Need help with Alkalinity and calcium

[Hectorg214]

My pulsing xenia was doing great for almost a year then suddenly started to bleach and shrink. Then once it starts to grow again it starts to bleach again. All my other corals are doing great. My sinularia, zoas, gsp, kenya trees and even my purple pulsing xenia are doing fine. I never dosed anything and would only use reef roids once a week. I hear pulsing xenia is the easiest coral to grow, so easy some people even get rid of it once it starts to overtake their tank. So I took a water sample to my lfs and they said Alk is 7 and calcium is 240. They said Alk should be at around 8 or 9 and calcium should be higher. Since I never dose anything could that be the reason my xenia is bleaching and keeps shriveling? Also what do I dose and would red sea AB help? Just trying to find out what to do to get my xenia back since it's one of my wife's favorite corals.

 

[Jakepen]

Not sure why all other corals are doing fine except for the Xenia. 7 is not ideal for alk, but won’t shrivel Xenia, calcium at 240 though is alarming. I would just buy some soda ash and calcium chloride from BRS and use their calculator to slowly raise those numbers up. Any idea what your nitrates and phosphates are at?

 

[Rickybobby]

I’m not a pro but a softy like Xenia has no calcium skeleton so I’m not sure if those numbers would even bother it? Easiest coral on earth I find I cut clippings off and put it in the garbage I keep mine away from the brightest light abs it gets moderate flow

 

[Hectorg214]

Never tested for phosphates but nitrates are probably between 3 and 5 ppm. And since I have softy corals never tested for alkalinity and calcium. Should I???

 

[uhgster1]

How big is the aquarium? Just do some consecutive water changes 5-10% and that should bring your levels up. It’s not worth investing in two part of you have a softy tank smaller than 75 gallons. Your salt mix will bring it up to where it needs to be and dilute your wastes in the process.

 

[Hectorg214]

It's a 72 gallon bowfront and do a 20 gallon water change monthly.

 

[Timfish]

You should monitor alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Photosynthesis in corals and algae will use bicarbonate (alkalinity) and a lot of soft corals do make calcium spicules in their body and will consume bicarbonate, calcium and magnesium. FWIW I've had Xenia in my tanks for decades and sometimes it will die back for no apparent reason then take off again.