SPS frags bleacing from bottom

IslandLifeReef · Sep 7, 2020

@nanchil, you might consider removing the GFO if you are running a refugium in your sump. I also see you have quite a few soft corals which can thrive in lower light. Once you get your ICP test back, if everything looks ok, I would rent that PAR meter to see what is going on with the light. None of the life I see in your tank requires anything more than low light levels. So, light could be an issue if your water comes back with good results.

As a side note, that angle fish might be a problem for some corals.

I also don't believe that you ever told us how you acclimate your SPS and LPS corals. Do you dip them before you add them and what do you use for your dip and at what concentration.

nanchil · Sep 7, 2020

IslandLifeReef said:
@nanchil, you might consider removing the GFO if you are running a refugium in your sump. I also see you have quite a few soft corals which can thrive in lower light. Once you get your ICP test back, if everything looks ok, I would rent that PAR meter to see what is going on with the light. None of the life I see in your tank requires anything more than low light levels. So, light could be an issue if your water comes back with good results.

As a side note, that angle fish might be a problem for some corals.

I also don't believe that you ever told us how you acclimate your SPS and LPS corals. Do you dip them before you add them and what do you use for your dip and at what concentration.

Thanks ! I think I need the GFO to keep the Po in control. The Po reading goes up as the GFO gets older like in 5 weeks. So my assumption is that I need GFO.

As of now the angel is a model citizen. Will keep an eye on that angel. Thanks ! In fact, the Angel and the YT are my first fish in this tank.

I dont dip the corals. But I do temp acclimate the corals and place the corals in the lowest bottom of the tank and move slowly up. Usually it takes a week or two depends on the corals. And yes I do place the corals in the bottom while the lights are off.

I should be getting my water result this week. Will share it here.

Thanks !

nanchil · Sep 14, 2020

IslandLifeReef said:
@nanchil, you might consider removing the GFO if you are running a refugium in your sump. I also see you have quite a few soft corals which can thrive in lower light. Once you get your ICP test back, if everything looks ok, I would rent that PAR meter to see what is going on with the light. None of the life I see in your tank requires anything more than low light levels. So, light could be an issue if your water comes back with good results.

As a side note, that angle fish might be a problem for some corals.

I also don't believe that you ever told us how you acclimate your SPS and LPS corals. Do you dip them before you add them and what do you use for your dip and at what concentration.

Ok. I got the results back. Here is the screenshot ...

Charlie’s Frags · Sep 14, 2020

nanchil said:
Ok. I got the results back. Here is the screenshot ...

Your alk is too high for your gfo stripped po4

nanchil · Sep 14, 2020

Chaswood79 said:
Your alk is too high for your gfo stripped po4

Sorry ... didn't get it...

kkelly007 · Sep 14, 2020

Chaswood79 said:
I would not take any advice ever again from whoever recommended 11.5 alk for sps. 7.5-9 dKh is what the pros stick to. I’m not a fan of the saxby program for the average hobbyist bc the it has so much white in it. The whites on 26 HD’s can be really harsh on sps in 20-24” depth tanks, especially if they’re mounted closer than 12” off the water. I run hydras on all my systems and mount them 15” above the water.

I agree 100% with your assessment on 11.5 dKH, but it is interesting that Red Sea’s ideal “Reef Recipe” for a mixed reef as published on their web-site is 11.5 dKH. I honestly think stability is more important than the number, but I try and keep mine around 9.0.

Charlie’s Frags · Sep 14, 2020

nanchil said:
Sorry ... didn't get it...

Basically get your alk below 8 if you want to chase low po4 with gfo. Or get rid of the gfo and leave your alk at 9

Charlie’s Frags · Sep 14, 2020

kkelly007 said:
I agree 100% with your assessment on 11.5 dKH, but it is interesting that Red Sea’s ideal “Reef Recipe” for a mixed reef as published on their web-site is 11.5 dKH. I honestly think stability is more important than the number, but I try and keep mine around 9.0.

Very few ppl notice Red Sea also recommends a po4 0.08-0.12 for sps frags.

nanchil · Sep 14, 2020

Chaswood79 said:
Basically get your alk below 8 if you want to chase low po4 with gfo. Or get rid of the gfo and leave your alk at 9

Thanks ! As I said in my previous post, my Parameter is more stable now ( at least for the last 2 months). I am able to maintain Alk around ~8.0 and Ca around ~430.

Charlie’s Frags · Sep 14, 2020

nanchil said:
Thanks ! As I said in my previous post, my Parameter is more stable now ( at least for the last 2 months). I am able to maintain Alk around ~8.0 and Ca around ~430.

I like around 7.5-8. It was drifting at high as 9 and dropping to as low as 6.5 but I don’t worry about that bc I don’t over strip the water. And I have almost zero fatalities in the last 2 years since refusing to freak out about no3/po4 with stuff like carbon dosing and gfo.

nanchil · Sep 15, 2020

Chaswood79 said:
I like around 7.5-8. It was drifting at high as 9 and dropping to as low as 6.5 but I don’t worry about that bc I don’t over strip the water. And I have almost zero fatalities in the last 2 years since refusing to freak out about no3/po4 with stuff like carbon dosing and gfo.

As my parameters are somewhat stable, I am going to try some more SPS frags ...