Problems with keeping sps

[hideaki]

I got some space at the compartment immediately below the downpipe, which i am using filter sock and wool to catch the detritus. Below the wool is a 8 inches high compartment where i place the bag of carbon. Can these bacteria housing be placed there and i put the carbon on top?

Yah, i am dosing biodigest. Seems to be working because since i started dosing, my nitrate became undetectable and phosphate is about 0.03 to 0.05ppm.

[tofubox]

Probiotic dosing works wonders. lol

[hideaki]

Yeah, really amazing. Can see the effect very quickly and clearly from the resulting skimmate. And this is the first time i see my nitrate undetectable. Hahaha... super happy.

[james72]

Probiotic is good. Continue the dose weekly. If your filter socks n wool is effectively trapping all the detritus, then yes you can make use of your first compartment bottom 8" area to fill some bio media. I recommend siporax. Cheapest seaview $22.50 per pack after discount.

Do have any sand cleaners ?

Cheers,

James

[hideaki]

Oh ok, thanks for the recommendation. Will go and get siporax soon.

I have 5 sand sifting stars, 5 nassarius snails and 1 sand dollar. Enough?

[james72]

Should be good enough. ...

Do you dose any trace elements ?

Cheers,

James

[hideaki]

Trace elements? Wat are they meant for? I have read about things like iodine and potassium. But dun really know what they are for. Are they necessary?

[james72]

Not necessary imo if u use quality salt n perform weekly wc.

The more you dose the harder to troubleshoot what went wrong.

What about biopellets or vsv?

Cheers,

James

[hideaki]

I am using red sea coral pro salt. This should be good rite?

Not using biopellets. Read about the all in one biopellets. Wonder if it is good. Very tempted to run it. But need to study whether my sump can fit another reactor. Too busy with water changing lately, so still don't have time to go find out more. Do u recomment aio biopellet?

Wat is vsv?

[hideaki]

Oh, talking abt salt, not sure if i mentioned before, for those wanting to try sps, pls dun use blue treasure salt. I suspect my initial problems with keeping sps is due to blue treasure salt. Maybe something in it is not suitable for sps. But it shd be fine for lps or softies.

[james72]

Blue treasure is it china salt?

VSV - Volka Sugar Vinegar

Cheers,

James

[hideaki]

Yah, i think blue treasure is chian salt. From hainan or somewhere. Can't remember.

[hideaki]

Oh, carbon dosing! Tried vinegar dosing earlier this year to try to bring my nutrients level down. But not successful even though i followed the instructions from the internet. And i think the vinegar probably screwed up the ph in my tank. Sianz....

[james72]

Tried sugar method next round.

Mission accomplished

Cheers,

James

[hideaki]

Ok, will try sugar method next. Hopefully from now will be mission accomplished.

[christan1959]

Might be useful to post pic of yr tank. Another must for SPS is strong random water movement. Not continuous surge.

[hideaki]

Might be useful to post pic of yr tank. Another must for SPS is strong random water movement. Not continuous surge.

I am actually very shy to put up my fts, but I guess it is necessary... hehehe... so here it goes...this pic was taken some time back n most of the sps inside are either up lorry or passed to some other people who can better house them.

Please ignore the placement of wavemakers in the pic and look at the scribbles I made instead, cos I have made changes since this pic was taken.

The wp40 and rw15 are facing each other on pulsing (else) mode. But as they cannot be sync, i just let them run in their own timing. I guess tat is also another form of 'randomness'.

My return is at the back, right side, blowing over the tunze. That tunze is blowing from back right, towards the front glass, blowing slightly to the left and slightly downwards.

A second tunze is placed below the rw15 to provide additional flow at the bottom half of my 2.5ft height tank.

[christan1959]

Bro what is the situation now? From the pic, it looks like all of the corals are not doing well. I wld hazard a guess that one or more of the rocks are tainted (I once found rusty screws in live rocks I bought). It may also be a case of a tank that has not fully cycled properly.

[hideaki]

Bro, the tank is already more than 2 years old, so shd be fully cycled right? My guess is lousy salt used previously compounded with high nutrients in the past that got sucked into the liverocks. Now that i have changed to red sea coral pro, things have improved. But i guess my liverocks are still leeching nutrients.

You have rightly observed the corals in tat pic were not doing well. Now they are getting better.

Left: Before, with algae growth on stn tips.

Right: Now, tissue has regrown over the tips and base is encrusting...

[christan1959]

Wow, yes good improvement. Change of salt made quite a difference!

[hideaki]

Yes, i now firmly believe salt is one thing that cannot be stinged on.

[hanafi_weeseng]

Great improvement on the sps bro hideaki.

[hideaki]

Thanks to all your advice, bro weeseng.

[Nox]

Wow, now I know brand of salt is also very important!

[geraldlim79@gmail.com]

I am actually very shy to put up my fts, but I guess it is necessary... hehehe... so here it goes...this pic was taken some time back n most of the sps inside are either up lorry or passed to some other people who can better house them.

Screenshots_2014-10-10-10-57-53.png

Please ignore the placement of wavemakers in the pic and look at the scribbles I made instead, cos I have made changes since this pic was taken.

The wp40 and rw15 are facing each other on pulsing (else) mode. But as they cannot be sync, i just let them run in their own timing. I guess tat is also another form of 'randomness'.

My return is at the back, right side, blowing over the tunze. That tunze is blowing from back right, towards the front glass, blowing slightly to the left and slightly downwards.

A second tunze is placed below the rw15 to provide additional flow at the bottom half of my 2.5ft height tank.

nice tank

sadly mine crashed after tank upgrade ....

total loss of SPS