What should I be dosing? LPS always die

crazyclownlady

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Alright so I seem to be able to keep my fish, anemones, inverts, and softies quite happy.

the LPS corals simply recede and die slowly… in both of my tanks. Both tanks have almost exactly the same parameters.

i bought ABC+ but I don’t use it because my calcium is already too high and the product says to dose based on the calcium level

do i need a product like AB+ to keep my LPS happy without calcium getting too high?

Its a 10g tank with a AI HD16 light. My nitrates are Usually at 0 so I started dosing nitrate, which got rid of the dinos.

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crazyclownlady

crazyclownlady

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Salinity is 1.025 and temp is 25.5 (+-0.3).

i bought a light measuring tool but it measures in lumens, so I don’t know the PAR.

regarding Flow, I’m using the stock waterbox 10 return pump and a AI Nero 3. I don’t know how to measure Flow, but i tend to keep it as high as possible without making the clownfish struggle lol
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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AI16 is pretty bright for a 10 gallon, and AI Nero 3 is pretty strong for a 10 gallon. As mentioned above, your parameters look good, definately fine to keep lps, so I'm thinking something with the lighting and flow. Most lps's are low/medium light and low/medium flow.
 
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crazyclownlady

crazyclownlady

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Okay so my apologies if I list a type that isn’t an LPS..
- duncans
- frogspawns
- torch
- candycane, trumpet?
- hammer
- octospawn

yikes I’ve really spent alot $$
 
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crazyclownlady

crazyclownlady

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Your nutrients probably bottomed out if You can’t keep lps. Edit re reading your post that sounds like exactly what happened. Lps like relatively dirty water and can start quickly TN (tissue necrosis) if this isn’t stable above 0
Ahh the nitrates and phosphates were 0 for a long time. I’ve started dosing nitrate and feeding more reef roids to raise phosphates. I’m still trying to find the right balance for better stability. Perhaps i will try another LPS after the values are more stable
 

Woodyman

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Okay so my apologies if I list a type that isn’t an LPS..
- duncans
- frogspawns
- torch
- candycane, trumpet?
- hammer
- octospawn

yikes I’ve really spent alot $$

Another point to mention, LPS enjoy spot feeding as well. I try to spot feed mine at least 2+ times a week, while not necessary it will help ensure they get a fair share of prey.

Even with lower nutrients (don't go back to 0) LPS can thrive and be happy. As mentioned above lighting and flow are probably the cause. Nutrients if you had a dino problem probably contributed to their decline as well. Keep the water stable and with some nutrients and if you never spot fed before I'd recommend it, even if only once a week.
 

Woodyman

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Which nutrients do you suspect?

You mentioned dinos in a previous post, that implies a near '0' amount of available NO3/PO4

You can have dinos outside of those conditions, but usually when we are talking about dinos, users have '0' of both.
 

sfin52

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You mentioned dinos in a previous post, that implies a near '0' amount of available NO3/PO4

You can have dinos outside of those conditions, but usually when we are talking about dinos, users have '0' of both.
Or just one has to be bottomed out.
 

SauceyReef

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Ahh the nitrates and phosphates were 0 for a long time. I’ve started dosing nitrate and feeding more reef roids to raise phosphates. I’m still trying to find the right balance for better stability. Perhaps i will try another LPS after the values are more stable
Yeah nitrates/phosphates. A big mistake less experienced reefers make is not feeding enough. For years I had algae problems and fed less and less thinking this was the issue not knowing that many algae grow when nutrients bottom out. Keeping nutrient levels up will really help you maintain a healthy stable tank. Your LPS/softies will love some dirty water. Spot feeding will also help a lot.

-edit- without nutrients or spot feeding it is like adding a fish and never feeding it. only a matter of time before it starves/dies.
 
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