|
02/18/2013, 02:33 PM | #76 |
Master of my domain
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 3,466
|
A SPS guru in my area told me when I started that Stony colors are dependent on 3 things:
Low Phosphate level Strong lighting Stable well monitored Alk as close to NSW as you can obtain. I have tried to adhere to his advice and throughout my years of reefing have noticed that when my corals are suffering its from 2 things...too high alk or too low. I maintain my Alk at 7.0-7.5 with as little fluctuation as I can manage. I personally can see the difference in coral color when in the past I have raised my Alk over 8.5. The richness and saturation becomes weaker. I have not encountered a PO4 issues in my tanks because I dont feed much and do biweekly water changes pretty religiously...the last time I checked it with my Hanna it was .02---which is good (in my experience). The only time I had issue with lighting what my attempt at LEDs... My experience with MH and T5s are that enough of either will grow SPS well. In the past, I have been absent minded and forget to put the doser on and my alk will dip to 6 or even 5 dkh...my stonies are still healthy at 6. No signs of color loss but at 5 corals show signs of tissue death and fading. So in my experience theres a range of value to achieve in regards Alk (6-8) with no color loss/tissue necrosis.
__________________
Cool Club Current Tank Info: coming soon... |
02/22/2013, 07:52 AM | #77 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Fremont
Posts: 1,325
|
I keep a large reef display in my classroom that my students often take the lead in monitoring and maintaining. I give them some basic training and direct them to certain readings and then take a monitoring role rather than boss
I still get involved when things start looking shabby which I am glad to say is fairly rare. after reading this thread it got me thinking about the relationship at a deeper level. I pulled the log sheets from the last three years and have to admit that I too see a possible pattern between coral color and the nutrients and alk levels different student groups have kept slightly differing alk levels and not always kept the tank fed at the same level. we have seen coral color levels ebb and flow through time. I wish I had demanded an observational coral color scale added to their reports but will from here on out before someone reminds be: I know that we should be striving to keep the conditions constant through time but its the nature of having different student groups and letting them have a bit of time to work out cooperation and team work to get the job done. By allowing the teams to devise their own protocol they take ownership to much richer levels than if I gave them a "to-do" list A "to-do" list does not get you calls from grads a couple years later asking how "their" corals are doing. cheers to all who have added to this conversation as it is one of the better threads going right now |
02/23/2013, 12:26 AM | #78 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Kuala Lumpur
Posts: 48
|
woww... what a good read
|
02/23/2013, 12:42 AM | #79 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Henrietta ny
Posts: 628
|
I agree. Been stalking this thread for a few weeks. My tanks is back on the right track bc of this thread
|
02/23/2013, 11:30 AM | #80 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 638
|
Tagging along. Great info.
__________________
Genesis 2:28 God blessed them and said to them,"Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." Current Tank Info: 275 starphire, 3 x 400 watt MH + 4 x 80 watt T5's, 2 x MP 60 + 2 x MP 40, Orca 250 skimmer, CADS filter head (SeaVisions), ProCal Ca reactor, GHL controlled. |
02/25/2013, 03:39 PM | #81 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Durham, NC
Posts: 739
|
when watching alk levels it is good to also watch Ca and Mg just as closely. if alk drops, but Ca and Mg do not. this indicates an increase in bacterial activity. a sign that the system is becoming more eutrophic. the bacteria are using the carbonate for an elemental carbon source. why carbon dosing works.
if the system is having a chronic low alk problem. a good indication that there is a lot phosphate build up in the system. should look at ways to remove the source of food for all of this bacterial activity. detritus could be hiding behind the LR structure or within the substrate itself. the calcium carbonate structures are no longer able to maintain a phosphate level lower than what is necessary to maintain NSW alk levels. G~
__________________
Friends don't let friends use refugiums. Current Tank Info: Not dead yet. |
02/26/2013, 09:28 AM | #82 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brighton, MI
Posts: 354
|
This is a fantastic thread with great sources of information. I thank all who have contributed. There's a lot to be learned here and I look forward to implementing a few very minor changes to my system in hopes of achieving brilliant color in my sps.
