Brownout! (troubleshooting SPS color issues)

[markalot]

Is most people whose tanks I like do ~8. I don't suppose there's any rationale to attempt to keep it at 12? Especially when it seems to stabilize itself at 8. I went with RSCP because I read and got feedback that it has better trace elements, etc. What salt do you use?

 

Well ... the main issue is when moving to SPS and acropora you have to switch gears away from salts that work well for easier corals and aim for salts that allow you to maintain the greatest stability. I use Reef Crystals but only because I can buy it in a large box of smaller bags I can lift. I mixes around 10 KH so also not good for a smaller tank unless to switch to doing more smaller water changes.

 

Way back when I ran my 40 before I was hit with AEFW I used and liked Red Sea blue bucket, which mixes to around 7.5 KH and more natural parameters. You will need to dose Mag to raise it a little and you will definitely need to dose during the week to maintain Alk and calcium. My advice for dosing is to ignore calcium and use a balanced two part solution. Test for alk and dose equal parts two part focusing on getting Alk stable. Calcium will settle at some balanced amount and generally maintain itself in a safe zone, though it should be tested every now and then just to make sure.

 

As far as RSCP goes, I suppose you could use it in a manner similar to dosing and do daily (or more frequent) water changes to maintain fairly stable params, but IMO acros should not be kept at a KH higher than 9, and honestly the 7 to 8 range seems to work best. Keeping acropora in a small tank is a lot of work, no way around it. Usually the best results come from a larger sump and a doser keeping params stable.

 

I called RSCP a toy salt which really is too much of an insult. It's an interesting formulation that probably allows a lot more people to keep corals who don't do a lot of testing. Because the params are so high there's a lot more room for error and it works well in tanks with corals that don't mind the parameter swings. If you don't keep heavy Alk users then you could see how a tank could maintain safe levels just doing moderate water changes every week or so.

[Kalanianaole]

Thanks for all the advice and input, y'all. Family issues have taken priority the last week so testing and follow up have been put on hold. At a minimum, though, color seems to be improving on the large acro, with the green deepening and spreading on the body.

 

Looking to further stablize Alk by getting a salt that's isn't as high as 12 like RSCP. I'm shopping around for a new brand and reading a lot of competing feedback on various brands. Anyone have experience with a mix that's reliably in the following ranges?

 

Ca - 410+

Alk - 8

Mg - 1300

[Reefkid88]

 

Looking to further stablize Alk by getting a salt that's isn't as high as 12 like RSCP. I'm shopping around for a new brand and reading a lot of competing feedback on various brands. Anyone have experience with a mix that's reliably in the following ranges?

 

Ca - 410+

Alk - 8

Mg - 1300

Looks like D-D Mag Pro Salt has good reviews and really really close to NSW params. Although they state that once a year a "phenomenon" happens where deeper water gets churned up with is rich in PO4 which batches can test at .05-.09. May be why my RSCP salt tests with minor PO4 reading because they both are pulled from the same ocean. The only place is can really find it is MarineDepot but it's out of stock. I myself use RSCP salt and have had high all (11-12) since the first water change,but never had a browning issue or RTN issue due to it until I got my Green Slimer that browned out within a week but is steady encrusting so are all my other sps.

 

I may look in to Tropic Marine Reef Pro salt,If I can find it locally.

[Kalanianaole]

Looks like D-D Mag Pro Salt has good reviews and really really close to NSW params. Although they state that once a year a "phenomenon" happens where deeper water gets churned up with is rich in PO4 which batches can test at .05-.09. May be why my RSCP salt tests with minor PO4 reading because they both are pulled from the same ocean. The only place is can really find it is MarineDepot but it's out of stock. I myself use RSCP salt and have had high all (11-12) since the first water change,but never had a browning issue or RTN issue due to it until I got my Green Slimer that browned out within a week but is steady encrusting so are all my other sps.

 

I may look in to Tropic Marine Reef Pro salt,If I can find it locally.

 

Good to know, will look into it. I've taken to doing smaller water changes of around a gallon at a time to minimize the shock while I salt shop.

 

Was away for the holiday for ten days and mercifully, no calamities or casualties happened while I was gone (other than salinity creeping up to 38.5 ppt). Instead I came home to decent growth and slight color improvements. Finally feeling that the tank is maturing somewhat and some of the corresponding stabilization is happening. Six months in seems to be a magic number, right?

