Need some advice on the cause of this pullback

[mrhammy]

I am seeing some pull back on this jack o lantern. Nitrates dropped to 0 phosphate 4.9 bothe Hana tests. Alk 9.2 cal 455 mag 1355 ph 7.92 temp 78 (triton apex) and salt at 1.025. I just finished a month of acclimating lights and the only big change was stopped AB+ a week ago. I backed my lights down and turned on AB+ again. Is this a light, (to much or to little) placement or a nutrient issue? It is waterchange day as well. Let me know what you think pic is with a yellow filter so colors are a bit off

 

[ColorMeGone]

If it was my tank, I would get N03 up from 0 for sure. Is your P04 is really 4.9?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I don't think hanna test goes up to 4.9? I would double check the nitrate and phosphate. I might skip the water change today, the tank looks pretty clean.... white sand like that makes me suspicious lol.

 

[mrhammy]

*-I don't think hanna test goes up to 4.9? I would double check the nitrate and phosphate. I might skip the water change today, the tank looks pretty clean.... white sand like that makes me

Diamond gobby is a sand sifting king...


Also, you are correct I had the test reversed in my post numbers were Nitrate 4.9 phosphate 0 ran a 2nd test just now and phosphate came in at 0.10 so a test error may be part of the problem. I have turned my AB+ back on at 20ml a day and dosed 10 ml after that first test. AFR 35 ml a day, 12 noon test just ran:

 

[Lavey29]

You need at least 10 nitrates. Think 100 : 1 ratio for nitrates and phosphate. 10 nitrates to .1 phosphate. You shouldn't be dosing AB daily. Only weekly. Feed more export less and get nitrates up. Verify your par levels in the tank.

 

[mrhammy]

You need at least 10 nitrates. Think 100 : 1 ratio for nitrates and phosphate. 10 nitrates to .1 phosphate. You shouldn't be dosing AB daily. Only weekly. Feed more export less and get nitrates up. Verify your par levels in the tank.

PAR right there is 45-50 at current levels, I feel more light may be needed. It was doing well then just saw this change yesterday, I have been up to 100% for about a week and a half, but when i saw this I pulled it down to 75% of my schedule

AB+ instructions are to dose daily per the manufacture

 

[Lavey29]

PAR right there is 45-50 at current levels, I feel more light may be needed. It was doing well then just saw this change yesterday, I have been up to 100% for about a week and a half, but when i saw this I pulled it down to 75% of my schedule

AB+ instructions are to dose daily per the manufacture

That's way to low par. Of course red sea says dose daily so you have to buy more products.

 

[mrhammy]

That's way to low par. Of course red sea says dose daily so you have to buy more products.

so placement issue, I backed down until I had a next step; a day or two of low light is better than a day or two of too much light; suggestion on par? 150...250?

 

[Lavey29]

so placement issue, I backed down until I had a next step; a day or two of low light is better than a day or two of too much light; suggestion on par? 150...250?

Is that a favia? My favia sit in 200 par. Don't change your lighting for the tank for one coral. Move the coral to a preferred par location. You need overall tank lighting to support all your corals which are placed in the tank depending on their par and flow requirements.

Have you par mapped your tank with a par meter?

 

[mrhammy]

I have checked my par all over and own a meter. I haven't done a picture with all the levels but I know and can place at a target par. That's why I was thinking of moving it. Wouls Low flow and higher par say 150 to 200 be a good target?

 

[Lavey29]

I have checked my par all over and own a meter. I haven't done a picture with all the levels but I know and can place at a target par. That's why I was thinking of moving it. Wouls Low flow and higher par say 150 to 200 be a good target?

You can see my favias left side of the tank mid level 200 par moderate flow there. So perhaps a little higher in your tank.

 

[mrhammy]

You can see my favias left side of the tank mid level 200 par moderate flow there. So perhaps a little higher in your tank.

so not knowing enough about what I have, and I know that's a bad thing but might it be a Leptoseris? it's thin, and I do not see any sweepers coming off it.

