Coral help!!

[GoVols]

So what would you guys recommend me doing?

Are you using a 4 stage RO/DI unit with a built in TDS meter?

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Buy the Hanna phos kit / follow the instructions to a tee

Phosphate Low Range Colorimeter HI713 Hanna Checker - Fresh & Marine Water

Why does BRS recommend this? The Hanna Phosphate Checker is an awesome little tool that will give you accurate easy to read results. If you have bad eyes or have a hard time with color change test kits, the digital readout on the Hanna checkers is super easy to read. The biggest key with Hanna...

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Get some .35 calibration solution to calibrate your refractometer

Buy the Hanna dKH checker for alk
Buy Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium and Nitrates

Get your GFO reactor, and start tumbling gfo 1/3 of the recommended dose to bring down your phosphates, nice a slow and keep testing.

Water changes with TM Pro will help and should lower your alk too, but you have to know if your salinity is correct with using the .35 solution with your refractometer.

 

[Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef]

Are you using a 4 stage RO/DI unit with a built in TDS meter?

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Buy the Hanna URL phos kit / follow the instructions to a tee
Here's and cheat sheet from ppb to ppm


Get some .35 calibration solution to calibrate your refractometer

Buy the Hanna dKH checker for alk
Buy Salifert for Calcium, Magnesium and Nitrates

Get your GFO reactor, and start tumbling gfo 1/3 of the recommended dose to bring down your phosphates, nice a slow and keep testing.

Water changes with TM Pro will help and should lower your alk too, but you have to know if your salinity is correct with using the .35 solution with your refractometer.

Sounds like a good idea lol.

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

I'm using a refractometer to test my salinity. I'll post some pics of the calibration liquid I have and the salt that I'm using

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

I do have a brs 4 stage rodi unit with a built in tds meter. I just changed all the filters in the unit and the water is coming out at 0

 

[GoVols]

I do have a brs 4 stage rodi unit with a built in tds meter. I just changed all the filters in the unit and the water is coming out at 0

How high was the TDS reading, before you re-changed your RO/DI unit?

and, what test kits are you using?

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

I believe it was at 6tds before I changed them out not 100 percent sure

before I changed them out.

 

[GoVols]

I believe it was at 6tds before I changed them out not 100 percent sure

6 is really high, need to change di resin when it hits 1 tds

Toss the Red Sea mag kit out of those 3, and use Sailfert

TM Pro should mix to 7 - 8 in dKH in alk

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What are you testing your phosphates and nitrates with?

 

[SaltH20Danny]

Polyp bailout. I had the same problem 2 years ago. Couldn't find an answer for the life of me. While taking an educated guess of what it could be I made a few changes in the tank, (Mixed my Rox Carbon with GFO). A few days after that I had a bunch of people from the WI Reef Society look into it and 100% was due to High nitrates/Phosphates. You could mix carbon with gfo in one media reactor like I do (Only downfall is they dont have the same exhaust rate as carbon lasts a lot longer then gfo) but I never had a problem, or a dual reactor and tumble it. You can put it in a mesh bag and add it to a high flow area but media reactor is the best way to go. Good luck.

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

I'm testing the phosphates and nitrates with api reef test kit. Imma have to invest in a media reactor I just have gfo in a mesh bag now.

 

[GoVols]

Polyp bailout. I had the same problem 2 years ago. Couldn't find an answer for the life of me. While taking an educated guess of what it could be I made a few changes in the tank, (Mixed my Rox Carbon with GFO). A few days after that I had a bunch of people from the WI Reef Society look into it and 100% was due to High nitrates/Phosphates. You could mix carbon with gfo in one media reactor like I do (Only downfall is they dont have the same exhaust rate as carbon lasts a lot longer then gfo) but I never had a problem, or a dual reactor and tumble it. You can put it in a mesh bag and add it to a high flow area but media reactor is the best way to go. Good luck.

As long as the Rox is packed, your okay.

If you tumble carbon it can break down and cause HLLE with tangs, in the long term.

Thanks for your reponse!

 

[GoVols]

I'm testing the phosphates and nitrates with api reef test kit. Imma have to invest in a media reactor I just have gfo in a mesh bag now.

API is good for Cal and Alk, but that's where I would stop with API.

Try to get the Hanna phos kit, and Salifert for nitrates.

Start with a real small dose of gfo in your mesh bag.

Good luck, Erick

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

Thanks for all you're help I appreciate it.

 

[GoVols]

Thanks for all you're help I appreciate it.

Erick,

It takes a team, to make things happen, and your sure welome.

You can do this, just keep on testing and take your time.

Be sure to keep your TDS at zero / change di resin when it reads 1

Freddie

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

Thank you sir, I'm a newbie to this hobby so I'm soaking in every thing in and hopefully I get the hang of it.

 

[bblumberg]

I'm using a refractometer to test my salinity. I'll post some pics of the calibration liquid I have and the salt that I'm using

I assume that you mix the calibration solution well before using, right? When your refractometer is calibrated to 35 ppt, what reading do you get with RO/DI water? Should be 0.

As GoVols said, Tropic Marin pro should not mix up to anywhere near the parameters you are seeing. Mine typically measures ~7.5 ish and I add 1/2 scoop of bicarbonate per 55 g barrel to get up to 8.5.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I have heard that large swings in dkh can cause issues with tissue recession

 

[good.reef]

My nitrates are always 10-15 and my phosphates are .25. Yes you read that right! Enough to give most reefers a heart attack. I actually have people give me corals to try and save because LPS and softies thrive in my tank. My elegance has grown 5x it's original size in the past 3 months. The problem is that people go to extremes to keep their tanks to certain numbers, chasing and dosing and reactors and everything else. I do a 15% water change every 10 days and that's it. STABILITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ARBITRARY NUMBERS. Now I know that many many people will disagree with me but I don't care because my tank is healthy and I do almost nothing but let it be and everything in it is thriving. If I had to constantly test and chase numbers I wouldn't even enjoy this hobby. Thankfully my method works for me. This is my tank, running for 9 months with dkh 7.6 with high nitrates and phosphates. Sometimes I get algae and sometimes I scrub it off and sometimes it's really bad and sometimes it dies off. I try to follow the K.I.S.S. method. Oh yeah and my chili coral is thriving in these conditions as well, polyps out every night.

 

[Erick Quintanilla]

I assume that you mix the calibration solution well before using, right? When your refractometer is calibrated to 35 ppt, what reading do you get with RO/DI water? Should be 0.

As GoVols said, Tropic Marin pro should not mix up to anywhere near the parameters you are seeing. Mine typically measures ~7.5 ish and I add 1/2 scoop of bicarbonate per 55 g barrel to get up to 8.5.

When I Calibrated the refractometer I pour a little of the solution and make sure its reading 35ppt then I wipe down the lens and then I check it wit the rodi water and it shows 0 on it