[Auto Midnight]

This thread is a good read.

[Kalanianaole]

This thread is a good read.

Thanks! Wanted to troubleshoot my issues in a way that's somewhat trackable for everyone else. Glad it's useful.

 

Tank updates and pics are here, for whoever is interested. Here's a cool video of a pistol shrimp and goby finally coming to terms with each other.

 

Next steps 12/31/14 update (blue text is new):

-Angle light more level with water surface (thanks Dave!) and slowly increase intensity

Though other people with similar set ups use lower settings, I'm increasing light to power up the color. I hope this isn't a bad decision. More light penetration to more of the tank. Upped the lights by another 2% yesterday.

 

-Track and dose Alk in morning

I usually test in the evenings so late night and morning testing might help to confirm it's not swinging. It is holding steady at ~7.5 which is on target. I understand that it can creep up during the day (please correct me if I am wrong!) so am dosing in the morning with Ca to not overdo it in the evenings

 

-Install gravity top off

There are some decent ATO options out there, but Murphey would recommend I not tempt his law. Five gallons is just too easy to overflow (although it just hit me I could limit the reservoir to 0.5 gallons to reduce damage from a stuck valve...). So will make drip top off inspired by DIY I saw here that brilliantly uses using a rabbit cage water bottle.

 

-Replace filter floss weekly

Previously was changed monthly at best which likely collected and leaked nutrients. Filter floss is so cheap this is a good move. Didn't realize how many organics get trapped and break down in it. In essence, this serves the purpose of a sump sock which is very helpful for a skimmerless, sumpless system.

 

-Replace 100 mL Purigen bag every 3 months

Same bag has been in tank for 5+ months. Ordered new bag and replacing tomorrow. Replaced! Old one was yellow-brown, meaning it had done its job. Still, surprised at how much algae grew while I was gone having replaced the bag before I left. 100 mL is rated for a tank much, much larger than mine. Thought this would capture all phosphates? Or just most?

 

-(Sigh) Order Mg test kit and test weekly

I actually love feeling like a scientist, was just being stubborn about not spending the extra $30. Since Ca and Alk depend on it so much, it's too important not to test if I want the success I'm looking for. Arriving next week, so will be able to cross that off the list of variables.

 

-Dose Coral Coloration A,B, C, D elements every other day

The thought with daily dosing is that the tank is stocked so heavily, I assumed a deficiency in important trace elements was the cause of the browning. Daily dosing of one drop was calibrated based on the amount of two part I dosed to keep levels at 440 and 8, though I think this was a bit overkill. Every other day dosing is not hurting color improvements so far, as all sps corals have improved 5-10% in recent weeks. WIthout having 10 different test kits, it's hard to nail this down and have to trust my crappy math.

[ninjamyst]

Purigen doesn't remove phosphate. Are you thinking about Phosguard?

 

http://seachem.net/support/forums/showthread.php?t=1866

[Kalanianaole]

Purigen doesn't remove phosphate. Are you thinking about Phosguard?

 

http://seachem.net/support/forums/showthread.php?t=1866

Yes I am, thanks. Time to order and use Phosguard until the patch of nusiance algae that my urchin, blue legs, and ceriths won't touch goes away...

[ninjamyst]

Yes I am, thanks. Time to order and use Phosguard until the patch of nusiance algae that my urchin, blue legs, and ceriths won't touch goes away...

 

no problem =). just be careful about adding too much at once. happy new year!

[Kalanianaole]

Quick (but obvious) warning: Don't do things too drastically or too abruptly.

 

Following an algae buildup of cyano, hair, and diatoms due to vacation and busy schedule, I had an full-blown algae problem. I did large WC, took out rocks with coral on them and scrubbed them down, dropped the big rock in the process, then introduced Phosguard. Five days later, acro and pocci RTN!

 

Taking the Phosguard out soon as I get home from work, five days after I put it in. Recommended use is for four days. Add to the warning message: Don't forget what you put in your tank.

 

I'm fairly confused now, because in the five days since I've added Phosguard I'm still getting unchecked algae growth. The only effective thing so far is the tiny pencil urchin I got from KPA...