Corals doing poorly and everything seems fine

[ruger11]

I'd start with verifying salinity. LFS salt water does not mix that high in Mg nor ALK, so I suspect salinity is higher than 1.026.
None of us calibrate as often as we should.

If that is not the issue, the next thing to check is nitrates & PO4 (checked by Hanna ULR). Low nutrient and high(er) ALK don't mix well for corals.

now im worried are top fin water testers good

 

[motortrendz]

How do you top off your evaporated water? What do you use?

 

[ruger11]

How do you top off your evaporated water? What do you use?

Ro water

 

[ruger11]

No calibration possible on a hydrometer

Invest in a refractometer for reefing, hydro might be ok for FO

I just re tested with my plastic hydrometer and it read 1.024 ppm

 

[motortrendz]

The mag is what really concerns me. I'm surprised anything is open let alone doing great with that high a number. Have you had anyone double check that test with a different test kit?

 

[ruger11]

The mag is what really concerns me. I'm surprised anything is open let alone doing great with that high a number. Have you had anyone double check that test with a different test kit?

I have not but will this sunday (soonest I can get a second opinion) How could I lower mag (just did a retest my self and got 1800+ ppm

 

[motortrendz]

With water changes. Preferably not from where you've been getting it. Have you put anything in your tank, like purple up or any other additives?

 

[ruger11]

With water changes. Preferably not from where you've been getting it. Have you put anything in your tank, like purple up or any other additives?

Ive got premixed water for water changes. last one i did was 3 weeks ago, addditives ives used are red sea alge management and red sea calcium supplement (calc WAS 350 ppm)

 

[motortrendz]

What's in the ingredients for the algae management... is there magnesium in there lol. Or is it just the no pox..

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Ive got premixed water for water changes. last one i did was 3 weeks ago, addditives ives used are red sea alge management and red sea calcium supplement (calc WAS 350 ppm)

How much RedSea Calcium did you add. In order for you to raise the calcium from 350 to 475, you would have had to add over 100 ml of that supplement.

 

[ruger11]

What's in the ingredients for the algae management... is there magnesium in there lol. Or is it just the no pox..

For ingredents of the NOPOX is small amound of denatured ethonal and organic carbon compunds no magnesium

 

[ruger11]

How much RedSea Calcium did you add. In order for you to raise the calcium from 350 to 475, you would have had to add over 100 ml of that supplement.

over 10 days I added 60 ml the first test was probaly wrong, it was the first day I got it and was inexperienced with it

 

[W1ngz]

After re-reading the last 3 pages, here's what I'd do.

1. Stop adding anything.
2. Double check your salinity.
3. Review your testing procedures, including how to use a syringe. There's some common mistakes that people make. Be sure you are reading from the bottom of the plunger and NOT the top of the liquid.
4. Add another powerhead to the other end of the tank.

Shopping list:
1. A refractometer. The one linked from amazon is fine, but something from BRS, while more expensive, is sure to be reputable and known to work with seawater.
2. 35ppt calibration solution. You want to calibrate as close as you can to your target. Ignore the instructions if they say calibrate with pure RODI or distilled water. You don't want to calibrate to 0, you want 35ppt/1.026 SG.
3. At least one more powerhead. You want to push about 2000gph total inside a 55gal tank. Your canister filter isn't 'flow'. If you have 2 powerheads, split that between them and get something around 1000gph. You already have one powerhead, so for now let's assume that it's sufficient with just one more.
4. Phosphate test. This can wait until you get your ammonia/nitrate/nitrite, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium to be closer to natural sea water. I'd stick as close to natural sea water parameters as you can for now until you pick up some more experience.
5. A new LFS.

 

[ruger11]

After re-reading the last 3 pages, here's what I'd do.

1. Stop adding anything.
2. Double check your salinity.
3. Review your testing procedures, including how to use a syringe. There's some common mistakes that people make. Be sure you are reading from the bottom of the plunger and NOT the top of the liquid.
4. Add another powerhead to the other end of the tank.

Shopping list:
1. A refractometer. The one linked from amazon is fine, but something from BRS, while more expensive, is sure to be reputable and known to work with seawater.
2. 35ppt calibration solution. You want to calibrate as close as you can to your target. Ignore the instructions if they say calibrate with pure RODI or distilled water. You don't want to calibrate to 0, you want 35ppt/1.026 SG.
3. At least one more powerhead. You want to push about 2000gph total inside a 55gal tank. Your canister filter isn't 'flow'. If you have 2 powerheads, split that between them and get something around 1000gph. You already have one powerhead, so for now let's assume that it's sufficient with just one more.
4. Phosphate test. This can wait until you get your ammonia/nitrate/nitrite, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium to be closer to natural sea water. I'd stick as close to natural sea water parameters as you can for now until you pick up some more experience.
5. A new LFS.

sounds good

 

[W1ngz]

And if once you've checked your salinity you decide you still like your local store, at least consider your own RODI unit, a box of salt and a cheap pump to mix it with.

 

[ScottB]

sounds good

That was a lot of good info coming out the firehose so take some time to digest it. Hope ur feeling the love by now!

 

[Natescorals]

If you say your light is 500 par. Look for the measurements of par from where the light is sitting to the surface of the water also measure how far the corals are from the light because 500 par is wayyyyy too high for soft and some LPS corals. That would completely fry the corals especially since you said the blues are at 80%? That’s way too much light for Zoas they like 100-200
Par range. Not 500 par. That’s crazy they would die

 

[Natescorals]

Call the light manufacturer and see if they can give you some pat information on the lights you have you need to figure out par and also if your constantly adjusting light intensity that will really bother the corals and cause them to close up. You need to leave the lights alone at one setting but I wouldn’t do the highest setting If you say it’s a really strong LED

 

[Natescorals]

My lights are at 15% blues. I added phosgaurd to lower my phosphates and all my Euphyllia corals have completely opened up and are reaching for the light

 

[IslandLifeReef]

@ruger11, what is your specific light? You also have that light right on top of your tank. All LED lights have spread problems. The LED's put out light in a concentrated burst that spreads out over distance. This causes hot spots and low light spots. I would recommend raising that light to at least 6-8 inches above the water line.

I also agree with all of the recommended steps @W1ngz mentioned. You could also send in an ICP water test to establish where your parameter really are. I would do a set of tests at the same exact time you take the sample for the ICP water test and compare your test results to the ICP results. This could help you understand if you are not performing the tests correctly or need to invest in different test kits that give more accurate results.