Anyone with a par meter near Rockland and need tank help

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Been trying to figure out why corals are not growing in my tank. Water parameters are all inline

I have a 90g reef. Using glass tops, lights are 2 x Radion xr15 blues at 90%. Tried them at 60-90 over months with no change. Ricordea and mushrooms shrivel up eventually. Zoas are open but minimal growth/. Hammers/frogspawns no growth. Acans fade away as well.

Was thinking to test the PAR reading but up for any other ideas. Anyone want to come by and help?


PH 8.0
Ammon 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 8
Sal 1.023
Phos 0
Cal 350
Alk 11.56
Mag 1149

Run a skimmer and mp40 and a mp10

 

[rongy]

0 phosphate is likely your problem. It should be 0.03 to 0.1
What test kit do you use?

 

[rongy]

Also, you may want to lower you light. XR15 at 90% can easily bring the top of your tank to 500+ par, which is fine for sps, but not lps and softies

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

I had the lights at 60 and no difference. Been bringing them up slowly to see if it. Made difference and o don’t see any.

Salifert test kit and the LFS as well

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

I have tried a few spa frags that last a month or so and die off. Lights were just a guess. I don’t know what else to try. Tank is up over a year.

 

[rongy]

I think Phosphate is your problem. I’ve never used Salifert PO4 kit before but I always heard that they’re not precision enough.
If your LFS tested your PO4 and it’s 0, you need to raise it the range of 0.03-0.1
0 phosphate will starve the coral

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Wouldn’t raising phosphates lead to algae issues?

In past tanks I had hair algae outbreaks that I could not get rid of. If that were to happen this tank would be torn down.


I feed the fish every other day and have been adding Reef Energy twice a week as well.

 

[rongy]

As long as your Phosphate and Nitrate is in check, you should be fine. 0 phosphate and high nitrate can lead to Cyano problem.

Zero phosphate will kill your corals for sure

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

So what would suggest to raise phosphate?

 

[Potacka]

So what would suggest to raise phosphate?

You could try a little bit of reef roids a few times a week. Go slow it can take a while before you see it show up on a test.

 

[Potacka]

Also check the chemistry forum at reef2reef, lots of good info on phosphate and everything else.

 

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

What dangers am I going to face dosing this? Algae outbreaks?

 

[Potacka]

What dangers am I going to face dosing this? Algae outbreaks?

If you use too much yes you can have increased algae. Like everything else it’s about balance. Take your time getting the phosphate level up, you only need a low level. There are a few methods you can use, do some research before adding anything to raise it and proceed slowly.