What's wrong with my SPS?

[arnel0387]

You said your alk is at 9 dkh and you aren't dosing anything. How are you maintaining your alk/cal? Maybe you're having alk swings? It's really tough to keep things stable without dosing one way or another.

I only have frags and water changes keep it between 8.7-9.. For example, last week I tested my alk and it was at 8.9. And I tested my alk today and it was at 8.7. I'm going to do my 10G water change tomorrow.

 

[arnel0387]

Sounds like the water may be too clean. Overall how is the polyp extension on the acroporas at night?

Also do you have a potassium reading?

Also what everyone else said. Any signs of AEFW?

No signs of AEFW. And I don't test my potassium. PE at night is ok (but some don't have PE at all, like the caroliniana, purple monster, Hawkins Echinata, and IceFire.. So most smothskin acros don't show PE).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Alk should drop on its own with all of those corals.

What sort of water do you use for top off? Tap water can provide alkalinity.

 

[arnel0387]

Alk should drop on its own with all of those corals.

What sort of water do you use for top off? Tap water can provide alkalinity.

I have a BRS 4-stage plus RODI with 0 TDS. It's 4 months old.

 

[Diesel]

How can I lower my alk from 9 to 8?

Btw, I'm using the Red Sea regular (blue container) salt mix and perform 10G weekly water changes.

Also, I'm going to order the zeo coral Vitalizer and Xtra special.. Good idea?

I only have frags and water changes keep it between 8.7-9.. For example, last week I tested my alk and it was at 8.9. And I tested my alk today and it was at 8.7. I'm going to do my 10G water change tomorrow.

You don't lower your ALK but the corals will do it for you as they use the ALK.
You already turned off your GFO so that said you going to have already some kind of nutrient in your water no need to dose extra coral food.
You can tweak also your skimmer.
As I was you I would test your newly mixed salt water for your ALK, if that swing is to big it could be a factor.
All though you just do a 10 gallon WC it can swing.
Also how long is your tank running?
Show us a FTS maybe.

 

[arnel0387]

You don't lower your ALK but the corals will do it for you as they use the ALK.
You already turned off your GFO so that said you going to have already some kind of nutrient in your water no need to dose extra coral food.
You can tweak also your skimmer.
As I was you I would test your newly mixed salt water for your ALK, if that swing is to big it could be a factor.
All though you just do a 10 gallon WC it can swing.
Also how long is your tank running?
Show us a FTS maybe.

I'll see how the system does without having GFO then I'll change something else if that doesn't work. My system has been setup since Nov 2014, but the live rocks were old/established for quite a while.

I'll try to get more photos.

 

[Diesel]

I'll see how the system does without having GFO then I'll change something else if that doesn't work. My system has been setup since Nov 2014, but the live rocks were old/established for quite a while.

I'll try to get more photos.

Remember your tank is still young only a few months.
I would all settle in and don't make to many changes in once as that will upset your corals too.
Only bad things happen fast in this hobby and if you think you're going slow slow down even more.

 

[arnel0387]

Just tested the Alk and its at 8.9.

So when pH is at the highestat 8.3, my alk is 8.9. My pH is at the lowest now, at 7.8, and alk is still 8.9.

Will dosing small amount of kalkwasser at night (using a doser) help or hurt my system?

 

[Diesel]

Just tested the Alk and its at 8.9.

So when pH is at the highestat 8.3, my alk is 8.9. My pH is at the lowest now, at 7.8, and alk is still 8.9.

Will dosing small amount of kalkwasser at night (using a doser) help or hurt my system?

Why would you dose Kalkwasser?
If it's to raise your PH there are other things you can do to make your swings less during lights off period.

 

[arnel0387]

Why would you dose Kalkwasser?
If it's to raise your PH there are other things you can do to make your swings less during lights off period.

Sorry, I'm asking questions because I need your help. If kalkwasser isn't a good idea, then I would really appreciate it if you could share the "other things" I can do to reduce the pH swings. Thank you

 

[Diesel]

Sorry, I'm asking questions because I need your help. If kalkwasser isn't a good idea, then I would really appreciate it if you could share the "other things" I can do to reduce the pH swings. Thank you

One simple thing you can do is hang a light above your sump with a reversed schedule on there, that means when your tank lights go off your sump light will come on.
Also you can draw O2 from the outside through a tubing into your skimmer.
Or if you really want to make sure your swing stays in check use a CO2 scrubber.
The reason for all this is that during lights off period your O2 level will drop in results as a PH drop.
There will be always a swing in PH no matter what but you go from 8.3 to 7.8.
I use a light only for 3 hours and it will keep my PH in the morning at 7.94 and afternoon as high as 8.26.
I'm not set on chasing my # as much as long it is balanced and it's not different everyday.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Limewater (Kalkwasser) is a fine way to boost pH, as long as you need the calcium and alkalinity in it. I've used it for 19 years.

pH "swings" are not generally a concern, and can be nearly eliminated with enough aeration. The concern is the low end of the swing and how low it gets. Adding limewater at night can help reduce that, as can other methods, such as growing macroalgae at night in a refugium.

 

[badfinger]

I think you may have too much flow and too clean. You say you have a mp40 and a gyre 150 in a 90? I am imagining a 4 foot x 18" since you say you have a 48" reef Brite. The gyre and return pump should do the trick just fine

 

[Reefnjunkie]

Don't chase the perfect PH #-as mentioned you're params are good and the tank is relatively "young". I personally agree on dropping to a lower KH and if it's not been mentioned already you'll want to see what a newly batch of saltwater mixes at, if it's higher than your target number you're fighting an uphill battle.

In the early years I chased PH only to find its a waste of money, time and made zero difference. Presently my tank swings from 7.85 at night to now 8.2 during the days becuase the weather is better and Im letting in fresh air. During the winter it's 7.65 at night and 7.95 during the day-maybe my corals have adapted as they are all looking good.

Reef Chili is good IMO and there are lots of other things out there-search around, see what other are using-I used to add oyster feast, phyto feast, amino acids, etc etc (over the years )

Good luck-Im sure it'll turn around

 

[21chip]

Could be your light if under leds. I have leds if they where turn away from the light or shadowed the base would become white. I have turned a rock with my big Acro and if it fell outside of direct light it would turn on me. Acro bugs?

 

[Reefcrazed417]

Feed a little more and see if it helps it's all trial and error I wouldn't change more than 1 thing at a time

 

[Reefcrazed417]

Otherwise there is no learning

 

[kevensquint]

I have an sps BB and its tough. I started like you with carbon, GFO etc...in time I've dropped all of that. Just skimming and occasional WC's. The BB tank is a clean tank assuming you have lots of flow and a skimmer. I would use carbon sparingly, and maybe nevermind the GFO. My corals would get pale if I over export nutrients.

 

[arnel0387]

Update:

Alk w/ lights on (pH at highest 8.3)= 8.9 (Salifert testkit)
Alk w/ lights off (pH at lowest 7.8) = 8.7 (Salifert testkit)
New saltwater mix (using Red Sea regular salt) = 8.9 (Salifert)

Changes:
Removed my GFO reactor and carbon meshbag
Changed DI resin on RODI unit
Feeding 3x/day instead of twice/day

 

[arnel0387]

I only have a clownfish pair, blackcap basslet, Midas blenny, tailspot blenny, neon goby, and a mandarin dragonet. I have a 5-foot shallow tank so I'm going to add a tang in a month or so because I'm pretty sure I have a low bioload.