BirdsNest and other SPS talk

[daddio]

My Bubblegum:

 

[Ibn]

Monti eating nudibranchs (MEN) are different from the Berghias. Berghias only eat aiptasia (nothing else) and MEN eat Monti tissue. Pull one piece out that's effected and dip to see if you get anything to fall off. Also inspect the bases for eggs and adults. You'll typically see bite marks when you have nudis though (similar to AEFW).

Also, you're running a low nutrient system there looking at your parameters. That alk is rather high for such a system and Montis will will respond to it similar to the conditions you described. Bring your alk back down to the 7-8 range instead, and closer to 7.

 

[Vhuang168]

Also, you're running a low nutrient system there looking at your parameters. That alk is rather high for such a system and Montis will will respond to it similar to the conditions you described. Bring your alk back down to the 7-8 range instead, and closer to 7.

This.


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[daddio]

Ok, I adjusted my Kalk recipe down by 30%, it will take a week or two before the Alk. levels out. Is it still considered a low nutrient tank when I am feeding heavily and adding aminos?
Cheers! Mark

 

[daddio]

My other montis look really happy

 

[RandyC]

Ok, I adjusted my Kalk recipe down by 30%, it will take a week or two before the Alk. levels out. Is it still considered a low nutrient tank when I am feeding heavily and adding aminos?
Cheers! Mark

Yeah...if you're reading zero nitrates and phosphates, then I'd run a lower alk. I've tried running with an alk of 9 with zero nutrients and I had more problems than fewer. Plus, at 9 with no nutrients, there's little room for error and things will get ugly quicker before you can fix it. Had a small mishap and at 10dkh, things started to rtn fast with no nutrients for me.

 

[Schmitty]

Yeah...if you're reading zero nitrates and phosphates, then I'd run a lower alk. I've tried running with an alk of 9 with zero nutrients and I had more problems than fewer. Plus, at 9 with no nutrients, there's little room for error and things will get ugly quicker before you can fix it. Had a small mishap and at 10dkh, things started to rtn fast with no nutrients for me.

So you keep your alk around 10? Ive had mine closer to 9... Calcium at 420. One thing I did notice last night is the water is warmer at the top of tank then the bottom, not sure how important temp is but Im looking into getting a reading from with in the tan(not just the sump).

 

[RandyC]

So you keep your alk around 10? Ive had mine closer to 9... Calcium at 420. One thing I did notice last night is the water is warmer at the top of tank then the bottom, not sure how important temp is but Im looking into getting a reading from with in the tan(not just the sump).

I'm running between 7.8-8 nowadays.

 

[Schmitty]

I'm running between 7.8-8 nowadays.

Oh so you're saying lower is better, target closer to 8 yeah? Usually my water changes come out around 9, so that's why Ive always kept it around there. Think I should try it a bit lower though?

 

[RandyC]

Oh so you're saying lower is better, target closer to 8 yeah? Usually my water changes come out around 9, so that's why Ive always kept it around there. Think I should try it a bit lower though?

I wouldn't necessarily say better. General consensus is that when running an ULNS, having a lower alk will lead to less problems (e.g., burned tips, stn). In my experience, I have noticed less problems running at 7.8-8 dkh since I do have lower nurtients in my system. Could be in my head though.

The benefit of running a higher alk is supposedly faster growth of coral skeleton. Personally though, I don't think I'd ever run anything higher than 8 dkh anymore regardless of where my nutrient levels landed.