Pale Zoas

[DannyB]

My nitrates have always been undetectable with salifert. I don't chase that number and don't thrive for 0. I have had issues with the Phosphate in the past being too high and do run GFO to keep it low. It runs uaully between 0-5 PPB phosphorus.

The calcium and magnesium are always high due to WCs. I only dose for Alk to keep it stable at this time. Hopefully some new corals from Battlecorals this week will bring that Calcium down.

The magnesium test is over a year old, not expired.

And thanks @Wilsoni

 

[DannyB]

Don't you just have to say his name 3 times and he appears?
Randy Holmes-Farley
Randy Holmes-Farley
@Randy Holmes-Farley

I can't manage to get the magnesium to go down. The WCs keep it that high, 1500. The last time i added any Magnesium was at the end of my cycle, 2 years ago, when bryopsis showed up.

Any suggestions on how to lower it?

 

[malira]

Nitrates will drive you phosphates down. I dose nitrates and my fish load helps keep them steady.
If you have time read RHF section. He has so much great information about water chemistry.

 

[DannyB]

Nitrates will drive you phosphates down. I dose nitrates and my fish load helps keep them steady.
If you have time read RHF section. He has so much great information about water chemistry.

I have read some of his articles about this. I have been struggling with cyano and am afraid of nitrate dosing because of that.

 

[malira]

I have read some of his articles about this. I have been struggling with cyano and am afraid of nitrate dosing because of that.

Yes there is balancing act. It takes someone with a lot of experience and knowledge to see the problem from your trends. I've even read he talks with members on the phone to help.

 

[naso tang]

How big is the tank? Any reason you can't do a massive water change to get the mag down?

I'm voting for water too clean too. My zoas were unhappy, so i started running my skimmer half time. Big difference...

 

[Habib(Salifert)]

Is your Salifert Mg kit new by chance? I just purchased one and there's nearly a 200 ppm difference between my current Salifert kit and the new one. Magnesium is sitting at 1500 on the Salifert test which makes me question which kit is at fault.

I know it sounds crazy and I've tried starting the return process but Prem Aquatics is in doubt that the kit is bad so they're attempting to troubleshoot by playing phone tag, which is quite inconvenient.

What likely might have happend with your older kit is that the cap was not closed properly (by accident) one or more times. That would cause evaporation of the reagent causing it to become more concentrated.
A more concentrated reagent means less required to obtain the colo change; meaning a lower reading.

 

[Sabellafella]

My zoas bleached out when i was running my ppb under 5 and have 0 readings on all my p04 test kits for over a month. 90% positive that might be your problem

 

[DannyB]

My zoas bleached out when i was running my ppb under 5 and have 0 readings on all my p04 test kits for over a month. 90% positive that might be your problem

I had the issue when I had higher phosphate as well though. Only within the last month has it been this low. It was running closer to 16PPB, hence using GFO now.

 

[DannyB]

How big is the tank? Any reason you can't do a massive water change to get the mag down?

I'm voting for water too clean too. My zoas were unhappy, so i started running my skimmer half time. Big difference...

WCs have only ever raised the Magnesium.

 

[Sabellafella]

I had the issue when I had higher phosphate as well though. Only within the last month has it been this low. It was running closer to 16PPB, hence using GFO now.

Oh wow, yea you might need more fish then lol

 

[naso tang]

WCs have only ever raised the Magnesium.

Clearly something is wrong here. I don't know what the source of your salt is, i never have to worry about mag much with scripps (other than bringing it up to normal when i add it). Under extreme conditions, you could do 100% water change and you would go back to sea level. But if your are mixing, maybe your salt is not at sea level? I don't know, maybe you have a huge tank, i haven't seen the volume in the thread.

I used to hate the salifert kit, the titration takes too long, all the good data is at the end if the assay. I use elos now, like that one better. You can always use the mag calculator on bulk reef supply to adjust up, but the only way to get mag down that i'm aware of is to replace the water with lower mag water. Randy holmes farley might have a trick with alk, i don't know. This of course assumes your test kit is working right.