Reef just not thriving, please help (ICP Results In)

[reef_ninja]

This is going to be long, Ill do my best to keep it to cliff notes.

40 breeder with 20 gallon sump, mixed reef. 4 small-medium fish. Live Rock from KPAquatics (Florida Keys), 1 inch sand bed. Its about 10 months old.

I feed about twice a day, I mix it up between frozen and pellets.

Corals are just not thriving. 2 of my four acros are dying/barely hanging on. My birdsnest, which has always done excellent, is just about completely gone over the course of a week. My button scoly, acans, and one frogspawn are always retracted, probably going to be making a downturn soon.

BUT...... Zoas and Grandis are happy and growing, chalices are happy, though not growing as much as I would like, brain coral looks great and has developed some really nice colors since getting it 4 months ago. Another Euphyllia growing and splitting just great.

Algae isnt the worst issue, but it'd be nice to get better control of it. Its most likely GHA or turf algae, and possibly diatoms too?

I recently took the skimmer (Bubble Magus Curve 5) offline to get the nutrients up, and switched it out with just chaeto in the fuge. This helped, the problems were worse before this. The chaeto grows quite well, and I find I have to trim it atleast once a week. I think I was overskimming.
Here are the ICP results.

Elements



RODI



This is what Im pretty sure I know:

Calcium is high because Im dosing too much. Ill back off.

I need a couple more fish to add to the bioload.

Ill double check the salinity, but this is checked via refractometer and I had little doubt about its accuracy.

My thoughts/suspicions:

I leave my magfloat scrubber in the tank 24 hours/day, maybe this is causing some contamination?

Maybe Ill switch out my salt? I use Reef Crystals, and its always been solid to me before and lots of fantastic vendors use this?

The only inputs are: frozen food, Randy's DIY two part (Arm and Hammer baking soda for HCO3, and Preston Driveway heat for Ca+), occasional Reef Roids, pellets, and 4-stage RODI topoff.

I store my RODI water in a large Brute trashcan in the garage, this is solely for top-off.

I make 6-8 weeks of saltwater at a time that I store in 5-gallon food grade buckets. I notice there is a noticeable amount of sediment in the buckets the longer they are stored.

For the RODI sample, the silicon is very high. The sample was obtained after letting the line run for 15 minutes. Im not convinced the filters need to be replaced yet. Could the silicon be coming for the tubing line?

I know I have a couple posts out that are similar in nature, but I've just about reached my breaking point, and I was hoping that maybe these ICP results might point me in a constructive direction?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would replace RODI filters/media. Calcium very high ( halt dosing), salinity is fine and alk is a little low (8-9) is best.
What salt brand are you using and what test kits are you using ?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Salt at 31 seems low imo

 

[reef_ninja]

I would replace RODI filters/media. Calcium very high ( halt dosing), salinity is fine and alk is a little low (8-9) is best.
What salt brand are you using and what test kits are you using ?

Ill def consider the RODI media.

I use Reef Crystals, and Salifert test kits for Ca, Alk, Mg, and Phophate. The test results I took the same day I sent the ICP samples in are pretty close.

The ICP says Im at 8.38......that should be spot on?

 

[reef_ninja]

Salt at 31 seems low imo

I suppose its possible, Ill have to dig in and see how to convert this one.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ill def consider the RODI media.

I use Reef Crystals, and Salifert test kits for Ca, Alk, Mg, and Phophate. The test results I took the same day I sent the ICP samples in are pretty close.

The ICP says Im at 8.38......that should be spot on?

For alk- that’s good

 

[dohc97]

I suppose its possible, Ill have to dig in and see how to convert this one.

It's a straight conversion, 35 ppt/psu is what most of us want. You are low

 

[reef_ninja]

Anyone else got input on that silicon in the rodi water? Seems weird that’s the only element noted on there?

