not so happy sps/lps?

kolosy · 08/15/2009, 06:39 PM

backstory. 1.5 y/o 46G tank, that's been a mixed reef. a little bit of everything. i hadn't done the greatest job with keeping a regular testing and maintenance schedule (not that i didn't do it, just didn't do it regularly).

about a month ago, i went to a CWCS, switched to reef crystals salt, installed a larger sump and fuge, and started keeping a closer eye on things.

where things stand today:

Ca 440ppm
Alk 10.9dKh
Mg 1300ppm
Sg 1.027
NO3 ~5-10ppm

Temp varies from 78 to 80.1 (fan over fuge kicks in at 79)
pH varies from 7.9 to 8.2 (that's likely closer to 8-8.2, i haven't recalibrated the probe in a while, and it tends to drift down)

total volume ~60G, ~1G changed out every night, so ~10% changed weekly, over the course of the week.

about 2 months ago i went to an msx160 skimmer (which beats the crap out of the old DAS EX1 i had)

i run carbon

the things that i'm paying attention to is that these (seemingly good) changes seem to have had little effect on the tank. i'm attaching shots of the corals that concern me, and wanted to get feedback on whether they look healthy, and what i could change in the system? the one that concerns me the most is the birdsnest. i'm seeing STN on one of the central branches, and all the lower branches seem completely bleached out. the porcillopora sitting next to it is happy as a clam, so i'm a bit confused.

thanks for reading!

kolosy · 08/16/2009, 11:32 AM

anybody? is this a question better placed in the sps forum?

Henry Bowman · 08/16/2009, 12:59 PM

I have been involved in discussions where the consensus was doing a weekly (larger) water change was less stressful on corals. I.E. onece a week, the chemistry changes and the coral settles in after a few hours opposed to constant changes stressing the corals? Just a thought.

In addition, SPS are very alk sensitive. Is the alk staying rock steady ? If it is not, I would attack this one item first. You didn't state whether you were supplementing? I suspect you are not (wouldnt need to) with daily water changes.

Lastly, are you using a refractometer that is calibrated. If for some reason, the salt is'nt spot on consistent, the daily changes could be doing more harm than good. Even if it is mixed and used over several days, evaporation may be causing the SG to change?

Whaddya think?

small alien · 08/16/2009, 02:18 PM

I don't think that water change schedule really counts as a 10% water change. Also kinda sounds like a major PIA. Try once a week. Good luck.

kolosy · 08/16/2009, 02:36 PM

henry - my alk has been fairly steady. i did have an issue with my mg and ca being very low before i started the cwcs (<1100 and <300 respectively), but i fixed that by dosing kent cb part a and tech-m. now, i don't supplement because the reef crystals salt is fairly high on the ca/alk . the sg piece is interesting. i am using a refractometer, but don't always match up the new sw sg to the tank (sometimes off by .01-.02). evap in the tank is addressed by an ato, evap in the new sw container is addressed by a tight lid.

small alien - why wouldn't that count? and it's not by hand - cwcs == continuous water change system. i've got a lab-grade peristaltic pump moving 1.1 gallons of water per hour in and out, and my ac3 runs it for one hour every night.

i suppose i could go to running it for 7 hours once a week...

kolosy · 08/16/2009, 04:47 PM

one more thing - lighting. am i overlighting? i've got effectively 10wpg for aquarium volume - an outer orbit fixture that produces a total of 460w for a 46g tank. i had it sitting about 12" above the tank. i've moved it another ~4 higher, we'll see if that has an impact.

should i maybe go to a t5-only setup?

Henry Bowman · 08/16/2009, 06:01 PM

I dont think it's your lights...

lowman31 · 08/16/2009, 09:00 PM

Kolosy,

I went through a similar problem and I think the percipitating factor was my Nitrates. Everything else was normal and stable. Nitrates were over 25ppm salifert. Have you tested your nitrates?

kolosy · 08/16/2009, 09:08 PM

yeah... they're probably in that ballpark. what did you do to address it? i feed sparingly as it is (maybe twice per week), have a good skimmer, and chaeto in the fuge...

