40 Breeder SPS Reef

I was having a problem recently: My Red Dragon and red monti cap were losing color and turning kind of pale. I didn't find anything wrong with my water, other corals were good with nice PE and color. I know the red dragon is real sensitive, and I couldn't find any evidence of pests either. Plus the monti is supposed to be hardy and my other montipora were fine. Even the dragon had good PE and excellent at night. But they were definitely pale

I think I finally found the problem: it was my light bulb combo. I had been getting blue-er with my choices with 2 actinics 2 blue +, and then to all 4 blue +. There isn't any red in those bulbs, duh. Now I have 2 blue +, coral + and purple + switched it about 1-2 weeks ago. Within a day or so my "white dragon" turned into a "pink dragon" and now its on its way to RED and the monti looks way better too

Reminder to myself that you need some variety with the t5s to get all the colors
 
Red colors coming back after changing bulbs out. But before I changed them I thought maybe the red corals were being starved so I was feeding the tank very heavy for a few weeks. All that got me was a bunch of algae on the sand which is the next thing I have to deal with

I picked a bunch out (which I hate doing) and the next step would be vacuuming the sand (which I hate even more.) I added a sand sifting star a while back and I'm going to let him do his thing. They don't eat algae but detritus and there should be tons in there for him. Also going to change GFO. So far the star is doing an excellent job and has the sandbed about 1/3 cleaned

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Alk 8.56 on Hanna
Cal 440
78 degrees
1.026 SG

I couldn't be any happier with the kalk drip I have going in my ATO. Currently I've settled on using 1 tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of kalk into my 5 gallon bucket and its letting me keep these numbers very steady without adding anything else. Despite having 23 SPS in my tank it doesn't use up near the alk and cal that a lot of other people's tanks use -- I think that must be because my lights are a lot lower power. I am getting growth, its not insane or anything, but that's OK with me for now; definitely focusing on color right now and still not sure I have that "perfect" t5 combo. Going to take off the purple+ and replace with either blue+ or actinic not sure which yet.

I've been in the hobby now for a little over one year and still having a ton of fun with it.

Happy New Year everybody!

Brian
 
Need to take a new approach here for better color -- fiddling with my bulb combo doesn't seem to be doing it.

I want to let a little nutrient build up because I think some corals might be starving. Red Dragon, Bonsai, Miyagi Tort, and Red Monti Cap are all pale, and they used to have better colors a couple months ago. I've ruled out pests.

I tested Nitrate today and got zero like I always do. I run GFO as well -- problem is I still have some stubborn algae.

Here's the plan:
stop GFO and Carbon
kill all the algae with Algaefix (I've had success with this in the past) so once its gone it can't out-compete the corals for nutrients
Once the algae is gone in 5 days or so, run carbon again to clear out the Algaefix
That should help keep whatever is going into the tank with feedings to stick around and be used by the corals. If I feel like I need more nutrients I'll add a fish -- diamond watchman goby or lawnmower blenny
Start up GFO again if needed to keep phosphates low but use HALF of what I was using before

So that's my plan, and any input is welcomed!

Here are some pictures from today

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Day 4 of my plan and going well so far. The algae is dying back, but I'm going to keep using the Algaefix until its all completely dead which may take a few extra days. I have to keep skimming while using it -- after its gone sometimes you can get a cyano outbreak from all the dead material entering the water fast. I'm ready with chemiclean if it comes to that but so far no sign of cyano.

Obviously its too soon to declare victory in the war for color, but the more I look at my tank and think about this issue the more I feel like I'm on the right track. I never set out to have a low or ultra-low nutrient system but I think it happened by accident since I only have a few fish, am a light feeder, and probably overdid it with the GFO to combat algae. Going forward I will skim part time, and the same with carbon and GFO -- have them available but not run 24/7. Also pretty sure I'm going to add the lawnmower blenny.

Overall the tank is still doing good and I haven't lost anything. Acropora count still at 12 -- added strawberry shortcake and red planet just after Christmas.
 
I'd be cautious and sparingly use all of those chemicals u are using. In the reef community we always say nothing happens fast in a reef tank other than bad things. Algaefix might cure one problem but it may come back and cause other problems. Then if it does cause a cyano outbreak using another chemical to fight that becomes another die off. In 3+ years of reefing i've never used anything other than chemiclean for cyano in the beginning. I'd let ur tank run its course. Things will clean up. It may work for you but i try to keep the chemicals out of my tank. It prevents future headaches from arising.
 
Update time. I did a 25% WC and ran carbon a couple days ago to complete my Algaefix treatment since it accomplished what I wanted. I killed about 90% of the algae in my tank (it was never epidemic proportions, just trying to stay ahead of a problem) with that stuff and figured it was good enough for now. I ended up using 1 chemical for 8 days so I don't think its that extreme.

My goal it to keep around 5 nitrate in my tank. First I need to measure that number accurately so I picked up a Salifert test kit at Aquapros the other day. Right now about .25-1, but definitely not zero. I'd like to get it even a little higher if I can.

Tank is doing good, my red dragon is definitely coloring up. Here's a top-down iPhone pic of one of my newest corals, the Red Planet. Its been in my tank about 2 weeks and seems to be doing well -- already encrusting on to the rock.

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Sparky312 said:
A friend came over last night and brought his sweet new camera, so of course we took some pics. He's still learning to use it, but they are way better than what I can get with my iPhone 6!

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this is the kind of torch i was looking for :marchmellow: trade me this whole thing ? :p is it neon yellow green or mint green ?
 
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