tank rebuild
 

so after 6months of tank stress and almost giving up, i managed to figure out some problems i was facing.

1- high phosphates- due to a faulty hanna checker!!! this one drove me nuts!!! mind you they were still high but not as bad as the checker read. on the positive side Hanna customer service is amazing, i will only buy directly from them.

2- algae bloom- due to the high phosphates

3- browning corals- only my purples are browning out, issue isn't fixed yet

4- lack of coral growth


So now im starting fresh, taking baby steps. i would like to start a progress report and get everyones input, on how i can better my reef. later this week im going to include pics and info on the tank.

Start with the basics of good husbandry and water changes, many over look the basics in search of some advanced dosing and such.

Do a few big % water changes over the next month or some weekly ones (not sure on the size of your tank )

Go from there and post some more info and there is lots of help here

So did you figure out what's causing the high phosphates? And what are your plans to lower them?

My first question would be: are you using ro/di water?

the high phosphates were to lack of water changes….i know it was my fault but i thought i could minimize them as it was a low nutrient system. they are at .20ppm so i added rowaphos and did one to two 15% water changes a month. as for the rowaphos i try and not to use much of it at all, just a table spoon or two. and now my phosphates are at .05ppm.

Does'nt seem like very much at all. I use 1 1/2 cups in a 233G tank

well my tank is only 75g, and my phosphates are low at .05ppm and lower

so now im looking at changing t5 bulbs, currently i have a suntek 6 bulb fixture, i was running 4x superblues 1 fiji purple and one new generation.

but now im thinking of running 5 super blues and one fiji purple….. any thoughts, im looking for good coral growth

With a 6 bulb system I like to keep one white ish bulb so I have 4 blue plus, 1 Fiji purple and a new gen.

In my 4 bulb 24" I did 3 blue plus, and a new gen, and have also done a coral plus. Get great growth of all my zoas, acans, chalice and my clams are happy as well. Not an sps guy so no idea on that front.