Trouble keeping acros :(

So I seem to bleach? or they just loose there color as they die? All my acros slowly die after a few weeks.

Cal is always above 450.
9-11 dkh
1.026
0 nitrates, nitrites, phosphates
78*
Basically all my params are perfect.

75 gal tank with an mp10Wes on each end.

2x 120w reefbreeders led fixtures about 20-30% white, 50% blue.

I can keep all softies,gsp, pulsing xenyia, BIG RBTA,small rbta, rock flower anem, and have a candy cane on the sand bed, micromusa on sand bed. 8" Derasa on sand bed.

But any time i add an acro it just dies in a few weeks. Any ideas why? I place them relatively high. Its weird, one side of the tank i have ricordia that are higher then the acros and they do fine, but the acros loose all the color on the oposite side of the tank. The 2 light fixtures are slightly different. 1 has a few different leds then the other.

 

What test kits? How stable is your Alk?...fluctuations throughout the day?

 

What is your Mg at?

What are you using to measure your SG?

 

Mag is where its supposed to be. And alk drops a few dkh over the week. I add 2 tablespoons of baking soda a week to keep it up around 10-11. But it drops down to 9ish after a week or so.

I use a swing arm refractometer. And api test kits for most stuff. But red sea for cal, mag, alk.

I dont want to keep really hard ones at this time. Just like a green slimer, or an ora nathans millie. :/

 

A few red flags here.

So you only dose for Alk once a week, and you do that via baking soda? The implication here is your raising Alk 1-2 dKh all at once; potentially a large swing. You really need to dose a small amount once or twice a day; consistency in Alk is key for SPS. Also, I fear you're adding baking soda directly to your tank. It needs to dissolved in a saturated solution before you use it.

The swing arm might also be an issue, if it's reading incorrectly. Salinity high or low would be more-so problematic for SPS than other corals.

 

^This, plus I wouldn't trust an API test. Find a local that has a Hanna PO4 checker, or a LFS that will use a quality test for PO4.

 

Well how can i automate the alk dosing?

And I have never had an issue with my swing arm not working as i should. I have 2 and they both read the same.

 

Automating dosing can be expensive. You can do it many ways. A Reef Controller (Apex, DA ReefKeeper, Reef Angel, etc.), an Automatic Doser (BRS single head, or more complex GHL units, etc.). Or...you can dose very small amounts yourself each day.

The swing arms are known to get out of whack eventually. Yours might be fine right now.

 

What is your mag specifically? A high mag can lead to inaccurate readings of alk. and cal. or a low mag can lead to an inability for alk. to stay in solution.

To me, it sounds like a possible alk. burning situation. I had the same lights and never had an issue burning SPS coral at the top. I had almost identical percent intensity too.

 

I will re test mag to see what it is exact. And I will start dosing a for alk once a day to keep it more stable.