Reef Discussion

[mcs]

Nitrate: Unreadable
Phosphate: Unreadable (binded in algae)
Alkalinity: 6.7
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1400
Filtration Method/ Nutrient Export? 130D filter with media rack, using marine pure and some phosban.
Also a skimmer.

Lighting?
LED

I have had issues with my sps corals for some time, I lost alot due to trying to eradicate my algae.

Whatever i have left generally doesn't look all that fantastic.

The very odd thing is i have been doing weekly water changes with NSW since i started the tank.

If i hold out on a waterchange for over 2 weeks, i actually start to see colours coming back into the corals, and this puzzles me as i thought that would actually make it worse lol.

Anyone have any input on what could be happening why is it that the corals seem to start to come back to life after i stop water changes.

 

[Lesley]

just a thought and probably a long shot but the only reason I can think that its worse after a water change is maybe the swings are too great ?
If you don't change I suppose you have more Stability with your numbers ? If water isnt being matched exactly the same ?
I know if I have swings my sps hates me, also when we do a change a lot of the sps is out of the water for a while and they seem to slime up and lose a bit of color for a few days.
Other than that I cant think of any reason, because your right it seems strange :)

 

[holly]

Are they still growing?

 

[mcs]

Being so little corals in there, my numbers don't really drop very significantly through the week, so that's why it is puzzling me, as im buying water from the same place, and i tested both tank and nsw, only about 10-20ppm change over the week.

 

[mcs]

Are they still growing?

One is growing well, but its a pocci so it just endures everything, i have a dallas frag that was almost bleached, but is slowly coming back, and its actually the one colouring up quickest when i don't change water.

 

[holly]

One is growing well, but its a pocci so it just endures everything, i have a dallas frag that was almost bleached, but is slowly coming back, and its actually the one colouring up quickest when i don't change water.

Only thing I can think of is your numbers are too low, and if you're not feeding the tank there may not be enough energy in the water for the corals to use. If a Dallas is bleaching you might be taking out too much of something....perhaps change your routine to fortnightly changes and see how the corals respond. If they are telling you they don't like these water changes then listen to them and see where things go. If you can get a more accurate test kit you could see where exactly the numbers are. 0 phosphate and nitrate aren't ideal for sps colour but the levels that are idea are pretty hard to measure using api

 

[slin1977]

Potassium should be checked too mate.
After recommending potassium to a LFS during conversation upon retuning a few weeks later .... He has way better and stronger coral colours than me and he is running very basic LED

Also try removing phosphate removal media for a bit.

 

[mcs]

Only thing I can think of is your numbers are too low, and if you're not feeding the tank there may not be enough energy in the water for the corals to use. If a Dallas is bleaching you might be taking out too much of something....perhaps change your routine to fortnightly changes and see how the corals respond. If they are telling you they don't like these water changes then listen to them and see where things go. If you can get a more accurate test kit you could see where exactly the numbers are. 0 phosphate and nitrate aren't ideal for sps colour but the levels that are idea are pretty hard to measure using api

Numbers are as listed whatever my nsw is coming in as. reason the dallas was bleached was due to more drastic measures i took to try and combat hair algae, so it was not due to parameters. I have 2 fish in there which i feed lightly due to trying to make sure i do not contribute to the algae issues. There is phosphate, i believe it is leaching from my rocks but are reading 0 due to binding in the algae. i used every kit and a hanna checker.

Potassium should be checked too mate.
After recommending potassium to a LFS during conversation upon retuning a few weeks later .... He has way better and stronger coral colours than me and he is running very basic LED

Also try removing phosphate removal media for a bit.

The phosphate media is actually recent, so it has not had any part in what has been going on, its only there to hopefully get rid of any phosphates before they get to the algae, or get some of it anyway.

Coral colours actually get better as i leave it for longer, that's why i'm stumped as to why water changes would cause me issues.

Should mention i also use rodi for evap.

 

[Agent M]

How much water are you changing at a time? A lot of the SPS guys are doing 5% weekly changes I have noticed.

 

[mcs]

That could be my issues, i was doing large water changes thinking it would be the way to go, was changing around 20% weekly.

 

[slin1977]

I think the media might be too aggressive removing phosphate , it's my opinion that your Phos should aim to read 0.03 to 0.05

 

[mcs]

I think the media might be too aggressive removing phosphate , it's my opinion that your Phos should aim to read 0.03 to 0.05

Without any media end up with hair algae going absolutely bananas.

First world problems here lol.

 

[slin1977]

Without any media end up with hair algae going absolutely bananas.

First world problems here lol.

Yap my tank is going crazy with hair algae .... But I never thought it possible , I am finally winning the battle.
That hair algae is the hardest thing to beat.
May have found the cure, zeovit products bio mate and snow.

 

[Ziggy]

If you're doing 20% water changes, are you heating the water before it goes in? If not, a 20% wc would probably change the temp significantly too I suspect.

 

[mcs]

Yap my tank is going crazy with hair algae .... But I never thought it possible , I am finally winning the battle.
That hair algae is the hardest thing to beat.
May have found the cure, zeovit products bio mate and snow.

Are you using the zeolites and everything?

 

[Agent M]

That could be my issues, i was doing large water changes thinking it would be the way to go, was changing around 20% weekly.

I'm not suggesting the larger water changes are in itself the problem, just that its something you can try.
If you find that when you do a water change it is causing it, then what is it about how you are doing the water change that is causing the problem? Or what is it about how you are managing the water quality in the tank that causes shock to the corals when a water change is done?

Technically you should be able to do a 100% water change if you are keeping parameters close to natural sea water. We take corals from ocean to holding tank to home aquarium to other people's home aquariums no worries and just dump them in, especially if dry shipped.

And as for temperature, if you think about it, we quite happily ship corals in mild weather without having to keep the temperature bang on tank conditions, they tolerate a range of temps in transit as long as its not going on for too long or too extreme.

Other question is what 2 fish do you have that you are feeding lightly, and have they taken matters into their own hands, hehe ;)

Checked SPS for pests?

 

[slin1977]

Zeolites passive / getting reactor for zeolites this week.
You don't need the zeolites.... But I think it helps a lot .

 

[mcs]

I'm not suggesting the larger water changes are in itself the problem, just that its something you can try.
If you find that when you do a water change it is causing it, then what is it about how you are doing the water change that is causing the problem? Or what is it about how you are managing the water quality in the tank that causes shock to the corals when a water change is done?

Technically you should be able to do a 100% water change if you are keeping parameters close to natural sea water. We take corals from ocean to holding tank to home aquarium to other people's home aquariums no worries and just dump them in, especially if dry shipped.

And as for temperature, if you think about it, we quite happily ship corals in mild weather without having to keep the temperature bang on tank conditions, they tolerate a range of temps in transit as long as its not going on for too long or too extreme.

Other question is what 2 fish do you have that you are feeding lightly, and have they taken matters into their own hands, hehe ;)

Checked SPS for pests?

yeah has me puzzled, oh well its all good, ill try and cut the waterchanges to smaller ones for now, might help.
2 fish are just a small occie pair.

Yeah never seen any pests on the corals, also dipped them and never got any odd creatures falling off.

Cheers Mark~