08/15/2009, 06:39 PM	#1
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	not so happy sps/lps? backstory. 1.5 y/o 46G tank, that's been a mixed reef. a little bit of everything. i hadn't done the greatest job with keeping a regular testing and maintenance schedule (not that i didn't do it, just didn't do it regularly). about a month ago, i went to a CWCS, switched to reef crystals salt, installed a larger sump and fuge, and started keeping a closer eye on things. where things stand today: Ca 440ppm Alk 10.9dKh Mg 1300ppm Sg 1.027 NO3 ~5-10ppm Temp varies from 78 to 80.1 (fan over fuge kicks in at 79) pH varies from 7.9 to 8.2 (that's likely closer to 8-8.2, i haven't recalibrated the probe in a while, and it tends to drift down) total volume ~60G, ~1G changed out every night, so ~10% changed weekly, over the course of the week. about 2 months ago i went to an msx160 skimmer (which beats the crap out of the old DAS EX1 i had) i run carbon the things that i'm paying attention to is that these (seemingly good) changes seem to have had little effect on the tank. i'm attaching shots of the corals that concern me, and wanted to get feedback on whether they look healthy, and what i could change in the system? the one that concerns me the most is the birdsnest. i'm seeing STN on one of the central branches, and all the lower branches seem completely bleached out. the porcillopora sitting next to it is happy as a clam, so i'm a bit confused. thanks for reading! __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

08/16/2009, 11:32 AM	#2
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	anybody? is this a question better placed in the sps forum? __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

08/16/2009, 12:59 PM	#3
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	I have been involved in discussions where the consensus was doing a weekly (larger) water change was less stressful on corals. I.E. onece a week, the chemistry changes and the coral settles in after a few hours opposed to constant changes stressing the corals? Just a thought. In addition, SPS are very alk sensitive. Is the alk staying rock steady ? If it is not, I would attack this one item first. You didn't state whether you were supplementing? I suspect you are not (wouldnt need to) with daily water changes. Lastly, are you using a refractometer that is calibrated. If for some reason, the salt is'nt spot on consistent, the daily changes could be doing more harm than good. Even if it is mixed and used over several days, evaporation may be causing the SG to change? Whaddya think? __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

08/16/2009, 02:18 PM	#4
small alien The fungus is among us. Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Earth Posts: 3,884	I don't think that water change schedule really counts as a 10% water change. Also kinda sounds like a major PIA. Try once a week. Good luck. __________________ This moment is all we have. Current Tank Info: 75 mixed reef. F OSFF, Clingfish, M/F Leopards, M Mandy, Darwin Clown, Bullet Goby, Green Clown Goby, M/F Matted Files, Bluestripe Pipe, Tailspot Blenny, Canary Wrasse, Royal Gramma, Papua Toby Puffer, Snooty Maori Wrasse.

08/16/2009, 02:36 PM	#5
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	henry - my alk has been fairly steady. i did have an issue with my mg and ca being very low before i started the cwcs (<1100 and <300 respectively), but i fixed that by dosing kent cb part a and tech-m. now, i don't supplement because the reef crystals salt is fairly high on the ca/alk . the sg piece is interesting. i am using a refractometer, but don't always match up the new sw sg to the tank (sometimes off by .01-.02). evap in the tank is addressed by an ato, evap in the new sw container is addressed by a tight lid. small alien - why wouldn't that count? and it's not by hand - cwcs == continuous water change system. i've got a lab-grade peristaltic pump moving 1.1 gallons of water per hour in and out, and my ac3 runs it for one hour every night. i suppose i could go to running it for 7 hours once a week... __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

08/16/2009, 04:47 PM	#6
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	one more thing - lighting. am i overlighting? i've got effectively 10wpg for aquarium volume - an outer orbit fixture that produces a total of 460w for a 46g tank. i had it sitting about 12" above the tank. i've moved it another ~4 higher, we'll see if that has an impact. should i maybe go to a t5-only setup? __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.

08/16/2009, 06:01 PM	#7
Henry Bowman Reefing since '87 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Allegheny Mountains of VA Posts: 2,162	I dont think it's your lights... __________________ Have a good'un Current Tank Info: 90 gl SPS dominant / upgrade in the works

08/16/2009, 09:00 PM	#8
lowman31 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: North Ridgeville Ohio Posts: 399	Kolosy, I went through a similar problem and I think the percipitating factor was my Nitrates. Everything else was normal and stable. Nitrates were over 25ppm salifert. Have you tested your nitrates?

08/16/2009, 09:08 PM	#9
kolosy Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: chicago Posts: 655	yeah... they're probably in that ballpark. what did you do to address it? i feed sparingly as it is (maybe twice per week), have a good skimmer, and chaeto in the fuge... __________________ not yet. maybe someday. Current Tank Info: 90L RR mixed reef, panworld 150ps external pump, t5/mh/led, 20g under-tank sump, 27g above tank sump, 27g fuge with 4" dsb, macro and lr rubble.