SPS struggles

mseepman · #1 09-21-2009, 01:40 AM

Hmm...interesting suggestions, thank you for the advice.

Myka, I will try to do the Carbon changes more often. I don't actually use that much in the reactor, maybe 3/4 cup of HC Carbon. As for things that co-incide with the issues...not really...the timing is just an approximation of how long it takes to go sour.

As for my salinity...I do have a hydrometer but I use a refractometer and have done so for about a year now. I will look into re-calibrating it just in case but I have a second tank (a nano) that doesn't have this problem with acros that I measure with the same refractometer.

Could my problems be somewhat related to having softies in the tank? Maybe more carbon, more often will take any possible toxins out better. I would think that if this was the issue, the other SPS would show the problem, but they don't.

I will try to up the Mag some and also do more water changes in case my Nitrates are the issue. Has anyone had good luck with the nitrate destroyer from Tailor aquatics?

christyf5 · #2 09-21-2009, 01:50 AM

I found that whatever you have the least of (softies/LPS/SPS) will be most affected by the major population. I had a couple of softies in my tank when I was starting to really get into SPS. Both were doing poorly and were relocated to another tank. After that, the softies did fine and the SPS did much better. I found even running carbon that I had problems. However, this was before I discovered the brilliance of running carbon in a reactor.

I would try Myka's suggestion of smaller amounts of carbon changed more often. Overuse of carbon in large amounts can cause problems for SPS as well.

mseepman · #3 09-21-2009, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by christyf5

Overuse of carbon in large amounts can cause problems for SPS as well.

Is this because too many of the nutrients that they feed upon are taken out of the water?

Myka · #4 09-21-2009, 02:29 AM

If you're considering TA's Nitrate Destroyer check out Vodka dosing, which is essentially the same idea - provide a carbon source.

I would also up the water changes. I have found that 20% every 2 weeks works better than 10% every week, but that's just my tank. Try playing around with that a bit, and see what you can achieve. People under estimate the Power Of The Water Change!!

I wouldn't be surprised if your softies are affecting the SPS...your leather is quite large. Mixed reefs are much more difficult than dedicated tanks.

fencer · #5 09-21-2009, 03:38 AM

Change your carbon every 30 days and back off your GFO...use it when you need it as for me I use it when my PO4 spikes, very rare for it to do that. If it were the softies the whole corals would be dying and not just the tips. Increasing the water changes should offset the nitrates. What is the temp of the tank?

Ya Dude · #6 09-21-2009, 04:13 AM

I would guess your flow to be insufficient if algae is able to grow on coral tips that readily.

mseepman · #7 09-21-2009, 04:41 AM

Hmm...I will try to adjust my water changes to see if that helps.

I tried doing a little vodka dosing once before but didn't see much of a response by the tank. This scares me a little as many people talk about the long term effects being less than stellar.

As for my flow being insufficient, I can't believe that as I have crazy turnover...maybe even too much!