First Corals aren't doing great.

[ScubaSkeets]

Hi folks!
I've been running a FOWLER tank for several months. The salt I started with was just IO Instant Ocean, but water changes have been a 50/50 mix of that and IO Reef Crystals and I have been adding Kent Essential Elements and Kent Liquid Calcium. Per API tests, Kh is 196.9 ppm; Calcium is 440 ppm, Phosphates are 0 ppm, and Nitrates are 20 ppm. PAR is approx 150. I am running a cheap HOB refugium with Chaeto, and that is growing like crazy,..if that has anything to do with it...and the fish are all doing great. However, the two corals that I put in there are struggling. One is a zoa rock with prob 75-100 polyps and the other one is, I don't remember the name, but supposed to look like a green bush. It's a 54 gallon with a NICREW 100 watts LED Dimmable Full Spectrum light.
My wife started her tank and has been using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and her corals (bunch of them...dont know the names) are thriving! And she started her tank prob a month after me.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I switch to the salt my wife is using? Is the PAR too much, or too little? Are the parameters good?
Any other ideas or suggestions would be appreciated! I can't post pics right now because it is dark and do not want to turn the lights on.
Thank you!

 

[D4jack]

How long have you had the corals? How's your ph? Salinity? If you see swings in either it can greatly affect your corals. Did you acclimate them to your light or just pop them in there?

 

[Philly Reefer]

Hi folks!
I've been running a FOWLER tank for several months. The salt I started with was just IO Instant Ocean, but water changes have been a 50/50 mix of that and IO Reef Crystals and I have been adding Kent Essential Elements and Kent Liquid Calcium. Per API tests, Kh is 196.9 ppm; Calcium is 440 ppm, Phosphates are 0 ppm, and Nitrates are 20 ppm. PAR is approx 150. I am running a cheap HOB refugium with Chaeto, and that is growing like crazy,..if that has anything to do with it...and the fish are all doing great. However, the two corals that I put in there are struggling. One is a zoa rock with prob 75-100 polyps and the other one is, I don't remember the name, but supposed to look like a green bush. It's a 54 gallon with a NICREW 100 watts LED Dimmable Full Spectrum light.
My wife started her tank and has been using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt and her corals (bunch of them...dont know the names) are thriving! And she started her tank prob a month after me.
I really don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I switch to the salt my wife is using? Is the PAR too much, or too little? Are the parameters good?
Any other ideas or suggestions would be appreciated! I can't post pics right now because it is dark and do not want to turn the lights on.
Thank you!

First of all, buy a better test kit. API is not the most accurate one.

If you are testing correctly, 196ppm is 11 dkh, which I think too high. I suggest try to lower it between 8-9.

Even though your PAR seems to be good levels(150), the spectrum might not be. Isn't that nicrew advertized for FW planted tank?

You probably need a better light.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I realize API test is not accurate. However, my wife's water is being tested with the same test, with similar results, and again, her corals are thriving. Ph is @ 8.0 per API and Salinity is @ 35ppm per refractometer.

Light is this:
It is apparently a full spectrum reef light and not a planted aquarium light

Thanks again!

 

[Philly Reefer]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, I realize API test is not accurate. However, my wife's water is being tested with the same test, with similar results, and again, her corals are thriving. Ph is @ 8.0 per API and Salinity is @ 35ppm per refractometer.

Light is this:
It is apparently a full spectrum reef light and not a planted aquarium light

Thanks again!

Zoas usually bounce back. But you might want to get a Phosphate tester at least. You shouldn't have 0 Phosphate. Maybe that's why the zoa is struggling.

When you say the PAR approximately 150. What did you test it with?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

When you say the PAR approximately 150. What did you test it with?

Apogee SQ-420​

 

[Acros]

Lower your alk to about 8-8.5. Almost all coral you get comes from that range. 8dkh to 11dkh is a huge swing that can kill coral in a new tank.

That is the only thing I had to change in my new tank. Every coral I added died when my alk was 11dkh. Some of the coral that was doing really bad had bounced back since I slowly reduced my alk to 8.4dkh.

 

[JCM]

Is a fish picking on the corals? Do you have pictures?

 

[Philly Reefer]

Is a fish picking on the corals? Do you have pictures?

Hah.. totally forgot about the fishes...
What fishes are in your tank?

 

[ScubaSkeets]

The fish are not picking on the corals. I do have a Blue Spotted Puffer, but unless the the mere sight of him is affecting the corals, he isn't bothering them. How do you lower the alkalinity? The Fluval and Seachem stuff they have at the LFSs are for raising the alkalinity...not lowering it.

