Struggling

[Biznizface]

Hi my tank been going just over two years now and am still struggling to get my sps frags growing and colouring up.

Everything stable for ages now sometimes probably been a bit nutrient limited especially PO4 but am now getting at least two frozen cubes in a day now.

Have a few frags that based out and now do nothing, no colour and no PE, some frags have colour I have a SSC with good colour but no PE also a Miyagi tort looking good.

have been ramping my light for ages I have a reefbreeder v2 I think you guys in the states call them.

I run 6 hours peak with a bit of ramping either side.

Blues are 67% peak, white 16%, red and green 10%.

Here is one coral was a nice tri-colour stag when I got it but looks dead now has no PE and brown patches on top can see in photo, much like all my other frags.

Can anyone give me some help to try and get things sorted out ?!

Tanks volume is 3ft approx 200 litres.

Thanks.

 

[dave57]

What are your parameters at? Have you tested your lighting as far as par? How much flow do you have in your system? Might have bugs in the tank.

 

[Biznizface]

What are your parameters at? Have you tested your lighting as far as par? How much flow do you have in your system? Might have bugs in the tank.

All parameters are good and I get ICP test regular have a bit of Tin but not enough to worry about.

Have two mp10’s and a rw8 for flow.

Par I’ve tested it was over 300 pretty much everywhere

 

[jda]

I am not seeing a bunch of coralline in the tank. If the tank is young(ish), then you just might have to wait. If the coralline gets going like crazy, and the acros are not taking off, then that is room for concern.

Eventually, you will probably want to add some T5s to your V2... nearly everybody see tremendous benefit who keep a lot of acropora but not so much for other SPS.

 

[speedstar]

I am not seeing a bunch of coralline in the tank. If the tank is young(ish), then you just might have to wait. If the coralline gets going like crazy, and the acros are not taking off, then that is room for concern.

Eventually, you will probably want to add some T5s to your V2... nearly everybody see tremendous benefit who keep a lot of acropora but not so much for other SPS.

he said it was 2 years old, so something seems off with the lack of coralline.

OP how long has that been your lighting schedule?

 

[Biznizface]

I am not seeing a bunch of coralline in the tank. If the tank is young(ish), then you just might have to wait. If the coralline gets going like crazy, and the acros are not taking off, then that is room for concern.

Eventually, you will probably want to add some T5s to your V2... nearly everybody see tremendous benefit who keep a lot of acropora but not so much for other SPS.

The coralline did start slowly but yeah lately it’s gone a bit.
Have had a bit of tufty algae smothering the coralline but ICP said was po4 limited.
Not sure I wanna get more light my LPS don’t like this power now.

 

[Biznizface]

he said it was 2 years old, so something seems off with the lack of coralline.

OP how long has that been your lighting schedule?

I got this light on the tank in April had ai primes before.
I’ve got the power up to 67% on blues now over a few months starting at 40% like reef breeders suggest.
Just not sure it’s as powerful or too powerful I’m not sure.
Do you think coral in my original post is dead ?
I par tested with a seneye and I got 300+ more or less everywhere just running out of ideas lately

 

[Biznizface]

Here is my latest ICP test.

You might have to click flag at top to translate it.

Link >> https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/publicAnalysis/24626

Low salinity which I adjusted but other than not much po4 i can’t see nothing to worry about.

 

[TexasTodd]

Nutrients look a little low.
How high are the lights above the water surface? Best with this light is about 18".
Especially at a lower height, 67% is probably too high. I think 300 PAR at corals with this fixture is also too high. But others may disagree. I have this fixture but can only get it 7" off the water. I've backed down from 48% on blues to 40% and corals seem better. Running reds and greens at 12% and white at 9%. But have added a couple of light bars front and back to cut shading. Orphek OR light bars.

 

[Biznizface]

Nutrients look a little low.
How high are the lights above the water surface? Best with this light is about 18".
Especially at a lower height, 67% is probably too high. I think 300 PAR at corals with this fixture is also too high. But others may disagree. I have this fixture but can only get it 7" off the water. I've backed down from 48% on blues to 40% and corals seem better. Running reds and greens at 12% and white at 9%. But have added a couple of light bars front and back to cut shading. Orphek OR light bars.

It’s 8 inches off water surface this is what reefbreeders recommend.

 

[TexasTodd]

Do some searches on R2R. Best success has been higher..18-20".
If you can't raise it, I'd lower the intensity slowing and watch. Maybe 10% every week or two....ten percent, not 10 points.

 

[Biznizface]

Do some searches on R2R. Best success has been higher..18-20".
If you can't raise it, I'd lower the intensity slowing and watch. Maybe 10% every week or two....ten percent, not 10 points.

I find it hard to turn the lights down when I think it could be not enough light

 

[Reefer40b]

I ran this light with 50% peak on blues on a 3 foot 4ob, 8in off the water. I think your cooking them a little too much with it at 67%.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

how often are you testing your alk? I used to test mine like every two weeks and was often going... oops, that is a little low or that is a little high.

my tank was younger at the time, but my sps never really took off. About 2 months ago I added another power head and started testing alk every day at the same time.

with the steady alk..and maybe more flow they have all become quite happy.

 

[Biznizface]

how often are you testing your alk? I used to test mine like every two weeks and was often going... oops, that is a little low or that is a little high.

my tank was younger at the time, but my sps never really took off. About 2 months ago I added another power head and started testing alk every day at the same time.

with the steady alk..and maybe more flow they have all become quite happy.

My alk doesn’t move always been around 8-8.5.
Two mp10’s going full power and an rw8 is probably to much flow so can’t be that

 

[Biznizface]

I ran this light with 50% peak on blues on a 3 foot 4ob, 8in off the water. I think your cooking them a little too much with it at 67%.

It pains me to turn light power down.

I’ve seen a tank with amazing sps and he runs 100% blues and 50% whites.

 

[jda]

You will not want to hear this, but you have to keep the Photon V2 low or else it can harm corals. ...not because of high quantity, but from low quality. You just cannot go to 300-400 PAR with them without coral oft suffering. If your friend is running a Photon, then he is the only one that I have heard of that can do that - if it is a different kind of panel, then OK since not all of them burn coral and can be turned up higher. There are posts all over the web about the V2 and having to keep them low. This is why people add T5s to them or have moved on to other lights.

 

[BestMomEver]

I run blue, violet, and ultraviolet at 100%. The whites are at 60% and red/green at 15%. I have different brand (but similar) lights and I don’t know how high your lights are mounted or how deep your corals are in the water, but i would bet that you would have better luck if you turned your blues up higher. The Radion schedule for best growth has blue/violet/uv running full on for 6 hours a day so I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be applicable for other fixtures.

 

[Biznizface]

I run blue, violet, and ultraviolet at 100%. The whites are at 60% and red/green at 15%. I have different brand (but similar) lights and I don’t know how high your lights are mounted or how deep your corals are in the water, but i would bet that you would have better luck if you turned your blues up higher. The Radion schedule for best growth has blue/violet/uv running full on for 6 hours a day so I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be applicable for other fixtures.

Light is 8 inch from water surface and corals are another approx 8 inches lower

 

[TexasTodd]

The height above water REALLY matters. You can run high but you need it 18"+ above water.
Let us know what you do and how it turns out.