A question for the advanced SPs keepers

[CW from the OC]

Originally posted by trueblackpercula
Ok I have tested the water again today to see if everything was going ok. I tested the DKH/ALK way to high 9.6 3.43 clacium was 600 and the magnisium level was 1650. I think I have been over dosing so I have lowered the two part dosing pump to 144 ml a day and see where that goes. So far the phosphate remover is not affecting anything but the SPs still look the same pale. Only time will tell and water is going out for testing this week.
Michael

At those levels, I would, at a minimum, turn off the dosing completely for a few days. I would also look at a 20% water change to bring it down.

[trueblackpercula]

Thank's everyone for the advice. I came across one more problem my salinity is 1.031
I Will be changine out some water about 5 gallons at a time until it gets back to 1.025 My hydrometer was broken and ZI never took notice until today. Would a high salinty cuase SPs to loose color and strees them out?

Michael
P.S. Got a new heater today and the tank is at 80 degrees lets hope that this helps as well.

[michael stuart]

Really interesting thread. I ran a 600 gallon system using 400 watt halides and various t5 bulbs. Two things strike me that I may have done differently from you. These are:
(1) constant fluidised rowaphos to keep phosphate ultralow. Tested regularly using a Deltec Merck kit and
(2) Fairly heavy live rotifer feeds 3 times weekly at night when sps were in feeding mode. Had brilliant colours and growth.
Rotifers were cultured on nanochloropsis occulata..... a lot of work but well worth the effort and not too bad really once you have a system going. I'm a firm believer that acropora need decent light, flow etc but also food at night when they switch feeding modes. Hope this helps a bit but I'd welcome opinion.
Regards
Michael

[trueblackpercula]

Hey Michael Thanks for the Info. I think after reading so much that my eyes are ready to explode that I have multiple problems and need to fix one at a time. I got my usps box today from aquariumwatertesting.com and it will be sent out tomorrow. Then i can see were my water is at and make changes as needed. Now can anyone answer this question how high above the water line should my light fixture be? remember its 400watts SE with 150 watts VHO actinics. Could the light fixture be to cloe to them and cuasing them to bleach?

Michael

[mano1192]

It didnt look like it. I have a 250w about 4" from surface. You really just need to experiment with your lighting heights. For example, if a coral up high is pale/bleaching raise your light up about 4-6" and leave it for a minimum of 3-4 weeks. Reasses the color at that point.

Keep in mind, you have many things to work on, but keeping the correct consistant parameters for long periods of time is the key. Keep running PO4 remover and keep CA and MG and SG in check for 3-4 months consistantly and you will see noticible differences. It just takes time.

[trueblackpercula]

Ok the results are back from AWT and I do not in any way agree with them. They are going to have to do some rendom testing becuase i know my magnisium is aroung 1600 thats for sure. Well in any case doeas anyone else feel that there results were off? Well here are the results and lets hope i can now get the help i need to get the tank back on track.
ANYONE GOT ADVICE ????????????
Thanks
Michael
Ammonia (NH3-4) ........................Good ......................................... 0.006
Nitrite (NO2)................................Good ......................................... 0.003
Nitrate (NO3)...............................Good .............................................0.3
Phosphate (PO4) ..........................Good ........................................... 0.09
Silica (SiO2-3) ............................. High..............................................2.5
Potassium (K) ...............................Low............................................. 276
Calcium (Ca)................................Good ............................................ 426
Boron (B) .....................................Low..............................................1.7
Molybdenum (Mo)......................... High..............................................0.3
Strontium (Sr) .............................Good .............................................6.6
Magnesium (Mg) ...........................Low............................................. 938
Iodine (I¯)...................................Good ........................................... 0.03
Copper (Cu++) ............................ High............................................ 0.04
Alkalinity (meq/L).........................Good ........................................... 2.88

[King-Kong]

Michael,

I know you're BB, but do you have a RDSB anywhere?

[trueblackpercula]

No why? how do the levels look to you?
Michael

[mbierzyc]

I didn't read this from the beginning, but do you use a salifert mg kit? I tested mine and also got around 1600, but that was a huge surprise as I had never dosed mg before and I use instant ocean salt.

I think the salifert test kits may be off.

[King-Kong]

Originally posted by trueblackpercula
No why? how do the levels look to you?
Michael

The levels seemed pretty great, but I would be curious to see how your corals reacted to maybe a bit of detectable 'trates.

Do you have any recent, white-balance corrected photos? I felt some of your photos were a little dark, or not compensating for the blueness of your lighting.

I would like to see them in their 'true' form

[mano1192]

Your levels look fine to me, Id post them in the chemistry forum also. I would try adding some more flow, sticking with the PO4 remover. You may actually need to add more food for the corals, try reading the papone threads. But dont do it for a couple months, let your PO4 remover run for a while first.

[mano1192]

This is also very true, salifert mg kits are not very good.

Originally posted by mbierzyc
I didn't read this from the beginning, but do you use a salifert mg kit? I tested mine and also got around 1600, but that was a huge surprise as I had never dosed mg before and I use instant ocean salt.

I think the salifert test kits may be off.

[trueblackpercula]

try reading the papone threads. But dont do it for a couple months, let your PO4 remover run for a while first.

Yea i knew about that a while ago. When I treid it all hell broke loose......You want to know why?............I was dosing sugar in the food and the Zoevit clashed with it and cuased everything to bleach out very fast so i stoped it.

Michael