redfishsc
04/21/2010, 06:43 PM
My SPS (and even eagle eye zoas) are browning out due to the Tech-M treatment I am doing to kill off a bryopsis infestation.
For nearly the past year (and even now) my nitrate has been 0.0 to 0.3 ppm (salifert) and phosphate has been 0.05 or less (Seachem kit). Low nutrient levels don't hardly seem to phase bryopsis or prevent it from growing.
Nutrients are very low due to vodka and vitamin C dosing, which is a combination I highly recommend.
They browned out within the first couple days I started the Tech M treatment and am convinced that this is the issue; everything looked fine before.
This happened about 8 months ago when I used Tech M the first time (which worked for a month or so, then the bryopsis came back).
This time I am going to dose longer, and more aggressively.
This is going to probably cost me a few SPS, but with them browning out (in a low nutrient situation) would you......:
1) Increase or decrease photoperiod? Actinics are on for 9 hours, halide on for 6 (see lighting info below).
2) Increase feeding of corals/fish and also small increase in vodka/vitamin C dosing?
I'm just not sure if the brown color is really due to increased zooxanthellae or if it's due to some other pigment coloration.
System: a 25g tank, plumbed into a system with total 80g water volume.
Lighting over the 25g: 250DE Phoenix, 9 month old bulb (still looks good, no yellow) and 8 Cree XRE royal blue LED's for actinic supplement.
For nearly the past year (and even now) my nitrate has been 0.0 to 0.3 ppm (salifert) and phosphate has been 0.05 or less (Seachem kit). Low nutrient levels don't hardly seem to phase bryopsis or prevent it from growing.
Nutrients are very low due to vodka and vitamin C dosing, which is a combination I highly recommend.
They browned out within the first couple days I started the Tech M treatment and am convinced that this is the issue; everything looked fine before.
This happened about 8 months ago when I used Tech M the first time (which worked for a month or so, then the bryopsis came back).
This time I am going to dose longer, and more aggressively.
This is going to probably cost me a few SPS, but with them browning out (in a low nutrient situation) would you......:
1) Increase or decrease photoperiod? Actinics are on for 9 hours, halide on for 6 (see lighting info below).
2) Increase feeding of corals/fish and also small increase in vodka/vitamin C dosing?
I'm just not sure if the brown color is really due to increased zooxanthellae or if it's due to some other pigment coloration.
System: a 25g tank, plumbed into a system with total 80g water volume.
Lighting over the 25g: 250DE Phoenix, 9 month old bulb (still looks good, no yellow) and 8 Cree XRE royal blue LED's for actinic supplement.