My humble SPS journey - Shallow 80g

[uwdanno]

My two cents - I've got solid coloration in my SPS dominated tank. My PO4 is 0.00- 0.03 and my NO3 is 5-10ppm.

 

IMO Nitrates bring deeper and bolder colors in SPS. I can't say the same for Acans though.

[Mikeymikemike]

nitrates will make certain sps brown depending on the variety. Certain staghorn (green/blue) will thrive in high nitrate conditions. Echinata and other sensitive sps will brown out as soon as things get above 1ppm.

 

In Australia the sps that thrive in higher nitrates are referred locally as "dirty water" corals.

 

I found the best way to reduce brown is to not dose anything for a month. Reduce feeding and try to maintain an oligotrophic environment.

 

If you get things right you can turn a brown coral into a colourful coral within 3 weeks. You can actually see the coral expel the zoox. (this is different to bleaching though as it retains healthy chromoproteins)

 

here's a progress shot of a browned out echinata I purchased now exhibiting its underlying colour

[joshky]

 

Your tank is beautiful but as a suggestion if I may be so bold; Keep it simple. I have a healthy bio load like you, I feed my fish every other day, dose the tank with ONLY calcium manually once a week, water change (25 gallons) once a month. I've found in the past 5 years the simpler you keep it the easier and smoother things go.

 

Appreciate it but my alkalinity consumption is way too high to only depend on water changes, if I didn't dose things daily my tank would be in really bad shape. When you have a tank full of stony corals it's not really that simple, I have my dosing automated and for the most part my tank is healthy, it's just tweaking the colors to get where I want them.

 

My two cents - I've got solid coloration in my SPS dominated tank. My PO4 is 0.00- 0.03 and my NO3 is 5-10ppm.

 

IMO Nitrates bring deeper and bolder colors in SPS. I can't say the same for Acans though.

 

Yeah my nitrates are a lot lower right now then when my SPS looked their best, so it may be part of the issue. I'm not going to make any quick changes, for now I really just want the acros to get used to the new flow their getting, new light intensity etc. as reaquscaping is a big deal and colors don't happen overnight.

 

nitrates will make certain sps brown depending on the variety. Certain staghorn (green/blue) will thrive in high nitrate conditions. Echinata and other sensitive sps will brown out as soon as things get above 1ppm.

 

In Australia the sps that thrive in higher nitrates are referred locally as "dirty water" corals.

 

I found the best way to reduce brown is to not dose anything for a month. Reduce feeding and try to maintain an oligotrophic environment.

 

If you get things right you can turn a brown coral into a colourful coral within 3 weeks. You can actually see the coral expel the zoox. (this is different to bleaching though as it retains healthy chromoproteins)

 

here's a progress shot of a browned out echinata I purchased now exhibiting its underlying colour

 

I appreciate the response, I'm still not convinced this is a nutrient issue (low or high), blatant instability and change can and will affect some SPS and those that have changed the most have the most reason for the change. Right now my plan is simple observation and stability, small tweaks will happen slowly as needed.

 

 

 

 

Just to reiterate, despite all of this my colors are improving on their own daily. The last photo update is a lot better than where things were a couple weeks ago, and some of those are doing really well. Acros don't go from brown to colorful from a stress event overnight, but they do go from colorful to brown overnight. I think the worst thing we as aquarists can do is mess with our tanks too much, because I'm seeing a positive response it makes no sense to make any changes right now. If in a month or so I'm not seeing colors I should be then I'll consider tweaking things further, but for now I think the best thing I can do is just let things develop on their own.

 

I truly do appreciate the responses and I'll be sure to reference them in the future should it be necessary, so thank you so much.

[joshky]

Colors are coming back to my acros, it was definitely a nutrient deprivation issue. Here are some updated photos of acros that're doing well. :thumbsup:

[ninjamyst]

Looks really really good. What change did you make? You mentioned you suspect low nutrient so did you just increase feeding?

[joshky]

Looks really really good. What change did you make? You mentioned you suspect low nutrient so did you just increase feeding?

 

I removed half of my marinepure block over 2 weeks by cutting 1/4th off (corner), I stopped cleaning things as much as I was and upped my feeding routine. I had planned on removing the whole marinepure block and still may, but now that things are looking again I'm backing off for now.

[RollaJase]

Acros look amazing! I wish I was having a low nutrient issue. I can't get rid of the damn Cyano that's plaguing my sand!

[joshky]

Acros look amazing! I wish I was having a low nutrient issue. I can't get rid of the damn Cyano that's plaguing my sand!

 

Look in the background of my pink lemonade. I also have a forest of bryopsis ruining my amazing TBS rock.... more concerned with that one. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do to beat the bryopsis, I've kind of admitted defeat without even trying much, none of the options are really good.

[RollaJase]

 

Look in the background of my pink lemonade. I also have a forest of bryopsis ruining my amazing TBS rock.... more concerned with that one. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do to beat the bryopsis, I've kind of admitted defeat without even trying much, none of the options are really good.

Have you considered doing a peroxide rinse on the rock? I've got some bryopsis on a single zoa colony that I've been battling since adding it to the tank. Tang won't touch it and I've been pulling as much off as I can weekly with water changes. I've done a few fresh water dips which helped but hasn't eradicated it so I'm thinking of using a some peroxide the next time round to try and get rid of it once and for all.

[joshky]

Have you considered doing a peroxide rinse on the rock? I've got some bryopsis on a single zoa colony that I've been battling since adding it to the tank. Tang won't touch it and I've been pulling as much off as I can weekly with water changes. I've done a few fresh water dips which helped but hasn't eradicated it so I'm thinking of using a some peroxide the next time round to try and get rid of it once and for all.

