Need help coral not doing so well

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

So I have been trying to keep sps coral and struggling the whole time I know I need to get my nitrates up and phosphate but it seems impossible can't get it above 0 I tried reef rood but every time I start using it I get algae blooms and it still stays at 0 my parameters are with (Hanna checker) dkh8.9, cal484/ with (Red Sea) dkh8.6, cal430, mag1185, po4 0,no3 0 any advice and knowledge would be greatly appreciated thank you

Catchemall · Jun 30, 2017

It says 0 but your getting algae blooms so therefore odds are a false reading. The algae is consuming the nutrients. How's your coloration?

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

Catchemall said:
It says 0 but your getting algae blooms so therefore odds are a false reading. The algae is consuming the nutrients. How's your coloration?

The coloration is not good very faded

fishflipper · Jun 30, 2017

What kind of filtration? What size tank?

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

I have a red sea reefer 34 gallon tank 9 gallon dump filtration is filtersocks live rock and a reef octopus protein skimmer 110 s

fishflipper · Jun 30, 2017

How lonf has the tank been running?

fishflipper · Jun 30, 2017

Are you using RODI for top off and water changes?

Mal11224 · Jun 30, 2017

A pic might help. Do you dose? Magnesium is a little low. There are several things that can affect corals. Lighting can be too strong, too much nutrients, flow, fluctuating alk and calcium especially. Are your levels stable? Meaning are they consistent day to day? Not sure if you use supplements, how often do you do water changes, if you don't?

RamsReef · Jun 30, 2017

You can use seachem notrate and phosphate, they even have a dose calculator on their site.

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

My tank has been running for about 11 months and yes I make my own ro water and no I never have dosed it usually runs a bit higher but did notice it dropped a bit

fishflipper · Jun 30, 2017

What kind of lights do you have? IME SPS is a bit difficult to keep up with only doing water changes. Too much fluctuation in cal and alk.

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

Here's a pic and yes I do dose a 2 part calc and alk and to be honest I recently I bought Hanna checkers and on those my numbers were different then red sea higher so over the last 2.5 weeks I have been trying to slowly bring them down and yes typically 5 gallons a week lately about 8 since I have been getting a bit of cyno in sand bed but it's back under control so I was going to go back to 5

Mal11224 · Jun 30, 2017

Calcium is more forgiving than alkalinity. Alk should be stable if at all possible. When magnesium falls substantially, aside from infrequent dosing, unstable alk and calcium can cause it. If you are feeding fish and your corals, then that should not be an issue. May need more potassium, iodine, trace elements, etc in your tank as well.

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

I'm using hydra 26 hd it's turned up about 55 percent had them higher but I had another thread for rtn and we came to conclusion it was due to lights being to strong

fishflipper · Jun 30, 2017

Mal11224 said:
Calcium is more forgiving than alkalinity. Alk should be stable if at all possible. When magnesium falls substantially, aside from infrequent dosing, unstable alk and calcium can cause it. If you are feeding fish and your corals, then that should not be an issue. May need more potassium, iodine, trace elements, etc in your tank as well.

What he said

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

My cal was at 590 and all was at 9.8 I brought it down over a 3 week time period cause I thought it was to high and I dose every night

Williamthegr88 · Jun 30, 2017

Really so when there are fluctuations in cal and alk it can make mag drop?

Mal11224 · Jun 30, 2017

Williamthegr88 said:
Really so when there are fluctuations in cal and alk it can make mag drop?

When alk and calcium are stable, it helps magnesium to be stable, which is why it is not dosed as much as alk and calcium. Corals survive in stable environments. Alk is pretty much the one thing that should be tested daily if you are keeping sps corals.