not ready for acro?

[addicted2reefer]

I have learned alot from this site and hopefully someone on here will be able to help me understand acro.

 

24 gallon nano

corallife 150W 14 k MH

1st chamber from bottom to top=the orignal cermic it came with,chemi pure elite,filter floss

2nd chamber=piece of sponge filter the tank came with, cheato. with the vinyl cut out and a pico light

3rd chamber=a pump

 

water test

temp 75(morning before light) 78(after light goes out @ 9)

PH 8.3 (instant ocean test)

ALK 3.5 (instant ocean test)

CAL 400/450 (red sea test)

NITRATE undectable (instant ocean)

PO4 <0.25 (API test)

 

Fridays 5 gallon water change /with one friday a month 10

daily dose of about 5ml of ESV B-ionic 2 part buffer

and 1 to 2 times a month i use fuel for corals

 

3 pieces of monti (came from my 3g pico. alot was bleached almost dead due to cold week in Florida)

2 new pieces of acro

rics and duncans,misc zoanthids

clarkii clown

yellow clown goby

CUC

 

now i have tested the water and 2 LFS have tested. the monti looked awful and i even lost a small piece of monti cap because the pico went to 60 degrees. i moved to my nano cube and all the color has come back and i see polyps everyday.

 

so after i saw the monti make a comeback, i decided to step it up and buy two pieces of acro.

i have seen lil polyp exstention, and now im noticing the color getting dull. i moved them higher in the tank and bought a koralia nano, for more flow. now they are starting to go white.

 

 

please help me if possible, i will post pics as soon as my camera returns.thanks

[lakshwadeep]

I'm not sure about the quality of the instant ocean tests, and red sea tests are notorious for inaccuracy. API, Salifert, Elos, and Lamotte are more accurate options. What were the brands used by the LFSs?

 

At what temperature does your heater turn on (note that the listed temperature on the heater dial is not always correct)? What are you using to measure the temperature? You should make 76ºF the lowest possible temperature.

 

What is your salinity/specific gravity? What salt mix and freshwater source do you use for water changes?

 

What is the "fuel for corals" you're using?

 

Do you see your clown goby on the acroporas? These gobies live in SPS colonies in the wild, and many species have SPS

 

Where did you place the SPS corals (i.e. high, low, or on the sand)? What lighting did they previously come from?

[reefer916]

I would definitely check your test kits. Also, your alk looks really low it should be between 9-10. What's your magnesium at? It should be between 1350-1400.

[addicted2reefer]

I'm not sure about the quality of the instant ocean tests, and red sea tests are notorious for inaccuracy. API, Salifert, Elos, and Lamotte are more accurate options. What were the brands used by the LFSs?

 

At what temperature does your heater turn on (note that the listed temperature on the heater dial is not always correct)? What are you using to measure the temperature? You should make 76ºF the lowest possible temperature.

 

What is your salinity/specific gravity? What salt mix and freshwater source do you use for water changes?

 

What is the "fuel for corals" you're using?

 

Do you see your clown goby on the acroporas? These gobies live in SPS colonies in the wild, and many species have SPS

 

Where did you place the SPS corals (i.e. high, low, or on the sand)? What lighting did they previously come from?

 

 

 

salinty is 1.026 i dont know the salt mix my LFS uses, thats where i get my water from

 

fuel for reefs, its an aquavitro product,made by seachem

 

both pieces are about middle of the tank

 

and i havent seen the YCG on the coral, the YCG is normally on the other side waiting for food

 

i havent checked mag, i would think 5 gallon water changes would replish Mg

[reefer916]

salinty is 1.026 i dont know the salt mix my LFS uses, thats where i get my water from

 

fuel for reefs, its an aquavitro product,made by seachem

 

both pieces are about middle of the tank

 

and i havent seen the YCG on the coral, the YCG is normally on the other side waiting for food

 

i havent checked mag, i would think 5 gallon water changes would replish Mg

 

Most LFS's use the cheaper salt in the pre-mixed batches. It's more economical and profitable than using higher end salts. I would start mixing your own salt with RO water and use Reef Crystals or Red Sea Coral Pro. There are other good reef salts out there, but I've had good success with them. More than likely the LFS is using regular Instant Ocean. It's a good salt for Fish only tanks, during a cycling period, or softee tanks, but it lacks the concentration of adequate Mag, Ca, etc. for most SPS corals. Most people who use the cheaper salts have to spend more in the long run because they have to dose more to get the water to the proper parameters.

[Nemo Niblets]

The second I switched from my LFS' salt to Tropic Marin Pro, I haven't had a single problem with SPS.

[lakshwadeep]

I would definitely check your test kits. Also, your alk looks really low it should be between 9-10. What's your magnesium at? It should be between 1350-1400.

 

I'm guessing the units are in meq/L, not dKH, which means the alkalinity is normal.

 

I didn't finish my sentence on the clown gobies; many eat SPS polyps in the wild.

[JMAdams]

I'd also have PO4 tested with a different test kit. The API PO4 test kit is inaccurate.

[addicted2reefer]

I'm guessing the units are in meq/L, not dKH, which means the alkalinity is normal.

 

I didn't finish my sentence on the clown gobies; many eat SPS polyps in the wild.

 

 

yes and i think it would be 8.something dKH but not positive.

and yeah nanobuds told warned me about them eat/snipping at sps, she rubbed on the coral when I first got it, but she doesnt go to the side of the tank anymore, she stays around the rics and waits for food.

 

I'm going to end up takin it to a friends store and just wait on the whole acropora. The montipora looks cool enough for me.

and i am looking into mixing my own salt, reefer916 was right about the basic instant ocean salt.

thanks for all the help.

 

Oh i was wondering , 24" above the sand should be good for coralifes 150w metal halide , right? i couldnt have burnt the coral with too much light?