 

Using peroxide may be a possibility in some spots, other's not so much. I'll figure something out eventually, I don't like any of the conventional methods available currently so we'll see. Whatever I do I'll be sure to share, this is a problem that plagues many people and I'd really like to come up with a better alternative. I found a good alternative solution to beating dinos, now I need to find one for bryopsis, unfortunately bryopsis won't be as easy to overcome.

[TheKleinReef]

Colors are really improving, can't wait to see the progress in the next few weeks.

[TenGallonReef]

This tank is inspiring. Good stuff man! I would love to see a picture of your under the hood lighting.

[dropped]

I recently beat bryopsis using the elevated Mg trick. I have not seen it in a couple of weeks now

[joshky]

Colors are really improving, can't wait to see the progress in the next few weeks.

 

You and me both, growth has picked up exponentially so that has me all excited, thanks!

 

This tank is inspiring. Good stuff man! I would love to see a picture of your under the hood lighting.

 

Thank you very much, appreciate it!

 

Under the hood? I don't have a canopy, just run a 8x54w sunpower which can be seen in some of my full tank shots.

 

I recently beat bryopsis using the elevated Mg trick. I have not seen it in a couple of weeks now

 

There's been a lot of talk recently about the new kent tech m formula not working anymore, obviously if that's still an option I'd love to go that route. What's your take on this?

[markalot]

Hey Josh, posted on RC but me thinks this thread needs some attention.

 

So the matrix in a basket, did you remove any of that to try and raise nitrates? I resorted to dosing some CaNO3 to raise mine to a trace (literally just a blush of pink on the salifert test instead of clear). I have a few acros, like the Katropora, that flat out refuses to get the bright green without some nitrates. I'm tempted to reduce the flow to my matrix reactor or start taking some out. I also have some walts smith mud in a few tupperware containers but I refuse to believe it's doing anything.

[joshky]

Hey Josh, posted on RC but me thinks this thread needs some attention.

 

So the matrix in a basket, did you remove any of that to try and raise nitrates? I resorted to dosing some CaNO3 to raise mine to a trace (literally just a blush of pink on the salifert test instead of clear). I have a few acros, like the Katropora, that flat out refuses to get the bright green without some nitrates. I'm tempted to reduce the flow to my matrix reactor or start taking some out. I also have saome walts smith mud in a few tupperware containers but I refuse to believe it's doing anything.

 

Well the matrix was always meant to be a replacement for the marinepure block I already had down there, I removed half of the marinepure block and part of me wants to remove the other half but I'm backing off for now. After I get rid of the rest of the block I plan on growing chaeto or doing a ATS but not sure which yet. I'm leaning towards chaeto because I don't want the noise from the ATS, we'll see...

[markalot]

 

Well the matrix was always meant to be a replacement for the marinepure block I already had down there, I removed half of the marinepure block and part of me wants to remove the other half but I'm backing off for now. After I get rid of the rest of the block I plan on growing chaeto or doing a ATS but not sure which yet. I'm leaning towards chaeto because I don't want the noise from the ATS, we'll see...

 

Interesting, I'd like to know how the marinepure -> matrix works out. Since I used to have a constant nitrate problem, high and rising, I have to believe matrix is really doing a good job.

[TenGallonReef]

What I was referring to was the sump area lighting.

[ninjamyst]

wait, why are you replacing marinepure with matrix? i just went the other way =P.

[Droy008]

Not that my tank is on any level yours is, but after doseing kents tech-m and keeping nutrients lower, I was able to kill off all of my bryopsis. Just make sure to pull as much as you can out with tweezers while doseing.

[Gooburz]

Where is them FTS?!?!?!

[lilmatty5dimes]

Those sps are super nice especially the pink lemonade and the next few after.

[joshky]

Sorry for late responses I started a new job, gotta pay the bills.

 

What I was referring to was the sump area lighting.

 

I don't have a light in the sump, sorry to disappoint you.

 

wait, why are you replacing marinepure with matrix? i just went the other way =P.

 

Mine looked pretty clogged up and crabs were ruining it so I didn't know how much good it was really doing, plus the siporax/matrix thread on reefcentral made me want to switch.

 

Not that my tank is on any level yours is, but after doseing kents tech-m and keeping nutrients lower, I was able to kill off all of my bryopsis. Just make sure to pull as much as you can out with tweezers while doseing.

 

And this was recently after they changed the formula?

 

Where is them FTS?!?!?!

 

Would love to add one but my mag got reinfected from bad food last Friday? I think? I just started a new job and got a text from my brother that it deflated, well I left it hoping it wasn't actually sick and sure enough it deflated again on Monday so I got the hospital tank back out and put the whole rock in there because it was too firmly attached to the rock. This anemone is going to kill me.

 

Those sps are super nice especially the pink lemonade and the next few after.

 

Thank you, appreciate it! I love the pink lemonade right now, it's sooooooo yellow! I rarely see true yellow in non-blue photographs, it's insane how yellow this piece is in the right conditions.

[joshky]

I'm trying a relatively new product out called Vibrant from Underwater Creations Inc. to help get rid of a growing bryopsis issue going on in my tank.

Here are some updated photographs further depicting how bad my bryopsis is getting now that I've got the nutrients where they should be and less time to keep up with maintaining it.

Left Island

Right Island

Basically Vibrant is a dosing supplement, how much and how often depends on what you're trying to get rid of. For bryopsis you need to dose 1ml per 10g twice weekly for 6-30 doses, basically until the bryopsis is gone, at that point you should be able to stop dosing altogether. I really hope this product works as intended and helps me conquer my bryopsis problem, wish me luck!

[Reefkid88]

Let me know if it works,Ive been fighting it in my nano,and nothing is working. Best of luck to you man.