Struggling keeping corals alive. Want advice

[Bea3987]

So I have been out of the hobby for about a decade and just came back to it. I am a Vet and reef tanks are how I deal with my PTSD. That being said I am loosing corals. I have two prime 16HDs. It is a 30gal nano. Water is well with in normal Limits. All I can think of is the lighting… I do have them turned down, trying to follow advice I watched from WWCs and take my time turning up the lights. But I am having bleaching and browning. I am only 25% on the lights and feel that is really low. Just want to enjoy this like I use too. The Zoas are doing great. The rest not so much

 

[Purpletang92]

“normal” is vast and far we use that word too lightly, how quickly are the corals dying? Sounds like it may be a nutrient issue.

 

[Bea3987]

“normal” is vast and far we use that word too lightly, how quickly are the corals dying? Sounds like it may be a nutrient issue.

Slowly over weeks. Slowly deteriorating then gone. And there LPS that should be easy, use to have these no issue.

 

[JoJosReef]

This would help us give advice:
1. What corals are you trying to grow?
2. What are your real parameters? Nitrates, Phosphates and Alkalinity would be helpful. "Normal ranges" is extremely variable
3. How long has the tank been running?
4. Did you start with live rock or dry rock?
5. What are the tank dimensions? Cube? Long?

A few comments:
AI Prime 16HD at 25% is not strong enough. I ran primes at about 70% for LPS in a 10g cube.

If we don't find answers from the above, we'll start with more questions.

 

[Bea3987]

This would help us give advice:
1. What corals are you trying to grow?
2. What are your real parameters? Nitrates, Phosphates and Alkalinity would be helpful. "Normal ranges" is extremely variable
3. How long has the tank been running?
4. Did you start with live rock or dry rock?
5. What are the tank dimensions? Cube? Long?

A few comments:
AI Prime 16HD at 25% is not strong enough. I ran primes at about 70% for LPS in a 10g cube.

If we don't find answers from the above, we'll start with more questions.

favia, galaxia, zoas.
KH: 9.1 / Phos 0.03 / Nitrate 10 / 6mo run time / dry rock with live sand / tank is 30”x12”x18”

 

[JoJosReef]

favia, galaxia, zoas.
KH: 9.1 / Phos 0.03 / Nitrate 10 / 6mo run time / dry rock with live sand / tank is 30”x12”x18”

Should be fine for those corals. With a 30" tank and 18" height, you'll need to increase the lights a lot. A PAR meter would of course, be best, but I consider a Prime ideal for a 12"x12"x12" space at 6-8" above the water line. Others may disagree, but for me running an AB+ spectrum on a Prime at ~70%, I was hitting ~200 PAR on the top of the rocks. 25% might be OK for tolerant zoas, but I imagine LPS is going to suffer from lack of light. I run 3 Noopsyche Minis, which are similar to AI Primes (60watt vs. 55watt), over a 35" tank. I run those at about 50-60%.

How about your algae situation? What algae are growing in your tank and how much?

My first inclination is to increase your lights. Second is to check for algae growth that may be masking other issues that your corals are responding poorly to, like higher than measured real NO3/PO4.

 

[Bea3987]

Should be fine for those corals. With a 30" tank and 18" height, you'll need to increase the lights a lot. A PAR meter would of course, be best, but I consider a Prime ideal for a 12"x12"x12" space at 6-8" above the water line. Others may disagree, but for me running an AB+ spectrum on a Prime at ~70%, I was hitting ~200 PAR on the top of the rocks. 25% might be OK for tolerant zoas, but I imagine LPS is going to suffer from lack of light. I run 3 Noopsyche Minis, which are similar to AI Primes (60watt vs. 55watt), over a 35" tank. I run those at about 50-60%.

How about your algae situation? What algae are growing in your tank and how much?

My first inclination is to increase your lights. Second is to check for algae growth that may be masking other issues that your corals are responding poorly to, like higher than measured real NO3/PO4.

Had a bunch os uvula pop up and a little turf algae, but it has since disappeared. Do have what looks like a small patch of Dino’s on the sand.

 

[JoJosReef]

Had a bunch os uvula pop up and a little turf algae, but it has since disappeared. Do have what looks like a small patch of Dino’s on the sand.

Were you treating the tank with anything to remove the ulva/turf? Or did they go away on their own? Dinos with positive nutrients, in my opinion, are a bit easier to deal with.

 

[Bea3987]

Were you treating the tank with anything to remove the ulva/turf? Or did they go away on their own? Dinos with positive nutrients, in my opinion, are a bit easier to deal with.

They were treated with live stock. Put an urchin in.

 

[JoJosReef]

That's good.

Last set of questions I have for ruling out problems.

1. What is your other livestock: fish, ornamental inverts and CUC?
2. Any pictures of your tank?
3. How are you with bristleworms?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Like others have said turn up the lights, AI Prime is not that strong of a light. IMO should be closer to 70%-80%.

 

[VintageReefer]

You have a 30g with two ai prime 16hd at 25%

I have a 15g tank with a prime 16hd.

My blues and purples are 80% and white is 20%. I leave green, red, and moonlight off.

I’m growing things from the sandbed to the top shelves

Your light is way too low. Increase 10% every 3-4 days and when you get to 70-80% you should be set for corals

 

[Dburr1014]

Like others have said turn up the lights, AI Prime is not that strong of a light. IMO should be closer to 70%-80%.

+1

Go up 10% weekly or 5% every 3 days.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Do you have a picture of your tank? I agree with others that you might need to bump up your light settings and make it stronger

 

[Purpletang92]

Slowly over weeks. Slowly deteriorating then gone. And there LPS that should be easy, use to have these no issue.

do the corals open up at all? is the flesh at the base turning brown and receding?

 

[Lavey29]

Try the free photone app to see what your par is at the water surface.

 

[Pistondog]

So I have been out of the hobby for about a decade and just came back to it. I am a Vet and reef tanks are how I deal with my PTSD. That being said I am loosing corals. I have two prime 16HDs. It is a 30gal nano. Water is well with in normal Limits. All I can think of is the lighting… I do have them turned down, trying to follow advice I watched from WWCs and take my time turning up the lights. But I am having bleaching and browning. I am only 25% on the lights and feel that is really low. Just want to enjoy this like I use too. The Zoas are doing great. The rest not

Feed some reef roids to raise po4, it is too low, may be zero depending on test kit.