Corals starting to die

[AcroNem]

Your system is not his system, so if it hasn't been tested it's worth finding out. That's why I specified parameters be tested with a kit that has a smaller margin of error. I agree that you shouldn't mess with lighting yet, no need to be making a bunch of changes at once. Work with KH and food first.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Your system is not his system, so if it hasn't been tested it's worth finding out.

Absolutely agree to the whole thing!

 

[AcroNem]

I realized after re reading that my last comment could have come off real salty (pun intended). I meant it factually, not any ill meaning there.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Ok ill pick something up tomorrow to test for phosphate. Would somthing like reef energy a&b be beneficial to add at this point?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

IMO, no. just food really. I feed frozen and just kinda blow the juice on the zoas and lps with the flow off.

 

[Lovemycj7]

Are you using instant ocean Reg salt or io reef crystals? The Reg io salt should not give you such high alk

Yeah smaller more frequent feedings are better.

Still recommend that you get a clip and feed nori. My tang nibbles on it all day.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Its just the regular IO salt. I tested alk today and it dropped to 11. I will be picking up a clip today.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Also just tested mag levels using red sea kit. They are at 1600.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Also just tested mag levels using red sea kit. They are at 1600.

The mag reading is probably wrong fwiw.
I guess it's a prob with the Red Sea on that test. Fact check me of course

The alk is the concern imo. Even that's not too high. It isn't as easy as a lower alk imo.

 

[Lovemycj7]

Its just the regular IO salt. I tested alk today and it dropped to 11. I will be picking up a clip today.

Somethings not right with your salt or the test kits. No way regular io salt has that high alk and mag. Only other thing I can think of your salinity is high and you have too much salt that's why the high readings. Do you have a refractometer?

 

[Phillyd1990]

No i use a hydrometer. Its read the same for weeks even when the corals were ok. The only thing i can think of as far as change is i added a toad stool and a day later all the corals were doing bad

 

[Lovemycj7]

No i use a hydrometer. Its read the same for weeks even when the corals were ok. The only thing i can think of as far as change is i added a toad stool and a day later all the corals were doing bad

Hydrometers suck. I had 4 of them and they were all different readings with a huge range. Grab a refractometer much more accurate.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Hey guys..its been a while now and i wanted to thank you all for the help! I figured out the problem. It was due to high nitrates and extremely high phosphates. I bought hannah checkers for both and was not happy with The results. I ended up getting a phosban reactor (using phosban media) and a 4 stage ro/di system. Since then ive gotten my nitrates to 2ppm and phosphates to 3. Ive also upgraded my lighting to two hydra 26 hd's. Ive been feeding my corals with reef roids twice a week. My softies and lps are doing fantastic. Ive seen amazing growth over the past couple weeks, particularly in my frogspawn and acan. Ive even had birdsnest who is doing awesome. Over the past 2 weeks ive noticed an abundance of copepods and amphipods everywhere! So again thank you for all the insight!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Excellent!

 

[Stolireef]

That's great news. One thing you may want to consider is to hold off all dosing until your CA/ALK levels look something like this 420/8. Then try to dose two part in equal amounts.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Forgot to mention that. Ive switched to red sea coral pro salt. Calc is always between 440 to 460 i never have to dose anymore. My alk drops to 8 every WC and i dose to bring it up to 9 and it stays that way until my next WC which is usual Saturday morning every week.