Is my pocillopora

[ReefChasers]

Well my recommendation for the most important stats to monitor: Alkalinity (dKh/carbonate hardness), No3 (nitrate), Po4 (phosphate). Salt/Temp of course.

Target for Alkalinity should be 8-9 range, pick a spot and stick there. most people run the 8-8.5 range.

Target for NO3 ideally is 2-5ppm but < 10 is pretty acceptable. Some people say you can run higher, but it's debatable what benefit that would have.

Target for PO4 ideally is .03-.05, but try to keep under .1 at the maximum. There is some scientific research out there that suggests above 0.1 ppm Phosphate that calcification will be inhibited and growth will slow.

In either PO4 or NO3 you never really want them to hit zero, so got to park them at a low level that you are comfortable with maintaining -- your system over time will naturally sort of balance itself out and finding stability in PO4 and NO3 will become easier and easier -- perhaps even get away with testing less often. At first though these two tend to flux a lot.

Just remember when it comes to nitrates/and or phosphates zero is bad:!)

 

[Gtinnel]

If your alkalinity was high and you weren't dosing your salinity was likely much higher than you though. Getting a refractometer and making or buying some calibration fluid should be a priority on testing equipment if you haven't already.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

A Hanna checker is almost a necessity for phosphates IMO. It's nice for nitrate (only the High Range one) and alkalinity too though.
The good thing is that your parameters are getting better as you go. I do question some of your reading though, unless you were dosing something it's unlikely your alkalinity was 18.

Has to be a mistest. I was using api testing and switched to salifert right when I started reading in the high 12’s.

I assume that’s where it was actually at when it was reading 18. But I guess we’ll never know for sure now.

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

If your alkalinity was high and you weren't dosing your salinity was likely much higher than you though. Getting a refractometer and making or buying some calibration fluid should be a priority on testing equipment if you haven't already.

Yep! I picked up an ATI refractometer with a 35ppm cal solution from fritz. Calibrated with RO to find my zero line and fully calibrated with fritz to target 35. That’s where the insane jump from 32.5 to 36 came into play.

I was trying to get away with just using an IO swing arm hydrometer and that was a crucial mistake.

 

[Gtinnel]

Has to be a mistest. I was using api testing and switched to salifert right when I started reading in the high 12’s.

I assume that’s where it was actually at when it was reading 18. But I guess we’ll never know for sure now.

Most likely but even high 12 is high IMO. I keep mine between 8.25-8.5. If you're still using a swing arm hydrometer that would be the first thing I would replace.

Also I agree with everything suggested by @ReefChasers

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

Well my recommendation for the most important stats to monitor: Alkalinity (dKh/carbonate hardness), No3 (nitrate), Po4 (phosphate). Salt/Temp of course.

Target for Alkalinity should be 8-9 range, pick a spot and stick there. most people run the 8-8.5 range.

Target for NO3 ideally is 2-5ppm but < 10 is pretty acceptable. Some people say you can run higher, but it's debatable what benefit that would have.

Target for PO4 ideally is .03-.05, but try to keep under .1 at the maximum. There is some scientific research out there that suggests above 0.1 ppm Phosphate that calcification will be inhibited and growth will slow.

In either PO4 or NO3 you never really want them to hit zero, so got to park them at a low level that you are comfortable with maintaining -- your system over time will naturally sort of balance itself out and finding stability in PO4 and NO3 will become easier and easier -- perhaps even get away with testing less often. At first though these two tend to flux a lot.

Just remember when it comes to nitrates/and or phosphates zero is bad:!)

Next on the list for me is absolutely some better nitrate and phosphate testing equipment.

and a new nutrient export system. I’ve been considering switching out my HOB for an internal protein skimmer (this tank is 15g, I don’t have the space for the larger aquariums out there. I know, I’m insane for trying out this volume as my first go around by I relish a challenge.)

 

[ReefChasers]

I would add one caveat to the NO3/PO4 testing -- sometimes our eyes are the most important instrument we can use. Sometimes people say the test kits show 0/0 phos/nitrate so they keep trying to add more nutrients, but in reality their tank is exploding with Algae/Cyano. This is a misnomer -- the nutrients are not really zero, they are just being consumed very quickly by a bloom of nuisance algae. In those instances, we have to rely on our eyes more than our test kits and if your eyes are telling you the reef is dirty/nuisance algae in abundance then you need to back down the feeding, up the water changes, and try to reduce the nutrients even though your test kits are lying to you.

 

[ReefChasers]

Next on the list for me is absolutely some better nitrate and phosphate testing equipment.

and a new nutrient export system. I’ve been considering switching out my HOB for an internal protein skimmer (this tank is 15g, I don’t have the space for the larger aquariums out there. I know, I’m insane for trying out this volume as my first go around by I relish a challenge.)

Oh yeah! Sounds like you already know that the smaller size the tank the more challenging it can be. For a tank this size I recommend sticking with the softies primarily or the hardier LPS and probably not so much SPS especially with a lack of room for equipment.

That said, with this size system, frequent and consistent water changes can be an easy way of making sure everything stays in check!

 

[ChefReeferThomas]

I would add one caveat to the NO3/PO4 testing -- sometimes our eyes are the most important instrument we can use. Sometimes people say the test kits show 0/0 phos/nitrate so they keep trying to add more nutrients, but in reality their tank is exploding with Algae/Cyano. This is a misnomer -- the nutrients are not really zero, they are just being consumed very quickly by a bloom of nuisance algae. In those instances, we have to rely on our eyes more than our test kits and if your eyes are telling you the reef is dirty/nuisance algae in abundance then you need to back down the feeding, up the water changes, and try to reduce the nutrients even though your test kits are lying to you.

Oh I know that reality for sure, I run planted freshwater tanks. Not the hardest to maintain but still familiarizes me with some testing concepts for sure.

this is my first tank in general, still running to this day. Bout a few years old now.

 

[ReefChasers]

Oh I know that reality for sure, I run planted freshwater tanks. Not the hardest to maintain but still familiarizes me with some testing concepts for sure.

this is my first tank in general, still running to this day. Bout a few years old now.

Love a good fresh water planted tank, a lot of fun!!

 

[Barb0713]

thanks actually, makes me feel a lot better.

it’s hard accepting your first coral is dead within a couple months… but like fish I assume it as a very real possibility.

more research, to be done. More money to be spent. I love my new hobby. It’s been a wild transition from freshwater.

I’m with ya. I came from freshwater. I’ve killed about 7 coral so far. But I have some doing well now. It’s a process for sure. But I’m having a blast. Throwing money away to learn lol