Sps help

[Malman76]

Hi all I’m new to sps and would appreciate some help I have a plating monti (sorry forgot to take pic) which is growing but lost a lot of colour I’m assuming due to low phos/nitrate. I also have a poker stars encrusting monti which the polyps have receded all the way in over most of the frag. Although my purple stylohora and seriatopora frag have good polyp extension ?

Parameters are as follows

Temp 25.4
Salinity 1.025
PH 8.0
Nitrate 1ppm
KH 10.4
Mg 1380
Calcium 400
Phosphate 0.02

Lighting is ai hd16 9.5” from surface running penny wise saxby 16hd on a 12 hour photo period.
Flow is eheim compactON with 1/2” rfg and a Nero 3

Sorry for the long post and hope this is enough info ?
Thanks in advance
Chris

 

[Brandont21]

Is your salinity a typo?

 

[Malman76]

Is your salinity a typo?

Yes, didn’t have my glasses on !

 

[Brandont21]

Okay lol. How old is the tank? Alk may be a bit high since your nitrates and phosphate are so low.

 

[Lavey29]

Okay lol. How old is the tank? Alk may be a bit high since your nitrates and phosphate are so low.

I agree, bottomed out nutrients and high alk not a good combo for corals typically.

 

[Malman76]

Okay lol. How old is the tank? Alk may be a bit high since your nitrates and phosphate are so low.

Tank has been running for 3 years but had a reset about 10 months ago as my daughter (it’s her tank) overfed it to death, we did several large water changes followed by smaller ones to get everything back to normal.

 

[Lavey29]

Tank has been running for 3 years but had a reset about 10 months ago as my daughter (it’s her tank) overfed it to death, we did several large water changes followed by smaller ones to get everything back to normal.

Have you checked your par?

 

[Malman76]

Have you checked your par?

I haven’t I’m in the uk and unfortunately don’t have access to a par meter and with current bills in the uk can not afford to buy one ... hopefully that’ll change.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would suspect that the lighting is not sufficient. What size of tank and how far down are the corals? What intensity is the light? AI Prime is not that strong of a light and depending on depth and intensity might not be enough for sps

 

[Uncle99]

Not too light demanding those two.
They are starved from lack of nutrients, essential for all life.
Dose nutrients up and keep them stable.

 

[Malman76]

I would suspect that the lighting is not sufficient. What size of tank and how far down are the corals? What intensity is the light? AI Prime is not that strong of a light and depending on depth and intensity might not be enough for sps

fluvel evo 52 , light should be fine as all the rest are doing fine.

 

[Lavey29]

I haven’t I’m in the uk and unfortunately don’t have access to a par meter and with current bills in the uk can not afford to buy one ... hopefully that’ll change.

Try the free photone app on your phone. You can check par right at the water surface. Fairly accurate too.

 

[Malman76]

Try the free photone app on your phone. You can check par right at the water surface. Fairly accurate too.

Will try that out

 

[Malman76]

Try the free photone app on your phone. You can check par right at the water surface. Fairly accurate too.

Thanks I’ve downloaded the app and just done a quick check at the surface, although ours lights are now starting to ramp down so only got a reading of 105 par, would it give an accurate reading if I put it in an airtight bag to measure lower down ?

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks I’ve downloaded the app and just done a quick check at the surface, although ours lights are now starting to ramp down so only got a reading of 105 par, would it give an accurate reading if I put it in an airtight bag to measure lower down ?

Some people do that but I didn't. I did compare the app to actual par meter reading and it was close at the water surface. 105 par at the surface means you have almost 0 par at the bottom. You want 400 par surface and 350 par 6 inches below the surface for SPS minimal. I was running my lights at 70% and was shocked how low my par reading was. Now I run 100% intensity and corals thrive.

 

[Malman76]

Some people do that but I didn't. I did compare the app to actual par meter reading and it was close at the water surface. 105 par at the surface means you have almost 0 par at the bottom. You want 400 par surface and 350 par 6 inches below the surface for SPS minimal. I was running my lights at 70% and was shocked how low my par reading was. Now I run 100% intensity and corals thrive.

Thanks, I’ll do another surface check tomorrow when the lights are at full intensity and adjust up if I need to, I’m assuming but could well be wrong that the light file I’ve downloaded should be at the right intensity for my tank ?

 

[Brandont21]

I use the app as well. Ive never compared to an actual par meter. I get 650 par directly under a 150w mh bulb. Idk if thats accurate. And 330 about 8-12 inches under water

 

[Malman76]

Some people do that but I didn't. I did compare the app to actual par meter reading and it was close at the water surface. 105 par at the surface means you have almost 0 par at the bottom. You want 400 par surface and 350 par 6 inches below the surface for SPS minimal. I was running my lights at 70% and was shocked how low my par reading was. Now I run 100% intensity and corals thrive.

Ok so today’s progress was to make a makeshift diffuser for my phone and measure the par at peak time. I got 480 par so I’ve lowered the light to the point I’m now getting 600 par (at the surface). I did manage to get a rough underwater reading before the zip bag started to leak and I panicked (390 par about 4” down) not sure how accurate that was was. Do these readings sound ok ?