Need advise

[pcorpion]

Any advice on how to get these levels under control or back to a sweet spot . Just getting over Dino’s ostreo kind . Plus I’ve noticed there is a 1 point difference in between apex and Hanna checker with alk. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bushdoc]

Best way to lower both Nitrates and Phosphates would be refugium with macro algae or algae scrubber.
I guess you blacked out your tank and decreased light intensity to fight Dinos, so your corals were not utilizing dKH as much. Were you dosing Ca/Alk at that time?
For Alkalinity I would just stop dosing and watch levels.
I was experimenting with one of my smaller tanks and using vinegar dosing to decrease nitrates and I was surprised though that it also lowered phosphates, but generally speaking that doesn't always happen.
Other ways to decrease nutrients is skimming, decrease feeding frequency and amount, rinse frozen food, clean filter socks more frequently.
Whatever you do, do it slowly as you don't want to swing back in other direction.

 

[Lavey29]

Nitrates are fine. Alk is elevated, are you dosing alk? Phosphates are elevated, drop a bag of chemipure elite in your sump. Do you run a skimmer? Stop feeding pellet and flake to lower phosphates and stop coral additives also to lower them. Check salinity to verify alk number.

 

[pcorpion]

Yes I forgot to mention I have been dosing kalk over the night to keep ph elevated .

 

[bushdoc]

I second Lavey29. Your Nitrates are fine.
Stop dosing dKH for a bit. Other than Chemipure Elite, you can also consider RowaPhos in the bag.

 

[olonmv]

Nitrates help consume phosphate. Your nitrates don’t look terrible and probably will help with lowering the phosphates. Agree with what has been said. Flake and pellets are high in phosphates. When I learned this I switched to frozen and haven’t looked back. Discontinue kalk until you figure (through testing) what your tank consumes. A successful fuge with cheato will help with both ph and nitrates.

 

[pcorpion]

Would this level of phosphate cause acros to loose skin or start bleaching?

 

[olonmv]

Would this level of phosphate cause acros to loose skin or start bleaching?

Short answer. Yes.

.1 or under is generally what we try to keep for happy corals.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any advice on how to get these levels under control or back to a sweet spot . Just getting over Dino’s ostreo kind . Plus I’ve noticed there is a 1 point difference in between apex and Hanna checker with alk. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Bring mag up slightly towards 1300 and for alk . . . . . First look at other levels as often low calcium causes it and in your case calcium is at acceptable high but low nitrate levels can also cause alk to be elevated.
To further lower alk, you can simply do 20 water changes periodically and obviously add none until coral has consumed alk but assure the salt mix you are using is Not high in alk to begin with. If not noted, you can when you mix your next batch of water, Test it and see if its high before you add water to tank
Another method is to consider dosing your tank with white vinegar which will lower alk but may also affect your PH , so if you do vinegar- keep an eye on Ph readings.
For phos, simply add a pouch of chemiPure Blue or elite and it will lower phos and keep it in check

 

[bushdoc]

In my view not immediately, but high phosphates decrease calcification levels in corals and of course can cause algae blooms.
Very high Alkalinity could, but not sure if dKH 13.5 is the level, probably not as there are some salts, which mix with that Alkalinity.

 

[JGK17]

I have had the same issue with my alk. Value not matching my trident and hand checker. (I use the trident to mainly track the alk. Trend). From my research the apex trident calibration solution alk. Isn’t 100% accurate to what it shows on the calibration solution bottle. Some people suggest testing the alk with a test kit than using that value when you calibrate your trident. I have since switch to ABC Regents and don’t have as big of an issue with my trident and hand checker all values not matching. I checked my alk. Last night and my trident said my alk was 0.3 dkh higher than my Hanna alk checker.