Losing coral/color

[manycolors]

I have about 3 different types of SPS in my tank along with a few different colonies of frogspawn and a torch coral and also some other misc. things like a clam, and a few softies.
So what has been going on is I have a 250W MH over my 50 gal. tank. The 20k bulb I had in there was about a year old and my frogspawn, torch and some of my SPS were slowly losing color. I figured that my light bulb was out of PAR and threw in a lightly used 14K bulb. For the past couple days I have been running the 14K and my frogspawn (same species/different heads places at different places in the tank), torch and one of my SPS are continuing to lose color. Any idea what might be causing this?
I have not added any new fish recently. I have a small Yellow tang (yes tang police, I plan on upgrading in the near future

) 2 clown fish and one Purple Pseudochromis
Salinity- 1.023
ph-8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrate- 10ppm
Calcium-410ppm
Alkalinity- 3meq/L

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by ManyColors
http:///forum/post/3296083
I have about 3 different types of SPS in my tank along with a few different colonies of frogspawn and a torch coral and also some other misc. things like a clam, and a few softies.
So what has been going on is I have a 250W MH over my 50 gal. tank. The 20k bulb I had in there was about a year old and my frogspawn, torch and some of my SPS were slowly losing color. I figured that my light bulb was out of PAR and threw in a lightly used 14K bulb. For the past couple days I have been running the 14K and my frogspawn (same species/different heads places at different places in the tank), torch and one of my SPS are continuing to lose color. Any idea what might be causing this?
I have not added any new fish recently. I have a small Yellow tang (yes tang police, I plan on upgrading in the near future

) 2 clown fish and one Purple Pseudochromis
Salinity- 1.023
ph-8.2
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrate- 10ppm
Calcium-410ppm
Alkalinity- 3meq/L

My SPS died when my nitrates were a 10 and I was told to have near 0 or at least under 0.5 to keep them, first they turn white then the flesh recedes and allows the skeleton to show.
Also, do you run carbon? Corals shoot poison at each other and carbon removes the toxins. Frogspawn, and torch are very aggressive. SPS can be poisoned by leathers and mushrooms.

 

[pstock44]

I agree with the parameters issue. I am running four T5 bulbs (2 x 12k, 2 x actinic) and one 50/50 T8 bulb on each half of my 125 gallon tank. All my corals (tongue, toadstool, torch, cabbage leather, couple of xenias, yellow polyps and several mushroom types) are flourishing now that my phosphates and nitrates are at or so close to zero I can't detect them. I even have a clam that's really doing well. I fought the nitrates for a long time (20-30 for awhile then got it between 10-15) and started vodka dosing. All of a sudden (within a week) the nitrates dropped to less than 5 and after a couple more weeks went to undetectable. I almost lost several corals (they were looking pale and weak) but now everything is unbelievably beautiful. I also added a phosphate reactor (it was already on order) right after it all went to zero. I probably don't need it but I run it for insurance.
I'm new to saltwater, I've only had a tank for a year and a half, so maybe I'm just not used to seeing things like this yet but its got me hooked! There's some pictures in my album taken a couple months ago but things are surprisingly different (better) even now.
My album: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/album.php?albumid=87

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by pstock44
http:///forum/post/3296221
I agree with the parameters issue. I am running four T5 bulbs (2 x 12k, 2 x actinic) and one 50/50 T8 bulb on each half of my 125 gallon tank. All my corals (tongue, toadstool, torch, cabbage leather, couple of xenias, yellow polyps and several mushroom types) are flourishing now that my phosphates and nitrates are at or so close to zero I can't detect them. I even have a clam that's really doing well. I fought the nitrates for a long time (20-30 for awhile then got it between 10-15) and started vodka dosing. All of a sudden (within a week) the nitrates dropped to less than 5 and after a couple more weeks went to undetectable. I almost lost several corals (they were looking pale and weak) but now everything is unbelievably beautiful. I also added a phosphate reactor (it was already on order) right after it all went to zero. I probably don't need it but I run it for insurance.
I'm new to saltwater, I've only had a tank for a year and a half, so maybe I'm just not used to seeing things like this yet but its got me hooked! There's some pictures in my album taken a couple months ago but things are surprisingly different (better) even now.
My album: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/album.php?albumid=87

I have heard of it, I don't understand it...what is vodka dosing and how did you do it?

 

[pstock44]

Flower, I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner. I am subscribed but I don't seem to get notices that there is a reply to my post.
 
Anyway, I hope the group lets me post this link to the page I used to get started with my Vodka Dosing program.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
 
I followed it pretty closely at first but being a newbie (Saltwater for less than a year when I started, 1.5 years now ) I get nervous if I think about trying something new and "radical". If you search there is more info on Vodka dosing but this worked pretty good for me. I varied from their dosing program slightly by increasing the dose until I reached week 3 or 4, I got nervous about the dosage amount so I quit increasing the dosage. I kept maintaining it for several months all the while still monitoring nitrates and such. All of a sudden, a couple months later, everything went to nearly zero readings! A week later they were undetectable. I have since been maintaining that dosage and have not had a problem keeping them undetectable.
 
