Jordan Parker
Community Member
Hi everyone, sorry for the extremely long winded post, but I'd like to provide as much information as I can to hopefully get this issue resolved as soon as possible.
I have had my ~650 gallon system set up for about 7 months now, some of you may have followed my build. I now have unfortunately been getting very frustrated with my recent turn of events in the tank despite the success with the assembly of everything.
I would first like to mention that I haven't ever had issues keeping higher end acropora, or any SPS for that matter. Despite this system being mechanical twin to my previous 75gallon display and 55 gallon sump, aside from my LEDs, I seem to be getting hit with a rash of sporadic acro losses. Some RTN, some STN. I've been through all of my test kits time and time again and can't find anything that could cause this...
The tank is currently a mixed reef with 9 colony sized LPS', a zoa patch, and a small rock of isolated mushrooms and GSP. There are about 40 pieces of SPS, 5 of which are full colony sized pieces from my previous setup.
Tank/Sump: Internal dimensions. 94" long, 34" deep, 33" high with an internal weir. The sump is 200 gallons and flows from the "drain box" to the ~110 gallon refugium, to the skimmer/reactor compartment, then to the return pump section. About 400lbs of rock inhabits the system ~30% of which was well established rock from my previous system and the remaining 70% was dry rock, which is well on it's way to being fairly seasoned by now.
Wavemakers: Four, Jebao OW-25's, they're a little small, but they're getting the flow to where it currently matters most. They're also due to be replaced in the next couple of months for something more appropriate.
Return pump: Jebao DCP-20000.
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve B-12.
Reactors: Aquamaxx XXL Dual Reactor. 2 Lbs GFO, 1Lb carbon.
Controller/Accessories: Neptune Apex, Trident, and two DÕS pumps.
Lighting: 2x Evergrow IT2080 (soon to be replaced.) Aquatic Life T5 fixtures with 2x blue+, coral+, and purple+ bulbs. I see about 300 PAR at the top of my rock structure, and most of my SPS frags see on average 250 PAR.
Dosing: Aquaforest DIY 3 part, about 300ml of each per day. I dose about .25ml of vodka carbon per day.
Coral Nutrition: 6ml of Aquaforest Amino Mix, 6ml of Aquaforest Vitality every day. Twice a week I add about 20ml of Aquavitro Fuel. Twice a week I'll target feed reef roids, 55ml of phytoplankton, and 55ml of zooplankton.
I feed my fish once a day at least, a couple of times a week I'll be generous and feed them twice.
Parameters:
Alk - 8.4, maybe swings .01 - .02 per day.
Ca - 426, very stable, roughly 5-10 ppm difference per week depending on consumption.
Mag - 1400, stable
pH - 8.4 day, 8.2 night
Po4 - .04 - .06
No3 - .5 to 2 ppm. I am currently slowly increasing to 5ppm over the course of a few weeks.
Fe - .05
I2 - .06
K - 458-464
Cu - 0
No2 - 0
NH3 - 0
I have been diligent in adding prime to my top off water for the past couple of weeks to ensure that no chloromines are making it through in my 0 TDS water. For my 30 gallon ATO reservoir, I have been adding about 2ml of Prime. I have also been doing daily 5 gallon water changes (35 gallons per week) using Aquaforest Reef Salt. I have also disassembled my skimmer, pumps, wavemakers, and ch checked my magnetic probe holder for any signs of rusting or water intrusion, they're all fine as far as I can tell.
I have consistently had poor coloration of my Acros as well as most of my Montipora. My LPS corals look beautiful, with great colour and are all fat, happy, and growing quickly. I have been dosing the coral nutrients fairly liberally in hopes of bettering the coloration and overall health of the SPS to no avail. Having said that, I do have a few nice looking sticks, but they're lower end branching Montis and bird's nests.
Despite my seemingly rock solid parameters, and automation, I've consistently had problems with this tank... I have scoped out all of the acropora and montipora looking for any kind of pest possible, but they're all clean. I am completely stumped, if I weren't so heavily invested into this tank, I'd throw in the towel, but I'm just not ready for that yet.
A few people on Facebook have pointed me in the direction of trying some full tank witch hazel treatments, amoxicillin dips, ICP tests (which I plan to do by the end of this week), and one person mentioned that I could be stripping out the trace elements with my 2ml prime dosed ATO water, which I honestly highly doubt.
To anyone that might have a lead as to what I can and should look for next, I really couldn't thank you enough.
