Frustrated

[jimknutson]

I have been in this hobby for years and finally hit a spot where I am not very happy with my results. I recently moved all of my corals from a 14 cube with a 70 watt HID to a 30 cube with a 250 HID. all of my water params have alway been consistant. as my temps and other variables other than light. So I cycled My new tank with my old tanks rock and sand for 2 months before the move. I had all my acros and montis at top of my old tank and now they are towards the bottom. I have the 250 10 inches above the top of the tank as the 70 was only 3 inches. All of my sps except the birdsnest, slimer, and one of the spongodes has retracted their polyps. also some of my sps have started to bleach. Like I said My parameters are perfect: calcium- 410, Alk 9.1, mag-1380, trates to little to test. Phosphates to little to test temp alway between 78.5 and 79.3. All of my other corals have never been happier including zoas, favias, mushrooms, Hydnophora, chalice and hammer. So what should I do?
I feel as if I should just give up on sps for a while and just do lps and zoas. maybe just trade the 250 halide and get LEDS so I can make the colors pop. I dont know anymore. The sps are still saveable but I just dont like seeing anything die. Maybe somebody can help me so I can save them in my own tank. Any opinions and comments would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[thanh386]

If u have happy shroom and softies water maybe too dirty. What are the Phospahte and nitrate lvls?

 

[redstang]

What's the photo period? May want to start at just a few hours a day.

I went with dimmable LED's so I could avoid a short photo period. Ok, other reasons too.

 

[jimknutson]

Phosphates are to low on 2 different tests to show up. Nitrates are 5 or less.

Edit: My photo period has always been 8.5 hours for the last 2 years. Maybe I will cut back an hour.

 

[jennm]

Do you run carbon?

 

[jimknutson]

Yes I run carbon. I change it every 2 weeks. I do weekly 15% water changes. I have no algae in my tank. Pods are everywhere. Maybe my tank is too clean. I only have a clown gobie and a cleaner shrimp and a brittle star and 4 blue leg hermits and 7 astarinas and 1 cerinth. Pods are everywhere also.

 

[jennm]

Could the clown goby be irritating some of the SPS?

 

[jimknutson]

possibly but they never minded him before. He usually sits in one colony and you can see where he sits. He does not mess with the montis though.

 

[jennm]

Hmmm, other than the extra light maybe being a bother, I'm not sure what else it could be.

 

[patrick]

I think it may be an adjustment to the new light as well. Lowering the photoperiod and or using some screening to filter it might help.