 

[reef_ninja]

Ok, did some reading and thought it out. Silicon might be high in the rodi, but it’s still normal in the reef. Randy’s mentioned silicon in other threads, so I’m good there. RODI cartridges are fine. Anyone got thoughts on those higher other elements?

 

[VermontReefs]

My personal opinion get rid of what your dosing and use something a little more common and widely used. Second. Salinity is off. Third. RODI appears tainted you likely need to run through the system and clean things up a bit. Good luck

 

[rtparty]

Google Reef Moonshiners method, download his calculator and input all your numbers. It will tell you what is off and what to do about it.

Your salinity is low.

Silica in your RODI means your DI resin is shot. How many stage RODI system?

What lighting are you using? I suspect low PAR may be an issue.

Switch to a much cleaner and better 2 part system. BRS pharma is cheap overall and way more pure. We have no idea what impurities you're adding by using the DIY system.

You could get some Brightwell Purit to run in the tank. It will help pull anything out we can't test for.

 

[ReefMan692]

Google Reef Moonshiners method, download his calculator and input all your numbers. It will tell you what is off and what to do about it.

Your salinity is low.

Silica in your RODI means your DI resin is shot. How many stage RODI system?

What lighting are you using? I suspect low PAR may be an issue.

Switch to a much cleaner and better 2 part system. BRS pharma is cheap overall and way more pure. We have no idea what impurities you're adding by using the DIY system.

You could get some Brightwell Purit to run in the tank. It will help pull anything out we can't test for.

Why assume low par? Doubt that is his issue.

FWIW dont let the green hair algae take hold! I just went through some nasty work having to clean the entire tank and bust reef apart to get it under control.

GHA is a beast and it hides accurate phosphate and nitrate readings especially if its proliferating. It also tends to out compete the corals and will straight up suffocate them if its allowed to!

 

[Trey]

Several people have said you sg is low. That’s the easiest and most obvious fix. Fix it my man, THEN look for other stuff.

 

[Tamberav]

Do you have something to calibrate the refractometer?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aside from low salinity, there's nothing in the ICP that jumps out except possibly the lack of detectable trace elements such as manganese.

Occasional use of a commercial trace element supplement might be worth a try.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Note that their "ideal" values are ideal for the salinity, not actually "ideal"

Seem odd to show it tatt way.

If your salinity was 1 ppt, it would say the ideal calcium was 12 ppm. lol

 

[rtparty]

Why assume low par? Doubt that is his issue.

FWIW dont let the green hair algae take hold! I just went through some nasty work having to clean the entire tank and bust reef apart to get it under control.

GHA is a beast and it hides accurate phosphate and nitrate readings especially if its proliferating. It also tends to out compete the corals and will straight up suffocate them if its allowed to!

Because the corals doing best are all low light corals and the SPS aren't rapidly dying except maybe the birdsnest. Slow death is usually indicative of low light.

The OP gave no lighting info so it's hard to "doubt" low PAR could be an issue. If water chemistry looks good then you move onto flow or light.

Don't take it personal but the vast majority of tanks are under lit these days because big marketing machines have pushed LEDs at every turn. It takes the twice the recommended amount of fixtures to get enough coverage but none of them want to come out and say that. People would realize LEDs are not a great light source if they have to pay 2-3x what they've been told just for "good enough."

 

[reef_ninja]

Nothing wrong with PAR. Got a hold of an Apogee and spent 2 hours mapping the tank out across various intensities and depths. Its at 80-100 on the sandbed, 180 - 200 in the mid to higher areas. (This is with the light at a fairly low intensity).

Lots to think about here. Ill continue to address the Ca+, fix the salinity, and change my DIY Two Part to the BRS products.

The salinity is frustrating because Ive used distilled water ever since day 1 to make sure my refractometer measures a true zero. Maybe Im missing something. I may just grab a new refractometer.

@Randy Holmes-Farley how do you feel about that silicon in the RODI water? Its high in the RODI, but the tank seems to be handling it fine? I know there are suggestions to replace the DI unit, but only 1/3 of it has changed color and I'd had to be wasteful in getting another unit if I don't need it?

