Help SPS always turning white in my tank

[J-Knight]

I cant seem to keep sps in my tank everything else seems to grow and flourish any suggestions

Tank:
20 gallon nuvo

Setup:
2 ai prime hds
Mp10
Gfo reactor

Tests:
Calcium 425
Dkh 8.7
Mag 1350
Ph 7.8
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Salinity 1.027
Phosphate 0

Maintenance:
Weekly 5 gallon water changes

Tank age:
10 months old

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[ZANYMASTER]

What lighting are you using and where are you placing them?PH is kind of low plus your GFO reactor is probably removing phosphates too rapidly.

 

[J-Knight]

What lighting are you using and where are you placing them?PH is kind of low plus your GFO reactor is probably removing phosphates too rapidly.

2 ai primes and using acclimation at 50% when putting them in tank


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[duke62]

Small tank. What are you doing to keep your alk, cal and mag stable? Daily dosing is great for lps and softies but sps don?t like any swings .

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Those lights are strong so I would start with a birdsnest and place it on the bottom and follow the progress and bring it up after 2 weeks

 

[anthonys51]

I don?t think ai primes are that strong

Honestly if your are testing correct then your nutrients are too low
You don?t want zero nitrates and phosphates

It?s debatable but most people shoot from 2-10 on nitrates and .02-.10 on phosphates


I would start with taking the Gfo offline
Also do you have a hob protein skimmer. I would add one if you don?t have one. It helps increase ph a little


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[J-Knight]

I have the prime hds and only a 20 gallon so I don?t believe light strength is the problem i have a tunze 9001 skimmer running ill try and cut off the gfo


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[anthonys51]

Also how often are you testing and with what test kits

Ps very little reason to test ammonia and nitrites in an established tank. There shouldn?t be any


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[J-Knight]

Api for ph (getting a probe for my apex this week)
Salifert for Ca Mg Dkh

Api for rest


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[anthonys51]

Before your take Gfo offline. You might want to get another test kit for phosphates and nitrate. API isn?t great test kit. They might not actually be zero

Also are you dosing.

Also how often do you test. Do you test before and after water change. How big was water change again


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[J-Knight]

Do 5 gallon (25% water change every week)
Not dosing as of yet will test again after water change today

What do you suggest for test kits


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[anthonys51]

I use Red Sea for nitrate and Milwaukee digital for phosphates

The digital is a little expensive but I can?t tell the difference on salifert and Red Sea phosphates test kits so I went with digital. On the nitrates it?s hard to tell color too but the digital isn?t that accurate in nitrates anyway imo

Also I would start testing alk every other day. Alk being stable is the most important aspect for sps

Also 25 percent water change is very big imo you run the risk of the water change water being a lot different levels of your tank water with such a big change. I understand it?s only 5 gallons. So be sure to test the wAter change water to make sure levels are close to tank water


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[J-Knight]

Thanks I appreciate the help


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[anthonys51]

Also didn?t see if you had an auto top off. If you don?t have one Topping off to infrequent can cause stress on your corals too


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[J-Knight]

Yea i have smart ato mini for autotop


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[bonomo53]

Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
You're starving your sps. I would take the GFO offline as mentioned above. Also feed more;you want a little nitrate and Phosphate.

 

[piranhapat]

How long has the tank be running.? Second did you start with live rock or dry rock? Third do you have coralline algae growing?

 

[J-Knight]

How long has the tank be running.? Second did you start with live rock or dry rock? Third do you have coralline algae growing?

Tank has been running almost a year dry rock and yes i have coralline algae growing


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