Acans shrinking and exposing skeleton

[Mike628]

I'd start with getting that stable. Small, slow changes are key. You've been given many ideas don't go trying them all at once you'll do more harm than good.

What do you think I should start with? By the way my temperature is 74...

 

[Elementalj]

I have a Kessil A160WE Tuna Blue at about 25% intensity and they are on the sand bed with little to moderate flow

That's not enough intensity from my perspective. My 160 is over a 5.5, 10 inches above the water and my intensity is at 42%. How deep is the tank?

 

[Mike628]

I've ran into a similar issue. I think mine started receding when I stopped target feeding them and lowered the overall nutrients in the tank. I started target feeding them again and it looks like they are all improving.

I've had the same amount of light when they were thriving and receding. I've been running t5's 7 hours a day.

I run my kessil from 7am to 2pm, I have it cut off for a few hours and then it comes on again from 5pm to 9pm. I did it to reduce algae because it was suggested to me...should I change the schedule?

 

[AcroNem]

Getting your temperature stable, swings can cause problems especially if it's colder. I once had a heater die and I didn't have my hands in the tank for a few days to notice. Temp dropped from 80 to 70 and even bringing it back up slowly made things quite mad for over a week. I'd say just keeping it at 75 and stable should help for now. I like to run it near 78 or 80 but 75 is good, just make sure it isn't going up or down too much. Any other changes?

 

[Elementalj]

What do you think I should start with? By the way my temperature is 74...

Temp should be 77-78 and consistent. Keeping the swing under control on any and every parameter is the key to success.

 

[Mike628]

Getting your temperature stable, swings can cause problems especially if it's colder. I once had a heater die and I didn't have my hands in the tank for a few days to notice. Temp dropped from 80 to 70 and even bringing it back up slowly made things quite mad for over a week. I'd say just keeping it at 75 and stable should help for now. I like to run it near 78 or 80 but 75 is good, just make sure it isn't going up or down too much. Any other changes?

Not that I know of...I run a weird light schedule

 

[Mike628]

Temp should be 77-78 and consistent. Keeping the swing under control on any and every parameter is the key to success.

I try to keep it around 75 since it seems like it doest want to go higher

 

[AcroNem]

Did you just change your lighting schedule?

 

[Mike628]

Did you just change your lighting schedule?

Nope. Been the same since I set it up

 

[Elementalj]

I try to keep it around 75

When I set my current system up I kind of thought the same thing. I figured the house never got above 77 and never below 74 so all should be good. Never got anything to grow until I stabilized it at 77.3 using the controller. It'll climb to 79 sometimes, but never below 77.3. Everything is really healthy now that I've come back into the understanding of these sorts of things.

 

[Mike628]

When I set my current system up I kind of thought the same thing. I figured the house never got above 77 and never below 74 so all should be good. Never got anything to grow until I stabilized it at 77.3 using the controller. It'll climb to 79 sometimes, but never below 77.3. Everything is really healthy now that I've come back into the understanding of these sorts of things.

I have a heater in my tank but it's not a real expensive heater. Just a basic aqueon or tetra heater. I forgot the brand

 

[Elementalj]

Not that I know of...I run a weird light schedule

If you want your light schedule to reflect when you're home, set it to that time period. I run my kessil a total of 11 hours with 90 minute ramps in both directions. Everybody inflates and fleshes out until it finally shut off.

 

[Mike628]

If you want your light schedule to reflect when you're home, set it to that time period. I run my kessil a total of 11 hours with 90 minute ramps in both directions. Everybody inflates and fleshes out until it finally shut off.

So what schedule should I do?

 

[Elementalj]

I have a heater in my tank but it's not a real expensive heater. Just a basic aqueon or tetra heater. I forgot the brand

The tetras are programmed to run 78. What's the wattage? Where is it?

 

[Elementalj]

So what schedule should I do?

Are you using the spectral controller?

 

[reefguyty]

I run my kessil from 7am to 2pm, I have it cut off for a few hours and then it comes on again from 5pm to 9pm. I did it to reduce algae because it was suggested to me...should I change the schedule?

I'm not sure. I personally don't like to interrupt a light cycle but that's just based on a feeling I have lol.

 

[Mike628]

I'm not sure. I personally don't like to interrupt a light cycle but that's just based on a feeling I have lol.

I just did that to control algae, but I want to change it

 

[Mike628]

I should also mention I haven't done a water change in about three months...all the levels and parameters have been in a good range so that's why I haven't done one...

 

[Elementalj]

I should also mention I haven't done a water change in about three months...all the levels and parameters have been in a good range so that's why I haven't done one...

Let's get the temperature under control and work on your schedule. The algae is just that, it's algae. It'll be there no matter what. It's the coral we need to concentrate on first.

Have you used the spectral controller for the fixture? Or are you dialing it in and using a timer?

 

[Mike628]

Let's get the temperature under control and work on your schedule. The algae is just that, it's algae. It'll be there no matter what. It's the coral we need to concentrate on first.

Have you used the spectral controller for the fixture? Or are you dialing it in and using a timer?

I dial it in and use a timer