Question Corals not growing/dieing What to do?

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

What a mess. Got a par meter and if it’s correct the Radions are crap at PAR

Attached is a drawing of the tank and readings. AB+. ( all LEDS on)

40%
60%
80%
100%

Will test again tomorrow but this is not good for there Holt Grail lights.

 

[Geraud]

These seem very low indeed. How high are the Radion hanging? What kind of measures do you get at the surface of the water? Is that with the glass cover on?

My XR30 Gen4 pro are at 9", and at 72% AB+ I get 200 PAR under 14" of water (on the sand)

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Using the RMS mounts. The lights measure 7 inches to the glass and the water is 1-2 inches below that.

These are XR 15 blues (g5 left and g6 right)

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Measured some more. And including pulling the glass tops. What a difference.

Readings are AB+. All channels 100
40%
60%
80%
100%
85% no glass

 

[Harif87]

Nice! Now you're getting somewhere! The first group of readings were definitely not enough to support much of any coral growth.

The 2nd group of readings still seem low for radions. I was getting 320 PAR with my kessil A360x. While I havent tested PAR yet, since I installed radions, coral growth and coloration has been significantly better than when I had under Kessils, which means they're that much stronger. It doesn't seem right that at 100% you're only getting 320 at your highest point.

How far below the water line is the top of your aquascape?

Regardless, you're well into the PAR zone for softies and LPS with the glass top off.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Top of the rock is ~10 inches below the water surface. Lights are 9 inches over the water

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

So 1 week no glass. Brown film algae over glass.

And topoff went from 4 gallons a week to 10 gallons. Need to redesign the topoff

 

[Juliet2]

I agree with doing an ICP test, and adding/changing carbon. Be careful that the huge water change you're planing doesn't change the parameters drastically suddenly.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

We’ll tank went the other way as Ulva algae has covered most of the LR and sand.

Corals are the same - Zoas that were dying are about gone. Coraline about gone.

My guess was not enough light and now lighting getting into the tank has nuked the tank into a swamp.

Have to find a solution or tank will be on the curb shortly.

 

[Geraud]

We’ll tank went the other way as Ulva algae has covered most of the LR and sand.

Corals are the same - Zoas that were dying are about gone. Coraline about gone.

My guess was not enough light and now lighting getting into the tank has nuked the tank into a swamp.

Have to find a solution or tank will be on the curb shortly.

How many days did you increase the light intensity over? Or was it just "remove the glass top and that's it"?

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Acclimated from 50 to 85 over 30 day schedule after I pulled the glass tops.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Added a pincushion urchin. Started eating the algae and coraline as well. Corals still fading away. Going to let it go for another month with no adjustments and if no improvement then i will tear it down and put it all in the curb.

 

[coinzman2]

Corals never took off and most fade away. A few mushrooms, Zoas, Zoas are starting to look better.

Fish are fine
2 ocellaris clownfish
Flame hawkfish
melunaras wrasse
2 flame cardinal fish
Splendid psuedochromis


To/di. Meter says 0. I change the DI resin it once I see it increase.

I would add more fish, Tangs for sure.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Over the past few months we have added a blue eye Kole tang. Does not touch the algae. Also added a cleaner wrasse.

My predictions are the Ulva (sea lettuce) algae will overtake the whole tank in a month smothering the few corals left.

The spots the urchin did clear are already being covered up with this algae.

Maybe I am better with the glass tops and not have this algae mess and forget corals. Now I have no coral growth, and a swamp.

 

[coinzman2]

Salfin eats it by the pound. I would have a swamp also if not for the CUC and the 8" Salfin tang, what he cant get at the emerald crabs eat. Don't give up, learn how to deal with the problems, you are in the proving grounds. Think about this, I received this green gift 3 years in on a torch coral I purchased after dipping and cleaning. Starting over is not always the answer. NO SURRENDER

 

[Harif87]

IMHO this is great news. Algae problems are alot more straightforward to deal with than the problems you had before. Now you're dealing with straight up water chemistry.

What are you feeding your fish? I found that when I switched to pellets from frozen foods, algae exploded in my tank and I switched back.

Do you have any chaeto in your sump? If not, I would suggest getting some ASAP.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

I feed frozen Mysis. I put some Cheeto in the refugium area of the sump.

The corals are still fading away but algae has taken over.

The pincushion urchin does eat some of the algae and coraline but A few days later it’s covered in algae again.

This tank is just not to be.