Acro maniac
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Imo you can use me PE but that doesn't tell you what is in excess or deficient. I would try to identify the cause. Good luck either way
No Polyp Extension Please Help
- Thread starter buck27
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buck27
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De
definitely want to find out what's causing it. That's why I'm not dosing or anything. Plain ole reef crystals and get her back under control and see where it's at. I honestly think I've stripped the water of everything except the Aquaforest and the bacteria is probably crazy. As mentioned above by another member I probably shouldn't have been using all this stuff with just frags and such in the tank
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buck27
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Ok guys, new tests and parameters. Please note that on 12/1 I had a spike in Nitrate and did about a 2 gallon water change. I since then have gone a couple days now with no skimmer and no Carbon/GFO on. I have performed a new test tonight and have seen the about the same nitrates in the tank. I did switch back to Reef Crystals and have also stopped dosing the Aquaforest supplements since everything is a frag at this point. I just want to get the water quality back under control and I think I may be skimming to excessively. I will skim on Fridays from here on out. My skimmer is a SCA 302 and its running about 30 to 40 gallons. I think its rated for almost twice that. I think tonight I will do a larger water change and see what happens, maybe turn on the Carbon and GFO again but not the skimmer? Thoughts? I also know what caused the spike in Nitrate, I over fed brine to the tank so I will also be reducing the feeding.
Calcium : 440
Alkalinity : 8.4/8.7
Magnesium : 1560
Nitrate : 2 to 5
Nitrite : 0
pH : 8.1/8.2
Ammonia: 0
Po4 : 0
Calcium : 440
Alkalinity : 8.4/8.7
Magnesium : 1560
Nitrate : 2 to 5
Nitrite : 0
pH : 8.1/8.2
Ammonia: 0
Po4 : 0
fragit
2500 Club Member
From what I understand your Nitrates are perfect for an ULNS. What are you using to test phosphates again? It should be 0.0something with that level of nitrate, again from what I have learned here.
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buck27
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I am using a an API kit, everything else is being done with Red Sea my API does in fact show 0.0 sorry.
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buck27
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The mag will have to fall on its own such as the alk since I'm not dosing. I figure the next water change the mag should come down again. I think the nitrates should be about 2 or 3 correct? Any ideas on raising that other than over feeding or anything?
Ubans13
Active Member
I currently had the same issue. Short story is sps looked great. Good extension and good color. Nitrates always in 2 to 5 range. Needed to go fallow. Result was nitrates dropped due to no fish waste. Still fed tank but wasn't enough. Sooo did some research and found my water to also be to clean. No nitrate! I since have started to dose stump remover! Within hrs my sps started to open up again. Currently running 2ppm nitrate. Will dose until fish are added back to tank in the new yr. Also my lps have been extended farther as well. We need nitrate. Doing water changes for the chemistry you have in my opinion is wasting money! Here is a good read.
http://reef2reef.com/threads/potassium-nitrate-spectracide-stump-remover-dosing-steps.215730/
http://reef2reef.com/threads/potassium-nitrate-spectracide-stump-remover-dosing-steps.215730/
I'd have to believe your over dosing. The normal WC should satisfy all your coral needs.
Stop all dosing. I'm concerned your Mg is increasing, and your not dosing Mg.
WC's should reduce your Mg levels.
IMO, stop dosing anything, check your WC water, before and after mixing salt. If your not using R/O water, start, it could be that simple.
I just got my tank back to normal from high No3's, but still had extension and growth.
If you think your too clean, shut down your skimmer for a few days.
Try feeding more, but then run your skimmer.
Stop all dosing. I'm concerned your Mg is increasing, and your not dosing Mg.
WC's should reduce your Mg levels.
IMO, stop dosing anything, check your WC water, before and after mixing salt. If your not using R/O water, start, it could be that simple.
I just got my tank back to normal from high No3's, but still had extension and growth.
If you think your too clean, shut down your skimmer for a few days.
Try feeding more, but then run your skimmer.
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buck27
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The stump remover was an option I've thought of but need to read up on mixing levels.
I am using RO and have stopped all dosing about week or 2 ago with the exception of Coral food, photo, and Amino acids. All other stuff is on hold.
I honestly believe that by me putting in the bacteria and other stuff I have made the water too clean
I am using RO and have stopped all dosing about week or 2 ago with the exception of Coral food, photo, and Amino acids. All other stuff is on hold.
I honestly believe that by me putting in the bacteria and other stuff I have made the water too clean
fragit
2500 Club Member
I had the same issue, tank was doing great. The few SPS I had were growing quickly had great PE, and color. I then started dosing AF products screwed up my Alk, and increased bacteria dosing greatly reducing my nitrates. That can be a huge issue.
Thanks for the link I'm gonna read up on it and maybe try it out to help bring up my nitrates.
Acro maniac
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You dont have enough in the tank to dose anything. You need to let the tank stabilize from the swings you have had. You wont see improvement immediately. It will gradually get better just let it ride a little.
I have not reread but if i remember correctly you had a pretty new setup with frags. As long as you keep an eye on stability of alk you could possibly go a few weeks with out a wc.
Also dont try chasing numbers just because someone is successful with different levels doesnt mean it will work for your system. Find where your system balance is keep it stable and you most likly see improvement. No need to dose anything until your corals are draining the system. You ll gdt everything from water changes thats needed to supply the corals.
Btw mag is little high but it should come down over time i wouldnt worry about it.
Eveything else looks good to me.
Let it ride it might surprise you GL
I have not reread but if i remember correctly you had a pretty new setup with frags. As long as you keep an eye on stability of alk you could possibly go a few weeks with out a wc.
Also dont try chasing numbers just because someone is successful with different levels doesnt mean it will work for your system. Find where your system balance is keep it stable and you most likly see improvement. No need to dose anything until your corals are draining the system. You ll gdt everything from water changes thats needed to supply the corals.
Btw mag is little high but it should come down over time i wouldnt worry about it.
Eveything else looks good to me.
Let it ride it might surprise you GL
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buck27
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Ok, started the potassium nitrate dosing this morning. I used 16 oz of rodi water to 2 tbs of potassium nitrate and got my nitrates between 2 and 4. Using a Red Sea test kit but not the tritation one so the pink color was darker than 2 but lighter than 5 so tomorrow I'll rest again and see where I'm at. I did notice slightly more PE on the purple bonsai this time and the other 4 frags or so have zero extension. I did add about 6 more fags from another friends tank and the PE is pretty good. I am guessing the first frags will likely take a few days to extend. This is a Tubbs Blue Stelata that browned out in my friends tank due to an alk swing but still, the PE looks good in my tank
1stNoel
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Final verdict?
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buck27
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still battling the issue, corals look overall healthy and good but SPS is still not coloring up how I would like and the polyp extension is still the same really. limited WC for awhile, then started doing them again. Stopped using Aquaforest, and started using the red sea coral pro salt I was used to using. still seeing whats going on at this point.
