Help, acro's dead, nutrients out of control...frustrated!

nbd13 · 11/05/2019, 07:09 PM

Hi everyone,

Need some help here, I've been in and out of the hobby over the last 15 years. Just got back in the hobby after a 8 year break about 8 months ago. I setup a new 150 gallon SPS tank (5'x2'x2').

Sump:
Synergy Triton TS44 with refugium section

Skimmer:
LifeReef SVS3-30 powered by a Neptune Cor20 Pump

Return Pump:
Neptune Cor20

Water Movement:
EchoTech MP40s x3

Main Tank Lights:
Radion G4 Pros with diffusers x3

Refugium Light:
Kessil H380

Controller:
- Neptune Apex System

UV Sterilizer:
Pentair Aquatics Smart 40w
Ran with Cor20 with flow sensor to adjust flow

Triton Method. Keeping Alk, Ca, and Mg stable.

Only RO/DI water, which test 0 for PO4 and Nitrate.

Long story short, I started the tank, had ultra low nutrients, PO4 0.01-0.05 and undetectable nitrates. Dry rock was used and cycled prior to the tank going up at the end of February. This was seeded with multiple bottles of bacteria, more bacteria was used once the tank was actually setup and running.

SPS frags were placed after 2 months, all was going well. Chaeto was growing like crazy, SPS doing great, encrusting and growing, then I got an outbreak of Dino's. Likely due to the ultra low nutrients. I removed the chaeto, feed more and let the tank get more "dirty". Dino's went away, nutrients began to rise, when the rise the SPS started to RTN and die.

I added Chaeto back, did an ICP test. Iodine was low, everything else was within limits. I dosed some Iodine to help the Chaeto grow.

PO4: 0.35-0.05
Nitrate: 50-100

The chaeto isn't really "thriving", just sort of maintaining. I am feeding pellets once a day and frozen food once a day. There is some algae growth int he display, some cyano in the huge area.

ALL my SPS have died but 3 peices, the hammer and torch coral I have left are thriving.

I am at my wits end here. Skimmer is skimming wet, I clean this 2x a week. The nutrients just will not go down at all. I think if I could lower the nutrients this might help?

I started doing water changes, with the sump the total water volume is roughly 170ish gallons. I've been changing about 10 gallons every few days.

Any thoughts or advice? I do not really want to add PO4 remover or a desulfinator to remove the nitrates. Reefing 12 years ago wasn't so complicated, wasn't all these gadgets and such.

My tank is 8 months old, I don't want to hear about the established tank that's needed to keep SPS, I've done it before with new tanks, Bubba on here just setup a new tank and still has success. At the 8th month mark I expected to have a semi-packed SPS tank that the sticks are growing like weeds, as this is what I'm accustomed to.

I have checked all the pumps to see if there's rust or corrosion and cannot find any. I'm very careful and only use RODI water, change the DI resin when the TDS gets about 1 on the inline meter.

I can't think of anything else? Need help, I'm desperate here!

Thanks

Link to ICP test results: https://www.*********.com/threads/he.../#post-6375285

Link to build thread which I have neglected: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2691894

miralami · 11/05/2019, 09:55 PM

How many fish do you have?
What are the rocks? (Dense like macro and tonga or something like pukani?)

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nbd13 · 11/06/2019, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miralami

How many fish do you have?
What are the rocks? (Dense like macro and tonga or something like pukani?)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fish load isn’t too high. Rocks are “life rock” man made, can’t get actual live rock anymore.

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miralami · 11/06/2019, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbd13

Fish load isn’t too high. Rocks are “life rock” man made, can’t get actual live rock anymore.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you may need more biological filtration. Look into adding bio blocks to your sump.
Actual rocks especially the more dense one have major role in hosting bacteria.

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bobssecrtsn · 11/19/2019, 01:53 PM

Have you cleaned your mp40 and checked for cracks at the magnet. ?

11/05/2019, 07:09 PM	#1
nbd13 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charlotte, Michigan Posts: 3,259	Help, acro's dead, nutrients out of control...frustrated! Hi everyone, Need some help here, I've been in and out of the hobby over the last 15 years. Just got back in the hobby after a 8 year break about 8 months ago. I setup a new 150 gallon SPS tank (5'x2'x2'). Sump: Synergy Triton TS44 with refugium section Skimmer: LifeReef SVS3-30 powered by a Neptune Cor20 Pump Return Pump: Neptune Cor20 Water Movement: EchoTech MP40s x3 Main Tank Lights: Radion G4 Pros with diffusers x3 Refugium Light: Kessil H380 Controller: - Neptune Apex System UV Sterilizer: Pentair Aquatics Smart 40w Ran with Cor20 with flow sensor to adjust flow Triton Method. Keeping Alk, Ca, and Mg stable. Only RO/DI water, which test 0 for PO4 and Nitrate. Long story short, I started the tank, had ultra low nutrients, PO4 0.01-0.05 and undetectable nitrates. Dry rock was used and cycled prior to the tank going up at the end of February. This was seeded with multiple bottles of bacteria, more bacteria was used once the tank was actually setup and running. SPS frags were placed after 2 months, all was going well. Chaeto was growing like crazy, SPS doing great, encrusting and growing, then I got an outbreak of Dino's. Likely due to the ultra low nutrients. I removed the chaeto, feed more and let the tank get more "dirty". Dino's went away, nutrients began to rise, when the rise the SPS started to RTN and die. I added Chaeto back, did an ICP test. Iodine was low, everything else was within limits. I dosed some Iodine to help the Chaeto grow. PO4: 0.35-0.05 Nitrate: 50-100 The chaeto isn't really "thriving", just sort of maintaining. I am feeding pellets once a day and frozen food once a day. There is some algae growth int he display, some cyano in the huge area. ALL my SPS have died but 3 peices, the hammer and torch coral I have left are thriving. I am at my wits end here. Skimmer is skimming wet, I clean this 2x a week. The nutrients just will not go down at all. I think if I could lower the nutrients this might help? I started doing water changes, with the sump the total water volume is roughly 170ish gallons. I've been changing about 10 gallons every few days. Any thoughts or advice? I do not really want to add PO4 remover or a desulfinator to remove the nitrates. Reefing 12 years ago wasn't so complicated, wasn't all these gadgets and such. My tank is 8 months old, I don't want to hear about the established tank that's needed to keep SPS, I've done it before with new tanks, Bubba on here just setup a new tank and still has success. At the 8th month mark I expected to have a semi-packed SPS tank that the sticks are growing like weeds, as this is what I'm accustomed to. I have checked all the pumps to see if there's rust or corrosion and cannot find any. I'm very careful and only use RODI water, change the DI resin when the TDS gets about 1 on the inline meter. I can't think of anything else? Need help, I'm desperate here! Thanks Link to ICP test results: https://www.*********.com/threads/he.../#post-6375285 Link to build thread which I have neglected: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2691894

11/19/2019, 01:53 PM	#5
bobssecrtsn Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 686	Have you cleaned your mp40 and checked for cracks at the magnet. ? __________________ 130G Leemar 36x36x24

11/05/2019, 09:55 PM	#2
miralami Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: OC California Posts: 485	How many fish do you have? What are the rocks? (Dense like macro and tonga or something like pukani?) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk