New Skimmer Causing Bleaching?!?! Please Help!!

[Xler8n]

Ok.. So im sure you guys have read several posts about me getting my ASM G3 Skimmer for my 75 gallon tank and building my new sump. So basically i have everything setup and it looks great. The skimmer i was running before for the past 2 or 3 years was a modded Bak-Pak skimmer. So switching from the Bak Pak to the ASM G3 im guessing made a huge difference in nutrients that were in my tank. The new sump/Skimmer have been running for about a week and in that time i lost my Purple Haze Monti :cry_002:. My orange monti cap is starting to look a little pale and so is my Red Planet. Some of my other Acros are looking a but on the pale side also. What should i do? I LOVE the new skimmer. Its pulling out some nasty gunk but is it overkilling my tank? All my params are fine. I did a test last night. Please Help. Should i reduce the photo period? Im at 8 hrs per day. 150 Watt X 2 14K Phoenix.

PH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrate - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Calcium - 440 ppm
Alkalinity - 7 dkh
Magnesium - 1,500ppm
Salinity - 1.023

 

[Reef UP]

Reduce your photo period with the gunk getting pulled Outta the water it's causing more light to get to your cOrals hence the bleaching, at least that's where I'd start!

 

[Reef UP]

Oh I'd cut it to about half and then build back up 15 minute every other day

 

[mojo]

yes reduce light cylce, I also run my alk up around 9. 7 is a little low. also this will help your ph get up around 8.2 to 8.3 as well

 

[Xler8n]

Ok. I will try reducing the photo period. I didnt know that a skimmer could make such a huge difference as to make light penetrate further? I think i have to change my Crushed Coral. Ive had the same stuff in my tank for maybe over 5 years. I used to never have PH or ALK issues. It seems now that the buffering capabilities of my Crushed coral have diminished. I always thought that with all my live rock the buffering would be fine but i guess LR doesnt buffer PH? Would it be wise to switch out the old crushed coral or just add maybe 2 30lb bags of Tropic Eden?

 

[_Alex_]

you will need to remove everything from the tank when you remove that crushed coral!! i helped a buddy over the summer remove his crush coral bed that was 10years old and it was the nastiest stuff i have evre seen come out of a tank!! aragamax special sea floor grade is good to, i like it a lot fine enough for sand sifters but heavy enough it doesnt get blown around everywhere!

 

[Xler8n]

Is there any way besides taking everything out of the tank? Right now my bed is about 2 inches in deep spots. Not very deep. Lots of water changes over the years have taken small portions of sand out. I siphon the substrate with every water change. The thing is i have my aquascape EXACTLY the way i want it and god knows when we try to re-arrange rock work its nearly impossible to make it look the way it did before. I saw an article on Reef Addicts were Melev added bags of tropic eden to his setup by just putting the bag in the water and opening it underwater so as so reduce cloudiness. I was thinking maybe remove as much as i can under and around the rocks and fill in the spaces with new stuff. Then allowing the critters to mix everything up? What do you guys think? I already shut my lights off for the day. They turn on a 3pm and i turned off at 8pm.. Is 5 hours enough or should i reduce more? Thanks guys.. Always a huge help.

 

[_Alex_]

your risking a nitrate, and ammonia spike if your start moving to much around. trush me even with vacumming the stuff gets nasty. it may not be as bad as his but there will be stuff down in it. the only safe way would be to remove a cup or 2 at a time each day intill its gone.

 

[Xler8n]

I mean i can look under the tank where the rocks sit and i can see the substrate is a little more brown then in other spots. So ur saying i should remove everything first 1 or 2 cups at a time. Basically go bare bottom then start to add the new stuff? All at once or the same way, 1 or 2 cups at a time? Will this start a new cycle? Or should my beast of s skimmer controll that?

 

[Troylee]

Agreed better water clarity causing the bleaching...

 

[Xler8n]

Agreed better water clarity causing the bleaching...

Thanks Troy.. I was waiting for you to chime in with your expertise. :) Im just surprised that a better skimmer would make such a big impact in water clarity. I had my acros and montis pretty high up before. I thought it was just my lights not being strong enough or something. This is the beginning of my corals looking the color they are suppose to. Now i gotta fix the PH and Alk problem. I know its because my substrate is old but i want to avoid removing everything from the tank. Should i replace as much as i could and throw out the old or just add more to the existing? I feel like i would be throwing away lots of critters, but if the buffering capabilities are completely used up i might as well replace all of it. Thanks again

 

[Reef UP]

I always just add to mine a little every six months or so never hurt anything here and my sand rock and everything is going on 9 yrs so is what that is

 

[Xler8n]

Ok Guys.. My SPS are starting to turn Pale. I dont know wat do to. My red planet went from a nice deep green with red tips to this pale light green looking thing. Garf purple bonasi is turning pale purple. I want to avoid losing my prized acros. All my LPS are doing fine. I already lost all my purple haze monti, orange monti cap, rainbow monti. Someone please help.. Am i OVERSKIMMING the water? Is an ASM G3 too much for my tank? It just looks like they are losing all the algae getting paler and paler everyday. Ive done almost everything. Changed water, Reduced photoperiod from 8hrs to 5hrs. Should i stop running my skimmer 24/7 and just run it maybe half the day? Im kinda of weary of turning this skimmer on and off everyday. Sedra 5000 pumps are like $135. Someone please help. I dont know wat to do. If i lose everything i dont think i can start over.

 

[toejam]

I would try and get some detectable nitrate and phosphates into the water. Try feeding more.
IMO

 

[Xler8n]

Question is i thought that my LPS would show a decline since they are more nutrient dependant than SPS. SPS are more vulnerable to changes in water chemistry?

 

[Bonsai€]

What type of sealant did u use on your sump ??

 

[Xler8n]

I dont think it could be that because my birdsnest, fish and other LPS is fine. I was reading maybe i could turn off the skimmer for maybe half the day or maybe put a valve on the venturi and restrict the airflow some. I only have a small ocellaris, small yellow tang, coral beauty and just got 2 helfrichis. So i never really feed much. Small piece of nori everyday for the tang (coral beauty and clown eat also) and Rods complete maybe 2 times a week. Feed more and reduce skimmer? Should i reduce photoperiod more than 5 hours to 3 or 4 hours?

 

[Xler8n]

Bump? Anyone? That should be the right Silicone correct?

 

[_Alex_]

i used a silicone that was simular and was 100% and had no problems from it. but i will say after time, my baffles came unglued from the side of my sump tank......

 

[kuyatwo]

If you think you are overskimming feed your fish more


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