SPS question?

So I have 1 sps coral (I don't really count the birds nest) in my tank pictured below. It was given to me as a frag 2 years ago. It was about half the size of my pinky when I got it. The guy told me it was a "green slimer". For the first year it did not grow at all . In the last 12 months tho it has really taken off . This colony it about 4inches in diameter now. I was told that the green slimer is the easiest sps to take care of but not sure if that is true? I want to buy another sps from one of these great sponsors here at 3 reef but I still have a turf algae problem (as you can see from the photo) that is slowly going away. The turf algae has not been a problem for anything with a big slime coat or any of my softies but it did suffocate a hard coral about a year ago . I eventually want to make this tank as much sps as possible and sell the softies back to the LFS. Do you think I'm ready or are some of these more "exotic" sps I see advertized much more delicate than this green slimer? I'm not worried about the money, I just don't want to kill anything. My water parameters are always optimal when I test them. Lighting is MH 250X2 over a 46 bow front. All input would be appreciated.

DSC02837 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Your params test fine, but they probably aren't fine if you have an algae infestation. Your nutrients are just being consumed, reading a net "0" on your test. Do you use RO/DI water? Overfeed? run a skimmer? Phosphate reactor? refugium? How old are your bulbs?

 

I do use RO/DI. My TSD reading are 0.0 for top off and water change purposes. I have great skimmer and only feed sparingly 1 time a day. I run Phos media in my HOB filter and canister (yes I maintain it regularly). I also bought a de-nitrifying canister 2 months ago. The bulbs are 6 months old. The algae is slowly dying off as I am going the starvation route. All the other algae (hair,diatom,cyano...etc) is gone but the turf is a B@#$% to get rid of. I could use some input on the bubble algae tho it does not seem to be dying off. I have 2 emerald crabs but they must be lazy.

 

Bump?

 

You should get a reactor and try some GFO. Slowly add it, and keep testing for phosphates and nitrates.

What test kit are you using for phosphates?

 

I almost bought a Phos reactor with my last order. I use a Red Sea kit to test for phosphates.

 

I highly suggest using a hanna checker for both phosphates and alkalinity. Really easy to use, and very reliable results.

 

In addition to what you are doing, you can also do three days lights out every 3 or 4 weeks, and raise your magnesium slowly to over 1,600. High mag is for killing bryopsis, but other algaes also have a hard time growing. You're on the right track, you just need a one-two punch to get it out of the system.

You're pictures are a little yellow. Is it the bulbs, or the camera?

 

The picture is a little yellow because of the camera and the bulbs (13000K). It does not look so yellow in real life. I have been keeping my mag over 1600 for a couple of months now. It is helping some. Won't 3 days with no light be bad for my slimer colony as well as some of the other corals I have? or my clam? Here is a shot of the whole tank.

DSC02840 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Start with two days and see how it goes. The day the lights go back on, I do 1/2 power to re-acclimate them. It's actually beneficial to give them a break once in a while. You'll be surprised how well everything does.