Need Advice... Lost SPS over the past couple months... Frustrated

[OrthoVet05]

Hello R2R!

I know how great of a support area R2R can be and I am looking for some input, advice and suggestions. This may be sort of lengthy but appreciate anyones' reply!

Buildthread Link:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tortuga-57-gallon-oceanic-illuminata-build.340882/#post-4242737

My MAIN questions/objectives.... Where do I go from here that makes the most sense? I definitely don't want to keep losing corals. Where should I invest my money? I was thinking of changing my water tests from API to Saliferts and getting a lux meter to determine my PAR. I am not sure if I am just losing these frags due to my own error or from something in the water, pests, etc. My other corals than the SPS are doing great... I am at my wits end.. I haven't used a QT system and I don't dip my corals. I put the objectives at the beginning so you can have these thoughts in your mind as you read my story. As I noticed the bleaching and STN, I picked up that my Phos/Nitrates had been 0 with an alk of 11 back in November... I had slowly let the ALK drop and I added in Sodium Nitrate and Flourish dosing to boost nutrients as well as fed more.

I have had my setup initially started last October and had to break down and move from TN to MI in June. I have been running a lower end budget friendly, 75 gallon system, 57 gallon DT with 20 gallon sump, reefdynamics skimmer, Jebao DCT 6000 pump, hydor nanos in the DT with a SunSun large powerhead also. I battled through the uglies with a bunch of GHA/BHA that has been controlled since August, and started with about 80 pounds of dry rock from a previous system that had been cured with muraitic acid and dried out. I am running a 165W black box that is suspended about 8 inches over my system. I run an ATO system also.

Black box is on a 12/12h schedule with currently running 70%blues/50% whites. I recently had taken the lenses off about 3 weeks ago so that they could better coverage, previously they were at 50% blues/30% whites.

There are a bunch of vermetids/spahghetti worms that litter the system as well as a ton of sponges.

Have had GSP, Kenya tree, Chalice all do well in the system (I know super easy stuff), but just wanted to get a good foot in the door as I am new to reefing.

Since moving in June, I have honestly had pretty rock solid water parameters... I work approximately 80 hours/week and travel on the weekends a bit, so checking water parameters can be a struggle for me as for most ppl and check them every couple of weeks, only because I know they are generally solid. I perform an approximately 10% WC once a month.

I use API tests for my water chem and IO RC for salt. Also, RO/DI which my filters need to be changed, currently getting about 1-2 TDS.

I AM DYING TO GET INTO SOME SPS GROWING HERE!

I started dabbling with some SPS over the past 2 months and to no luck, they keep getting STN and bleaching. I know it is super common but I just wanted to see if anyone could pin point something I am obviously doing wrong or need to check. It has happened to about 3-4 frags.

It started with Stylophora, serriatopora, green slimer frags. They will look great for about a month, then slowly bleach and STN sets in with browning of the tissue. I acllimated them by placing them at the bottom of the rock work then moving them to the middle over 2-3 weeks.

Currently:

SG- 1.025
ALK swings from 8-10 over 1.5-2 months
Nitrate 10-20
Phos- 0-0.25
Ca- 460


Current livestock include:

GSP
Challice
Kenya Tree
Red Monti Cap-slightly bleached
Red/Green monti
Psammaocora


2 ocellaris
3 blue green chromis
Cleaner shrimp
Arrow crab
lemon peel juvie
Sailfin Blenny
10-15 blue hermits
1-2 snails

My MAIN questions.... Where do I go from here? I definitely don't want to keep losing corals. Where should I invest my money? I was thinking of changing my water tests from API to Saliferts and getting a lux meter to determine my PAR. I am not sure if I am just losing these frags due to my own error or from something in the water, pests, etc. My other corals than the SPS are doing great... I am at my wits end..

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Hello R2R!

I know how great of a support area R2R can be and I am looking for some input, advice and suggestions. This may be sort of lengthy but appreciate anyones' reply!

