Need acro help, browning out!

[Jax15]

Hey folks

This will not be a new topic, but I need ideas. I have a Waterbox 130, running 8-9 months now. I have big Acropora dreams for this tank, and it was going well there for a while. Growth, color.. but then everything seemed to stop on me. Acros went brownish, polyps are unhappy. Nothing changed to my knowledge, so what could it be? I never was sure my lights were dialed in properly, so I ordered a par meter rental that gets here next week. Otherwise, maybe the trace elements are depleted? Not sure, ideas/help welcome!

Params:
SG: 34.4 / 1.026
Alk: 7.8-8.1, pretty stable
Ca: 410-430
Mag: 1250+
Po: .02-.04
Na: 5-8

Dosing: 2 part, Acropower, occasionally some small doses of RS Coral Colors (guessing on amount of these, so I underestimate)
Schedule: 1.4% daily AWC

Equip: kessils + T5, gyre and other flow, Nyos skimmer.

Other ideas I had was trying to add more nutrients and feed more, or use Rowaphos and see if cutting down further helps. Dialing up/down lights after getting the par readings. Increasing flow a lot (only limitations are my torches which can get blasted when up to high). Maybe slowly lowering my SG to 1.025. Or adding some trace elements, either blind or doing an ICP - really prefer not to. Don't know why I'm adverse to the cost of ICP when I spend so much on everything else! But I am

 

[Ifreitas14]

Following i have the same problem as you! I was told it could be not enough good bacteria in you tank because your tank is still considered “new”! My tank is about the same age as yours and same thing is happening to me but I’m no Acro pro still learning

 

[TripleTruble]

Watching

 

[Jax15]

Hm, could be. In my last tank I definitely noticed the magic "1 year marker" where things just seem to go better once it's past that age. However this feels like something else since there was a notable change that took place. I could try turning off my UV, maybe it's actually doing harm. ;Nailbiting

 

[Scdell]

Yep, tank is a little young. Sounds like low nutrients, but your numbers seem to be in place. Lower Alk to about 7. You using nopox or Vibrant?

 

[Ifreitas14]

Hm, could be. In my last tank I definitely noticed the magic "1 year marker" where things just seem to go better once it's past that age. However this feels like something else since there was a notable change that took place. I could try turning off my UV, maybe it's actually doing harm. ;Nailbiting

I’ve had my Uv on since day one but it could be a possibility

 

[Scdell]

Uv will cause bleaching.

 

[TripleTruble]

Yep, tank is a little young. Sounds like low nutrients, but your numbers seem to be in place. Lower Alk to about 7. You using nopox or Vibrant?

Why lower to 7 for alk? Just wondering

 

[Flippers4pups]

@Jax15, sorry this is happening to you and your corals. Here's a basic run down, not scientific, but anecdotal.

Browning - lack of light intensity or incorrect light spectrum. Possible elevated nutrients.

Bleaching (not to be confused with STN/RTN) - Water too clean (lack of nutrients), light intensity too high, light spectrum incorrect, alkalinity too high, water contamination, water parameters incorrect. (Alkalinity to high or to low, salinity too low.


Par meter would be a good place to start. Water parameters look good.

Hope this helps.

 

[Scdell]

Closer to natural #s. Especially for lower phosphate and nitrates. Are you using nopox or Vibrant?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Oh, a couple other things: Light intensity around 200-300 par is a good place to start.

Uv will not effect coral color or health.

 

[Scdell]

Oh, a couple other things: Light intensity around 200-300 par is a good place to start.

Uv will not effect coral color or health.

Your wrong. Especially with Led. Too strong too fast? Not good. Had it happen.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Your wrong. Especially with Led. Too strong too fast? Not good. Had it happen.

I would agree with you on large adjustments quickly, so no argument there, but once light acclimated over several weeks, target of 200-300 par is a good place to end up. Respectfully.

Sorry it went bad for you.

 

[Scdell]

I would agree with you on large adjustments quickly, so no argument there, but once light acclimated over several weeks, target of 200-300 par is a good place to end up. Respectfully.

Sorry it went bad for you.

This is true. But actually no more than ten percent per week. It can take some time to get uv up.
He's not answering the questions. I had my corals brown from Vibrant. Brought me to ULN. I picked up on it, but it takes months for the corals to come back from that. If I didn't pick up on it the corals were one step from bleaching and done.

 

[Flippers4pups]

This is true. But actually no more than ten percent per week. It can take some time to get uv up.
He's not answering the questions. I had my corals brown from Vibrant. Brought me to ULN. I picked up on it, but it takes months for the corals to come back from that. If I didn't pick up on it the corals were one step from bleaching and done.

Might be having dinner or overseas member.

There is still a part of the hobby that is " hands on" so to speak, so being observant of this changing and understanding what "could" be happing comes with experience and time. I had to go through this as well. Numbers say one thing, but a good eye with knowledge helps fill in the gaps.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

This is true. But actually no more than ten percent per week. It can take some time to get uv up.
He's not answering the questions. I had my corals brown from Vibrant. Brought me to ULN. I picked up on it, but it takes months for the corals to come back from that. If I didn't pick up on it the corals were one step from bleaching and done.

I believe the OP is talking about his UV sterilizer, not UV LEDS. I could be wrong though...

 

[Scdell]

Might be having dinner or overseas member.

There is still a part of the hobby that is " hands on" so to speak, so being observant of this changing and understanding what "could" be happing comes with experience and time. I had to go through this as well. Numbers say one thing, but a good eye with knowledge helps fill in the gaps.

Yes, there nothing quite like experience. That just comes with time.My tank is about 3 years old. And I'm just now getting a handle on things. I think!

 

[Scdell]

I believe the OP is talking about his UV sterilizer, not UV LEDS. I could be wrong though...

Looking back at it I think you're right. But he is trying to throw too many things at it at one time. He needs to take it one step at a time.

 

[Jax15]

Yep, tank is a little young. Sounds like low nutrients, but your numbers seem to be in place. Lower Alk to about 7. You using nopox or Vibrant?

No Vibrant or Nopox currently. What do you have in mind? I do also run a small fuge to help keep nutes down.

So do you target NSW entirely? I've been deliberately targeting 8 for Alk, and tanks seems to have stabilized at it without too much resistance.

I don't plan to do all those things I mentioned at once. I'm starting first with the lighting/PAR, and will take all other ideas/experiments one at a time from there.

 

[Jax15]

I believe the OP is talking about his UV sterilizer, not UV LEDS. I could be wrong though...

Thanks, yes I was referring to the UV sterilizer. Appreciate the feedback, all.