SPS and stony corals struggles

[kin_itsu]

Do you mean that you can't keep frag ? The mag seems a bit of high to me. Better upload some photos of your tank

 

[Creggers]

Just putting this in the thread both to update everyone here and to keep a note of it. I added tonight 1/2 cup of PhosGuard (after rinsing with some sink water) in a media bag in the return chamber of my sump.

My PO4 is sitting at .5 approximately. My plan will be to test the PO4 in four days when the Phosguard is exhausted. I've since reduced my frozen food from two to one cube a day, I think that combined with the Phosguard will get my PO4 back down within reason. I'll keep a close eye on my LPS / ZOAs to make sure they're not angry with the lower levels of PO4 etc. I'm thinking as I only added about a half dose (should've been a cup for my water volume) it wont reduce quickly so they have a chance to adjust.

 

[Creggers]

All corals LPS / Zoas looking good, as of today PO4 is slightly lowered, between .5 and .25. Might just be the placebo effect as the Salifert kit makes it so difficult to determine...

Going to wait tlil the lights have been on for ~3 hours to change out the phosphate media.

 

[Shirak]

All corals LPS / Zoas looking good, as of today PO4 is slightly lowered, between .5 and .25. Might just be the placebo effect as the Salifert kit makes it so difficult to determine...

Going to wait tlil the lights have been on for ~3 hours to change out the phosphate media.

I prefer the digital Hanna for PO4. You may see some rebounding as the phosguard will pull it out of the water pretty quickly and then it will slowly go back up as the rocks/sand release PO4 to equilibrate with the water concentration. I wouldn't worry that much as you are going in the direction you want and will get there eventually.

 

[skey44]

I’m just here to stop the Kessil haters… and the “can’t grow sticks in a young tank” mantra.

My tank was established 7/28/24. 2x Kessil ap9x on 48/24x16 tank. Run 60 percent for 5 hours and then ramp up and ramp down slowly. There’s definitely another problem.

You mentioned previous heavy metal issue. 0.5 phosphate is definitely high by most standards. Don’t change your lights so fast. It does look like they’re a little high to me. I’d do some major water changes and try again with some testers acros.

Heres my proof to maybe focus on the right things here to help the OP better.

When acquired

2 months later (approximately)

When acquired

3 months later (approximately)

FTS

FTS

 

[skey44]

I prefer the digital Hanna for PO4. You may see some rebounding as the phosguard will pull it out of the water pretty quickly and then it will slowly go back up as the rocks/sand release PO4 to equilibrate with the water concentration. I wouldn't worry that much as you are going in the direction you want and will get there eventually.

Hanna checkers for alk, no3, and PO4 work great. Salifert for calcium and magnesium.

 

[thedon986]

I’m just here to stop the Kessil haters… and the “can’t grow sticks in a young tank” mantra.

My tank was established 7/28/24. 2x Kessil ap9x on 48/24x16 tank. Run 60 percent for 5 hours and then ramp up and ramp down slowly. There’s definitely another problem.

You mentioned previous heavy metal issue. 0.5 phosphate is definitely high by most standards. Don’t change your lights so fast. It does look like they’re a little high to me. I’d do some major water changes and try again with some testers.

Heres my proof to maybe focus on the right things here to help the OP better.

When acquired

2 months later (approximately)

When acquired

3 months later (approximately)

FTS

FTS

Important note: his tank is longer and his sps are not positioned as well. His frag rack is in the bottom corner of the aquarium.

No one is saying Kessils can’t grow coral and no one is saying it’s not possible to keep SPS in a young tank.

It’s still very possibly a light and tank age issue. Your tank does not prove otherwise without a doubt.

 

[skey44]

It has been suggested multiple times to get new lights. Yes noted his frag rack does seem ill positioned. It just seems everyone always says it’s the “age of the tank” and buy new lights. Both seem to skirt around the issue. There’s definitely another problem here.
These two answers thrown out there seem to not answer the question but suggest impossibilities with his current setup. I do think my setup shows that he should not be discouraged by his lighting or age of the tank, but focus on coral placement and water quality.

How long do your Acropora usually last before succumbing? I’d think an acro could survive quite some time with 100 par.

