Monti Frags help

[ReeferWarrant]

Yeah, so I'm full of lies.... I just realized my testing kit wasnt reading right. I tried Red Sea just now and my Nitrates are in the 20 ppt range.... Next couple tests coming but I have a feeling that's probably not good.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Salinity: 1.026
Nitrates: 20ppt
Nitrites: 0
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: .1
pH: 7.9
Ca: 385ppm
Alk: 9 dKH
Mg: 1230ppm

My Alk has stayed relatively stable, my pH Ca and Mg seem to drop rapidly though. Any thoughts?

*I recently fed, thinking that might cause the Nitrate spike

 

[Flippers4pups]

What are the ways that you keep nitrates and phosphates at marginal levels? I dialed back feeding, I think thats why my Phosphates are at .2.

They say not to cut back feeding, but attack the issue in other ways. Carbon dosing, increased water changes, N03 removers......etc.

I have never chased N03, so my tank runs higher N03 around 40+ ppm.

Some that run higher N03 and P04 can run higher alkalinity with increased flow and higher PAR and get great colors with increased growth.

I trend my alkalinity higher around 10 dkh with 300+ Par up high with a lot of flow. I get pretty good growth with decent colors.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

I think I'm going to try and get a chaeto reactor built in the near future. This way I can remove the phosguard which is a potential issue for the monti's. From my test results do you see anything that would stand out as an issue?

My thoughts right now:
1) find a means to regulate pH better (chaeto reactor)
2) get a par meter and see what the readings are in the tank

Additionally, I'm gathering parts for a reef pi and will have a dosing pump to help keep the Ca and Mg levels more stable as well. Anything you think I am missing?

 

[ReeferWarrant]

So I've been going through every aspect of my tank, I think I found another issue. I have been using way too much carbon, would that have an adverse affect on the corals?

 

[ReeferWarrant]

update: It was the lighting, I havent tried doing a PAR test but I did it the simple way. Completely cut out the white lights on my tank for a day after I realized the monti was fully extended in the mornings while the blues were ramping up. Right now running my whites at 5% for 6 hours during the day and all of the frags have been looking better, to include the ones I ordered.

Additionally, I changed the flow in my tank. I think it was aimed towards the back of my rockwork and by moving the powerheads around I think it's getting better. The goniopora I have are completely extended as well now.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Is it normal for Monti's to just have polyp extension with lights out and blues on? Once the whites kick on it retracts, just curious if I should worry about this or not.