Buildthread Link:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tortuga-57-gallon-oceanic-illuminata-build.340882/#post-4242737

My MAIN questions/objectives.... Where do I go from here that makes the most sense? I definitely don't want to keep losing corals. Where should I invest my money? I was thinking of changing my water tests from API to Saliferts and getting a lux meter to determine my PAR. I am not sure if I am just losing these frags due to my own error or from something in the water, pests, etc. My other corals than the SPS are doing great... I am at my wits end.. I haven't used a QT system and I don't dip my corals. I put the objectives at the beginning so you can have these thoughts in your mind as you read my story. As I noticed the bleaching and STN, I picked up that my Phos/Nitrates had been 0 with an alk of 11 back in November... I had slowly let the ALK drop and I added in Sodium Nitrate and Flourish dosing to boost nutrients as well as fed more.

I have had my setup initially started last October and had to break down and move from TN to MI in June. I have been running a lower end budget friendly, 75 gallon system, 57 gallon DT with 20 gallon sump, reefdynamics skimmer, Jebao DCT 6000 pump, hydor nanos in the DT with a SunSun large powerhead also. I battled through the uglies with a bunch of GHA/BHA that has been controlled since August, and started with about 80 pounds of dry rock from a previous system that had been cured with muraitic acid and dried out. I am running a 165W black box that is suspended about 8 inches over my system. I run an ATO system also.

Black box is on a 12/12h schedule with currently running 70%blues/50% whites. I recently had taken the lenses off about 3 weeks ago so that they could better coverage, previously they were at 50% blues/30% whites.

There are a bunch of vermetids/spahghetti worms that litter the system as well as a ton of sponges.

Have had GSP, Kenya tree, Chalice all do well in the system (I know super easy stuff), but just wanted to get a good foot in the door as I am new to reefing.

Since moving in June, I have honestly had pretty rock solid water parameters... I work approximately 80 hours/week and travel on the weekends a bit, so checking water parameters can be a struggle for me as for most ppl and check them every couple of weeks, only because I know they are generally solid. I perform an approximately 10% WC once a month.

I use API tests for my water chem and IO RC for salt. Also, RO/DI which my filters need to be changed, currently getting about 1-2 TDS.

I AM DYING TO GET INTO SOME SPS GROWING HERE!

I started dabbling with some SPS over the past 2 months and to no luck, they keep getting STN and bleaching. I know it is super common but I just wanted to see if anyone could pin point something I am obviously doing wrong or need to check. It has happened to about 3-4 frags.

It started with Stylophora, serriatopora, green slimer frags. They will look great for about a month, then slowly bleach and STN sets in with browning of the tissue. I acllimated them by placing them at the bottom of the rock work then moving them to the middle over 2-3 weeks.

Currently:

SG- 1.025
ALK swings from 8-10 over 1.5-2 months
Nitrate 10-20
Phos- 0-0.25
Ca- 460


Current livestock include:

GSP
Challice
Kenya Tree
Red Monti Cap-slightly bleached
Red/Green monti
Psammaocora


2 ocellaris
3 blue green chromis
Cleaner shrimp
Arrow crab
lemon peel juvie
Sailfin Blenny
10-15 blue hermits
1-2 snails

My MAIN questions.... Where do I go from here? I definitely don't want to keep losing corals. Where should I invest my money? I was thinking of changing my water tests from API to Saliferts and getting a lux meter to determine my PAR. I am not sure if I am just losing these frags due to my own error or from something in the water, pests, etc. My other corals than the SPS are doing great... I am at my wits end..

Thanks for everyone's help!

Post a picture of the tank, please.

Calcium and magnesium values, please.

If your getting 1-2 TDS after DI could be contaminants. Maybe.

 

[Ling_Thing]

I suggest getting an icp test done to see what pollutants are in the tank that we can’t test for

 

[chefjpaul]

Let the tank build an ecosystem and establish itself.

You set up in june? Try agsin in june

 

[OrthoVet05]

Post a picture of the tank, please.

Calcium and magnesium values, please.

If your getting 1-2 TDS after DI could be contaminants. Maybe.

Picture of the tank.. is here

I don’t have a mg test.. ca levels are 460.

 

[OrthoVet05]

I suggest getting an icp test done to see what pollutants are in the tank that we can’t test for

Thanks! I will definitely look into that. How much do those run?

