New to reefing looking for help

[CoralNoobDude]

Welcome to R2R!

Yes there are a ton of threads on dino's. The first thing you need to do is cut the lights and get your nitrates up. They shouldn't be 0. This will help with the problem

Nitrates up? Wow this is confusing. Maybe I should stick to breeding. I'll check out the dino forums. But would increasing nitrates be detrimental to fish and corals alike? Should I cut off my skimmer to increase nitrates?

 

[W1ngz]

Nitrates up? Wow this is confusing. Maybe I should stick to breeding. I'll check out the dino forums. But would increasing nitrates be detrimental to fish and corals alike? Should I cut off my skimmer to increase nitrates?

Keep in mind that a reef tank is about more than just corals and fish. There's a lot of unseen organisms that come together to balance the ecosystem, including all sorts of bacteria, copepods and algaes to name a few.

The currently accepted thinking is that dinoflagellates thrive in water that is too 'clean', because there's not enough nitrates and phosphates to support everything else that normally competes with them in the environment.

I've already gone into too much depth, like was mentioned, there's a new thread every few days about them.

 

[Aqua Man]

First step is get your own tests. It’s important to know where your at for water quality. Make changes slowly. Don’t add anything unless you can test for it.
What is your salinity? How are you measuring it?

 

[CoralNoobDude]

First step is get your own tests. It’s important to know where your at for water quality. Make changes slowly. Don’t add anything unless you can test for it.
What is your salinity? How are you measuring it?

So actually I finally decided to spend the money and got the Hanna magnesium and ca.lcium test kit today. I posted parameters earlier in thread but testing today I got the following:

Calc: 420ppm
Mag: 1290 ppm
pH: 8.2
Alk: 9.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

Don't know strontium level.

Water salinity 1.024
I think the LFS was trying to get me to purchase products yesterday and gave me false reading. I use reef crystals from instant ocean to mix my tank water. Water change bi-weekly. Don't dose anymore but was using a nitrate reducer when the tank was first started.

Zoas opening sporadically but still not fully as what I saw in store.

 

[Aqua Man]

Those numbers for Calc. and mag look better! Zoas like some nitrates in the water. Having nitrates at 0 is not good. How much water you changing at a time? Maybe do less water and get the N up.

 

[CoralNoobDude]

Those numbers for Calc. and mag look better! Zoas like some nitrates in the water. Having nitrates at 0 is not good. How much water you changing at a time? Maybe do less water and get the N up.

Normally I take 5 gallons out each time. I read on another forum that a routine water change may not be necessary. The change is only meant to correct unstable levels

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]