If sps are losing the color of its skin does it mean I need more nutrients? (1 Viewer)

[Luman01]

Just a quick general question everyone could prob benefit from. I know there’s a thread on here we a lot of people discussed this. But I’m to lazy to look for it lol

so I know there’s a saying if you have low alk then high nutrients and vice Versa? Am I right or wrong? And dmuch Does lighting affect those variables?

Reason why I ask is cause I have 2 acros that where doing amazing for the past month, then all the sudden I saw that the tips had a brown stringy algae on ( I am having this algae on my sand bed recently) then I notice last night that on those 2 acros the polyps are out but the skin is turning white.

I think it’s a combo of both lights and nutrients
I run 4 t5s (3 blue plus and 1 attinic) and 2 hydra 26hds pushing 100% on royal blue, blue 65% on violet 30% on uv 15% max on white and none red and green. I only run the t5s for 4 hrs I think. And ask far as parameters I haven’t checked the all of them. But alk as of yesterday was 8.0dkh and I’ll be checking the rest today.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Lucas

 

[Reefahholic]

I could be a lot of things. To me it sounds like it may be your lights (too low), low nutrients, or a possible swing. What are your parameters?

I would bring up the Reds and Greens on your LED's to at least 15%. Bring up your whites to at least 20-30%. Bring up your Violet and UV to 100%. Run your T5's Longer. Of course do all this slowly about 5-10% weekly until you hit the target. Have you PAR tested your tank? If not, I highly recommend you do it.

What is your total DLI/ total photo period?

 

[Luman01]

So I tested today, I used saliferts, No3 is at 0 ppm and Po4 is in between 0-0.03ppm. And alk is at 8.1. tomorrow I’ll have to check the po4 with the Hanna to see what it actually is. I’m sure I’m gonna have to increase my nitrates right?

Ok I added 30 mins to time on my T5 man I love my apex. How many hrs should I be running my T5s. Also it’s about time I replace them I got 2 blue plus and an attinic. Thinking of changing at least 2 bulbs tomorrow. If that’s a good idea. Ill go ahead and give it a try on the leds.

And also I think it’s worth to mention I still have them on a frag rack about 3in of the sand bed tomorrow they will get bumped up another inch or 2 during my wc. I have a 40 breeder and my scape goes up pretty high so I have the lights 16in above the surface of the water. And lastly I haven’t done a par test on this tank at all I think.So I need to do that here soon.

but on a good note (knock on wood)I clipped the tips one of the acros And it’s growing back just noticed it today!

 

[Bullitt519]

If your tips have algae you probably burnt them. Either alk swing or to high alk with to low nutrients. I’m no pro but maybe look into it.

 

[Reefahholic]

So I tested today, I used saliferts, No3 is at 0 ppm and Po4 is in between 0-0.03ppm. And alk is at 8.1. tomorrow I’ll have to check the po4 with the Hanna to see what it actually is. I’m sure I’m gonna have to increase my nitrates right?

Ok I added 30 mins to time on my T5 man I love my apex. How many hrs should I be running my T5s. Also it’s about time I replace them I got 2 blue plus and an attinic. Thinking of changing at least 2 bulbs tomorrow. If that’s a good idea. Ill go ahead and give it a try on the leds.

And also I think it’s worth to mention I still have them on a frag rack about 3in of the sand bed tomorrow they will get bumped up another inch or 2 during my wc. I have a 40 breeder and my scape goes up pretty high so I have the lights 16in above the surface of the water. And lastly I haven’t done a par test on this tank at all I think.So I need to do that here soon.

but on a good note (knock on wood)I clipped the tips one of the acros And it’s growing back just noticed it today!

It's the low NO3 Luman01 and the PO4 is rock bottom. You're lighting probably isn't helping. Changing the blubs is a good idea if you do not know the date. I write the dates on the ends of mine with black marker.

Loudwolf Store

Loudwolf Store

www.loudwolf.com

 

[Reefahholic]

If your tips have algae you probably burnt them. Either alk swing or to high alk with to low nutrients. I’m no pro but maybe look into it.

It is possible it was an Alk swing, but Judging by the lighting numbers I highly doubt he burnt the tips. His Alk is low at 8 dKH and His lighting isn't crazy intense.

 

[Reefahholic]

16" above the water is really high for T5's. So your main lighting with the hydra 26's and those settings did not burn the tips. I'm going with alk swing and zero NO3.

 

[Cody]

I got $20 on low nutrients.

 

[i_am_poor]

Show us some pictures and leave your lighting alone. A bleached, stressed coral isn’t going to like the increase in light intensity.

