All lps are closing up

[Alexreefer]

This has been going on for about a week now where my torch coral and Duncan have started closing up. I am thinking this might be from my nitrates but I don't really know as I test 0 but my lfs says 30. Any suggestions on how to bring it down and what to do with the corals. I will try and take picture tomorrow after school as the lights are off now.
Thanks

 

[wesman42]

The best way for anyone to help is post ALL of your parameters, including calc, alk, mg.

 

[dylana407]

What's your test kit? I would trust the LFS test result.

 

[wesman42]

I think Dylana mean't wouldn't. I'm assuming they used test strips.

 

[Alexreefer]

Well for alk I use a hanna and it tests out at 13. I dont know how it got that high? I will stop dosing for a week.For mag and Cal I use red sea they test out at Mag 1320 and cal is at 480
For all other I test 0 for ammonia
0 for nitrate
0 for nitrite
.23 for phosphate
I dont know whats wrong

 

[Gareth elliott]

What was the alk prior to the jump to 13? If was more than a 2dkh jump would recommend a rather large water change to get back in line quickly. Also at low nitrate high alkalinity is even more dangerous to the corals.

 

[Alexreefer]

Alk before was 10

 

[Alexreefer]

What would you recommend me doing ?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Your coral had grown accustomed to a particular alkalinity, then raised rather sharply.

I would do a 50% wc if it were me and had the saltwater on hand to do it.

Followed by a few smaller ones to get back to 10.

Would also look into adding more fish, cutting back on carbon dosing etc, to raise no3 to at least above 1ppm

 

[Alexreefer]

Ok i have a 80 gal with about 30 gals of ro/di water made so I will do it tomorrow after school. Followed by some smaller water changes. should I be worried about taking out a lot of my beneficial bacteria ?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Theres very little bacteria in the water column. Most is on or in the rocks or in the sand

 

[Alexreefer]

Ok will do a water change