Coral growth issues...

[Scubapro13]

First post to reef central so bare with me...I have had a 90 gallon tank w/55 gallon sump for 2 years years and I have still yet to do well with corals. They either hardly grow or wHite out.

Parameters
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 425
Alkalinity 10dkh
Magnesium 1300
Salinity 1.026
Ph 7.9
Temp 78

Lighting

Acan lighting 600PA-18b 70w leds
Run at max of 45% white 75% BLUE for 4 hours. Ramps up starting at 7 am. Noon to 4 is max then ramps down rest of night.

Salt mix

Aqua vitro Salinity


Skimmer

Super reef octopus 5000 ext

Maitenence

Water change 5 gallons every 1 to 2 weeks

Change carbon every 2 weeks

Change Gfo every 4 weeks

Need help I really don't know what I'm missing all I want is to maintain and grow some sps. I'm tired of wasting money on trial and error

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by Scubapro13

First post to reef central so bare with me...I have had a 90 gallon tank w/55 gallon sump for 2 years years and I have still yet to do well with corals. They either hardly grow or wHite out.

Parameters
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 425
Alkalinity 10dkh
Magnesium 1300
Salinity 1.026
Ph 7.9
Temp 78

Lighting

Acan lighting 600PA-18b 70w leds
Run at max of 45% white 75% BLUE for 4 hours. Ramps up starting at 7 am. Noon to 4 is max then ramps down rest of night.

Salt mix

Aqua vitro Salinity


Skimmer

Super reef octopus 5000 ext

Maitenence

Water change 5 gallons every 1 to 2 weeks

Change carbon every 2 weeks

Change Gfo every 4 weeks

Need help I really don't know what I'm missing all I want is to maintain and grow some sps. I'm tired of wasting money on trial and error

[Wiskey]

Please post some pictures of your current SPS, it will help us figure out why you have little growth.

Whiskey

[Scubapro13]

[Scubapro13]

[Scubapro13]

[Scubapro13]

Did pictures post? Trying to figure out app

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Please post some pictures of your current SPS, it will help us figure out why you have little growth.

Whiskey

[Cosmojo]

Does the white start at the base, or the tips of the SPS? Are you light acclimating them, or just throwing them at the top of your tank?

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by Cosmojo

Does the white start at the base, or the tips of the SPS? Are you light acclimating them, or just throwing them at the top of your tank?

It usually starts at base and yes I light acclimate for a couple weeks. I have a magnetic rack that I slowly move up from bottom

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by Cosmojo

Does the white start at the base, or the tips of the SPS? Are you light acclimating them, or just throwing them at the top of your tank?

Sometimes it starts from tips tho.

[nemodan]

With 0 Phosphate and 0 Nitrate your Alk is too high. I have the same values and keep my Alk between 6,5 -7 Dkh when I measured every other day at around 9 pm. If goes a little down the 6.5 dkh I adjust my dosing pumps.

Look for Low Nutrient Tanks and Alk level. Full of threads on this forum.

To avoid corals starving y have a slightly high number of fish that I feed well every day, but NOT in excess.

Your tank has to be OK with just a 10% WC every week. You do not have a big bio load there to justify GFO, etc. instead I will add Macro in the sump and I will do, for now, just WC every week and let the tank achieve his own equilibrium.

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by nemodan

With 0 Phosphate and 0 Nitrate your Alk is too high. I have the same values and keep my Alk between 6,5 -7 Dkh when I measured every other day at around 9 pm. If goes a little down the 6.5 dkh I adjust my dosing pumps.

Look for Low Nutrient Tanks and Alk level. Full of threads on this forum.

To avoid corals starving y have a slightly high number of fish that I feed well every day, but NOT in excess.

Your tank has to be OK with just a 10% WC every week. You do not have a big bio load there to justify GFO, etc. instead I will add Macro in the sump and I will do, for now, just WC every week and let the tank achieve his own equilibrium.

Will my ph drop to low if I lower my dkh that much

[nemodan]

Originally Posted by Scubapro13

Will my ph drop to low if I lower my dkh that much

Try not to chase ph numbers. When the tank is in equilibrium the pH fluctuates between 7.9 - 8.4 more or less. Remember each tank is a diferentes world.

My tank does that. I have a fuge that has the lights at the same time as the tank. Ph fluctutes,with photosynthesis and is related with the Co2 levels in the tank. I have my skimmer air intake connected with an air-pump tubing getting air from outside the house.