Really appreciate the input guys, I know its a lot to read through, but the experience I've had with this reef is nothing like I've had before. Definitely struggling to find the enjoyment.

 

[MnFish1]

This is going to be long, Ill do my best to keep it to cliff notes.

40 breeder with 20 gallon sump, mixed reef. 4 small-medium fish. Live Rock from KPAquatics (Florida Keys), 1 inch sand bed. Its about 10 months old.

I feed about twice a day, I mix it up between frozen and pellets.

Corals are just not thriving. 2 of my four acros are dying/barely hanging on. My birdsnest, which has always done excellent, is just about completely gone over the course of a week. My button scoly, acans, and one frogspawn are always retracted, probably going to be making a downturn soon.

BUT...... Zoas and Grandis are happy and growing, chalices are happy, though not growing as much as I would like, brain coral looks great and has developed some really nice colors since getting it 4 months ago. Another Euphyllia growing and splitting just great.

Algae isnt the worst issue, but it'd be nice to get better control of it. Its most likely GHA or turf algae, and possibly diatoms too?

I recently took the skimmer (Bubble Magus Curve 5) offline to get the nutrients up, and switched it out with just chaeto in the fuge. This helped, the problems were worse before this. The chaeto grows quite well, and I find I have to trim it atleast once a week. I think I was overskimming.
Here are the ICP results.

Elements



RODI



This is what Im pretty sure I know:

Calcium is high because Im dosing too much. Ill back off.

I need a couple more fish to add to the bioload.

Ill double check the salinity, but this is checked via refractometer and I had little doubt about its accuracy.

My thoughts/suspicions:

I leave my magfloat scrubber in the tank 24 hours/day, maybe this is causing some contamination?

Maybe Ill switch out my salt? I use Reef Crystals, and its always been solid to me before and lots of fantastic vendors use this?

The only inputs are: frozen food, Randy's DIY two part (Arm and Hammer baking soda for HCO3, and Preston Driveway heat for Ca+), occasional Reef Roids, pellets, and 4-stage RODI topoff.

I store my RODI water in a large Brute trashcan in the garage, this is solely for top-off.

I make 6-8 weeks of saltwater at a time that I store in 5-gallon food grade buckets. I notice there is a noticeable amount of sediment in the buckets the longer they are stored.

For the RODI sample, the silicon is very high. The sample was obtained after letting the line run for 15 minutes. Im not convinced the filters need to be replaced yet. Could the silicon be coming for the tubing line?

I know I have a couple posts out that are similar in nature, but I've just about reached my breaking point, and I was hoping that maybe these ICP results might point me in a constructive direction?

What is the TDS of your RODI?
Have you calibrated your refractometer? (If you don't trust the ICP test to do the salinity - why would you trust the rest of the results?)
I do not think its necessarily a good idea to store seawater that long. I can think of a number of issues?
Not sure I would switch your salt...
Did you add anything new - a new coral, etc that might have had pests - or chemically releasing something.
Do you use carbon/a skimmer? I wonder if (since you have a lot of coral) - you have some competition/toxin release going on between corals?
I would not add 'more fish'. You're just risking more problems IMO.
Silica normally causes 'algae' - not coral death.
one last idea - when I see dying pieces of coral - I take the dead parts off. It seems to me that leaving them in the tank leads to more tissue loss and toxins.

Hope this helps

PS water changes will help correct the other issues on your iCP test...I dont know what to make of the silica in teh RODI - its 1900 in your RODI - but 90 in your tank? that doesnt make sense.

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Anyone else got input on that silicon in the rodi water? Seems weird that’s the only element noted on there?

On my ATI test results I had elevated silicon I change my filters and DI resin and keep a eye on my TDS meter. Past 3 months according to ATI test it was perfect. Make sure you keep fresh DI resin when it time that should take care of it unless you're getting it from another source