Mixed reefs been going on for a few years but just started adding sps a couple of months ago so still learning and would appreciate any feedback on the below
1) flow - i know most guides say sps love high flow but is this too much? I have a nero 5 at random flow setting between 10% to 40% the acros on the right is pretty much point blank. The monty caps, green stylo, and purple digitata on the left have much better polyp extension and faster growth. The acros are growing (i see the base already encrusted) but I can hardly see any polyp extension. From the pics (side view and top view) you see that the acros are pretty much directly in front of the nero. Is it too much?should I point it away and have the acros get the "return flow" instead?
2) been struggling to keep the acros color. The top one should be dark green but is turning brown. The light green one is slowly fading too. The lower one between the sunburst monti and pink chalice is supposed to be a purple candlelight - its keeping the purple but losing the green tips. I'd think its bc too much nutrient due to zoox overproduction? or not enough light in the right spectrum causing less color pigment production? But then im also seeing these threads saying waters too clean causing acro from losing color. I had reefroid/britewell amino but stopped a month ago trying to get branching hydroids under control but I'm thinking maybe I need to start feeding again.
The sps colors on the left side are doing fine and sharp, so only the acros are strugging
Also dosing redsea color abcd at 50% suggested dose based on calc consumption.
Water params stable at no3 - 12ppm, po4 - 0.02. Calc-475, alk - 11, ph 8.3, mag 1350. With 2 part autodoser, skimmer and co2 scrubber.
1) flow - i know most guides say sps love high flow but is this too much? I have a nero 5 at random flow setting between 10% to 40% the acros on the right is pretty much point blank. The monty caps, green stylo, and purple digitata on the left have much better polyp extension and faster growth. The acros are growing (i see the base already encrusted) but I can hardly see any polyp extension. From the pics (side view and top view) you see that the acros are pretty much directly in front of the nero. Is it too much?should I point it away and have the acros get the "return flow" instead?
2) been struggling to keep the acros color. The top one should be dark green but is turning brown. The light green one is slowly fading too. The lower one between the sunburst monti and pink chalice is supposed to be a purple candlelight - its keeping the purple but losing the green tips. I'd think its bc too much nutrient due to zoox overproduction? or not enough light in the right spectrum causing less color pigment production? But then im also seeing these threads saying waters too clean causing acro from losing color. I had reefroid/britewell amino but stopped a month ago trying to get branching hydroids under control but I'm thinking maybe I need to start feeding again.
The sps colors on the left side are doing fine and sharp, so only the acros are strugging
Also dosing redsea color abcd at 50% suggested dose based on calc consumption.
Water params stable at no3 - 12ppm, po4 - 0.02. Calc-475, alk - 11, ph 8.3, mag 1350. With 2 part autodoser, skimmer and co2 scrubber.