Bad acro tips......
- Thread starter tcup25
- Start date
- Tagged users None
BigJim
Well-Known Member
If you are keeping SPS long term, you will need some way to keep you calciuim, alkalinity (and to a lesser extent magnesium) consistent. Kalkwasser is one way to do this, but your system may outgrow the limited amount of calcium and alk you get from kalk. Many people use dosing pumps to add two part (one calcium additive and one alkalinity additive) in an amount necessary to keep calcium and alk at consistent levels. You can also add two part by hand, but you need to make sure you do so on a consistent schedule. A calcium reactor can also be used to keep calcium and alk consistent.
Can you tell us your tank parameters? That will help give a better diagnose and hopefully some solutions.
OP
OP
tcup25
Active Member
I will test and post results tonight.
Someone suggested my salt could be the issue. Red Sea coral pro. Supposedly their alk runs high anyway? If that is the case what would be the remedy? I'm happy with the salt.
Someone suggested my salt could be the issue. Red Sea coral pro. Supposedly their alk runs high anyway? If that is the case what would be the remedy? I'm happy with the salt.
BigJim
Well-Known Member
Red Sea Coral Pro does have high alk, but we would need to know your other parameters to blame the salt. If that is the issue, there are some other comparable salts like Fritz Pro and HW Marinemix Reefer that have much lower alk. Some of the nicest tanks out there just use Instant Ocean and a calcium reactor or dosing pump to keep calcium and alkalinity stable.
I'd be interested to know what lights you have, based on the picture. The adjacent purple sponge in the second pic may be revealing.
Corals seem browned out, which is reflective of high nutrients and/or low light.
Tagging along...
Corals seem browned out, which is reflective of high nutrients and/or low light.
Tagging along...
OP
OP
tcup25
Active Member
The lights are gen 3 radions.
In person the corals have nice color. I'm just a crappy photographer [emoji57]. Lights were out when those pics were taken. Just sunlight. How/what does the purple sponge indicate?
High nutrients could be a possibility. I have a pretty hefty bioload although I do water changes weekly at worst every 3rd week.
In person the corals have nice color. I'm just a crappy photographer [emoji57]. Lights were out when those pics were taken. Just sunlight. How/what does the purple sponge indicate?
High nutrients could be a possibility. I have a pretty hefty bioload although I do water changes weekly at worst every 3rd week.
BluewaterLa
Active Member
Not bagging on you at all, wanted to let you know that your parameters are out of whack.
First I would suggest raising your salinity level a little toward 1.025 or even 1.026 is better.
Next I would get your magnesium levels up from that low number to minimum 1280 ppm or around 1350 ppm is a good number.
Be sure not to raise magnesium more than 100 ppm per 24 hours.
Then since your alkalinity is up there I would test for calcium and make sure to raise it by 50 ppm per 24 hours till you reach 420 ppm.
With saltwater at 1.024 SG you will have a natural imbalance in chemistry for simple explanations.
Sps corals will do far better at full ocean salinity and keeping your magnesium levels at or above 1280 ppm will allow your alkalinity and calcium to maintain harmony and play nice
Keep your alkalinity stable as possible as this is the most important one to check and stabilize through dosing for sps and overall tank health
Stop chasing PH values with buffers as this will add an impact to chemistry you don't need or want for a reef.
Hope all is well with your tank and if you have any questions just ask as there is lots of helpful persons here
Good luck and happy reefing
BluewaterLa / mike
OP
OP
tcup25
Active Member
I don't feel bagged on at all. That's why I'm here. My tank isn't happy (the fish are [emoji57]) and I'm trying to fix that and in the process get a better understanding and readjust my expectations. I wanted a system that was as "simple" as possible. I don't like tons of equipment (more stuff to worry about) gadgets, and tinkering.
My plan:
Good filtration and flow
Good lighting
Quality salt and maintenance. I went with Red Sea because of its levels. Didn't want to have to deal with dosing a bunch of trace elements and supplements.
Chose one local store who's tanks I admire as my go to for help and advice. I have learned that I could go to each shop the same day and they will all give a different answer as a solution to the problem. So I chose one. But it seems like something is always out of whack.
@BluewaterLa thank you for that step by step breakdown. VERY helpful. Tonight is water change night so I will get that salinity adjusted and will retest my parameters. Just curious to see what they are immediately following a water change
My plan:
Good filtration and flow
Good lighting
Quality salt and maintenance. I went with Red Sea because of its levels. Didn't want to have to deal with dosing a bunch of trace elements and supplements.
Chose one local store who's tanks I admire as my go to for help and advice. I have learned that I could go to each shop the same day and they will all give a different answer as a solution to the problem. So I chose one. But it seems like something is always out of whack.
@BluewaterLa thank you for that step by step breakdown. VERY helpful. Tonight is water change night so I will get that salinity adjusted and will retest my parameters. Just curious to see what they are immediately following a water change
markalot
Comic Relief
Just to make sure ...
PH 7.2 (buffered tonight)
Don't do that in a reef tank. Buffer spikes Alk and this is most likely the issue. Unless you have a calibrated PH probe stop looking at PH and throw any kits away so you're not tempted to use them again. Also throw any buffer away, these are deadly in reef tanks. The answer to low PH would be to run a skimmer line outside or through a CO2 scrubber but never adding a buffer.
As far as everything else goes I think you are on the right track. Be concerned about the high KH salts, raise Salinity to 35 (1.026) but not too fast.
Personally I would slowly lower KH down to the 7 - 8 range just because, in my experience, acros do better at the more natural KH levels when nutrients are on the low side.
One more thing ... your knowledge of reef tanks is probably greater than your LFS. Not to slag on the store but it's usually better to get advice from more experienced reefers than a LFS.
PH 7.2 (buffered tonight)
Don't do that in a reef tank. Buffer spikes Alk and this is most likely the issue. Unless you have a calibrated PH probe stop looking at PH and throw any kits away so you're not tempted to use them again. Also throw any buffer away, these are deadly in reef tanks. The answer to low PH would be to run a skimmer line outside or through a CO2 scrubber but never adding a buffer.
As far as everything else goes I think you are on the right track. Be concerned about the high KH salts, raise Salinity to 35 (1.026) but not too fast.
Personally I would slowly lower KH down to the 7 - 8 range just because, in my experience, acros do better at the more natural KH levels when nutrients are on the low side.
One more thing ... your knowledge of reef tanks is probably greater than your LFS. Not to slag on the store but it's usually better to get advice from more experienced reefers than a LFS.
