SPS question for all the seasoned reef keepers out there

XNavyDiver

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I looked at your fish load. For your sized tank, that's very light. With dry rock and so few fish, you're going to struggle getting some no3 and po4 in there. I would consider getting more fish (nutrient producers). Unless of course, you could dose some nitrate and phosphate, but I like the fish option better. Acros and sps like fish poop. ;)
 

XNavyDiver

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It did take a while for it to take off but it seems to be growing well on the glass However, i have yet see it grow on the rocks.
That's funny, mine has yet to show up on any glass, but the rocks are getting covered. :confused:
 

tdileo

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Since nobody has answered your actual question yet, here is the correlation between coral color and NO3/PO4 levels. The algae living inside of corals (zooxanthellae) needs NO3 and PO4 as a food source, just like any marine plant like GHA or macroalgae. When there is too much, there will be an excess amount of zooxanthellae, causing corals to turn browner. When there is 0, the zoox will starve out and coral will become pale, showing only the natural color. Most people find the best coloration and growth between 1-5 PPM nitrate and a very low but detectable PO4 Level.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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I would add this

my system is not ulns, but if it was 0/0, Id still have no bleaching due to quality and quantity of feed input and output.


all we have to do to test that is build and cycle a frag tank with no real reef substrate. keep it 100% water changed daily, and fully clear of detritus, and that water w be 0/0 on API gear for sure.


Spot feed every coral daily, and siphon out all the waste meticulously. give the system phytoplankton and living zooplanktors, $, then export the water out before any of it can rot into measurable nutrients in solution.

The corals will continue plating over their plugs solely off digestion and photosynthesis.



Corals are found in waters that would test 0 on our approximation test kits in the wild, they're not bleached due to availability of heterotrophic feed.


If you have zooplankton swimming and kicking around, that's not spiking nitrate or po4 (until they die and degrade in the water)

and if a coral eats them, it gets its entire needs met for major and minor nutrients (considering some phytoplankton is there, was gut loaded into the zooplanktors etc)

and all the while, 0 - seeming waters.


to me, the trend towards people heading to ULNS is about skipping work in the tank, and as such, they must feed less to keep their intended goals, and that's the bleacher mechanism. a busier reefer can be just fine in zero waters.

Navy D was heading into the feeding territory agreed, lets see pics.
 
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Greatreefer

Greatreefer

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Here are a couple quick tank shots.
1b0fe397879297d8936fe33b3d5a11ac.jpg
2249ca4f3167a309c6490f1fcbaa5a96.jpg
ca5a5657878212bdcd6896223891e92c.jpg
 

29bonsaireef

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I would say lighting is probably your issue. Especially with a 16hr photoperiod, corals look bleached. Params could be playing a part but I would suggest cutting way back on photoperiod. A lot of people run half that with great success.
 
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Greatreefer

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Since nobody has answered your actual question yet, here is the correlation between coral color and NO3/PO4 levels. The algae living inside of corals (zooxanthellae) needs NO3 and PO4 as a food source, just like any marine plant like GHA or macroalgae. When there is too much, there will be an excess amount of zooxanthellae, causing corals to turn browner. When there is 0, the zoox will starve out and coral will become pale, showing only the natural color. Most people find the best coloration and growth between 1-5 PPM nitrate and a very low but detectable PO4 Level.
Toileo:
This is exactly what i was looking for.
So, what i hear you say is:
If there is dectable no3 yet no po4 the zoox levels within the corals are starving for nutrients. So in theory.. if one would increase the p04 levels to a dectable level then the zoox would be able to thrive better?
 

chrisl10

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Great reading here. You guys are making things very clear that had me questioning some of the same issues. [emoji106]
 

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