Half my Corals are Closed

[thomas_neil]

Trying to figure out what's going on in my tank. It's a 20 gallon cube with an AI prime and mp10 set to reef crest with a max flow of 50%. I've had the coral for about a month now.

All my softies are fine, my hammer and torch coral are fine, as well as my acans. My duncan, gsp, and 3 pipe organs have been closed up or mostly closed up for about 5 days now.

My parameters are:
ALK 12.8
Cal. 400
PH 8.2
Sal. 35ppt
Mag. 1440
Nitrate 5-10ppm
I ran out of phosphate reactant for my Hanna so couldn't test. When I tested last week before a water change it was .42ppm

I know ALK is high but red sea coral pro usually mixes between 11-12. I dose 10ml of All for reef per day and I backed it off to 7ml split between 6 times a day.

 

[Lavey29]

Alk is high and phosphate way elevated. If you have only had corals for a month in a nano tank how did you determine you need to dose 10ml of all for reef when basic weekly water changes suffice?

How old is the tank?

 

[Sharkbait19]

High phosphates can cause corals to close up significantly and lose color, and can often be overlooked as a factor in coral health.

 

[thomas_neil]

I dose because the tank is in my office and I'm not always here to do a water change to replenish uptake. It bounces between 10% weekly and 20% every other week depending on when I have time. Since it is in my office, I have an auto feeder that feeds the tank a small amount of pellets once a day in the morning. When I'm here I also feed rods food at the end of the day.

Tank is about 3 months old.

Any recommendations on how to lower phosphates without GFO? I've had good luck with red sea coral pro salt on my home tank, so I just mix up extra to bring here for water changes.

 

[Sharkbait19]

I use phosguard + water changes with RO. It’s doing the job (slowly).

 

[Duffer]

Phos E from Brightwell...water changes will only get phosphates that are in the water column, phosphates are bond to the rock and sand..

 

[thomas_neil]

I use phosguard + water changes with RO. It’s doing the job (slowly).

I have GFO but I think it works to well. Bottomed out my phosphates on my home tank and caused dyno issues. I'll try mixing some in with my carbon on my next water change and see if that helps.

 

[thomas_neil]

Phos E from Brightwell...water changes will only get phosphates that are in the water column, phosphates are bond to the rock and sand..

Ordered some phos E and some more microbactor 7. Do you think I should also run some GFO with the carbon?

 

[Lavey29]

I dose because the tank is in my office and I'm not always here to do a water change to replenish uptake. It bounces between 10% weekly and 20% every other week depending on when I have time. Since it is in my office, I have an auto feeder that feeds the tank a small amount of pellets once a day in the morning. When I'm here I also feed rods food at the end of the day.

Tank is about 3 months old.

Any recommendations on how to lower phosphates without GFO? I've had good luck with red sea coral pro salt on my home tank, so I just mix up extra to bring here for water changes.

Well I'm confused because you state you dose 10ml of all for reef daily in your first post but now you say you are not in the office regularly to do simple water changes on a nano tank.

20g tank with rocks is 15g. Basic dose for all for reef starts at 5ml per 26g. You are dosing 10ml daily in a new tank that doesn't require it. This is why your alk is high and your corals struggling combined with the high phosphate most likely from pellets . You need to keep things simple in new nano tanks because once things get out of balance they multiply quickly do to the small volume. I would recommend phosguard and then test and reevaluate your need for all for reef in a new tank with new corals. I wish you success in your effort.

 

[Duffer]

Ordered some phos E and some more microbactor 7. Do you think I should also run some GFO with the carbon?

personally i don't, too me that will cause to lower way to quick...you will be surprised what Phos E does...

But go slow with Phos E...i always do half the recommended dose..

this is the calculator i use..

http://larryl.emailplus.org.user.fm/fish/dosing-instructions-phosphate-removers.html

 

[thomas_neil]

Well I'm confused because you state you dose 10ml of all for reef daily in your first post but now you say you are not in the office regularly to do simple water changes on a nano tank.

20g tank with rocks is 15g. Basic dose for all for reef starts at 5ml per 26g. You are dosing 10ml daily in a new tank that doesn't require it. This is why your alk is high and your corals struggling combined with the high phosphate most likely from pellets . You need to keep things simple in new nano tanks because once things get out of balance they multiply quickly do to the small volume. I would recommend phosguard and then test and reevaluate your need for all for reef in a new tank with new corals. I wish you success in your effort.

I use an auto doser. Ill check levels after I do a water change on Friday and again next week.

 

[thomas_neil]

personally i don't, too me that will cause to lower way to quick...you will be surprised what Phos E does...

But go slow with Phos E...i always do half the recommended dose..

this is the calculator i use..

http://larryl.emailplus.org.user.fm/fish/dosing-instructions-phosphate-removers.html

Perfect, thank you.

 

[thomas_neil]

I use an auto doser. Ill check levels after I do a water change on Friday and again next week.

And I'll turn off the doser.

 

[thomas_neil]

I've also been considering switching to tropic marin salt. Would this be a good switch from red sea coral pro for lower alk salt?

 

[Lavey29]

I've also been considering switching to tropic marin salt. Would this be a good switch from red sea coral pro for lower alk salt?

Red sea has a lower alk mix also instead of the pro.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I've also been considering switching to tropic marin salt. Would this be a good switch from red sea coral pro for lower alk salt?

Perhaps.
I use coral pro salt, and my alk is never as high as 12, my alk is 8.8.
I don't think its your salt choice, as mentioned above, its likely your dosing that is keeping alk so high.

 

[Duffer]

I use tmp and for years. I love it, new mixed salt all comes out around 7.7-8..I keep my tank around 8

 

[Lavey29]

Perhaps.
I use coral pro salt, and my alk is never as high as 12, my alk is 8.8.
I don't think its your salt choice, as mentioned above, its likely your dosing that is keeping alk so high.

Exactly, I use coral pro also and my alk stays at 8.3.

 

[Uncle99]

I've also been considering switching to tropic marin salt. Would this be a good switch from red sea coral pro for lower alk salt?

I’ve used RS coral pro and have run those exact same parameters for 5 years now.

Why is it you think something is wrong?
GSP and Duncan’s notorious for closing for days on end.
GSP contracts, then add skeleton, then polyps as it spreads.
Duncan’s hate hate any moving once happy.

 

[thomas_neil]

I’ve used RS coral pro and have run those exact same parameters for 5 years now.

Why is it you think something is wrong?
GSP and Duncan’s notorious for closing for days on end.
GSP contracts, then add skeleton, then polyps as it spreads.
Duncan’s hate hate any moving once happy.

I did just move everything from the frag rack I had them on when I first got them to the scape about 2 weeks ago, they seemed fine with the move and where open the day after.

I thought it could have been from that but couldn't figure out why they were happy then closed up.