Here's a picture of the sump setup, I will attach a video of the display when I get home from work and have better service.
I have had my ~650 gallon system set up for about 7 months now, some of you may have followed my build. I now have unfortunately been getting very frustrated with my recent turn of events in the tank despite the success with the assembly of everything.
I would first like to mention that I haven't ever had issues keeping higher end acropora, or any SPS for that matter. Despite this system being mechanical twin to my previous 75gallon display and 55 gallon sump, aside from my LEDs, I seem to be getting hit with a rash of sporadic acro losses. Some RTN, some STN. I've been through all of my test kits time and time again and can't find anything that could cause this...
The tank is currently a mixed reef with 9 colony sized LPS', a zoa patch, and a small rock of isolated mushrooms and GSP. There are about 40 pieces of SPS, 5 of which are full colony sized pieces from my previous setup.
Tank/Sump: Internal dimensions. 94" long, 34" deep, 33" high with an internal weir. The sump is 200 gallons and flows from the "drain box" to the ~110 gallon refugium, to the skimmer/reactor compartment, then to the return pump section. About 400lbs of rock inhabits the system ~30% of which was well established rock from my previous system and the remaining 70% was dry rock, which is well on it's way to being fairly seasoned by now.
Wavemakers: Four, Jebao OW-25's, they're a little small, but they're getting the flow to where it currently matters most. They're also due to be replaced in the next couple of months for something more appropriate.
Return pump: Jebao DCP-20000.
Skimmer: Bubble Magus Curve B-12.
Reactors: Aquamaxx XXL Dual Reactor. 2 Lbs GFO, 1Lb carbon.
Controller/Accessories: Neptune Apex, Trident, and two DÕS pumps.
Lighting: 2x Evergrow IT2080 (soon to be replaced.) Aquatic Life T5 fixtures with 2x blue+, coral+, and purple+ bulbs. I see about 300 PAR at the top of my rock structure, and most of my SPS frags see on average 250 PAR.
Dosing: Aquaforest DIY 3 part, about 300ml of each per day. I dose about .25ml of vodka carbon per day.
Coral Nutrition: 6ml of Aquaforest Amino Mix, 6ml of Aquaforest Vitality every day. Twice a week I add about 20ml of Aquavitro Fuel. Twice a week I'll target feed reef roids, 55ml of phytoplankton, and 55ml of zooplankton.
I feed my fish once a day at least, a couple of times a week I'll be generous and feed them twice.
Parameters:
Alk - 8.4, maybe swings .01 - .02 per day.
Ca - 426, very stable, roughly 5-10 ppm difference per week depending on consumption.
Mag - 1400, stable
pH - 8.4 day, 8.2 night
Po4 - .04 - .06
No3 - .5 to 2 ppm. I am currently slowly increasing to 5ppm over the course of a few weeks.
Fe - .05
I2 - .06
K - 458-464
Cu - 0
No2 - 0
NH3 - 0
I have been diligent in adding prime to my top off water for the past couple of weeks to ensure that no chloromines are making it through in my 0 TDS water. For my 30 gallon ATO reservoir, I have been adding about 2ml of Prime. I have also been doing daily 5 gallon water changes (35 gallons per week) using Aquaforest Reef Salt. I have also disassembled my skimmer, pumps, wavemakers, and ch checked my magnetic probe holder for any signs of rusting or water intrusion, they're all fine as far as I can tell.
I have consistently had poor coloration of my Acros as well as most of my Montipora. My LPS corals look beautiful, with great colour and are all fat, happy, and growing quickly. I have been dosing the coral nutrients fairly liberally in hopes of bettering the coloration and overall health of the SPS to no avail. Having said that, I do have a few nice looking sticks, but they're lower end branching Montis and bird's nests.
Despite my seemingly rock solid parameters, and automation, I've consistently had problems with this tank... I have scoped out all of the acropora and montipora looking for any kind of pest possible, but they're all clean. I am completely stumped, if I weren't so heavily invested into this tank, I'd throw in the towel, but I'm just not ready for that yet.
A few people on Facebook have pointed me in the direction of trying some full tank witch hazel treatments, amoxicillin dips, ICP tests (which I plan to do by the end of this week), and one person mentioned that I could be stripping out the trace elements with my 2ml prime dosed ATO water, which I honestly highly doubt.
To anyone that might have a lead as to what I can and should look for next, I really couldn't thank you enough.
Here's a picture of the sump setup, I will attach a video of the display when I get home from work and have better service.
