I've had my 125G reef running for 3-1/2 years and for most of that time....successfully. During last summer (2010) I had some problems with A) the regulator on my CO2 tank for my calc reactor and B) my pH probe...combined with the fact that it WAS THE SUMMER!! This lead to some wild swings in my alk which I battled to correct but eventually did using 2 part solution.
For the last few months some of my caps and SPS are bleaching out and dying, some of my SPS?s have tissue that is receding from the edges, and some of my zoas are not thriving as much as they previously did or are just remaining closed when they had been doing fine for years. Other zoas and SPS?s in my tank are doing just fine, but generally speaking I don?t appear to be having the same growth that I have had in the past. Also just to mention, my clowns, tangs, wrasses, and gobies are all doing just fine.
First let me describe my system, I'll try to be as complete as possible because I hate when posters forget key facts that could help diagnose their problem. As mentioned above, my display is a 125 gallon bare bottom with 3x250 MH bulbs and 3 Tunze streams on a controller and a Wahoo return pump. I rotate the bulbs out yearly being careful to adjust light periods when the bulbs are new. I am running a Bermuda Aquatic 3C skimmer, an MRC Calc Reactor, Phosban reactor, carbon, filter socks changed weekly, Chiller to keep temp below 81 degrees, 60 gallon sump, 30 gallon fuge with DSB and Chaeto, (fuge also acts as a frag tank). I?m running a RKE controller to keep all devices in line and controlled. Using RO/DI water with 15 gal changes pretty much every week. I feed the tank 2 to 3 times per week with food and toss in BRS Reef Chili once or twice a week at night.
Here are my current tank parameters:
SG 1.025 Mag 1420
Calc 490 Temp 79.8
pH 8.38 NO3 0
Alk 9.6 PO4 0
For the first two years my tank was fairly bulletproof, most of my SPS?s and zoa?s flourished. At that time my Calcium level was keeping stable at around 320-360 and I always wanted it to be higher. After much trial and error my problem was caused by not having a consistent higher level of Mg. I had been adding liquid Mg but could never be consistent with it. At the beginning of this year I purchased a dosing pump for my Mg and from that point on I?ve been keeping a steady 1400-1500 level. Little by little I am tweaking the pump to bring it eventually down to 1350. As soon as I started using the pump for the Mg my calcium stayed consistent in the 500 range and my Alk stayed consistent 9.6-10.0.
As I stated above, I had swings in Alk from 7 to 13dKH during this past summer, but since 1/1/11 my parameters have been fairly consistent with the charted values above.
Two of my very large caps (green and grape), bleached out and died, and not just in my display tank but also frags of the same species in my fuge also bleached. Some Acros that I have are bleaching in spots and the spots are spreading. I do not see any infestation of any kind of worms upon inspection. Overall I do not see the different colored tips of my acros showing new growth.
I know this is a bit lengthy, but would appreciate any help that someone could provide as to why my corals are not thriving.
Thanks!
For the last few months some of my caps and SPS are bleaching out and dying, some of my SPS?s have tissue that is receding from the edges, and some of my zoas are not thriving as much as they previously did or are just remaining closed when they had been doing fine for years. Other zoas and SPS?s in my tank are doing just fine, but generally speaking I don?t appear to be having the same growth that I have had in the past. Also just to mention, my clowns, tangs, wrasses, and gobies are all doing just fine.
First let me describe my system, I'll try to be as complete as possible because I hate when posters forget key facts that could help diagnose their problem. As mentioned above, my display is a 125 gallon bare bottom with 3x250 MH bulbs and 3 Tunze streams on a controller and a Wahoo return pump. I rotate the bulbs out yearly being careful to adjust light periods when the bulbs are new. I am running a Bermuda Aquatic 3C skimmer, an MRC Calc Reactor, Phosban reactor, carbon, filter socks changed weekly, Chiller to keep temp below 81 degrees, 60 gallon sump, 30 gallon fuge with DSB and Chaeto, (fuge also acts as a frag tank). I?m running a RKE controller to keep all devices in line and controlled. Using RO/DI water with 15 gal changes pretty much every week. I feed the tank 2 to 3 times per week with food and toss in BRS Reef Chili once or twice a week at night.
Here are my current tank parameters:
SG 1.025 Mag 1420
Calc 490 Temp 79.8
pH 8.38 NO3 0
Alk 9.6 PO4 0
For the first two years my tank was fairly bulletproof, most of my SPS?s and zoa?s flourished. At that time my Calcium level was keeping stable at around 320-360 and I always wanted it to be higher. After much trial and error my problem was caused by not having a consistent higher level of Mg. I had been adding liquid Mg but could never be consistent with it. At the beginning of this year I purchased a dosing pump for my Mg and from that point on I?ve been keeping a steady 1400-1500 level. Little by little I am tweaking the pump to bring it eventually down to 1350. As soon as I started using the pump for the Mg my calcium stayed consistent in the 500 range and my Alk stayed consistent 9.6-10.0.
As I stated above, I had swings in Alk from 7 to 13dKH during this past summer, but since 1/1/11 my parameters have been fairly consistent with the charted values above.
Two of my very large caps (green and grape), bleached out and died, and not just in my display tank but also frags of the same species in my fuge also bleached. Some Acros that I have are bleaching in spots and the spots are spreading. I do not see any infestation of any kind of worms upon inspection. Overall I do not see the different colored tips of my acros showing new growth.
I know this is a bit lengthy, but would appreciate any help that someone could provide as to why my corals are not thriving.
Thanks!
