NOOB - Water Parameter help

[Cashplus]

Hi all,
Been reading a bunch, but still am a bit confused on what to tackle first with water parameters.

I have a 32 Biocube as a display tank with about 30# rock, sand, setup and cycled since January. It has a Tunze Nano skimmer, and an InTank Media basket with filter floss, Roxx Carbon and a small purigen pouch. 2 Jebao OW-10 wave makers, Steves LED kit for lighting upgrade. So far 2 clown fish, 1 neon goby, 3 hermits, 5 or 6 snails, cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrimp.
No coral so far in the DT...
All inhabitants seem healthy and happy.
Feeding PE Mysis 1mm pellets 1 x daily, only a small pinch they consume in a couple of minutes.

Using RS Coral Pro salt, Mixing with RO/DI water at 0 TDS to an S.G of 1.025. Weekly 15% water changes.

Not dosing any supplement...

This tank has recently started developing a short, almost white, hair algae on most of the rock with some longer green stuff starting in the last few days.

Temp 78 Deg
PH - 7.7 - Hanna Checker probe
Ammonia - 0 - API kit
Nitrite - 0 - API Kit
Nitrate - 0 - API Kit
Salinity - 1.025 - Refractometer calibrated to pinpoint solution
Ca - 575 -Hanna HI758
DKH - 7.0 - Hanna HI772
Phosphate - 0.00 - Hanna HI713
Mg - 1540 - Red Sea Mag Pro test kit

In an additional 40 days or so, I have a bunch of CUC and coral frags coming out of a 13.5 gal QT that I would like to put in the 32 Gal display. I am concerned my PH and Alk are too low and my Ca and Mg are too high. Could the low PH or Alk be causing rock and sand to breakdown contributing to higher Ca and Mg than the salt should make? I am confused how my Alk could be so low vs what the salt should make...

I should also mention my 10 gal fish QT and my 13.5 gal Coral / Invert QT are experiencing similar water parameters. Low side PH & Alk, High Ca and Mg...

Any advice on how to adjust the water is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Hmm kinda sounds like the start to bryopsis possibly? Do you have photos? There are many threads on algae identification here on the forum. Also, alkalinity is being absorbed at all times even without corals. The rocks, fish, inverts, and you may have coralline algae beginning to grow which will consume alkalinity very quickly. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

 

[GoVols]

Hmm kinda sounds like the start to bryopsis possibly? Do you have photos? There are many threads on algae identification here on the forum. Also, alkalinity is being absorbed at all times even without corals. The rocks, fish, inverts, and you may have coralline algae beginning to grow which will consume alkalinity very quickly. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef.

The alk part is not true. It can go down from cycling a reef, or if your nitrates go up, but it's not always being absorbed (in-taken) as an set in stone rule.
Fish, Rock and most inverts do not in-take alkalinity. Coralline does intake cal alk and mag.

Just wanted to point that out.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Boom, knowledge! ;Writing

 

[GoVols]

Hi all,
Been reading a bunch, but still am a bit confused on what to tackle first with water parameters.

I have a 32 Biocube as a display tank with about 30# rock, sand, setup and cycled since January. It has a Tunze Nano skimmer, and an InTank Media basket with filter floss, Roxx Carbon and a small purigen pouch. 2 Jebao OW-10 wave makers, Steves LED kit for lighting upgrade. So far 2 clown fish, 1 neon goby, 3 hermits, 5 or 6 snails, cleaner shrimp and a peppermint shrimp.
No coral so far in the DT...
All inhabitants seem healthy and happy.
Feeding PE Mysis 1mm pellets 1 x daily, only a small pinch they consume in a couple of minutes.

Using RS Coral Pro salt, Mixing with RO/DI water at 0 TDS to an S.G of 1.025. Weekly 15% water changes.

Not dosing any supplement...

This tank has recently started developing a short, almost white, hair algae on most of the rock with some longer green stuff starting in the last few days.

