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Fading corals

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Reefified, Mar 28, 2011.

  1. Reefified

    Reefified Well-Known ReefKeeper

    386
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    Ok, I have been reading forums for like 4 weeks online and need some input from my club members. Firat off, I have a 120 g display with 40 gallon sump, 2-MP40s, SWC 160 cone skimmer, 4-AI lights, NP pellets, carbon. All my params are in range and the nitrate, nitrite and phosphates are undetectable. I have reasonable fish load, 2 clams, 6 acans, 10 SPS frags. Tank has 2-3 inches larger sand in display, marco rock structure, sump full of rubble rock (all algea either died or removed since NP pellets), use Seachem reef salt, feed Fauna Marine pellets and red algea daily, rotifers every 3 nights, frozen food 2-3 times a week, oyster feast, reef chili and phyto couple times a week. I do 10 gallon water changes weekly, try to maintain stability and leave the tank alone.
    SG=1.025-1.026
    Ca 450-500
    Mg 1290
    Alk 9.6
    temp 77.1-77.2
    I have issues with my acans fading color. They look healthy and show good growth. Another thing is that they are always fat and have their tentacles extended all the time. The SPS are seeing a couple looking great, good extension and color whil a few others are fading and have poor extension.
    I am having a hard time finding a concensus on the AI lighting periods but the consensus seems to be that they are strong lights and should be run starting low (90-50% MAX WHITE). Mine are 12" off the water and are set at max 35w, 45b, 45r. Ramp on from 6 am and ramp down at 9pm.
    What the heck am I doing wrong? Is the lighting causing the fading in the LPS due to kigh intensity? Is my tank too new (4 months old started from marco rock dry)? I assume I don't need more additives since I see awesome tanks with nothing and believe if you can't test for in, don't add it. Trace elements should be adequate since I do regular water changes. Help me regain my sanity.
    Thanks!!!
     
  2. JB Veteran Reefkeeper

    Marion
    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    I'd try and bring your Calcium down to the 420 range and keep your dKh around 9. 500 is on the high side. Anything above 450 isn't optimal.

    I would also start slowly turning up the power on your lights.... AI's are awesome, but they aren't awesome enough that they should be run at 1/2 power on a 120... Maybe on a nano...

    -JB
     
  3. xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

    La Porte City, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,014 / 6 / -0
    Actually you will be surprised at how much the AI's can put out. At 90% power we got a par reading of almost 1500 which is off the charts.

    I would say your water may be too clean. LPS usually likes a little dirties water as they need more food & nutrients. Get some more fish, or feed them more.
     
  4. JB Veteran Reefkeeper

    Marion
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    +3 / 0 / -0
    Craig,

    How were you measuring with the PAR meter? I'd be interested to know what the PAR reading is 24" off the center of the fixture.

    -JB
     
  5. xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

    La Porte City, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,014 / 6 / -0
    I will measure when we get our new ones in this week. Right now we have them mounted 6 inches off the water.
     
  6. Andy The Reef Guy

    Andy The Reef Guy Inactive User

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    It does sound like a light problem, I had similar issues that developed slowly over the course of a year when I was using 400watt mhs on my 120. But I'm also curious, what test kit are you using for phosphate?
     
  7. slovan

    slovan Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I agree with Craig on adding more fish and feeding more. Nitrates and phosphate doesn't have to be at 0 either; I find it better to have some than not at all.
     
  8. Reefified

    Reefified Well-Known ReefKeeper

    386
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    I have my lights 12" off the water surface, which is about 32" off the sand bed. From all the forums and emails I have sent and read on the other national forums and websites, the consensus is that 35-45% intensity is about as high as anyone seems to be running at this time. A lot of people are having fading and burning/bleaching with the lights. I have the intensity dialed down to the 35% max white and the frags that were bought over a week ago from JB, placed about 20" from the light, are doing great. Good extension and color. These are the cali tort and the hawkins blue echinata. THE LPS were in there with the lights at 60 or so max and may just need time to recover/adjust. The othe SPS that faded will have to see over time as well. One thing that is wierd to me is how extended the acans "tentacles", flangella or whatever they are called seem to be ALL THE TIME. I mean these guys are open and look like they would late at night during feeding in my old tank.

    I feed less than I should, so I can increase that. Craig, get me some more of my wish list fish and I will buy em. I don't realy add supplements like amino acids, Zoebak or anything but do have Coralvite and Seachem amino acid stuff if needed. I do run the NP pellets in my reactor and check with the Salifert test kits. I have to believe my tank too. I have little to no nuesiance algea growth anywhere. I literally only scrape the glass out of habit. So regardless, doesn't appear to be excess nutient buildup. If it isn't the light intensity, it may just be lack of food for the little guys. Are they like baby birds always open for the worm?

    Thanks everyone. Lets get the minds turning here and solve this.
     
  9. xroads Veteran Reefkeeper Vendor

    La Porte City, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,014 / 6 / -0
    That is the challenge of keeping a mixed reef.

    LPS come from hazy nutrient rich waters, vs SPS comes from clear crystal waters.

    I think your LPS is starving & reaching out for as much food as possible. I would try to target feed them some thawed frozen food & see what happens.
     
  10. Reefified

    Reefified Well-Known ReefKeeper

    386
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    Update all,
    Fed the acans last night with a mix of fauna marin energy pellets, full spectrum pellets soaked in oyster feast and seachem reef plus with a little phyto mix. Already today they are fat, puffy and don't look "starved" with their flangelia/tentacles all out. I can see their colors better, still not brilliant though. I will keep this up for a few every other day for a while. I also lowered the light intensity to 35/45/45 for a while and will watch closely. I have a set of frags coming from WWC next week so I want to get everyone settled in before I start doing to many things different. I will keep everyone posted.
    In the meantime, I am looking for some cool fish additions to the 120. Right now I have a powder blue tang, achilles tang, midas blenny, pair of black clowns, royal gamma, 6 line, leopard wrasse, yahashi goby (only seen one time, may be missing) ble/green chromis. I want a flaming prawn goby and a trio of some cool anthias, open to suggestions. Anyone with some neat, reef friendly fish, please suggest. I love feedback and input. Thanks to all who are responding and/or following along.
     
  11. AJ

    AJ Inactive User

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    One other thing Chad, I looked at your params and your alk is 9.6 which is too high if you are using biopellets. You should shoot for 7 to 8. I don't know all of the science or exact reasons behind it, but I've been told by numerous people that if you have your alk much higher than 8.5 when using biopellets that you will get "burnt" tips on your SPS and it will stunt growth.

    See here: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php section called Burnt Tips about 2/3 of the way down. This article discusses it in relation to vodka dosing, but vodka/biopellets are essentially the same thing.

    --AJ
     

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