need help with corals

[Jcearl]

My Set Up:
120 Gallon Deep Blue tank
55 Gallon Sump
200 micron filter sock
Reef Octopus Diablo 250x protein skimmer (rated for 300 gallon tanks)
Aqua UV Classic 57 watt UV Sterlizer
Auto Top Off
200+ LBS of live lock
1 Ecotech MP40
2 Ecotech MP10's
return pump 1900 gph
I have 70 times turn over in my tank
48" 6x54W Nova Extreme PRO T5HO by Current USA
I also use RO/DI water and Red Sea Coral Pro salt

I have a heavy fish bioload but I do 20% bi-weekly water changes and I have a super over sized Skimmer.

Salinity 1.024
light - I am currently using (5) ATI Blue Plus T5 Lamps and (2) ATI Purple Plus T5 Lamps

i just purchased 2 AI Vegas color's to maybe help the corals get more light to grow but that wont come in until friday

the tank has been running for almost 2 years..

My Problem:
I have an Australian Acan ( not growing )
Green Star Polpys ( not growing - actually seems like it is getting smaller...)

I have been dosing my tank Daily with the seachem 2 part solution and i have been dosing with magnesium

i have been dosing regularly for 2-3 weeks now

i cant get my magnesium above 800
i cant get my alkalinity above a pitiful 1.46dkh
and i cant get my calcium above another pitiful 50ppm

thanks

 

[Reefing Madness]

Why can't you get your numbers up? What salt are you using? A teaspoon of Baking Soda will bring that ALK up immediately. You have to dose Mag at 100 a day to get it up, that ones not easy, it take a bit of time to get it up from that low of a number. You need to up your dosage on all parts, your not dosing enough, and your salt mix isn't helping either.

 

[glb]

Those numbers are super low. How did they get that low?

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

What test kits are you using? Have you had a LFS or trusted friend verify the numbers? What salt mix are you using?

 

[Jcearl]

i am using red sea coral pro salt - and for a test kit i am using red sea reef foundation pro test kit and i did take the water to be retested because i was shocked... and it was verified

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

What's the pH? Have you tested freshly mixed water?

 

[Jcearl]

no i havent tested my ph but wouldnt my fish be affected if that was a problem? no i havent tested my freshly mixed water - what could be wrong on that end...

 

[Jcearl]

red sea coral pro salt

 

[aquamn1999]

As said above you need to increase your magnesium than bring up alk and ca. Then you need to start dosing or use a kalk reactor or ca reactor. Here is a link to BRS calculator Reef Calculator - Bulk Reef Supply so you know how much your going to need to bring up the mg, alk & ca.

 

[Jcearl]

thanks a lot for that site it really but it in perspective how much i am going to need to dose - thanks everyone

anymore pointers would be helpful

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I would test your fresh saltwater to see if it has the correct levels. It is possible to get a batch of salt.

 

[Reefing Madness]

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-chemistry-forum/134170-alkalinity-salt-mixes.html
If your using Red Sea Pro Salt, something is wrong. This guy in the above thread just posted ALK numbers for that salt, and they were at 12, thats way higher than what your testing out at. How old is your test kit? Or as stated above, your salt batch is bad.