Need help improving my tank.

Hello, Im not over all happy with my tank, so im taking extra care time to maximize its success. I wasnt satisfied with the growth rate of my corlas, the coloration, some mysterious deaths ive had, and recent cyano problem. For the most part my tank is doing fine, most of my corals look healthy and my 3 original inhabitants of fish are doing well. however I had an acan death and im unsatified with SPS and LPS growth rates. also an emerald dissapeared as did a wrasse. Im not sure im doinmg anything really wrong but even if not i guess it never can hurt to improve your tank:-/

I want to give you guys the break down of my tank and ways in which I can improve it. Including suggesting where some of my parameters should be raised/lowered. So here it goes.

(the only thing I will not be changing are my bulbs as they are all brand new and I did them for growth)

You will notice my Magnesium is extremly low and I understand it is part of the problem and I am in the process of raising it by dosing daily. However I feel like there maybe other issues that could help me improve coral growth.

46 gallon bow front.
36" 4 bulb t5's
ATI Blue +
UVL Aquasun
ATI Blue +
Giessman Midday
Panorama 460 Stunner Strip LED for moonlights.

Aquaclear 70 HOB Filter: running mechanical filters and ChemiPure Elite or somtimes pure carbon, changed monthly.

Phosban Reactor 150: with about 3 inches or so of GFO

Flow: I dont know forsure but if somone could estimate my gph, I have 1450 between a hydor 2 and 3 then from my HOB aquaclear 70 and phosban 150 return.

50Ibs L.R.
60Ibs Crushed Coral
S.G: 1.024
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: Havnt checked lately
Amm: 0
Phosphate: 0
DKH: 10
Calcium; 380
Magnesium; 1050
PH: 8.1
Temp: 78
Bioload: 2 clowns, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Orange Spot Goby, 1 MIA Wrasse, Large CUC, mixed corals.
Food: Daily: Omega One Flakes. twice Daily.
Rods Food Original Blend twice weekly.
Algae Supplements for my MIA Emerald Crab.
Occasional H2O Mixed Reef Food and cyclopleze.
Omega one Shrimp Pellets for my Goby and nass snails once a week.

Water changes 10% bi weekly ((occasionally increased to 20%) RO WATER

Dosing; Reef Builder DKH (non Advanced Procedure)
Reef Advantage Calcium (non Advanced Procedure)
Magnesion_P (Advanced Procedure)
Reef Trace

If I left anything out please let me know. I currently am not running a skimmer or a sump until I get my new tank and stand up.

Please help me possibly find an easier more steadily way to does if possible without the need for added equipment such as calcium reactor. any area where I can use improvment. Please Help

 

Somthing I forgot to mention. I usually use reef crystals but for some reason used a mix Called "Crystal Sea Marine Mix" anyone ever heard of it? I think it may be the reason to explian why my mag was as low as 880 just 1 week and a half ago.

I would like to keep my calcium up and my DKH up. where is good? and how do I steady it once I get it to the level I want? also strontium....I have a test or it but never used it. Is it importan to test for? dose for?

 

a picture paints a thousand words banthonyb71

get some images up and lets have a look at these corals for you

you know you mag is low
your calcium is low due to this - once you get your mag closer to 1400 - you can increase your calcium to 420 - 450
that should help - provided you maintain it

how are you dosing your supplements?
my honest opinion is that when I started auto dosing, delivering the Calcium and Alkalinity ions on a daily basis, broken up into 6 and now 8 portions, my corals seem consistently better as there are no real fluctuations now (which was occuring before, when I dosed my needs once per day in a gradual drip )

Im using the exact additive products as you are using minus the trace elements, which I dont bother dosing, allowing water changes of 5- 7% each week to replenish those for me

they dont grow rapidly in most cases , and when you look at them every day as we do
growth is so slow its hardly noticeable really

its when you add new images to the tank thread and look back on old images, that you can see the growth IME ( been surprised myself a couple of times, when I look back how a coral looked 3 or 4 months ago when I purchased it and then compare it with most recent image - yet during those 4 months I was not really aware of the growth)

Steve

 

Ill get pictures up ASAP but as for now, am missing a connection to load photos for now.

As far as the dosing I use the basic directions. IE add xamount of teaspoons x amount of times per week.

I am specifically wanting to learn the advanced procedures. IE slow drip unless I have to go buy a bunch of fancy equipment which i dont have the funds for currently

I understand the growth aspect. I do know its hard to see growth on a daily basis. especially SPS or corals that have large expansion variation but others are easier other ways. IE When your hammer coral has just as many heads as it did 6 months ago. Or zoas have the same head count as 5 months ago or when your old frag is still a frag. etc etc.

Im not having growth problems with all my corals just some and as I stated I dont know if I have a major issue at all but either way it wont hurt to improve my tank standards. I guess "Nothing to lose but possible much to gain aspect"

 

These are my random musings. Please consider them only in combination with the good and valuable opinions of the much more knowledgable on this site:

1. Every tank I built in the old days that slowly came apart had a mid depth crushed coral substrate. Correlation (pun intended) is not causation, but I can think of plenty good hypotheses explaining this phenomenon. If the crushed coral is there just to be there, I would seriously consider reevaluating your substrate needs. There are lots of options, but select and think through any given one carefully.

2. I dose using my ATO. I use a JBJ ATO with an outlet splitter so that the one plug on the JBJ is now 3. I have two Aqualifters plugged in to the same ATO by this method. Each one runs an airline tube into a different area of my sump. On each airline tube is a small airline tube valve for adjusting the flow rate. Each Aqualifter draws from a separate 2.5 gallon bottle, one with RO + 2 part Alkalinity and the other with RO + 2 part Calcium (I use BRS). When the bottles run out, I test and adjust the dose accordingly. I stay within a range of 5ppm alkalinity using a Hanna Checker. The fun part is, in the beginning, as long as your initial dose is sane, it can be almost anything. You test and adjust and it self corrects.

3. I'm using the warner marine bio-pellets in a phosban reactor and my skimmer as my sole nitrate/phosphate control (other than the rock etc.) and have so far been very happy.

 

I have taken changing substrates into consideration. Just need a plan of action as to the best way. Thanks for the suggestions. Keeep them coming.

 

Any other suggestions, comments? Please guys.

 

Most times crushed coral is a bad idea. However, if it is not broken you do not necessarily need to change it. CC will lead to elevated nitrates. You have zero nitrates, but do you have zero algae?

 

So how long are you running your medias? The GFO, carbon and Chemipure?

 

Why not change to a 2 part dosing system/ parts A/B. You will all the magnesium, ca, and buffer with only 2 products. They contain strontium as well.

All other trace elements are provided by your water changes I am sure. I myself do not like to use any product that is intended to supplement all trace elements.
I do not like the idea of adding any forum of iodine to my tank. Lugols ok, but all others no.

How long has the system been running, sorry if I missed that.

Do you have many leather corals?

The tank is a 46 gal and you have 50 lbs of rock, I think I might consider adding more rock as well.

How long is your photo period?