Temp 78 Deg
PH - 7.7 - Hanna Checker probe
Ammonia - 0 - API kit
Nitrite - 0 - API Kit
Nitrate - 0 - API Kit
Salinity - 1.025 - Refractometer calibrated to pinpoint solution
Ca - 575 -Hanna HI758
DKH - 7.0 - Hanna HI772
Phosphate - 0.00 - Hanna HI713
Mg - 1540 - Red Sea Mag Pro test kit

In an additional 40 days or so, I have a bunch of CUC and coral frags coming out of a 13.5 gal QT that I would like to put in the 32 Gal display. I am concerned my PH and Alk are too low and my Ca and Mg are too high. Could the low PH or Alk be causing rock and sand to breakdown contributing to higher Ca and Mg than the salt should make? I am confused how my Alk could be so low vs what the salt should make...

I should also mention my 10 gal fish QT and my 13.5 gal Coral / Invert QT are experiencing similar water parameters. Low side PH & Alk, High Ca and Mg...

Any advice on how to adjust the water is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony

Tony,
Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!

The best way is to post some good pictures like @JustAnotherNanoTank stated.

With those and your listed parameters would be a good start.

 

[SPR1968]

As already said, pictures would be very helpful to help with identifying the problem you have

As far as the parameters you may find this useful which is an excellent article, and also new saltwater doesn’t always mix to exactly what it states on the box.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

And welcome to R2R as well, it’s great to have you with us!

 

[Cashplus]

Hi All,
Sorry for the late reply. Late getting home from work and then fighting with my phone to get decent pictures as requested...
Below are some barely ok pictures of this whitish algae that is stating on the rock.

Should I start by attempting to raise my alk? Will this also raise Ca which is already too high?

Thanks for your responses. Much appreciated!

Tony

 

[GoVols]

Tony,
Unless your cal, alk and mag are being in-taking by your reef, then don't dose for them.

You can test to see if they are being consumed.

If you use a regular alk product, it should not raise your calcium or visa versa.

Testing is always your guide, and just remember, to stay within the max daily dose, of the product that you using.

 

[Cashplus]

Ok thanks. So, I will look to pick up a straight forward alk product to manually move the alk up into acceptable range while following daily allowable increase recommendations. Then test daily to see what the drop or absorption rate is?

I do have some coralline in the tank, but assumed it wouldn’t be enough to consume Alk at a serious rate. Red Sea Coral Pro is supposed to mix up to 11-12 DKH and I am at 7 DKH with no coral and 15% weekly water changes... baffling!

Thanks,
Tony

 

[GoVols]

Ok thanks. So, I will look to pick up a straight forward alk product to manually move the alk up into acceptable range while following daily allowable increase recommendations. Then test daily to see what the drop or absorption rate is?

I do have some coralline in the tank, but assumed it wouldn’t be enough to consume Alk at a serious rate. Red Sea Coral Pro is supposed to mix up to 11-12 DKH and I am at 7 DKH with no coral and 15% weekly water changes... baffling!

Thanks,
Tony

Yeah,
The Coral Pro is high in dhk.

To get a Start:
You could buy Seacheam Reef Advantage calcium powder / Seachem Reef Builder for alk / and Seacheam Reef Advantage mag crystals

Do not buy Seachem Reef Buffer it will throw off your test kits.

Here's a calculator, if that's the way you want to go.
https://www.marinedepot.com/md_educationcenter_calculators_reef_chemistry_calculator.html

Dose under your displays tank size because your really holding less water.

Dose a pretty much smaller dose (then re-test) and over time, increase the volume in the calculator, then you'll know how much water your really holding.

With your nitrates and phosphates at zero, you could feed your fish more, to help bring up those parameters.

 

[Cashplus]

Ok I picked up some Reef Builder and used the calculator you linked above. Made only a partial dose tonight and will retest in morning. Working towards dkH of 9. Thanks for your advice. Really appreciate it!