How to Properly Maintain SPS

[ralph atl]

I'm thinking nutients, too.

I heard ok things from Elos phosphate kit, but not too sure. API nitrate kit, just sucks. IMHO.
go get yourself a hach or DD Merck low level phosphate kit to at least rule that out. Get an Elos or Tropic Marin Nitrate kit.

Your light seems fine. I might have missed this, but how are you dosing alk?

Vodka:

 

[jeep9783]

I just did my first vodka dose (.4ml)...The elos po4 measures down to 0.01...unless they aren't reliable...My elos kits are less than one month old

 

[cdub]

what i was trying to say about your lights is that you are essentially overdriving two fiji which provide your par and then your two actinics which provide very little par and blue color. so you are essentially growing sps under two overdriven bulbs. in my experinece with t5's(4 years) i have found that the blue plus bulbs provide your actinic coloring while also giving excellent par(just check with grimreefer on RC on the par of blueplus). i would replace both actinics with blue plus bulbs, and slowly aclimate your corals to the new lights.

also ditch the hydrometer asap! when i first started i used one, then i got a refractometer and found out my water was 1.019

 

[jeep9783]

Oh ok. So should I start out by replacing one at a time with the blue plus?

 

[enderg60]

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD THROW AWAY THE API TEST KITS!

I had both nitrate and calc API kits. The calc was 120 points off, and my nitrate read 0, while they were actually about 60!

I would put money on your calc being low and your nitrates being high.

 

[jeep9783]

I am in the process of getting all elos test kits...i just bought another MP40w, ELOS NS 1000 skimmer so the funds are getting low and i am sure you guys know that the elos test kits are expensive...that will hopefully be coming next week

 

[cdub]

Sounds good, swap the blue plus bulbs in and get a refractometer. Then have someone double check your test results

 

[jeep9783]

Ok no problem thanks....My FTS auctually has alot of colonies of sps on the rocks it just don't show up for some reason

 

[william1]

Get rid of the hydrometer its not worth the money spent honestly. About 6 months ago I was losing sps one a week and couldnt figure out why until I compared my Hydrometer to a refractometer wow it was so off even though it was reading 102.4 it was actually way low a super big difference. SInce then I raised the salinity and perchased a ref.

 

[jeep9783]

What is everyone's height on there t5's

 

[cdub]

4.5"

 

[jeep9783]

Well i guess that could be yet another issue...hmmm...Now i am gonna need a new canopy

 

[william1]

My hieght is about 6" from the water.

 

[jeep9783]

Your bulbs are 6inches from the water?

 

[cdub]

Biggest thing to remember is to perform the changes you decide on in a slow and methodical manner. Stability is the key to sps, so don't make all your changes in one day.

 

[jeep9783]

I think I am going to change salt at 5 gallons a week at 1.026 until it reaches 1.025...Dose .4ml a day vodka...and get another canopy that is a little taller than the one that i have

 

[weaglereefer]

Vodka dosing is a serious matter, don't just do it on a whim. Put a good bit of research into it before buying a bottle of Popov or Aristocrat.

 

[chymos45]

Agree with Ares. Also, a frustrated and desperate state is not how I would suggest entering a regimen with such high potential risk. Get things under control before you eat the cherry.

 

[jeep9783]

Well I am not going to up the dosage every week like stated i am just going to stick with the .4ml which is starting dosage for about a month if i don't see a change or anything i am going to stop...I am working on getting a new canopy and getting two more normally driven t5ho's 48inch then raise my lights to about 12inches above and work my way down to about 5inches

 

[wbrown]

Personally, I'd do a 15-20 gallon change and stress the corals one time and let them heal as opposed to stress every week for several weeks.
Up side is, if that's what the coral needs, you will see the resulting happiness inside of 24 hours. Downside, they stay closed for a couple days, but handle a one time event and it's over.