 

[Creggers]

It has been suggested multiple times to get new lights. Yes noted his frag rack does seem ill positioned. It just seems everyone always says it’s the “age of the tank” and buy new lights. Both seem to skirt around the issue. There’s definitely another problem here.
These two answers thrown out there seem to not answer the question but suggest impossibilities with his current setup. I do think my setup shows that he should not be discouraged by his lighting or age of the tank, but focus on coral placement and water quality.

How long do your Acropora usually last before succumbing? I’d think an acro could survive quite some time with 100 par.

I know that Kessil can grow SPS and have done it before. Your tank looks beautiful and its encouraging that you've experienced what I desire. There's been a lot of road bumps in getting this tank up and running all brought about by a rusty stand next to the tank. As a result of that I made a bunch of quick knee jerk reaction changes instead of taking it slow.

The SPS/stony dies over the course of a month, and I've now adjusted my lighting schedule to include ramp up / down, and i've adjusted my frag rack to the middle of the tank. I am guessing the par where the rack is now ~200 based on both the brs video and another par map that i've seen

 

[skey44]

Thank you!
Sounds like a good measured change. Hopefully you get better success. I’d try a Cali tort for testing purposes. It really seems to be my hardiest/fastest growing Acropora so far and it was very moderately priced at my LFS.

 

[Shirak]

@Creggers I would seriously consider a par meter of some sort. There are a number of options including some inexpensive ones that use your cellphone camera. The BRS info is good but it's better to know your numbers in your tank. Especially with the placement and size of your lighting. It's going to vary quite a bit across the landscape. You will need to be more selective in your placement and a par meter will tell you what you need to know.

 

[VDC]

The OP has a PAR meter.... Have you read through the thread?

 

[Shirak]

The OP has a PAR meter.... Have you read through the thread?

Wow really dude? I have been contributing from nearly the beginning and read every post and put a lot of thought into my replies based on the information given and my experience and how I might be able to give advice to help.

Perhaps you should read the thread again or more carefully? The OP does NOT have a par meter and has stated more than once they are estimating par in their tank based on BRS online information on a video about the lights in question.


Last line from the most recent post by the OP

" I am guessing the par where the rack is now ~200 based on both the brs video and another par map that i've seen"

 

[thedon986]

Yeah I read that he was guessing PAR based on BRS videos and just assuming. Once I got my Neptune ASM I learned assumptions mean nothing.

 

[X-37B]

He checked with a par meter. That's where the 80-100 par came from its in the last post on page 1.
Get po4 down with the phosgaurd it's what I use when needed.
Now from the pic the tank looks very dim. Get the par meter you used and turn up and create a map for future reference.
I can not comment on your light as I have never ran them.

 

[Shirak]

He checked with a par meter. That's where the 80-100 par came from its in the last post on page 1.
Get po4 down with the phosgaurd it's what I use when needed.
Now from the pic the tank looks very dim. Get the par meter you used and turn up and create a map for future reference.
I can not comment on your light as I have never ran them.

Yes it says that but if you read further it says he is estimating based on BRS video. I don't think it was actually checked with a par meter

OP can you clarify?

 

[X-37B]

Op can chime in but it does say this.
"I checked with a par meter and my levels (where my frag rack is) is around 80-100 par. I have hot spots of ~400 where my light overlaps".
He later said he origanly set up the lights based on brs recommendations.
I can only go by what is said.

 

[Creggers]

Op can chime in but it does say this.
"I checked with a par meter and my levels (where my frag rack is) is around 80-100 par. I have hot spots of ~400 where my light overlaps".
He later said he origanly set up the lights based on brs recommendations.
I can only go by what is said.

This is 100% correct. I borrowed a friends par meter to test it originally.

I will test again however I have turned up the lights to 55% of maximum as of yesterday.

 

[Creggers]

This is my lighting schedule I'll update this post with Par Readings when I get them.

Layout of the lights are 13 inches in from either side of the tank, mounted 10inches off the water surface.

 

[Shirak]

Is that about 9hrs on with about a 30min ramp up and down for 7.5hrs at 55%?

Might need to go longer on the lighting schedule? I run 12hr day with about 10hrs at peak Maybe others can chime in on total light time with time at peak.

This is my lighting schedule I'll update this post with Par Readings when I get them.

Layout of the lights are 13 inches in from either side of the tank, mounted 10inches off the water surface.