 

[Lavey29]

so not knowing enough about what I have, and I know that's a bad thing but might it be a Leptoseris? it's thin, and I do not see any sweepers coming off it.

Well Lepto is an SPS encruster so put it in 150 to 200 par should be ok.

 

[Terry Le]

This is what I would do: figure out what kind of tank you want to keep either sps dominated, lps or mixed reef. Set the light to 300 part at the top and 75-100 at sand level. Place your corals accordingly. Don’t go adjusting your light for 1 individual coral

 

[mrhammy]

This is what I would do: figure out what kind of tank you want to keep either sps dominated, lps or mixed reef. Set the light to 300 part at the top and 75-100 at sand level. Place your corals accordingly. Don’t go adjusting your light for 1 individual coral

I understand that and have called this a placement issue. I have moved it to that sand bed at around 100 par. I am doing a mixed tank, and I only backed my lights down because I was just at the end of acclamation and knew that too much light would harm corals faster, and they would survive longer with lower light. Once I found answers, I could return to my regular schedule and move the piece. I never intended to adjust my lights for one piece permanently.

The ask was to advise on the reason for the pullback in the photo. Do you have any feedback in that area?

 

[Dburr1014]

Lepto can take 100 to 350 par. I haven't tried higher for my Halloween.
I have, on occasion, had issues with spotting tissue loss in the middle of the colony only to find detritus has settled in the area. It will grow back when corrected.

How's your flow?

This pull back may be po4 bottoming out then up again. Are you using anything to control po4? I also have a zero no3 constantly but not worried about that, things still grow with my amount of fish.
I also think the tank is kinda clean. The sand, okay, it gets cleaned by your sifter, but your rocks are bone white also. Do you have coraline growing?

If you can keep a stable po4 and ramp the lights up again slow, you may be okay. If it progresses you may have to chip off the ends. Maybe break off a frag and place in a different location. The frag needs to be all healthy parts, no receding flesh.

 

[Lavey29]

Lepto can take 100 to 350 par. I haven't tried higher for my Halloween.
I have, on occasion, had issues with spotting tissue loss in the middle of the colony only to find detritus has settled in the area. It will grow back when corrected.

How's your flow?

This pull back may be po4 bottoming out then up again. Are you using anything to control po4? I also have a zero no3 constantly but not worried about that, things still grow with my amount of fish.
I also think the tank is kinda clean. The sand, okay, it gets cleaned by your sifter, but your rocks are bone white also. Do you have coraline growing?

If you can keep a stable po4 and ramp the lights up again slow, you may be okay. If it progresses you may have to chip off the ends. Maybe break off a frag and place in a different location. The frag needs to be all healthy parts, no receding flesh.

Good point, coralline is a good indicator that your tank is ready to sustain SPS corals.

 

[mrhammy]

Good point, coralline is a good indicator that your tank is ready to sustain SPS corals.

There is no coralline yet in this tank. My older small tank has bunches, but this tank is not yet four months old. Should I swap it to my small tank until it matures more?

 

[Lavey29]

There is no coralline yet in this tank. My older small tank has bunches, but this tank is not yet four months old. Should I swap it to my small tank until it matures more?

You can, 4 month tank is hard to sustain SPS unless you're a very experienced reefer. Usually around 10 months is a good point to try some easy SPS.

 

[mrhammy]

You can, 4 month tank is hard to sustain SPS unless you're a very experienced reefer. Usually around 10 months is a good point to try some easy SPS.

I am interested in what is missing from the tank. I have a good bioload, add pods monthly, and Phyto daily. I test and track the big 3 with a triton and the rest with Hana; I do use AFR as well, keeping my levels stable. Yes, I know time helps, but I am always looking to learn why. What is missing? Is it just building a better/deeper biome? Looking to learn more