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Unread 04/13/2018, 07:09 AM   #1
catchandreleas
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Can't figure out issue.

Hey guys I will post some pics shortly when the lights are on. In the meantime I am wondering what to test next as I can't figure out my issues.

I have a 20g AIO running for about 18 months now. 10-15 lbs live rock, skimmer. AI prime HD

Water tests as follows. 1.026. Mg-1440, alk-8, ca-80.phosphates/nitrates-0.

The fish and sebae anemone are healthy. But sps is not lacking colour and bleaching at tips. Lps is not fully extending but color is good.

I turned the light down to 50% on acclimation mode yesterday to see if maybe that's would help. Blues and whites were running at about 80%. Ramping up and down from 0% for a 9hr total.

Maybe it's lighting and now I just need to wait. But wanted to get your thoughts as well.

I also dose daily with AF aminomix, vitality, and energy.


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Unread 04/13/2018, 07:10 AM   #2
catchandreleas
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Sorry. Ca is 480 not 80


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Unread 04/13/2018, 07:35 AM   #3
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You need an accurate low range Nitrate / Phosphate test kit(s). Coral does need some Phosphates & Nitrates. As those values decrease they become sensitive to higher Alk (8.5+) and light. Good idea on turning the light intensity down.

You can research ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) to get some good info on what is happening. Every system is different so it is hard to say one particular issue is causing the problem.

Red Sea, Salifert, and Hanna (Po4) have good low range test kits.


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Unread 04/13/2018, 07:38 AM   #4
catchandreleas
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Quote:
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You need an accurate low range Nitrate / Phosphate test kit(s). Coral does need some Phosphates & Nitrates. As those values decrease they become sensitive to higher Alk (8.5+) and light. Good idea on turning the light intensity down.

You can research ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) to get some good info on what is happening. Every system is different so it is hard to say one particular issue is causing the problem.

Red Sea, Salifert, and Hanna (Po4) have good low range test kits.
Thanks. I'll try and get my hands on those today. I do get minor amounts of algae on my glass that has to be cleaned every few days so I assume there are trace amounts of nitrates/phosphates.


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Unread 04/13/2018, 07:49 AM   #5
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Could also be a bad batch of salt.

Had something similar except my corals were actually dying. Traced it back to a bad batch of salt, did a very large WC(nearly 100%) with a fresh bucket of salt, and those that were shriveled up, puffed up and are doing fine now. It took a couple weeks for things to start looking better, but I was at a loss as to what was happening at the time.

Can't say with 100% certainty thats your problem, but it might be something to look into.


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Unread 04/13/2018, 05:07 PM   #6
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Unread 04/13/2018, 05:47 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by catchandreleas View Post
Hey guys I will post some pics shortly when the lights are on. In the meantime I am wondering what to test next as I can't figure out my issues.

I have a 20g AIO running for about 18 months now. 10-15 lbs live rock, skimmer. AI prime HD

Water tests as follows. 1.026. Mg-1440, alk-8, ca-80.phosphates/nitrates-0.

The fish and sebae anemone are healthy. But sps is not lacking colour and bleaching at tips. Lps is not fully extending but color is good.

I turned the light down to 50% on acclimation mode yesterday to see if maybe that's would help. Blues and whites were running at about 80%. Ramping up and down from 0% for a 9hr total.

Maybe it's lighting and now I just need to wait. But wanted to get your thoughts as well.

I also dose daily with AF aminomix, vitality, and energy.
When did you take your readings?

The suggestion for a good low-range phosphate test kit is a good one. If you really do have 0 phosphate and 0 nitrates, you're starving your corals.

The reason I asked about when you took your readings is because by the end of your light cycle (the growth cycle), you want your phosphate to be low, maybe 0.01 ppm. If you take a reading when the lights first come on (after the fish have been pooping all night and contributing phosphate to the system), you should have a higher level of phosphate (how high really depends upon each tank's phosphate-consuming (hopefully coral) bioload).
Zeroed phosphate means zero growth, and when the lights are on, that means wasted lighting. So, a zero phosphate measurement at dusk (lights off) isn't horrible; zero phosphate at dawn is.

FWIW,
Kevin


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Unread 04/13/2018, 06:42 PM   #8
catchandreleas
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That’s good to know. Makes sense. I took the reading in the morning. However it was not with a low range test. I will have to get the low range tests and do it again.

Would that cause the bleaching or just a lack of growth?


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Unread 04/13/2018, 06:50 PM   #9
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Both.


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Unread 04/13/2018, 06:58 PM   #10
catchandreleas
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Well I will post up the test results when I get back on Monday. In the meantime I cut the lighting back 75% and will leave it for now in case that is the issue.
Are there any obvious signs of too much light?


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Unread 04/14/2018, 06:28 AM   #11
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You can try GAC in a mesh bag incase there are some impurities. Just another thought while you wait for the results.


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Unread 04/14/2018, 07:26 AM   #12
catchandreleas
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You can try GAC in a mesh bag incase there are some impurities. Just another thought while you wait for the results.


Yes thank you. I started running some yesterday. I’m heading out of town today and back Monday. I’ll see how things look then and test the nitrates at phosphates when I get the tests.
I’m starting to think it’s lighting. I forgot I added a small frag of the same purple/green sps to the back corner of the tank because I didn’t want to toss it.
It still looks quite healthy which tells me this is lighting related. I have turned the prime way down and I’ll see if it helps.