 

[Reefahholic]

Show us some pictures and leave your lighting alone. A bleached, stressed coral isn’t going to like the increase in light intensity.

What if the bleached stressed coral is bleaching/stressing from low light? Then what?

 

[Reefahholic]

I got $20 on low nutrients.

I second that, but up it to $30. I'll put $20 on the lights.

 

[Cody]

What if the bleached stressed coral is bleaching/stressing from low light? Then what?

Have you ever bleached a coral with low lights?

 

[Reefahholic]

I had this little guy sitting in about 150 PAR. It didn’t do anything for a long time. No PE and as soon as I bumped the lights up and changed bulbs...it got some nice PE for what it is and then sprouted another tip. You can’t see it- it’s just behind this one on the opposite side.

 

[Reefahholic]

Have you ever bleached a coral with low lights?

Yes I have. I had an anemone that was struggling. Gigantea to be specific. He didn't like the high light because when I got him he was bleached.

I turned my lights down a lot. I thought I was at 150 PAR. Turned out....I was at 80!!!!! I was having issues with a few acros that were lower in the tank.

So yes...Acro's definitely need and like a lot of light. Most of them anyway.

 

[Luman01]

so To be quite far as of Monday I haven’t checked my stats in idk 2 months everything was going fine so I diddnt feel a need to. And recently we did switch salts 1 month ago, and I’ve been doing kalk in my Ato and weekly wc. Some times I forget to mix a new batch of kalk water and my tank goes a day or so without top off so I’m guessing that is causing a lot of instability. I’ve set a reminder to mix a new batch every week or so and have it ready to do a quick switch.
As far as salts went from Buying water at ola to tropic Marin pro. I think it’s closer to natural levels in 7 dkh I think I forgot but I know it’s not crazy high. And before we switched my alk was at 9 or so and I diddnt have sps only a clam and softies. I got a new update vid on the tank coming out this weekend but tomorrow I can snap a few pics of it. I can use my new tube extenders I got. Makes a not so macro lens hella macro .

 

[Luman01]

I got $20 on low nutrients.

Need to get this stuff figured out so I can come by and get my Millie frag YOU promised me! Legit my dream sps and I’m not tryna kill it so as soon as I see exponential growth and stability then I’m go get it. But first I gotta get stable again.

 

[Luman01]

@Reefahholic im guessing that sodium nitrate stuff I use to bring up my nitrates? How do I use that stuff? And what should I be shooting for?

 

[Cody]

Need to get this stuff figured out so I can come by and get my Millie frag YOU promised me! Legit my dream sps and I’m not tryna kill it so as soon as I see exponential growth and stability then I’m go get it. But first I gotta get stable again.

Get your stuff up and running then come get some. Its finally recovering well.

 

[Reefahholic]

so To be quite far as of Monday I haven’t checked my stats in idk 2 months everything was going fine so I diddnt feel a need to. And recently we did switch salts 1 month ago, and I’ve been doing kalk in my Ato and weekly wc. Some times I forget to mix a new batch of kalk water and my tank goes a day or so without top off so I’m guessing that is causing a lot of instability. I’ve set a reminder to mix a new batch every week or so and have it ready to do a quick switch.
As far as salts went from Buying water at ola to tropic Marin pro. I think it’s closer to natural levels in 7 dkh I think I forgot but I know it’s not crazy high. And before we switched my alk was at 9 or so and I diddnt have sps only a clam and softies. I got a new update vid on the tank coming out this weekend but tomorrow I can snap a few pics of it. I can use my new tube extenders I got. Makes a not so macro lens hella macro .

Cody, this appears to be a case of lazy reefer syndrome. Luman01 at least you're honest bro.

I used to reef this way. Wish and hope that the numbers are good. Dose blindly and feel like you're doing something good. The tank looks good and then BOOM. STN/RTN.....

Test it, log it, don't change more than 1 thing at a time, match dKH and temp on water changes, test PAR, know your nutrient levels and how to balance them, and keep the tank stable.

 

[Reefahholic]

@Reefahholic im guessing that sodium nitrate stuff I use to bring up my nitrates? How do I use that stuff? And what should I be shooting for?

I use the calculator here. James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

You can pick the potassium nitrate for the nutrient. Use teaspoons and mix up 65-250mL of product. That simple. Don't go get that milli until you get this ready and get your NO3 up to 3. I keep mine 3-10 range.

Only raise by 1ppm in 24hrs so make a solution for your tank volume to hit that target dose.