Bottom line: Read what are all the factors that affect ph, but do not chase it. The tank with the proper conditions will have the correct ph.

Others....real experts on SPS will chime in. I am not an expert. Just learning as you. I try to explain my situation and experience to help others.

Just listen to all the diferentes opinions and use what could work better for you.

I posted this today. Some parameters and pictures of my tank:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...28&postcount=4

[nemodan]

2 screenshots of my pH graph for you to see how fluctuates.




You can see a small "Jump/change " nearby the peak over the legend August 3. Well that was my Water Change.

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by nemodan

Try not to chase ph numbers. When the tank is in equilibrium the pH fluctuates between 7.9 - 8.4 more or less. Remember each tank is a diferentes world.

My tank does that. I have a fuge that has the lights at the same time as the tank. Ph fluctutes,with photosynthesis and is related with the Co2 levels in the tank. I have my skimmer air intake connected with an air-pump tubing getting air from outside the house.

Bottom line: Read what are all the factors that affect ph, but do not chase it. The tank with the proper conditions will have the correct ph.

Others....real experts on SPS will chime in. I am not an expert. Just learning as you. I try to explain my situation and experience to help others.

Just listen to all the diferentes opinions and use what could work better for you.

I posted this today. Some parameters and pictures of my tank:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...28&postcount=4

Alright kool I'll try slowly lowering Alkalinity and I turned off gfo reactor. Thanks I will see what happens

[nemodan]

Originally Posted by Scubapro13

Alright kool I'll try slowly lowering Alkalinity and I turned off gfo reactor. Thanks I will see what happens

Also take into account to do WC, at least 10% of your total volume each week.

If I see your picture correctly you have mostly softie. I will suggest you continue with the easy corals (softies and some LPS) , until your tank is equilibrated again.

Do not over feed !!

Now that you take the GFO feed every other day for a couple of months. Your bacterias will need time to achieve an equilibrion too.

Go slowly. Alk, Ca, Mag etc with that bio load and good/constant WCs will equlibrate alone. You will have a beautiful tank. Just be patient.

Remember to add some Cheato in your refugium space of your sump with a light. You need some way of exporting phosphate in the long term.

I hope others agree with me !

Cheers

[1MP3R1AL]

0 phos and nitrate might be your issue...

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by nemodan

Also take into account to do WC, at least 10% of your total volume each week.

If I see your picture correctly you have mostly softie. I will suggest you continue with the easy corals (softies and some LPS) , until your tank is equilibrated again.

Do not over feed !!

Now that you take the GFO feed every other day for a couple of months. Your bacterias will need time to achieve an equilibrion too.

Go slowly. Alk, Ca, Mag etc with that bio load and good/constant WCs will equlibrate alone. You will have a beautiful tank. Just be patient.

Remember to add some Cheato in your refugium space of your sump with a light. You need some way of exporting phosphate in the long term.

I hope others agree with me !

Cheers

Cool thanks for all the advice. I already have some cheato so time will only tell.

[nyxx]

Just might throw this out there - where are you getting your water? Have you checked your RODI with a TDS?

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by nyxx

Just might throw this out there - where are you getting your water? Have you checked your RODI with a TDS?

Yea I have a in line tds meter showing 0 out of di

[markalot]

Originally Posted by Scubapro13

Yea I have a in line tds meter showing 0 out of di

I've always been told the inlines are not temperature correcting so it is a good idea to get a handheld, like the cheap TDS3 (search amazon) to do a double check on the output. The colder the water the lower TDS reads unless corrected.

Just a thought, doubt it's related to any of your issues.

[Icefire]

How many light do you have? By the picture I would say 2x 70w (140w)
You are running 4 hours at roughtly 60% (84watts) on a a 90 Gallons?

I have a 24" cube, 60 gallons and run 2x 120w at near 80% for 8h a day...

I would look to max the blue, adjust the white to your taste and push the lenght of time at a minimum

[Wiskey]

Can you get a closer picture of the corals? Like a Macro shot? Seeing them up close can really help narrow in on the issue.

Whiskey

[Scubapro13]

Originally Posted by Wiskey

Can you get a closer picture of the corals? Like a Macro shot? Seeing them up close can really help narrow in on the issue.

Whiskey