro is going to be more tolerable of parameter swings. As they are all lps or softies. How often do you test your water?

The light is hanging 12in above my 20g long. whites,red,greens are running at about 25%, and blues at 70%. I try to test at least once a week.

 

[nano_ryan]

7 stage? So the ro/di you just bought?or do you have a 7 stage with carbon, particulate filters?

Also i think you may be thinking about it wrong. tap does not have everything for corals the salt mixed into the water is what has everything needed (more or less). In your case instant ocean.

The ro/di systems are coming monday, the filter I was speaking of is an attachment to the end of my spout and pushs the water through a series of media and try to remove any toxic impurities.

 

[nano_ryan]

When you say you dose to give an extra boost, what are you dosing specifically?

I dose Kent Marine Purple Tech after each water change. It mainly helps with calcium, magnesium, ph, and trace minerals.

 

[SifuMemphis]

I dose Kent Marine Purple Tech after each water change. It mainly helps with calcium, magnesium, ph, and trace minerals.

Normally with a water change, it should replenish your elements for you. I don't see the point in dosing more if not needed? Is the calcium / Mag low even after the change? Dosing for "ph" isn't really a thing. It will eventually drop back down.

 

[BrandonS]

The ro/di systems are coming monday, the filter I was speaking of is an attachment to the end of my spout and pushs the water through a series of media and try to remove any toxic impurities.

Ok, so probably an RO unit.

 

[BrandonS]

The light is hanging 12in above my 20g long. whites,red,greens are running at about 25%, and blues at 70%. I try to test at least once a week.

That is probably to high. This could shock the coral and trigger bleaching. The other coral you have would be more forgiving of this extra par.

 

[BrandonS]

I dose Kent Marine Purple Tech after each water change. It mainly helps with calcium, magnesium, ph, and trace minerals.

It doesn't work that way for saltwater. In freshwater planted maybe. In saltwater you pick numbers and stick with them. Goal is for them to not change as much as possible. Even from hour to hour. "Boosting" as your calling it only would create instability. Suggested numbers are calcium 430, ALK or dkh between 7.7 and 9 (pick a number in that range and don't let it change), magnesium 1350. This can be done by testing and dosing manually daily. Or by Changing so much good saltwater that it doesn't matter. Or by automatic dosing based on assumed consumption deduced from testing.

 

[BrandonS]

Im a huge researcher In reef keeping and know way to much about this stuff, but as some people know more. Thats why I asked about my acro’s color change. Anyways, the 150 uses different tap then my nano at home, so it doesnt have nitrates or phosphates. The tank has a 40gallon sump with a refugium. Theres 10-20 frags of mixed corals(montipora, muchrooms, chalice, acro, platygyra, brain coral, trachy, and bubble tips. and about 13 fish(tangs,clowns,1angels,1ingeneer goby)

Now for some tuff love. Most on this forum love this hobby and want people to succeed. With that said you need to do more research. From the answers you have given there is some basic knowledge missing. Even with all the knowledge in saltwater it can still be fickle. Have you heard of the 10,000 hour rule? It's like that in saltwater and it's still under yn predictable because it's nature (at least our attempt). If your following a local fish stores advice change stores. Watch a lot more you tube. Not kingofdiy (who has his value but is not a reefer), more stuff like bulk reef supply, saltwateraquariums.com. stuff dedicated to saltwater and by people who make a living off of people staying in the hobby and succeeding. From several posts talking with you it seems like you got into freshwater tanks, got excited and decided to go for a reef tank. Then with your enthusiasm your Dad said "set a nice big one of those up at my business" the water volume on that one is the only thing saving you.

Please don't think this cruel. I want you to succeed and love this hobby. Sometimes we have to re evaluate and start from square one to move forward.

To answer the original post. Your acro is not doing well or dead do to water instability.

 

[EMeyer]

14 dKH? We don't need to look any further for the problem. Aim for 7. 8 if you must (although your corals will be happier at 7)

I'll respectfully disagree on the 'watch more youtube videos' suggestion. I have found that in reefing like in most things, all the information worth having is written down in text. Most of the youtube culture seems to suggest dry rock, bottled bacteria, and high alkalinity -- which are what gets new reefers into this problem in the first place.

 

[BrandonS]

14 dKH? We don't need to look any further for the problem. Aim for 7. 8 if you must (although your corals will be happier at 7)

I'll respectfully disagree on the 'watch more youtube videos' suggestion. I have found that in reefing like in most things, all the information worth having is written down in text. Most of the youtube culture seems to suggest dry rock, bottled bacteria, and high alkalinity -- which are what gets new reefers into this problem in the first place.

Fair enough, was suggesting the you tube route because it is easier to digest and find than literature in some cases. Obviously this forum and it's members are also a good resource. I was more trying to address the assertion that "he knows to much about this stuff". As through the thread there is some basic knowledge missing.

