RE: SPS Colors

[Randy1]

I bought a blue acro and a green acro about 2 weeks ago. The blue is browning the green is not. I understand the most likely cause is phosphates. My red sea test kit reads 0 but I hear it must be tested to levels that is kit can't measure. I installed a refudgium about a month ago, nitrates went from 20ppm to 2.5ppm. Will the phosphate also follow to lower levels and correct my browning issues? or will I need a phosban reactor?

90 Gal.
Nitrate 2.5ppm
Phos (red sea) 0
alk. 2.8meq\l
Cal. 390
mag 1500
Ph 8.0-8.2
Temp 78-81 summer only
250 W HQI metal halides 20K 11 months old. will change soon.
Total flow 5,800gph
photo period 8.5hr.
Daily feeds with Saliferts coral food.
top off with Kalk. reactor
weekly addition Saliferts all-in-one

[vidrine7322]

your phosphates wont get as low as they need to be with a refugium alone. The macro algae will not consume all the phosphate and kill itself, it will always "save some for later." So yea, i'd go with a phosban reactor.

[Randy1]

will the phosban then starve the Cheto to death?

[BLKTANG]

sometimes they just need time.I got an ora blue mili like 2mo ago,& when i bought it it was nice,n blue.After a day or 2 in my tank it browned out.I know i dont have any phospates so i let it go.Today its bluer than it was when i bought it.

[dkh0331]

<<250 W HQI metal halides 20K 11 months old. will change soon.>>

I believe that HQI bulbs should be replaced every 6 months. Could be just a piece of the puzzle.

[Randy1]

OK. I just order new bulbs. I notice the tips of the blue acro thats turning brown has some what looks like slime algae growing, very small amount. Should I do anything about this? Again, my red sea test kit reads 0 phos. ??

[jamal-188]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8627416#post8627416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dkh0331
<<250 W HQI metal halides 20K 11 months old. will change soon.>>

I believe that HQI bulbs should be replaced every 6 months. Could be just a piece of the puzzle.

I believe that is too general a statment. It really depends on bulb/ballast and more importantly the amount of time you burn your lights for each day.

[benf]

are you having any algae problems? Reason i ask, someone mentioned in the chemistry forum you can have a false zero. The microalgae could be consuming nutrients lowering your numbers.

I believe that is what i am experiencing at the moment, cause my numbers are 0 phos and 0-1 nitrates, but yet i am having a hair algae problem and colors turning on a couple SPS.

[rutz81]

I would get a phosphate reactor. They are relatively cheap to set-up and run and with proper use can bring your phosphates down to 0. Before you did that; you could always get a good test kit(D&D-Deltec, or Hanna) to see what your phosphates really are.

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8627416#post8627416 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dkh0331
<<250 W HQI metal halides 20K 11 months old. will change soon.>>

I believe that HQI bulbs should be replaced every 6 months. Could be just a piece of the puzzle.

HQI bulbs should last longer than a year.


Non HQI bulbs on HQI ballasts, should be replaced every 6 months.

[Serioussnaps]

That and you have to be careful about inducing a bleaching event by changing out the bulbs, which only compounds your problem. Luckily, if you go along with the misinformation(6month bulb) then you will likely be ok because your old bulbs hadn't lost all that much intensity. FWIW, when you change out bulbs you have to be careful not to "overlight"(not a word, i dont think) and cause bleaching!


Also IMO, you should get a phosban reactor, however there are many things you need to know about them. They must be introduced slowly to an established systems due to the possible,slight yet easily mitigated drawbacks. IE slight drop in alkalinity, quick lowering of PH when initially introduced, making sure you dont crush the media and release it into the system

As always dont just go getting something and putting it on your system if you know nothing about it........go to the Reef Chemistry forumn and start you a thread on GFO's, get all your questions answered


I GAVE UP ON THE REFUGIUM IDEA, PLUS IT CONTRADICTS MY BB PHILOSOPHY, it never really kept phosphates and nitrates down like my BB, GFO, high flow, heavily skimmed export machine

[Randy1]

no real algae problems. I keep getting a batch of macro growing in the tank, could that be a sign?

[Randy1]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/108198DSC09485.JPG

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/108198DSC09484.JPG

I moved the corals low where the flow is the highest any thoughts on the pics??

[Serioussnaps]

i think you could get a closer pic, put your camera in macro and zoom in

[Randy1]

Ilm having trouble getting another picture re-sized to fit. These pictures show up fine on my screen. I'm not a photographer.

[rutz81]

use photobucket...you'll be able to have full size photos then

[Randy1]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r294/rglover1/DSC09494.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r294/rglover1/DSC09493.jpg

Thanks, I like that much better.

[rutz81]

Looks like it could've ben too close to light..keep it low, and I would clip off the dead areas.

[Randy1]

OK, thanks. At the LFS where I bought them they're in a frag tank only about 8in. deep with more light than mine so I figured anywhere in my tank should be fine. Thoughts??

[Chrisrush]

Those look like pretty big pieces. They could be still getting used to your system. See how they do for a while.