Can't keep certain coral...need help!

[Breakthecycle2]

I really can't understand what's going on with my system. I cannot keep chalices and now my hammers and torch's are starting to lose heads.

Salinty 1.024
Phos: .04-.08
Nitrates: 5
CAL: 450
ALK: 9.2-9.8
TEMP: 77.9-79.0

I am running Dr. TIms bio-pellets as well.

 

[CodyRVA]

Your ALK is a bit high for pellets in my experience. I see you're giving ranges for ALK as well... I'm guessing it's not consistent which is probably the cause of your problems. Phos is a tad high. Temp slightly low.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Your ALK is a bit high for pellets in my experience. I see you're giving ranges for ALK as well... I'm guessing it's not consistent which is probably the cause of your problems. Phos is a tad high. Temp slightly low.

What should ALK be for pellets?

 

[CodyRVA]

What should ALK be for pellets?

I usually run mine around 8, but the bigger issue isn't 8, 9, 7... It's keeping is constant. While some corals are forgiving, others are absolutely not and if your ALK is essentially swinging by a point... That's my guess as to why corals are dying. Are you dosing?

 

[SeaDweller]

What's ur magnesium? It's often overlooked. IME I used to hand dose and would cause shifts in my Alk, but never had a problem. Your shift of 0.5-0.6 isn't that much to cause much of an issue I feel because my shifts were WAY higher than that. However I don't run bio pellets so i don't know the effects of bio pellets and alk.


Temp seems ok, I run mine cooler and don't have issues.

Lighting, flow? Placement

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I usually run mine around 8, but the bigger issue isn't 8, 9, 7... It's keeping is constant. While some corals are forgiving, others are absolutely not and if your ALK is essentially swinging by a point... That's my guess as to why corals are dying. Are you dosing?

I was dosing, but I stopped. I add a half teaspoon of buffer to 15 gallons of ATO water. How can I lower the ALK without stressing the corals out?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

What's ur magnesium? It's often overlooked. IME I used to hand dose and would cause shifts in my Alk, but never had a problem. Your shift of 0.5-0.6 isn't that much to cause much of an issue I feel because my shifts were WAY higher than that. However I don't run bio pellets so i don't know the effects of bio pellets and alk.


Temp seems ok, I run mine cooler and don't have issues.

Lighting, flow? Placement

Chalices, hammers and torches are placed mid to sand bed. Its a 6 foot tank, so I have three radions at max intensity of 55%. I have a 1400gph return pump and a gyre 150 at about 60. Magnesium is 1350-1400.

 

[SeaDweller]

I was dosing, but I stopped. I add a half teaspoon of buffer to 15 gallons of ATO water. How can I lower the ALK without stressing the corals out?

Let it come down naturally.

 

[CodyRVA]

I was dosing, but I stopped. I add a half teaspoon of buffer to 15 gallons of ATO water. How can I lower the ALK without stressing the corals out?

Just do it slowly over time, but again... You need to focus more on keeping your ALK consistent.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Let it come down naturally.

Its been steady at 9.8 for the last three days with no dosing.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Just do it slowly over time, but again... You need to focus more on keeping your ALK consistent.

Also, why should ALK be lower with bio-pellets?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Also, I get RTN and sometimes STN on SPS.

 

[SeaDweller]

Chalices, hammers and torches are placed mid to sand bed. Its a 6 foot tank, so I have three radions at max intensity of 55%. I have a 1400gph return pump and a gyre 150 at about 60. Magnesium is 1350-1400.

Everything seems to look good/acceptable ranges if your numbers are those. What test kit do you use? Are they expired? Something nipping at them?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Everything seems to look good if your numbers are those. What test kit do you use? Are they expired? Something nipping at them?

I use red sea kits except for MAG. Everytime I use it I get 1500-1600 MAG readings. Salifert gives me a more accurate reading for whatever reason. The kits are three months old.

 

[twilliard]

One big question
What are you feeding and how often

 

[Breakthecycle2]

One big question
What are you feeding and how often

Twice a day...mysis, or reef frenzy...sometimes oyster feast or Dr.Tims pods feast.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Do you have a front tank shot we can look at?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Do you have a front tank shot we can look at?

Best I could do right now.

 

[rolyguy7]

My thought based on what you're parameters would be corals starving and/or high Alk. Seems your calcium and Alk balance is a little off. When not in balance corals have trouble building skeleton base. The symptoms are usually rtn and stn.

I've been running reef tanks for 20+ years. The most stable parameters I've found are these.
1.025-1.026 salinity
78-79 temp
7.6-8.4 Alk
430 ppm
0-5ppm nitrates
Non detectable phosphates
Lots of fish and heavy feeding
Coral feeding - I use reef chili

I recommend you don't dose until your Alk gets down to 7.6 dkh. Then adjust your dozer to keep you between 7.6 and 8.1. Don't overdose or you'll be back in the same boat. Always start low. Once your Alk is in the appropriate range you can leave your dozers dosing two part and correct calcium if it's too low. Bump it to 420-430ppm.

That's my advice. It's worked well for me. Hope it helps you stabilize and maintain yours.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

My thought based on what you're parameters would be corals starving and/or high Alk. Seems your calcium and Alk balance is a little off.

I've been running reef tanks for 20+ years. The most stable parameters I've found are these.
1.025-1.026 salinity
78-79 temp
7.6-8.4 Alk
430 ppm
0-5ppm nitrates
Non detectable phosphates
Lots of fish and heavy feeding
Coral feeding - I use reef chili

I recommend you don't dose until your Alk gets down to 7.6 dkh. Then adjust your dozer to keep you between 7.6 and 8.1. Don't overdose or you'll be back in the same boat. Always start lower. Once your Alk is in the appropriate range you can leave your dozers dosing two part and correct calcium if it's too low. Bump it to 420-430ppm.

That's my advice. It's worked well for me. Hope it helps you stabilize and maintain yours.

What do you say my ALK and CAL are off? Im just curious. Also, should stop dosing CAL? I haven't dosed ALK in at least two weeks.