I have been in the reef keeping hobby for about 6 years now. I started like most people with a small tank and have upgraded as my love for the hobby has grown. I probably have battled almost every problem that can exist and yet I still have trouble keeping my tank 100% healthy when no apparent problems exist.
The one current problem that I can not find an answer for is keeping my LPS completely happy. My tank seems to go through cycles where for about a two month period everything is fine, with full polyp extension / plumpness of coral, the minute my lights turn on. Than I go through cycles when my LPS hardly plump up at all but my SPS are fine. I do not have a problem keeping SPS and the problems more or less within my acans, scoly and lobo brains.
My tank is an Oceanic Tech 120 with a 30 gallon sump and is a mixed reef. I do routine 25 gallon water changes every two weeks and I test my alk.,calcium and magnesium every three days. Right now my tank absorbs three ounces of alk. and four ounces of calcium daily. Every third day I add about an ounce of magnesium to keep all the levels in line. My water tests usually read 8 for my alk, 400 for my calcium and 1440 for my magnesium. From time to time I do add more or less supplements depending on my test results. But, this is usually the basic dosage that I add. The temp. for my tank ranges from 77 -79 degress and rarely goes above or below these parameters. I use Oceanic salt mix and Bulk Reef for my Alk. CA and Mag. I spot feed my LPS once a week a mixture of cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp.
Does anyone know what my problem could be? Or do we all experience this and this is something that I need to get used to?
Thanks for your input - Jon
The one current problem that I can not find an answer for is keeping my LPS completely happy. My tank seems to go through cycles where for about a two month period everything is fine, with full polyp extension / plumpness of coral, the minute my lights turn on. Than I go through cycles when my LPS hardly plump up at all but my SPS are fine. I do not have a problem keeping SPS and the problems more or less within my acans, scoly and lobo brains.
My tank is an Oceanic Tech 120 with a 30 gallon sump and is a mixed reef. I do routine 25 gallon water changes every two weeks and I test my alk.,calcium and magnesium every three days. Right now my tank absorbs three ounces of alk. and four ounces of calcium daily. Every third day I add about an ounce of magnesium to keep all the levels in line. My water tests usually read 8 for my alk, 400 for my calcium and 1440 for my magnesium. From time to time I do add more or less supplements depending on my test results. But, this is usually the basic dosage that I add. The temp. for my tank ranges from 77 -79 degress and rarely goes above or below these parameters. I use Oceanic salt mix and Bulk Reef for my Alk. CA and Mag. I spot feed my LPS once a week a mixture of cyclopeeze and mysis shrimp.
Does anyone know what my problem could be? Or do we all experience this and this is something that I need to get used to?
Thanks for your input - Jon