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Unread 04/15/2018, 05:06 PM   #13
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It still looks quite healthy which tells me this is lighting related
I agree....

I run 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates all the time morning night it doesn't matter they are always ZERO my biggest problem is too much growth.
I think people confuse -0- with never any nutrients.....I got fish and they eat a lot and poop like crazy so the corals are getting something....only down side is red planet can be a pink planet but it still grows like crazy..... in fact I will be making a deposit to vivid shortly......


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Unread 04/15/2018, 05:16 PM   #14
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.. in fact I will be making a deposit to vivid shortly......
I'm sorry, don't understand
Cheers! Mark


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Unread 04/16/2018, 09:58 AM   #15
catchandreleas
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I'm sorry, don't understand
Cheers! Mark
Im guessing he is fragging growth and bringing it to the LFS


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Unread 04/16/2018, 03:16 PM   #16
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I'm sorry, don't understand
Cheers! Mark
https://vividaquariums.com/


I live a few miles away....


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Unread 04/16/2018, 10:19 PM   #17
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Imo each system is different when it comes to nutrients. U may have two different tanks & they both read 0, but one be thriving & one not so much. If u have a system with a bunch of fish that u feed heavily & test 0 or very low po4 & no 3 isn’t the same as a tank with only one or two fish that get fed sparingly. While they both may test very low po4 & no3 the tank that gets fed heavy will be thriving while the other can starve the corals. I honestly think coraline is a good indicator. If a tank is starving the coral then there’s a good chance it won’t have much coraline algea. On the other hand, if coraline is growing then they should have enough nutrients for the corals


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Unread 04/22/2018, 12:58 PM   #18
catchandreleas
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Well I found my issue. Nitrate test kid was off. Bought new phosphate and nitrate test, water was reading 50 ppm for nitrate! My other test said zero! Brutal. Phosphate was reading 0.1
At least now I can fix the issue.


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Unread 04/23/2018, 05:52 AM   #19
RobZilla04
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Well I found my issue. Nitrate test kid was off. Bought new phosphate and nitrate test, water was reading 50 ppm for nitrate! My other test said zero! Brutal. Phosphate was reading 0.1
At least now I can fix the issue.


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Was the old kit expired or just bad? Did you switch test kit brands?


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Unread 04/23/2018, 06:39 AM   #20
catchandreleas
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Was the old kit expired or just bad? Did you switch test kit brands?


I couldn’t find any expiry, switched to salifert.


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Unread 04/24/2018, 07:06 PM   #21
catchandreleas
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I couldn’t find any expiry, switched to salifert.


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The kits were not expired until 2021. Garbage. I guess that’s why you don’t buy the cheap API kits.

So nitrates are down to about 25 now from 50 after a water change and dosing with Red Sea N03 P04.
Should I be concerned about dropping them too fast? Anyone know the max daily dosage for Red Sea N03 P04?

I would like to get them down ASAP as I thing some of the sps still has a chance of coming back.


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Unread 04/25/2018, 04:16 AM   #22
RobZilla04
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Water changes are the most effective and safest method to reduce No3 & Po4.

25ppm No3 is not that terrible, another half and you're darn close. Po4 should be less than .1ppm. Hanna ULR is a good kit for that since you get an actual number result. Salifert is another good choice.

Max drop in a day/week is a hard suggestion to give. If it were me I'd wait another 5-7 days, make observations, and if all looks good perform another water change. I would not over dose or drastically increase dosing of any reduction product.


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Unread 04/25/2018, 06:38 AM   #23
catchandreleas
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Water changes are the most effective and safest method to reduce No3 & Po4.



25ppm No3 is not that terrible, another half and you're darn close. Po4 should be less than .1ppm. Hanna ULR is a good kit for that since you get an actual number result. Salifert is another good choice.



Max drop in a day/week is a hard suggestion to give. If it were me I'd wait another 5-7 days, make observations, and if all looks good perform another water change. I would not over dose or drastically increase dosing of any reduction product.


Sounds good. Salifert is what I grabbed for magnesium, nitrate and phosphate.

Here are tests as of yesterday.
1.026
Calcium 480
Mg 1440
Alk 8.5-9
Phosphate <0.1
Nitrate 25

Going to continue with another water change in a few days and a few mils of Red Sea n03-p04 reducer per day.

For the sps, the tips are bleached, some have turned brown but the bases still have the life to them. Should I cut the tips back to the living stuff or just leave it to grow over itself?


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Unread 04/25/2018, 08:46 AM   #24
RobZilla04
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Originally Posted by catchandreleas View Post
Sounds good. Salifert is what I grabbed for magnesium, nitrate and phosphate.

Here are tests as of yesterday.
1.026
Calcium 480
Mg 1440
Alk 8.5-9
Phosphate <0.1
Nitrate 25

Going to continue with another water change in a few days and a few mils of Red Sea n03-p04 reducer per day.

For the sps, the tips are bleached, some have turned brown but the bases still have the life to them. Should I cut the tips back to the living stuff or just leave it to grow over itself?


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Leave them be for a little while. They have endured enough stress and with the changing water parameters trimming them back will only compile the stressors IMO.


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