SPS Experts - Assistance Needed!

ThePorkchopExpress said:
have any algae growing anywhere? how often do you scrape the glass?
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No algae issues on sand or rock work. I should scrape the acrylic more often than I do but the algae does grow steadily on the acrylic which is why I wasn't as concerned on NO3/PO4.

I do have a frag tank currently looped into my system. This tank is my algae and pod safe haven as well. Nothing crazy but I do not scrape the sides or back acrylic and allow the snails to trim what they can.
 
maidia said:
I need to see Nitrate first, Phosphate second. If there is no pest stop dip the SPS, it will hurt more...I hope your Nit not 0 with that strong light.

I hope and I think no pest there...
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Don't mean to hijack the thread but, just curious to know what everyone keeps their nitrate at? I was at 0 for about 2 weeks but have slowly kept it around 2-5 steadily for the past month or so.


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ajreefer721 said:
Don't mean to hijack the thread but, just curious to know what everyone keeps their nitrate at? I was at 0 for about 2 weeks but have slowly kept it around 2-5 steadily for the past month or so.


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My Nit always low so I dose nitrate (as post of BattleCorals on R2R) to keep up to 5-10 but always 2 for me. I like it at 5. I dont care about phosphate much for now.
 
ajreefer721 said:
Don't mean to hijack the thread but, just curious to know what everyone keeps their nitrate at? I was at 0 for about 2 weeks but have slowly kept it around 2-5 steadily for the past month or so.


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i try to keep NO3 at 5 and PO4 at 0.02 but they both always tend to dip under that because i run an ATS as well as chaeto (NO GFO...they strip too much )...however, i know i'm nutrient deficient when chaeto starts graying out and falling apart or the GHA in the sump begin to die or the ATS takes longer to grow algae...sometimes test kits don't tell you what the algae has already consumed so a 0 reading on my Hanna PO4 meter doesn't necessarily mean no PO4...i pretty much just use algae growth and coloration as an indication of nutrient levels

disclaimer: not an expert
 
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rako1 said:
You say u have a across cabin this coral does it have a Smooth shell or hairy body
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You'll have to help me a little because I think your post was autocorrected.

Smooth Skin with polyps at the end of each branch (and bump if they start developing on a current branch).

Hope I answered your question.
 
JFYI for anyonne "dosing nitrate", there is a thread on another site with RHF discussing a possible copper risk if using spectracide instead of lab grade ACS sodium nitrate.

Carry on :)
 
IHaveCrabs said:
You'll have to help me a little because I think your post was autocorrected.

Smooth Skin with polyps at the end of each branch (and bump if they start developing on a current branch).

Hope I answered your question.
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Dam auto correct acro crab smooth or hairy
 
my opinion is its lights issue .. its getting too much light .. Even not thinking of the white spot the coral still looks paled out ..

my theory is if you are giving too much light to the coral then the tank needs to be somewhat dirty (some kind of algae somewhere in the tank would be a definite) to achieve deeper and uniform colors .. if you are running a low nutrient system then they dont need that much of light. but well its just my 2 cents im not an sps guy :)
 
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IHaveCrabs said:
My LFS tested the water for me.

NO3 - 5
No4 - 0-.02
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Look good, now can you run part time skimmer and reduce light time and let see few days or week. If you have pest than I rest my case...:)

I run 10 hours skimmer for almost 2-3 months. with no problem and SPS love it...:)
 
maidia said:
Look good, now can you run part time skimmer and reduce light time and let see few days or week. If you have pest than I rest my case...:)

I run 10 hours skimmer for almost 2-3 months. with no problem and SPS love it...:)
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I shouldn't change the skimmer though since my NO3 is right where I want it. Right?

Lights, I agree.
 
tinman said:
my opinion is its lights issue .. its getting too much light .. Even not thinking of the white spot the coral still looks paled out ..

my theory is if you are giving too much light to the coral then the tank needs to be somewhat dirty (some kind of algae somewhere in the tank would be a definite) to achieve deeper and uniform colors .. if you are running a low nutrient system then they dont need that much of light. but well its just my 2 cents im not an sps guy :)
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+1000 smart fella for a non sps guy
 
Not claiming to be an expert or anything, but I agree with the guys who say its your lights. The corals look very pale from the pics and at first I thought low nutrient/starving corals since I recently dealt with that myself and got dramatically better color by raising nutrients. But your nitrate/phos are perfect, so seems like too much light.

If you've already dipped a couple times and no AEFW I wouldn't worry about them. Its not gonna stress anything by reducing light to see if it works -- an aggressive dipping of everything will cause stress and prob a few losses
 
IHaveCrabs said:
I shouldn't change the skimmer though since my NO3 is right where I want it. Right?

Lights, I agree.
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It's up to you..My tank NO3 low so I dont need full time skimmer..even the NO3 is 5-10 I still run part time. I love it that way hehehe..I am infidel King infidel...
 
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So for all of you that said high light, what do you consider too high? It is not over 250 par in these areas.


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