Neptune Aquatics

fish challenged?

tuberider

tuberider

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I have three small fish in my ~45g tank, obviously they don't need a lot of food, however I am aware my corals need it as well. My tank is well skimmed, and I do my best to keep up with a .75 meq a day consumption with two-part.

My issue is, for the most part I'm happy with my color on most of my corals, and my growth rate is what I would consider to be very fast. However, I have issues with achieving rich deep colors with my torts, and some of my stags. I am pretty certain it's not a lighting issue as I've used almost every bulb around. My tank does get a few hours of direct sunlight a day when the fog is not blanketing the coast.

1. Could my lack of richness come from not enough fish poo? If that's the case anyone think aminos would help?

2. Perhaps it's that my alk fluctuates too much over the day creating an unstable environment?

3. Natural sunlight the culprit? I've noticed a lot of the Florida ORA stuff comes in not so colorful, but once acclimated to MH colors up beautifully.

4. overskimming removing too many trace elements? I only use a two-part with the occasional tweaking of mag, which I normally don't have to adjust.

A few thoughts I'd like to get to the bottom of before I go upgrading to a larger more SPS friendly system. Again, I'm happy with my millies, monties, deepwaters, etc. It just drives me nuts that I can put a tort anywhere in my tank, and it looks ::)
 
I recall I had a heck of a time maintaining alk when I had a barebottom tank.

Of course now I still have the same problem, but it's because of the clams
 
My sps didn't seem to show much color until I added a few more poopers to the tank i.e. tangs and angel in my case, with that said the tank had and still has a small pair of clowns which at the time were not even 3/4"
 
what are your small fish?

I find it interesting how now a days we hear a lot more "not enough poo" threads than "out of control bioloads".

You may be able to try something like Rod's food to the tank and see if that extra stuff helps out rather than getting more fish to poo.
 
I am seeing the same kind of thing, but I I have lots of fish poo. I have blocked the morning sun from hitting the tank, and tested my phosphates with a real test kit at the Steinhart, and they are like 1.3 so I will be reducing them. Also, I sent off my water to get tested on 20 or so parameters, so I'll let you know what I find out.

:D
 
[quote author=kinetic link=topic=2560.msg26508#msg26508 date=1194414149]
what are your small fish?

I find it interesting how now a days we hear a lot more "not enough poo" threads than "out of control bioloads".

You may be able to try something like Rod's food to the tank and see if that extra stuff helps out rather than getting more fish to poo.
[/quote]I have two chromis and a small rescued hippo tang, you know those ones you see come in around dime sized and all hammered from being in a box forever with all of its homies from the reef (hood), it's about 2" now. It is really interesting how people are all gung ho fish nowadays. Perhaps more efficient skimmer design is to blame.

I don't want to throw in a bunch of fish just yet or start feeding more as it's such a small system (60gal total) balance is critical.
 
[quote author=Thales link=topic=2560.msg26519#msg26519 date=1194449398]
I am seeing the same kind of thing, but I I have lots of fish poo. I have blocked the morning sun from hitting the tank, and tested my phosphates with a real test kit at the Steinhart, and they are like 1.3 so I will be reducing them. Also, I sent off my water to get tested on 20 or so parameters, so I'll let you know what I find out.

:D
[/quote]Rich, how much direct sun does you tank get? During the summer, my tank get around 3 hours of direct afternoon sunlight.

I'm anxiously awaiting you test results, I'd be interested in sending my water out as well, got a # or a link?
 
Jeremy, I don't run a skimmer anymore and I get ok color on my SPS colors. My torts don't look that bright. I do have to keep Alk up as well, but like Eileen says I think its my clams that suck it all up. If you think its the over skimming, then try putting your skimmer on a timer to reduse it or turn it off for a for days to see any difference.
 
[quote author=Thales link=topic=2560.msg26519#msg26519 date=1194449398]
I am seeing the same kind of thing, but I I have lots of fish poo. I have blocked the morning sun from hitting the tank, and tested my phosphates with a real test kit at the Steinhart, and they are like 1.3 so I will be reducing them. Also, I sent off my water to get tested on 20 or so parameters, so I'll let you know what I find out.

:D
[/quote]

do you know which test kits they're using over there ?
 
I am using a DR 5000 to test phosphates at the Aquarium. Other than that, they are using lab quality reagents and mostly colorimeters to read the results.

Jeremy,

The tank was getting about 30 min of slanted sunlight in the morning. It seems to have stopped, so I am not sure if it was causing the problem or not. The phosphate is down to at least .07 and I am getting more GFO soon the bring it the rest of the way down.

Here is a link to the AWT thread. I got new tests back the other day, but haven't had time to post them.
There may be some problems with AWT on some of their tests, but I think they will be worked out soon.
 
3. Natural sunlight the culprit? I've noticed a lot of the Florida ORA stuff comes in not so colorful, but once acclimated to MH colors up beautifully.
Click to expand...
(edit)
ooops, I though you said they where coming in so colorful :) My bad
 
Shoot I was hoping AWT used state of the art mass spectrometers, oh well...

Here's the current status as the intense sun and long days wain my colors are improving, the only problem is I changed my flow pattern, and upped my feeding of Roti-Feast (that stuff rocks!) along with other things, like back to Tropic Marin salt. This means I'll really never know what was the culprit if it was any one thing, I'm just glad to see blue in my austera which was looking a little green before.


I'd love to post pics, but I've given up on the g/f's camera. Free frags to anyone who wants to come out to Narnia and take a few shots, shoot I may even whip up a Philly style pizza while you're here..... Self-serving hint of course as I love my thin crust crunchy pizza.

PM me if you have an empty tank, stomach, and camera...
 
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