LPS keep dying
- Thread starter Pufferlover95
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- coral dying corals help lps reef tank
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darrick001
Active Member
I've had stray voltage issues at least 6 times over the years and my lps have went down hill fast every time. The first time I lost every LPS in my tank before i figured it out. You tend to remember things like that. I keep a grounding probe in my tanks now, but if I see any lps looking poor it's the first thing I check.
slowwrx137
Community Member
I have an IM 40L and I'm running 3 AI Prime 16's and 2 Nero 3's. Below is my lighting schedule I'm using with pretty good results. My tanks been setup for a little over a year.
I'm running my Nero 3's at 40% Random flow as Parent/child.
I do weekly 10% water changes with Aquaforest reef salt and add coral snow (flocculent) with Microbater7 once a week.
I don't test/dose anything else. I feed reef roids 1-2 times per week along with the fish food and add Phytoplankton daily.
I know every tank is different but ours share a lot of similar equipment so maybe some of what I do will work for you.
I'm running my Nero 3's at 40% Random flow as Parent/child.
I do weekly 10% water changes with Aquaforest reef salt and add coral snow (flocculent) with Microbater7 once a week.
I don't test/dose anything else. I feed reef roids 1-2 times per week along with the fish food and add Phytoplankton daily.
I know every tank is different but ours share a lot of similar equipment so maybe some of what I do will work for you.
Pufferlover95
Active Member
Yes, our whole setup is very similar. Thank you!!I have an IM 40L and I'm running 3 AI Prime 16's and 2 Nero 3's. Below is my lighting schedule I'm using with pretty good results. My tanks been setup for a little over a year.
I'm running my Nero 3's at 40% Random flow as Parent/child.
I do weekly 10% water changes with Aquaforest reef salt and add coral snow (flocculent) with Microbater7 once a week.
I don't test/dose anything else. I feed reef roids 1-2 times per week along with the fish food and add Phytoplankton daily.
I know every tank is different but ours share a lot of similar equipment so maybe some of what I do will work for you.
@Pufferlover95
Are your light centered over the tank? Do they extend forward any more?
I always run b rb v and uv equal
You could try bumping the v and uv up to match your b and rb and then maybe adding a bit more cw to your preference and retesting
Are your light centered over the tank? Do they extend forward any more?
I always run b rb v and uv equal
You could try bumping the v and uv up to match your b and rb and then maybe adding a bit more cw to your preference and retesting
Pufferlover95
Active Member
I think your par numbers are good, but I would try getting it a little more evenly balanced. I’m thinking a slight increase in those channels might help.
Are these the flex mounts or the rigid ones?
Nevermind, I see it’s the rigid mounts. I haven’t used these, the flex ones allow you to change the angle which gives you a bit more adjustment.
Regardless I think you are in the right par range, and even have room to increase slightly
That is more than enough to grow just about anything, including some easy sps at the center. Did you ensure there were no calibration conversion issues? Some standard PAR readers (esp older models) have a factor or multiplier you should account for because of how it measures light from blue LEDs. Even if it's off slightly, it would still be high enough. So I'm inclined to think it's something else.
(In fact, please don't let that random aside stray from the point - you have enough lighting)
(In fact, please don't let that random aside stray from the point - you have enough lighting)
darrick001
Active Member
I don't see anything in your setup that should be causing the issue. Whatever it is, its something we can't see. Is there anything you use around your house that could contaminate your tank? Think hard. Furniture polish, bathroom spray, Glade style plug ins, cleaning agents near a furnace cold air return, bug spray, weed killer near an open window, hand lotion, hand sanitizers is there a cold air return in your laundy area (against code but i've seen it) anything that could find it's way into your system.
Pufferlover95
Active Member
It’s the Apogee from BRS that is designed for underwater use, so I think it’s accurate. I got the numbers with the return pumps off but wavermakers still on. I’m sure the numbers are similar regardless of the pumps, even if a little less.
Pufferlover95
Active Member
We have a few of those things (the Glade, location is next to sliding glass door, etc.), but we’re all careful to not do arosoles close to the tank and make sure our hands are cleaned off before going into the tank. I honestly think it’s just not the right flow/light/placement combo, I just can’t figure it out.
Yes . Just increase Mag to 1400 ish. Then Do an ICP test. This should rule out things if something are off. Also ensure you do weekly water changes and these should take care of those major/minor trace elements.
Also on the lights, you can keep Blue, violets, UV 100% but lower the intensity to 50% or 60%. Felt like your PAR is low but still not something that would affect LPS. If you are going to change take it slow and acclimate it.
On the Flow side, LPS needs gentle flow. Not even medium flow. So the polyps comes out and dances to the flow. Again when you do changes take it slow. Corals don't like sudden changes. If you going to slowdown take it it 1% reduction every week .
Finally I would still suggest to do a Cipro.
Charles Zinn
Active Member
Do you add copapods . Have you done an ICP test Are you feeding corals regularly, Are they being nipped on by Hermit craps, Stung by other corals, Cleaner shrimp or anenomes could be affecting, or coral warfareI don’t understand why I am having trouble keeping LPS alive in my tank. The common theme I have is I purchase a new coral and it initially is fine, however, they typically slowly decline over a few weeks and I watch as more and more skeleton become exposed and their flesh starts retracting.
I don’t know what the issue is since so many things could be wrong.
————————————————————
Tank: IM 80 AIO
Lights: 3 AI Prime 16s (schedule below)
Skimmer: HOB Reef Octopus
CO2 scrubber: Icecap
Wave makers: 2 Nero 3s (opposite ends, random flow)
I use Instant Ocean salt, Apex and Trident for testing parameters, dose ~15mL of AFR daily, and dose 6mL of NOPOX daily. Here are parameters for today and this is typically how they look:
Last NO3 was 11.9ppm and PO4 was 0.03ppm via Hanna checkers.
With a steady Alk and Ca, I don’t understand why the coral not only doesn’t thrive, but instead dies.
As for lighting:
Too little?? Too much??
The last thing is, I’ve been fighting this what I think to be cyano bacteria for months, and I can’t make it go away, even after using Chemi-Clean. it covers the sand, rocks, coral, and walls. I don’t know what else it could be.
At this point, I’m looking for suggestions and I’m open to trying different things.
Charles Zinn
Active Member
Would do ICP test. Where is Potassium? Are other elements to low or High? I think Cakc should also be closer to 420 to 430 and potassium lower than the calcAlso, here’s today’s parameters. I’ve been dosing Mg daily to slowly raise it.
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