I need some help.

[Mr.Rocc]

So I got some coral from WWC's big sale last month and got on spa. One acro is doing awesome while the others lost some color. I moved my light to give them more exposure. The polyps are always out and extended.
I have a 40 gallon IM dosing 2 part on the weekends, And dosing reef energy daily. All my parameters are on point except that I can't get my calcium and mg to stay consistent. Any help would be awesome.
Top is the first day I got them. Bottom is

 

[twilliard]

What is your nutrient level?
@Russ265 any input?

 

[Mr.Rocc]

My nitrates are at 5ppm. And the acro on the right was moved so I could glue it.

 

[Bob Escher]

Looks like mine

 

[Mr.Rocc]

I mean the piece on the back left

 

[Tahoe61]

What test kits or methods are you using? What saltmix?
What is the value range of the tanks magnesium?

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Red sea, instant ocean reef crystals, and it goes from 1350-1240 in a week.

 

[Tahoe61]

Unless you have an outrageous amount of coralline, I am speculating the difference in values is testing/test kit error, especially when using RC.
What is the lighting source, sorry should have included that in my last post.

 

[hybridazn]

You should be dosing 2 part daily. Doing it just on the weekends is what is causing your swings. Start doing that and I'll bet you will notice a difference.

 

[Russ265]

What is your nutrient level?
@Russ265 any input?

judging by the pictures it looks like elevated phosphate or lack of quality lighting.

mag and calcium swings dont cause them to brown like that ime.

while polyps are technically out, they arent nearly as stretched as when he got it. So something in the water it isnt liking.

a 50% wc might do you good this weekend.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

I have a consistent phosphate reading of 0 and do a 10% wc every other weekend. @Russ265
@hybridazn I can't get it to stabilize to know exactly how much to dose.

 

[Russ265]

I have a consistent phosphate reading of 0 and do a 10% wc every other weekend. @Russ265
@hybridazn I can't get it to stabilize to know exactly how much to dose.

when parameters get out of whack so bad that dosing makes things get wonkier, a 50% wc will cure what ails you.

as far as 0 po4 goes... im gonna go out a limb and say that isnt the case.

get a red sea pro or hanna checker.

salifert, api, and elos have all given me false negatives.

 

[Tahoe61]

Look at the values for magnesium on the link below.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

Your values are extremely close to those for NSW. As I posted previously magnesium testing can be really unreliable, test kits just seem to reflect different values even on the same water sample. I have learned to be very precise in testing magnesium, the amount in the syringe has to be right on as does the sample amount, the tiniest variation throws off the accuracy.
It's unlikely that the water changes you are preforming are not keeping the magnesium and calcium values within normal limits.

The tank looks fairly new and the frags are fairly new. Keep testing, water changes and it should come around with patience. Do not chase the numbers. Acropora frequently go through coloration changes with changes in lighting and water chemistry unfortunately.

Personally I do believe that sps need some nutrients and not everyone can pull off an ULNS/ultra low nutrient system, but do not get all tangled up in the N/P values as long as the tank looks other wise healthy and algae free. I like to feed my sps reef roids, acroporapower, spongepower, reef chili.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

@Russ265 I think I will try a larger water change and invest in a Hanna check for both alk and calcium

@Tahoe61 the tank is fairly new and the frags are about 3 weeks old. Nothing else except for the one has lost color and everything else is thriving! In 2 weeks my acan grew 2 new small heads and my zoa's are blooming! I think I'm ganna do a bigger w/c and get a new test kit.

Thank you both!

 

[Russ265]

@Russ265 I think I will try a larger water change and invest in a Hanna check for both alk and calcium

@Tahoe61 the tank is fairly new and the frags are about 3 weeks old. Nothing else except for the one has lost color and everything else is thriving! In 2 weeks my acan grew 2 new small heads and my zoa's are blooming! I think I'm ganna do a bigger w/c and get a new test kit.

Thank you both!

i trust red sea more than hanna for calcium and alk. heck. ill take api over hanna for those 2.

phosphate... ive experimented with. hanna and red sea pro gave me readings i trusted.

just avoid api unless you suspect a bad pro kit. salifert does well with most. i still wont trust them for po4.

wc will stabilize your tank quite a bit.

good luck

 

[Mr.Rocc]

You know I feel like an idiot now. When I do a wc, that's when the mg has its swings. I should be matching the parameters to my display huh?

 

[chefjpaul]

I would get you parameters back in check with water changes alone, get the no3 & po4 to proper levels (not 0).

Quit with the dosing and use kalk. You don't have enough demand yet and are creating instability. Get this tank stable and then worry about coloration.

 

[Russ265]

You know I feel like an idiot now. When I do a wc, that's when the mg has its swings. I should be matching the parameters to my display huh?

dead giveaway you have bad salt (unlikely) or that your salinity is wrong due to a human error/ hydrometer.

that would definitely discolor them

 

[Mr.Rocc]

So this whole week my monti and my other 2 acros took off. Great color, growth, and polyp extension. however the other one just isn't urning around. @Russ265 when I test my salt mix it has a little lower mg but maybe I should switch if you really think it could be that. Also I'll test it when I mix up a batch later today.

 

[Russ265]

So this whole week my monti and my other 2 acros took off. Great color, growth, and polyp extension. however the other one just isn't urning around. @Russ265 when I test my salt mix it has a little lower mg but maybe I should switch if you really think it could be that. Also I'll test it when I mix up a batch later today.

usually mg tests are the most finicky.
your coral wont go downhill with slightly lower mg.
if the other acros are making a come back, then id let the other sulk for a bit. its not uncommon for discoloration to take months to get back.