 

[BrandonS]

14 dKH? We don't need to look any further for the problem. Aim for 7. 8 if you must (although your corals will be happier at 7)

I'll respectfully disagree on the 'watch more youtube videos' suggestion. I have found that in reefing like in most things, all the information worth having is written down in text. Most of the youtube culture seems to suggest dry rock, bottled bacteria, and high alkalinity -- which are what gets new reefers into this problem in the first place.

Another channel to consider is American reef for there palletta videos.

Do you have recommended articles and literature? Always looking for good information.

 

[Steven Garland]

Now for some tuff love. Most on this forum love this hobby and want people to succeed. With that said you need to do more research. From the answers you have given there is some basic knowledge missing. Even with all the knowledge in saltwater it can still be fickle. Have you heard of the 10,000 hour rule? It's like that in saltwater and it's still under yn predictable because it's nature (at least our attempt). If your following a local fish stores advice change stores. Watch a lot more you tube. Not kingofdiy (who has his value but is not a reefer), more stuff like bulk reef supply, saltwateraquariums.com. stuff dedicated to saltwater and by people who make a living off of people staying in the hobby and succeeding. From several posts talking with you it seems like you got into freshwater tanks, got excited and decided to go for a reef tank. Then with your enthusiasm your Dad said "set a nice big one of those up at my business" the water volume on that one is the only thing saving you.

Please don't think this cruel. I want you to succeed and love this hobby. Sometimes we have to re evaluate and start from square one to move forward.

To answer the original post. Your acro is not doing well or dead do to water instability.

Kinda what I was thinking. Not nearly as much time researching. Do you know one classic way of telling when a tank may be ready for Acro's ? @nano_ryan

 

[nano_ryan]

Now for some tuff love. Most on this forum love this hobby and want people to succeed. With that said you need to do more research. From the answers you have given there is some basic knowledge missing. Even with all the knowledge in saltwater it can still be fickle. Have you heard of the 10,000 hour rule? It's like that in saltwater and it's still under yn predictable because it's nature (at least our attempt). If your following a local fish stores advice change stores. Watch a lot more you tube. Not kingofdiy (who has his value but is not a reefer), more stuff like bulk reef supply, saltwateraquariums.com. stuff dedicated to saltwater and by people who make a living off of people staying in the hobby and succeeding. From several posts talking with you it seems like you got into freshwater tanks, got excited and decided to go for a reef tank. Then with your enthusiasm your Dad said "set a nice big one of those up at my business" the water volume on that one is the only thing saving you.

Please don't think this cruel. I want you to succeed and love this hobby. Sometimes we have to re evaluate and start from square one to move forward.

To answer the original post. Your acro is not doing well or dead do to water instability.

Well there was a lot more to me just saying “set a nice big one of those up at my business”. I understand that you and many people on this website have way more experience in this hobby, and Im just a noob. But Im sure any person that begins to embrace this fun, yet frustrating, hobby had there ups and downs when first starting out, as this Is my first year doing reef tanks.

 

[nano_ryan]

Kinda what I was thinking. Not nearly as much time researching. Do you know one classic way of telling when a tank may be ready for Acro's ? @nano_ryan

“Not nearly as much time researching.” Well you might know much more then me, im still trying my best here, believe me. The acro came free when I bought a frag of a torch.

 

[nano_ryan]

Fair enough, was suggesting the you tube route because it is easier to digest and find than literature in some cases. Obviously this forum and it's members are also a good resource. I was more trying to address the assertion that "he knows to much about this stuff". As through the thread there is some basic knowledge missing.

I know a lot, but not everything, obviously. But I understand you

 

[nano_ryan]

14 dKH? We don't need to look any further for the problem. Aim for 7. 8 if you must (although your corals will be happier at 7)

I'll respectfully disagree on the 'watch more youtube videos' suggestion. I have found that in reefing like in most things, all the information worth having is written down in text. Most of the youtube culture seems to suggest dry rock, bottled bacteria, and high alkalinity -- which are what gets new reefers into this problem in the first place.

***Update*** I re tested for alk and It was at 9dkh. I didnt test that for a few weeks, my bad.

 

[nano_ryan]

Also, my RODI systems are coming today. Ill be doing probably a 50% change for both tanks and replace tap with RODI.

 

[canadianeh]

from time to time I still see people using tap water on a reef tank, has it ever any example that shows it is possible to run reef tank using tap water? Is this why people still trying to run one with tap water? For me if I don't have a way to acquire RODI water or unit, I will give up trying to set up a reef tank. But I want to know if it is possible since people still use tap water.

 

[Adam Schindler]

Outside perspective here. Humble yourself and listen to the experienced reefers here. You seemed to take the responses as an attack when most were only trying to help you.

 

[BrandonS]

***Update*** I re tested for alk and It was at 9dkh. I didnt test that for a few weeks, my bad.

That is good it has come down. However it should always be that number. Raising it to 14 so it can drop overtime is not good for coral. Pick a number between 7 and 9 and stick with it day in and day out. As minimal swing as you can.

ALK is something I have even heard of people testing daily. It is the most important to many.