 

[Huff747]

I’d highly recommend seeing if you can borrow or rent a PAR meter. I was shocked how low the readings were when I rented one, got me to add the aquatic life hybrid and check values again with much better results. It’s only been running a month and it really appears to be making a difference in both the colors I’m seeing and better polyp extension and new growth. Probably the best thing I did for my tank.

 

[Flexin]

Welcome to Michigan! What city?

 

[OrthoVet05]

Welcome to Michigan! What city?

I am actually in Grand Blanc! Are you in MI?

 

[Scdell]

Sort of did that myself. Pushed the sps too soon. Wasted a lot of money. Honestly? That tank doesn't look like it has near enough lighting. All your spectrum is in the middle. I suppose you could put the sps there. But your limiting yourself. Budget is not the way to go if you want sps.

 

[OrthoVet05]

Sort of did that myself. Pushed the sps too soon. Wasted a lot of money. Honestly? That tank doesn't look like it has near enough lighting. All your spectrum is in the middle. I suppose you could put the sps there. But your limiting yourself. Budget is not the way to go if you want sps.

I definitely agree that many people have said the BB need to be pushed to almost 100%, but when my corals started bleaching, do you think that could have been from too much or too little? That was my main concern.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Picture of the tank.. is here

I don’t have a mg test.. ca levels are 460.

Okay, need a magnesium kit. Your numbers aren't bad. From you picture I'd say your lighting/intensity in the center term of the tank is high. Does look as if you need another black box to get the proper coverage. Reduce your photoperiod to 9 hrs total, whites to 7 hours.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I definitely agree that many people have said the BB need to be pushed to almost 100%, but when my corals started bleaching, do you think that could have been from too much or too little? That was my main concern.

From owning BB's for a number of years and testing BB's for PAR, they are more than capable of pushing out 600+ PAR 8" off the water line at 100%. You can literally cook corals with them.

 

[Scdell]

Doubt it's a lighting issue in all reality. Although it could be. Your alk is too high for one thing. I've burned sps with alk that high. Slow things down. Keep your alk steady even if it's a little high. Lower it over time. Are the corals turning brown or bleaching?

 

[OrthoVet05]

Okay, need a magnesium kit. Your numbers aren't bad. From you picture I'd say your lighting/intensity in the center term of the tank is high. Does look as if you need another black box to get the proper coverage. Reduce your photoperiod to 9 hrs total, whites to 7 hours.

Here is a picture from just now. Other pic was from last week. This is after I took off the lenses and the current light is blues at 75% and whites at 60%...there are 15 lenses In the center in the middle.

I will definitely get a magnesium kit.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Doubt it's a lighting issue in all reality. Although it could be. Your alk is too high for one thing. I've burned sps with alk that high. Slow things down. Keep your alk steady even if it's a little high. Lower it over time. Are the corals turning brown or bleaching?

Alkalinity at 8-10 isn't too high, respectfully.

All numbers look okay. Most likely light intensity issue.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Here is a picture from just now. Other pic was from last week. This is after I took off the lenses and the current light is blues at 75% and whites at 60%...there are 15 lenses In the center in the middle.

I will definitely get a magnesium kit.

You need another light fixture for light distribution and blending. Hot spot is currently in the center. A 75 gallon tank is 4ft long and would need two 165w BB's for coverage. Were where your LPS placed when they died?

 

[Scdell]

Alkalinity at 8-10 isn't too high, respectfully.

All numbers look okay. Most likely light intensity issue.

8 isn't. Think he mentioned 11 at one point. To me that's high. And it depends on the swing. Each tank is different. My tank does not like alk up around 10. All those corals are fairly easy to grow. Even with questionable lighting. I'm not familiar with black boxes. I run Mitras lx7.

 

[OrthoVet05]

You need another light fixture for light distribution and blending. Hot spot is currently in the center. A 75 gallon tank is 4ft long and would need two 165w BB's for coverage. Were where your LPS placed when they died?

The sps were started at the bottom and on the edge. I was afraid I burned them but maybe they didn’t have enough.

 

[Scdell]

The sps were started at the bottom and on the edge. I was afraid I burned them but maybe they didn’t have enough.

You're probably right. I've burned more sps with high alk than high light. You mentioned two things. Bleaching, stn and browning. If they turn brown it's most likely not enough light.