Following along for this one, for sure.
__________________
Chris Current Tank Info: Currently tankless.....working on ideas for a new build. |
02/27/2013, 04:18 AM | #83 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 929
|
Quote:
Every couple of days would really take the fun out of this hobby.
__________________
If you buy cheap solution, be prepare for it's limitation. |
|
02/27/2013, 05:07 AM | #84 | |
They call me EC
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: central Florida
Posts: 6,208
|
Quote:
Peace EC
__________________
"Most of the failures with marine aquaria are due to lack of knowledge of the biological processes that occur in the aquarium." Martin A. Moe, Jr. "A scientist seeks the truth, wherever that may lead. A believer already knows the truth, and cannot be swayed no matter how compelling the evidence." Current Tank Info: I'm trying to see how many tanks will fit in my house before the wife loses it. |
|
02/27/2013, 11:38 AM | #85 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: East Bay, Northern California
Posts: 658
|
Quote:
More practically, removal of detritus via vacuuming with every WC would be what most would opt for. I perform a 5% WC, twice a week, and I vacuum a different section of the Nano tank each WC. Every few months I also vacuum under the various base live rocks, but this would not be so practical in a large tank |
|
02/27/2013, 07:24 PM | #86 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
|
If you are bb, you are lucky in that you can point powerheads down permanently, and stir up the particles to feed the corals more.
__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843 |
03/01/2013, 11:58 AM | #87 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: vancouver, bc
Posts: 9
|
Fantastic info, speaking as a newbie with great aspirations, I try to soak up threads like this
I understand now the detritus issue... My plan for my sps, few fish,65 gal reef tank was for a lot of rock for sps attachment, But also to create deeper, craggy areas at base of rock into rocky rubble for a cryptic or at least semi cryptic zone, help with filtering, zooplankton production Worry this will in fact create a detritus trap, buildup of inorganic phosphates.... Any advise would be greatly appreciated! |
03/01/2013, 12:34 PM | #88 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
|
As long as you have little animals down there that will break up the settled food particles (and thus allow those particles to flow around and feed the corals), you should be ok.
__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843 |
03/01/2013, 03:43 PM | #89 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Pulaski, WI
Posts: 1,368
|
I too, have found greater success with my alk being at a level slightly lower than 8dKH. I also keep my PO4 levels as close to zero as possible.
Since I like to keep my corals a bit “fat and happy”, I let my NO3 level stay in the range of 5ppm. I do get great growth and color; however, I find that the colors of my corals are more “intense” and “rich”, than they are “bright”. I attribute that to the slightly elevated level of NO3. I think that extra bit of nutrient keeps them a bit more healthy .. with a bit of a reserve for a day when a mistake might throw off one of the other parameters.
__________________
SG - 1.025 pH - 8.1 NH4/NH3 - 0 mg/L NO2 - .003 mg/L NO3 - .2 mg/L Calc. - 420 dKH - 8.0 Flow ~ 80x Current Tank Info: 24" cube SPS Reef, 15 gal sump, 1- LumenBright Pendant with 250w 20K Phoenix lamp, 1 - Vortech MP40, ATB 840 v1.5 skimmer. |
03/01/2013, 06:28 PM | #90 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: vancouver, bc
Posts: 9
|
Thanks Santa Monica
Will make sure lots of space for movement, small crabs etc available Sounds like from Reefin Dude, the main worry would be increase in detritus, leading to low alk which we are trying to achieve....within reason Its all a balance of opposing forces and systems, right? Just wonder if adding a semi cryptic zone will help stabilize the aquarium by adding further filtering/nitrate consumers, or will it make it more unstable... |
03/01/2013, 07:10 PM | #91 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
|
Well it's important to remember that cryptic can't do anything about phosphate. It will be absorbed for a while (3 to 12 months) by the rock, and then be full.
