Help examine my SPS

[ryecoon]

Looks like my birdsnest corals are stripped down to bone. By the looks of it do you think they are recoverable?

 

[Gauge]

Looks like it is gone. Your other corals look rough too, what lighting are you using? They seem bleached.

 

[Rob&Gab]

that heater should not bee there as well. Do you have a FTS of your tank? do you have a sump? thats where the heater should be.


sorry, yes your sps look stripped what are your cal mag and alk levels? and water temp?

 

[ryecoon]

i have a hob Cpr Refugium. Can i put the heater in there and raise the heater up a notch?

 

[ryecoon]

im using a Kessil 360N for a corner 50 Gallon.

 

[ryecoon]

I have the kessil about 8" above the water and i put the sps right at the tip of the highest rock.

 

[ryecoon]

Should i remove them now? or is it bad to leave them in there?

 

[ryecoon]

that heater should not bee there as well. Do you have a FTS of your tank? do you have a sump? thats where the heater should be.


sorry, yes your sps look stripped what are your cal mag and alk levels? and water temp?

Would it effect my parameters to leave them in the take or should i remove the corals immediately. Also, Would it be a better idea to put the heater inside the input chamber of my hob Refugium?

 

[nazzman]

Location of heater will have no effect on corals unless coral in directly up against it

 

[ryecoon]

Location of heater will have no effect on corals unless coral in directly up against it

Thanks. Hey quick question. I need to boost my calcium about +80 because im at 380-400. I have this kent Liquid calcium. Do i just add this to a fresh bucket of salt water during a top off?

 

[ryecoon]

here are my parameters as of right now

 

[ryecoon]

My Temp

 

[Mike J.]

The heater isn't bothering anything. Do you have any fish in there? An ammonia reading and no nitrates worries me. Has the tank been cycled? Your temp is too high; need to lower that one click at night and one click in the morning until you get it down to 78 - 80. I've owned several of those digital thermometers and have learned not to trust them.

What is your water change schedule and what salt do you use?

Don't start dosing anything until you get a little more knowledge. Ask and answer a few questions first.

 

[ryecoon]

The heater isn't bothering anything. Do you have any fish in there? An ammonia reading and no nitrates worries me. Has the tank been cycled? Your temp is too high; need to lower that one click at night and one click in the morning until you get it down to 78 - 80. I've owned several of those digital thermometers and have learned not to trust them.

What is your water change schedule and what salt do you use?

Don't start dosing anything until you get a little more knowledge. Ask and answer a few questions first.

hey Thanks. actually the Ammonia is at "0" after taking a second glance with a brighter light. My water change schedule is 3 gallons per week. In addition ive been needing to "top off" 1 1/2 every 2 days since i dont have an ATO yet. My tank is a corner 50gallon. I use Kent Marine salt and i have 3 fish. 1 clown, 1 mandarin and 1 small wrasse.

 

[Mike J.]

Would suggest you increase your water changes to a minimum of 5 gals. I used Kent salt once and regretted it. It wouldn't ever clear up and had floating crud and undissolved stuff, too. Also the levels are out of balance. The salt tests out at 540 cal, 8.5 alk, 1200 mag. or it's supposed to.

So your levels are no where near that. Water changes with Kent salt should raise your calcium. Magnesium has a large affect on calcium and alkalinity balance and I prefer to keep it at least 1350.

Your levels at 380 and 9 are not terrible. Why no magnesium test?

I would suggest doing a larger water change and take readings a couple hours after. Then test before your next scheduled water change and then work from there.

I really hesitant advising someone to start dosing a small tank that most likely can be maintained with regular water changes.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/salt-mix-guide

 

[ryecoon]

Would suggest you increase your water changes to a minimum of 5 gals. I used Kent salt once and regretted it. It wouldn't ever clear up and had floating crud and undissolved stuff, too. Also the levels are out of balance. The salt tests out at 540 cal, 8.5 alk, 1200 mag. or it's supposed to.

So your levels are no where near that. Water changes with Kent salt should raise your calcium. Magnesium has a large affect on calcium and alkalinity balance and I prefer to keep it at least 1350.

Your levels at 380 and 9 are not terrible. Why no magnesium test?

I would suggest doing a larger water change and take readings a couple hours after. Then test before your next scheduled water change and then work from there.

I really hesitant advising someone to start dosing a small tank that most likely can be maintained with regular water changes.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/salt-mix-guide

wow Thanks. ill start doing the 5 gallon water changes this week. Kinda sucks because i just bought a new bucket of Kent salt from Amazon lol. So from the list that you sent me which one do you use? since im gonna be using the kent for now is there any preferred additives i should use to make it the right parameters? just for the meantime until i buy the new salt. Or should i just see how the weekly 5 gallon waterchanges workout?

 

[ryecoon]

oh and one more question. is it mandatory to remove dead sps corals from the tank? will it effect the water the same way dead fish effect the water? (Sorry for the rookie questions) lol

 

[ryecoon]

Would suggest you increase your water changes to a minimum of 5 gals. I used Kent salt once and regretted it. It wouldn't ever clear up and had floating crud and undissolved stuff, too. Also the levels are out of balance. The salt tests out at 540 cal, 8.5 alk, 1200 mag. or it's supposed to.

So your levels are no where near that. Water changes with Kent salt should raise your calcium. Magnesium has a large affect on calcium and alkalinity balance and I prefer to keep it at least 1350.

Your levels at 380 and 9 are not terrible. Why no magnesium test?

I would suggest doing a larger water change and take readings a couple hours after. Then test before your next scheduled water change and then work from there.

I really hesitant advising someone to start dosing a small tank that most likely can be maintained with regular water changes.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/salt-mix-guide

ok so i just tested the Magnesium with this Redsea test kit. Its really hard to determine the end mark but im coming up with a reading of "1540"

 

[ryecoon]

ok so i just tested the Magnesium with this Redsea test kit. Its really hard to determine the end mark but im coming up with a reading of "1540"

 

[Mike J.]

With the Red Sea test kit you want to take the reading when it first changes. I used Instant Ocean for a lot years and never had problems; maybe should have stuck with it. I'm now using IO Reef Crystals. A dead coral is just a rock, won't hurt anything. Personally I take them out - I don't like looking at dead corals. I'd get a regular thermometer so you can double check.

I'd stick to doing the water changes and test a couple weeks before and after.