 

[dedragon]

I would say switch to what your wife is doing if her tank is working and yours isnt. Are you using filtered or rodi water? I dont use or recommend fluval or seachem buffers or any buffers in general. Best to stick to ph, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium and use 2 part solution to get correct results. I would also mix a new batch of saltwater and test the newly mixed saltwater

 

[sam.veilleux30]

The fish are not picking on the corals. I do have a Blue Spotted Puffer, but unless the the mere sight of him is affecting the corals, he isn't bothering them. How do you lower the alkalinity? The Fluval and Seachem stuff they have at the LFSs are for raising the alkalinity...not lowering it.

Get a salt with a lower kh for your next wc (fauna marin, tropic marin).

 

[dedragon]

I use red sea blue bucket it mixes to 8 kh for me

 

[Acros]

The fish are not picking on the corals. I do have a Blue Spotted Puffer, but unless the the mere sight of him is affecting the corals, he isn't bothering them. How do you lower the alkalinity? The Fluval and Seachem stuff they have at the LFSs are for raising the alkalinity...not lowering it.

I used sodium bisulfate. Make sure you make very small changes and add an airstone to the tank. I used the product mentioned in the below article.

Sodium Bisulfate to Reduce Alkalinity in New Salt Water or in Display Tanks

I just want to record these calculations in their own thread to refer back to in other threads. When alkalinity is too high in new salt water or in a display tank, acid can be used to lower the alkalinity. You can easily use muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), or sodium bifulfate (e.g...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Austin Byers]

First of all, buy a better test kit. API is not the most accurate one.

If you are testing correctly, 196ppm is 11 dkh, which I think too high. I suggest try to lower it between 8-9.

Even though your PAR seems to be good levels(150), the spectrum might not be. Isn't that nicrew advertized for FW planted tank?

You probably need a better light.

Red Sea pro is 11 dkh so keep that in mind. I understand what you are saying about bringing it down but if he thinks 11 is to high and looks at the bucket then he is going to see the Red Sea pro mixes at 11 and maybe be confused.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Red Sea pro is 11 dkh so keep that in mind. I understand what you are saying about bringing it down but if he thinks 11 is to high and looks at the bucket then he is going to see the Red Sea pro mixes at 11 and maybe be confused.

I bought the Pro. I figured since my wife has had success with it, I'd get that one instead of the blue bucket

 

[ScubaSkeets]

I would say switch to what your wife is doing if her tank is working and yours isnt. Are you using filtered or rodi water? I dont use or recommend fluval or seachem buffers or any buffers in general. Best to stick to ph, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium and use 2 part solution to get correct results. I would also mix a new batch of saltwater and test the newly mixed saltwater

Yes, that's what I just bought. We are using rodi water

 

[vetteguy53081]

Blue spotted puffer is not reef safe, but I think its not the puffer but rather the filtration you have (inadequate) and the high DKH. Although her tank is thriving, it does not constitute the test kit as accurate. API has let many reefers down hence the low price of $21 for a master kit.
I would suggest taking a good water sample to a trusted LFS that does not use API and have the water tested and see what they come up and for comparison to yours.
Lighting can or may be an issue as is flow. Moderate light and flow should be utilized as tank matures. You have to consider also the amount of consumption of alk by the number and types of corals which im not sure were mentioned.

TARGETS:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .4
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-9
CA 440

 

[ScottB]

Have someone run a Hanna ULR phosphate test. I doubt your PO4 is really zero, but if it is, well, that is certainly part if not all of the problem. The API is for high range only, and not very good at that.

And yeah, I agree with the suggestions to run lower dkh. When you buy from American aquaculturalists, they all run 8 ish.

 

[ScubaSkeets]

Blue spotted puffer is not reef safe, but I think its not the puffer but rather the filtration you have (inadequate) and the high DKH. Although her tank is thriving, it does not constitute the test kit as accurate. API has let many reefers down hence the low price of $21 for a master kit.
I would suggest taking a good water sample to a trusted LFS that does not use API and have the water tested and see what they come up and for comparison to yours.
Lighting can or may be an issue as is flow. Moderate light and flow should be utilized as tank matures. You have to consider also the amount of consumption of alk by the number and types of corals which im not sure were mentioned.

TARGETS:
Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .4
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-9
CA 440

Thanks.
Here are my parameters:
Temp 77
ph 8.2 (API)
salinity 34/1.026 (refractometer)
nitrate 40 (API and Salifert)
phos 0 (API)
Ammonia 0 (Salifert)
mG 1600 (Red Sea)
Alk 9.1 (Red Sea)
CA 450 (Red Sea)

I realize API tests are questionable, but for those parameters, API is the only test I have on hand.