Ironically, it is possible that cryptic can actually add phosphate to the system long-term (after the rocks are full) via the breakdown of the (presumed) additional feeding that will occur by the user. If feeding is kept constant, however, phosphate should not increase as long as the animals in the cryptic can keep up with eating all the particles that settle there.
__________________
Inventor of the easy-to-DIY upflow scrubber, and also the waterfall scrubber that everyone loves to build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1424843 |
03/01/2013, 07:29 PM | #92 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Decatur, IL
Posts: 1,048
|
So, I'm pretty new to the SPS keeping game relative to many. I think this thread is great, and has explored what would seem like the major factors/parameters in keeping healthy SPS.
What about (what id consider as) secondary parameters, like potassium, strontium, etc? My last grouping of frags I put in my tank was about a month ago. Most made the transition to their new environment smoothly. A 3.5" blue stag browned out completely. Although a small ORA red plant colony transitioned smoothly and seems happy, it's skin has been light very pale pink (practially white), with light red/dark pink polyps. I stared dosing potassium in effort to increase and maximize algae scrubber production this past tuesday evening. So in the past 3 days I've slowly raised potassium levels from 370, up to about 415. All of a sudden (tonight is the first I've noticed it), the blue is coming back in the stag!, and the red planet's skin looks a healthy blue greenish color. Both in the same day. Kind of hard to notice in the pics, but they have both definitely changed/are changing for what looks to be the better. resized_0062.jpg resized_0054.jpg Quote:
Sent from my iPad |
|
03/02/2013, 05:26 AM | #93 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Fremont
Posts: 1,325
|
Shorty, I tried to pm you to say thanks but for some reason I was not able to . Thanks for the kind words
|
03/03/2013, 12:47 PM | #94 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brighton, MI
Posts: 354
|
Quote:
__________________
Chris Current Tank Info: Currently tankless.....working on ideas for a new build. |
|
03/03/2013, 02:54 PM | #95 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Santa Monica, California, USA
Posts: 2,511
|
Also the food you feed contains huge amounts too.
|
03/03/2013, 06:04 PM | #96 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,709
|
Quote:
__________________
NEVER get eye level with an infants anus! New build, planning stages. 30 x 20 x 20", Geisemann Spectra 250W with Radium, Profilux controller, Profilux doser 2, Fluval SP4 return pump, Life Reef 28 |
|
03/03/2013, 06:35 PM | #97 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Brighton, MI
Posts: 354
|
Thanks shaggs. I'm going to invest in a test kit and at least track it for a while. I'm interested to see how it fluctuates, if at all.
__________________
Chris Current Tank Info: Currently tankless.....working on ideas for a new build. |
03/03/2013, 06:58 PM | #98 | |
Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,709
|
Quote:
The Salifert test is the best ATM. Very simple and clear to use. Very noticeable colour change at end point too.
__________________
NEVER get eye level with an infants anus! New build, planning stages. 30 x 20 x 20", Geisemann Spectra 250W with Radium, Profilux controller, Profilux doser 2, Fluval SP4 return pump, Life Reef 28 |
|
03/04/2013, 06:59 AM | #99 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lynchburg, Va
Posts: 2,963
|
I like the Red Sea Pro Reef Colors Kit
|
03/05/2013, 04:40 AM | #100 |
Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Long Beach, California
Posts: 218
|
Hey Kevensquint...thanks so much for these ideas on getting your color back on your sps. I recently (for the first time) got my nitrates and phosphates down to 0 and guess what happened? Exactly what you said would happen...my sps colors faded a lot very quickly (although no apparent impact on acans and chalice coral colors for some reason). Hoping that using a little less Rowaphos and keeping the KH down to NSW levels will help bring some vibrant color back!
|
|
|