I think I hit the maintenance level without realizing it and eventually it took hold. I still dose the same every day and I am pleased with the results. I've thought about quitting it a few times but then I get afraid that I'll have problems controlling the nitrates again. So I keep telling myself not to change what's working. LOL
 
Phil

 

[flower]

 
Quote:
Originally Posted by pstock44 http:///forum/thread/379317/losing-coral-color#post_3303355
Flower, I'm so sorry I haven't replied sooner. I am subscribed but I don't seem to get notices that there is a reply to my post.
 
Anyway, I hope the group lets me post this link to the page I used to get started with my Vodka Dosing program.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
 
I followed it pretty closely at first but being a newbie (Saltwater for less than a year when I started, 1.5 years now ) I get nervous if I think about trying something new and "radical". If you search there is more info on Vodka dosing but this worked pretty good for me. I varied from their dosing program slightly by increasing the dose until I reached week 3 or 4, I got nervous about the dosage amount so I quit increasing the dosage. I kept maintaining it for several months all the while still monitoring nitrates and such. All of a sudden, a couple months later, everything went to nearly zero readings! A week later they were undetectable. I have since been maintaining that dosage and have not had a problem keeping them undetectable.
 
I think I hit the maintenance level without realizing it and eventually it took hold. I still dose the same every day and I am pleased with the results. I've thought about quitting it a few times but then I get afraid that I'll have problems controlling the nitrates again. So I keep telling myself not to change what's working. LOL
 
Phil

 
 
Thanks for the reply. To be honest I like the algae, my critters are geared for algae. I was going to supply algae sheets but I had my PH drop...CO2 was too high??? Anyway I got scared and stopped, so now I am trying to lower the trates by changing 3g of water a day, as opposed to once a week. They are down to 10 from 40. It has only been 3 days. So I have hope it will work.

I am removing water through my skimmer by wet skimming, I have a tube running from the skimmer cup to a 3g jug and I attach my ATO to the new saltwater to replace what is drawn out…so far so good.

 

[pstock44]

I like the algae too. I have a Yellow Tang, the normal crabs (blue leg hermit & green emerald) but the vodka dosing helped me get the nitrates under control. I tried the regular water changes without a lot of success. My understanding is that the vodka dosing helps produce the good bacteria that we need in the live rock and sand. When I finally hit that "sweet" spot with the vodka dosing everything went down to undetectable levels and its staying there. I still get a little hair algae and the coraline algae is spreading onto my new bare rocks very nicely. I am doing a 30 gallon water change using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals on my 125 gallon tank every 6-8 weeks. All my corals, fish and inverts are great! I am adding Kent Essential Elements once a week, run my lights about 11 hours a day with a small PC light on the sump at night and the PH stays right around 8.1 without any assistance. I am thrilled that everything seems to be thriving so well with my little bit of experience. I won't say I'm doing everything right but I will say I do everything slowly and verrry cautiously!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pstock44 http:///forum/thread/379317/losing-coral-color#post_3303510
I like the algae too. I have a Yellow Tang, the normal crabs (blue leg hermit & green emerald) but the vodka dosing helped me get the nitrates under control. I tried the regular water changes without a lot of success. My understanding is that the vodka dosing helps produce the good bacteria that we need in the live rock and sand. When I finally hit that "sweet" spot with the vodka dosing everything went down to undetectable levels and its staying there. I still get a little hair algae and the coraline algae is spreading onto my new bare rocks very nicely. I am doing a 30 gallon water change using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals on my 125 gallon tank every 6-8 weeks. All my corals, fish and inverts are great! I am adding Kent Essential Elements once a week, run my lights about 11 hours a day with a small PC light on the sump at night and the PH stays right around 8.1 without any assistance. I am thrilled that everything seems to be thriving so well with my little bit of experience. I won't say I'm doing everything right but I will say I do everything slowly and verrry cautiously!

 
Sounds like your doing really well. Good job.

 
My nitrates were always at 20 and I read that it was a safe level and not to worry. I didn't for years until I treid a SPS coral, it died so fast it made my head spin...turns out 0 nitrates to keep them, for SPS there are no safe levels.
 
I have a hang on the back skimmer and no sump, my PH dropped to 7.8, so dosing wasn't going well for me. I am trying to change the 3g a day to see what happens, the skimmer draws out dark green waer at first but by the time the jug is filled it is a light green tinge. Still I feel it's must be doing some good. I was pulling out clear saltwater to replace with fresh saltwater. This way I get out some dirty water looking stuff.