Here is an update as requested. I'm currently facing some issues with my corals, as you can see with my brain coral here: Photo one was right after purchase in November of 2011, and the second photo is from a few minutes ago - serious tissue recession
Here are some other photos of stuff in my tank. Hammer coral is basically melting away - look at earlier photos in this thread to see what it looked like previously. I'm really bummed about this one. Bought it half bleached and got it back to healthy and it was growing really well
Other random photos
Another receeding brain coral...
So, before everyone starts asking, here were recent water test results
SG: 1.025
Temp:75
Ammonia:0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:40+ (dark orange on API test kit)
Phosphate .5
Alk: 8
Cal 440
Mag 1300
So, I'm fairly certain the recent issues I have seen with coral (and not being able to keep SPS) is my nitrates. For the first year my tank was running, my nitrates read 0, so I stopped testing for them. Lesson learned....
In any case I hope the bio pellet reactor works as well as everyone says it does. I've done several big ass water changes, and nitrates are down to ~10, but I am still testing phosphates. I was overfeeding after adding a Copperband Butterfly to appease the wife (and deal with Aipstaisa) but the Copperband didn't make it long term.
If I can get phosphates down, do you guys think the corals I currently have will recover?