Coral Help needed

[newreefnick]

I had a 40 gallon tank that started over a year ago. I’ve had my RSM 650 for about 10 months now that I bought used. It’s the old T5 setup and I haven’t changed the bulbs yet because I haven’t had any corals in that tank and the former owner claimed they weren’t old. Getting to my point, I have 4 bulbs on each wing for a total of 8 and another one in the middle I believe. Does anyone have a recommendation for brand and I don’t know what colors I should use. I lost a candy cane and a Star Polyp in my old tank and my frog spawn started great but then stalled and never got bigger. I believe that tanks problem was too much flow. I had an led light on it which may also had been turned up too much and they may have been lost from user inexperienced. Also had some zoas that barely grew that I got from reefapalooza last year in Orlando. I bought this weekend another star Polyp and candy cane as well as a hammer and a pair of mushrooms. They are in the RSM but I don’t want to risk using bulbs I have no real idea their age. Any tips and help would be greatly appreciated. I was feeding my old corals with a bulb syringe with just plain food before. I bought some reef roids now to give a go. So far everything looks good except the hammer closed up and still has t opened, but I know it can sometimes take a while for adjusting. Also I noticed my jewel damsel nipping at my new star polyp and has left noticeable marks.

 

[Evan West]

Well first what are your perimeters? Sounds like more might be going on here.

 

[newreefnick]

Well first what are your perimeters? Sounds like more might be going on here.

1200 mag
400 Cal
5.3 Alk
8 PH
0 Am
0ppm Nitrite
10ppm Nitrate

 

[domination2580]

1200 mag
400 Cal
5.3 Alk
8 PH
0 Am
0ppm Nitrite
10ppm Nitrate

5.3 alk is pretty low....I would increase that first off..only by 2 ppm at a time though

 

[Evan West]

5.3 alk is pretty low....I would increase that first off..only by 2 ppm at a time though

I would agree this needs to be at least 7 and it needs to stay stable. Do you use kalkwasser or two-part?

 

[newreefnick]

I would agree this needs to be at least 7 and it needs to stay stable. Do you use kalkwasser or two-part?

No, I’m pretty new at this. Im not even sure what that is. I read online I can use baking soda. I was going to try that tonight. Do you recommend something else?

 

[Evan West]

No, I’m pretty new at this. Im not even sure what that is. I read online I can use baking soda. I was going to try that tonight. Do you recommend something else?

Read this http://www.reefedition.com/baking-soda-the-reef-aquarium/

Baking soda is a way to raise alk but not a great way to maintain it.

Do some research on Two Part and Kalkwasser (both ways of maintaining cal and alk)......Bulk Reef supply has some good videos on YouTube about it and affordable products. Basically as your coral grows it absorbs cal and alk from the water and then this needs to be replenished to keep levels from dropping too low. You also wanna try to keep alk and cal stable so usually these solutions are dosed daily or in little bits throughout the day by a dosing pump. You may also be able to keep alk and cal up via a water change with a good salt mix but this requires regular weekly or more, water changes.