Advice Needed- Too much flow or light?

Hello Everyone-

I wasn't sure where to post this since this could fall into a few topics.

I thought I'd give you a quick breakdown of the tank before I get into the details of the problem.

1) 46 gallon bowfront with hang-on refugium
2) Lighting is a Current USA Nova Extreme Pro with 3 actinic and 3 daylight T5 bulbs. The refugium is lit by an Odyssea PC fixture
3) Flow comes from the refugium return, a chiller return, 3 powerheads on a wavemaker (2 MJ 400s and 1 Hagen 802), a Hydor Corallia 1, plus the return from a HOT magnum which I use for chemical filtration (GAC, phos-zorb, and Chemi-pure).
4) Water parameters are: 1.024 salinity, pH 8.3, zero ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and < 0.1 phosphate. Temp is 75-76 degrees (I love my chiller!)

So here's the problem... some of my corals look pooped out. Most of these corals came from an existing tank I had and have been in the new tank for 4-6 months. They have little or no polyp extension. The ones that are affected are my soft corals (leathers, clove polyps, GSPs), zoanthids, and corallimorphs. There are no signs of decay, they just seem to be closed up all/most of the time. Some of the zooanthids appear to be reproducing and the GSPs are growing onto adjacent rocks, just no polyps! I also have a bubble coral that doesn't inflate fully either.

On the flipside, there are corals that are doing realy well. I have a Kenya tree that is always open, a nice green favia (which is growing onto and adjacent rock), a small head of caulastrea, a large head of montipora digitata, and a nice head of orange montipora capricornis. All of these have nice polyp extension and seem healthy.

My LFS thought it might be a feeding issue and gave me a product called Coral Frenzy to stimulate polyp expansion; although I have not used it yet.
I bought the chiller thinking it was a temperature issue and that wasn't the case.

First, do you think it may be a flow issue? Too much? It seems like the unhappy corals are mostly the ones that like moderate/low flow. I have tried to place them in lower flow areas, but it may not be low enough. Second, could it be a light issue? I am wondering if 3 daylights may be too much for the aquarium. Should I switch to 4 actinics and 2 daylights?

Any advice would be great! I really appreciate it!

 

At the risk of sounding like a broken record you may want to look into a ground probe especialy with soft corals . And are you using a good carbon ? and skimmer ? And you may want to add some pure actinics to the lighting .

 

Thanks for the response Tangster!

I do run a skimmer; I forgot to put that in my description.

True actinics- are you talking the 420nm as opposed to the 460nm ones included with the Nova Extreme Pro fixture? What ratio of actinics vs. daylights do you recommend (I have 6 in the fixture)?

As for grounding probes, could you send me some data on the benefits of having one? My father is a master electrician and warned against the potential of a grounding probe providing a current path that may not be there if a pump or other piece of equipment has shorted out. I will check my pumps to make sure that isn't the issue. They're all new, but it isn't impossible there is a factory defect. Also, if there was an existing current path, wouldn't I see erratic behavior in the mobile animals such as fish and snails? My fish are all in perfect condition and seem to be eating/behaving normally. This is definitely worth looking into!

Thanks again!

 

Tangster-

I'm having dear ol' dad bring his voltmeter over to check out the tank, I hope it's something as simple as a grounding probe!

Thanks again!

 

I don't understand what actinics would have to do with this. Aren't actinics just for appearance?

 

No sir pure 03 actinic is as important as any light , In the real world when after 50 ft about all that gets that deep is the pure 420 NM spectrum of the light from the sun, Its also very important for coralline growth and the promote good photosyntheses of the corals . I can get by with 14 hrs of VHO 420 Actinic and 6 hrs of M/H's Ever watched a reef show and looks all dark and then the flip on the camera lights and all the colors of the corallines and other growths pop out in full coloration . People use 20K bulbs also to try and achieve this also thats why the old 5 K through the 10K M/H have fallen by the wayside . nuisance alga's do not like it either. If I had to choose to not run either my 14 K M/H or my VHO super Actinics for a week I'd cut the M/H off with out even thinking about it. And if you are using Tube bulbs either T5 P/C's or VHO then you need to worry more about the actinic's , Its free advice take it for what its worth to you.

 

Thanks again for the sage advice Tangster!

I do indeed have some form of current in my tank; I will be running to the LFS to pick up a ground probe ASAP.

I think I'm going to switch out the 460nm actinics for 420nm actinics as well.

 

I use the 460s and have had no problems with color or growth. also use 18k 67k and 10k. I wouldn't switch them. Save your money. JMO

 

I'll be switching out my dual actinic 420/460 PC bulbs for full 420 nm bulbs a little later this summer, at the end of their useful life.

 

Flow

I have a 46 gallon bow and have the sunpod with 2 150 MH and dont need a chiller with the fixture. It sound like a little too much. I only have 2 koralia 1 and a little in tank uv sterilizer little output flow from that and aqua c remora skimmer and a aqua clear 50 hang on filter for any chemical I might use. I have around 21-22 times a day turnover and I think it is enough. I have a mixed tank with everything in it. The t5 fixture I heard produces much more heat though.
Adam