Back again, any more ideas, or should I just tap out?

[cncguy]

First just let me say, I can make this as long and descriptive as you guys would like, but I'll try to keep the beginning of this thread short. Or search my username for other posts........

As some may remember, I can NOT grow corals.

Only thing I can grow are Xenia and aptasia. No problems at all with anemone, fish, inverts, etc.

Don't take this the wrong way, but PLEASE don't tell me to wait as it takes time. I've been trying for years now, and I see other tanks on here that are 6 months old that are unbelievable!!!

Again, trying to not make this too long, just ask me questions about parameters, equip, and such, and I'll answer. I'd love to figure this out, but it's just getting too frustrating.

Main tank- 90gal, 20gal sump, RO skimmer, 6X54 T5, 21LED USA strip, BB,Gyre 130 and Sicce voyager, etc

12 Gal JBJ- DIY skimmer, live sand, chinese LEDS, bigger return pump, and nano tunze powerhead

4 stage RODI

I always check parameters, try to keep stable. Alk @9, Cal 440, Mag 1320. I've ran carbon, GFO, carbon and GFO, neither. No difference.

Outside air in skimmer, and even tried a airstone with outside air wondering if my ambient air quality is horrible. No difference

More WCs, less WCs. No difference

New bulbs. No difference

Added flow. No difference

Added light, changed photoperiod. No difference

Put corals in a different tank with different lights(LED). No difference

90% WC, added live sand and skimmer(in the nano that the corals went into). No difference

Kalk, no Kalk. No difference

Fed corals. No difference

Switched from Reef Crystals to Red Sea Coral Pro. No difference

Checked stray voltage (seems normal from what I've seen), checked copper=0

They don't die, just stay stagnant, and don't grow. Except a montipora, and trumpets that may be too far gone

List of stuff not growing:
Frogspawn- probably 3 years old now, NEVER grown
Colt coral-stagnant, or slowly receding
Palys
Shrooms
Trumpet
Montipora
Long polyp leather-probably does the best besides Xenia
GSP- just grows a little, then dies off in other places
Nepthea-LFS said it was acropora, but I believe it's nethea. Hasn't grown, if not receding
Hammer
Blue Clove Polyps-Haven't spread at all

Minimal coralline. Starts to grow, then turns white in the middle and dies off

That's all I can think of at the moment (at work)

Anyone, PLEASE !!!!!
Why is this so hard? Should I just throw in the towel?

What haven't I tried????????

[jml1149]

Do you have a link to the led strip?

[cncguy]

21ledusa
full spectrum reef pro

Didn't change my situation at all tho, or maybe you just want to see the lights?

[jml1149]

Maybe it's too much light?

[hkgar]

Ok, let's start with the basics. What is NO3 and PO4?

What are you trying to grow? Softies or SPS?

[cncguy]

Trying to remember this at work, but I think my Phos was low, around 0, and Nitrate was between 10 and 20?

I'm trying to grow anything. That's why I tried the montipora to see if my water was too clean and that's why the softies or LPS weren't growing.

I don't think too much light? I could be wrong (ha ha, obsviously!!!), but wondered the same thing, so I lessened my photoperiod to about 6 hrs all, LEDs ramp up and down, and blues for about 9hrs total

[thomas.torode]

IMO, blue tangs need at LEAST 150 gallons.

[cncguy]

Eh? I don't have a blue tang........

[Taahirs]

What test kits are you using?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cncguy]

all salifert

[TangingOut]

How long are you waiting in between all the changes? Seems like an unstable environment besides your water parameters which you try to keep stable.

Maybe you're trying too hard and need to take a KISS approach. Me in your shoes? I would provide clean stable water, borrow a par meter and place corals accordingly, and have decent water flow(doesn't look like you need too much with the corals you have)

Also, how many fish do you have and how often are they fed?

[cncguy]

oops, and a neon pineapple tree that hasn't grown at all in at least 2 years since I got him

[cncguy]

usually a least a couple months between trying anything new. In the nano where the corals are now, is only a firefish, and 2 snails. In the 90, there's only 2 pajama cardinals, yellow tang, and a clown, as far as fish goes

[TangingOut]

Just thinking out loud, but do you use air fresheners or aerosol cleaners around the tank?

[cncguy]

no. maybe occasional air freshener, but not spray.

[GimpyFin]

Originally Posted by thomas.torode

IMO, blue tangs need at LEAST 150 gallons.

And a bottle of ich.

[homer1475]

Originally Posted by thomas.torode

IMO, blue tangs need at LEAST 150 gallons.

Originally Posted by GimpyFin

And a bottle of ich.

I see what you did there!

[cncguy]

Has to be something I'm missing right? But what!!!!!!

[jml1149]

Can you post pics of everything just about half way through your lighting cycle? What is your pH?

[jml1149]

Also:

1. What is your salinity, how do you measure it and how do you calibrate your measurement?

2. What do you use to maintain alk and ca? How much and how often?

3. What is the tds of your RODI? How do you measure that and how do you calibrate that measurement?

4. What test kits do you use for your measurements? How old are they?

5. What are you feeding corals and fish?

6. How do you control the dimming on your lights?

7. What t5 bulbs are you using?

8. What is tank temp and how/where do you measure?

9. Fuge?

10. Where is the tank located?

11. What else is there? I'm not an expert but this is the list of issues I have dealt with to get my tank going.

[cncguy]

1. 1.025 Refractometer. I use the calibration fluid.
2. Kent dkh bufffer, and Kent calcium as well. Haven't had to add much calcium lately, and buffer about once a week in the nano. 1/4 tsp
3. TDS is 0 on the 'out' side of the gage. It's a BRS 4 stage
4. Salifert. All a little under a year old, and the alk one is brand new
5. Newlife spectrum thera A, and reef chili
6. The LED on the 90 have a control. But the Ocean revive, and the T5s just come on
7. All ATI. Don't remember the combo, maybe 3 Blue +, 2 coral +, and a purple +
8. 79-81degress. Nano measured in the tank with a regular thermometer, the 90gal in the sump with a digital, and regular thermometer
9. Kinda, have a section in my sump with some live rock
10. One is in the living room beside a tv, and the other in a computer/toy room. Neither are beside windows

[Dkuhlmann]

AND Here's your problem or a big part of it. Kent dkh buffer, very bad to use a PH buffer and because you're chasing PH with it your Alk will be off so you will have other issues with your water parameters than can affect your coral growth, or lack thereof.

[cncguy]

Actually I've seen it recommended to not worry much about PH, and focus on alk. So that's what I've been using it for. And again, I surely don't know it all, and have been going by advice I've mainly been given here. It was recommended before (no names) to use those 2 to raise calcium and alk. I've also used baked baking soda before that. With still no success. PLEASE don't think I'm coming across as arrogant, I'm anything but, I'm just stating all the things I have tried and/or been recommended, and nothing has worked. I'm not far from quitting, but I'm no quitter!!!! Just seems nothing I do helps anything(:. Because after YEARS of trying, and lots of money, I'm NO farther ahead

[jml1149]

How often do you add the dkh buffer to the main tank? What is your pH and how do you measure it?

And, how do you ATO?


Sounds like your parameters are all over the place.

[cncguy]

I haven't had to add it to the 90gal much. Honestly, I haven't checked PH for a long while. That I have an API test for. I'll check it tonight in both tanks. I have and autoaqua ATO