Why do I kill sps? What are good parameters?

[Dodgefate]

I need solid advice as to what to keep my parameters at. I cant seem to keep sps (have tried birds nest and green slimmer and killed both). With both sps' they started to grow new branches, then stalled, then turn brown and then started to turn white from the extremities (That is where they both are at atm). I also had a small bubble tip that just kept getting smaller until it disappeared. As for my everything here it is:
parameters:
Salinity: 1.025-1.026
No2:0
Amonia:0
No3: 2 to 5
Po4: 0.049056
Calcium:420
DKH:10
Change 5 to 10 gallons of water per week and use red sea coral pro salt and RODI water

I have the following for fish:
2 Clowns
1 Yellow Eye Kole Tang
1 angel
3 Domino Damsels
1 Blue Damsel
1 PJ Cardinal
1 Neon Dotty Back
1 Fresh Water Molly

Other:
Random snails
blue leg hermits
spiny sea urchant
Decorator spider crab

I have the following corals:
1 pagoda cup
a lot of green star polyps
3 or 5 green hairy mushrooms
3 ricordea mushrooms
a lot of hammers (probably 15 or 20 heads)
4 colonies of zoas
3 colonies of pallys
1 Green nephthea
1 Cabage Coral
1 War coral
1 Jack o lantern leptoseris
1 6 inch toad stool
2 Devil hand leathers

My set up is:
55 gallon tank
Reef Octopus classic 200 hob skimmer
Cheato in the output side of the skimmer with a red light
phosphate reactor that I run phosban in (Change every few days)
No name ATO
3 Chinese black boxes
1 Aquatop CPS-24 Circulation Pump w/ Suction Cup Mount 3,170GPH

Any advise is greatly appreciated!

 

[Tyler]

Your only form of flow is that 170gph powerhead? That’s not enough even a 10 gallon mixed reef. Try to pick up a controllable pump that goes to about 2000gph and turn it down a bit until you find a sweet spot. Most SPS like to get blasted by flow.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[iTzJu]

Alk is a bit high IMO.

what angel fish do you have? have you ever caught it nipping at anything?

how stable are your parameters? what kind of alk swing do you usually experience?

which test kits are you using?

 

[Dodgefate]

Your only form of flow is that 170gph powerhead? That’s not enough even a 10 gallon mixed reef. Try to pick up a controllable pump that goes to about 2000gph and turn it down a bit until you find a sweet spot. Most SPS like to get blasted by flow. This is the power head it's pretty big


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dodgefate]

Alk is a bit high IMO.

what angel fish do you have? have you ever caught it nipping at anything?

how stable are your parameters? what kind of alk swing do you usually experience?

which test kits are you using?

Angel fish is a coral beauty, and never. Peramiters are very stable. I am using a hannah, red sea and api. Alkalinity always seems to stay stable at that

 

[myrjon]

alk - 8.5 - 9
cal - 420-460
mag - 1600
p03 - .1
n03 - 80-100
Scottt:these are ## i got from someone who sells and holds corals . i have been using these ##with good results . +1 on a stronger power head .

 

[Mrx7899x]

If they are turning brown they might not be getting enough light.

I'm with iTzju I like alk around 8 and you might want to clean the powerheads all that algae is probably killing your flow.

 

[Dodgefate]

alk - 8.5 - 9
cal - 420-460
mag - 1600
p03 - .1
n03 - 80-100
Scottt:these are ## i got from someone who sells and holds corals . i have been using these ##with good results . +1 on a stronger power head .

That seems high for the no3 and po3... I would have a green hair algie farm again If i had that lol.

 

[Dodgefate]

If they are turning brown they might not be getting enough light.

I'm with iTzju I like alk around 8 and you might want to clean the powerheads all that algae is probably killing your flow.

Gonna clean the power heads in a few min... how do I lower the dkh slowly?

 

[Dodgefate]

Found this birds nest hiding on the bottom... moved it up to the middle and am giving it good flow...let's see how it does...

 

[Dodgefate]

Running the blues at 50 percent since it was hiding under the hammers in the corner... I wouldnt say it's getting blasted but more medium to high flow.... thinking I should host a meeting so everyone can look over my set up and give me ideas.... whatcha all think

 

[diana a]

Sounds like a good plan!

 

[myrjon]

Scott do you have any soda ash for alk . that's what you need to add alk .This is a good set of videos 2-Part Pharma Calcium & Alkalinity Total Package Pre-Portioned - Bulk Reef Supply

then the calculator Aquarium & Reef Calculators


hope this helps

 

[MadReefer]

I feel your pain. Cannot keep branching SPS. My green birds nest did do well until Feb. My first dino outbreak.

 

[jmags080307]

Your parameters seem fine, but they need to be stable with SPS. You have enough flow but I would recommend more than 1 powerhead in a 55 gallon tank. My tank is 60 gallons and I have a jebao pp8 on full blast at the top and another jebao pp8 on the bottom at about 60%. I'd put 1 on each side of the tank. Also, watch the coral beauty they're known for nipping corals. I had a flame angel and my sps never showed PE. I suspected that the angel was nipping. Once I got rid of the angel my SPS looked much better. Also, like itzju and mrx7899, I keep my alk around 7.5.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[mikem]

All good advice. What do you run your temp at? SPS's don't like high temps.

 

[Dodgefate]

Scott do you have any soda ash for alk . that's what you need to add alk .This is a good set of videos 2-Part Pharma Calcium & Alkalinity Total Package Pre-Portioned - Bulk Reef Supply

then the calculator Aquarium & Reef Calculators


hope this helps

that sounds scary...when I had a fresh water set up I would always nuke the tank when ever I tried chemicals to reduce the acidity... I'm gun shy when it comes to chemicals.

 

[Dodgefate]

All good advice. What do you run your temp at? SPS's don't like high temps.

all summer I had the heater out and it was around 72 ish... now its about 77 to 78

 

[myrjon]

Scott i can demo it for you if you want .come over and i will help you if you want .

 

[Dodgefate]

Scott i can demo it for you if you want .come over and i will help you if you want .

thanks Chris, im going to hold off.. see if this moving it to a higher light and flow helps... if not, I'll go your route..