Strange parameters, why to go from here?

[StarksReef]

Let's start with some basic info.

I am new to the reef hobby but have over 15 years experience with freshwater fish. My current reef is a sumpless 40G breeder and is runnuing for about 6 months. I started this tank as a soft coral only tank to avoid dosing and keeping a close watch on water parameters. By doing weekly 10% water changes with reef crystals salt, I replace minerals and trace elements. So far the tank is doing great and my soft corals, zoa's and anemones are doing fine, just as the fish. I did have some cyano issues but these were solved by limiting my feed intake to a single cube of mysis daily (also seemed to cure HLLE in my scopas tang). The tank never had algae problems but I got some Ulva and caulerpa groing since I started it. Now only the caulerpa is still present, which I trim weekly.

Since 2 months I have 2 LPS and a SPS frag (duncan, euphilia and pocillopora) and lost a frag of montipora some time ago. Since these corals do not seem to grow at all, and I don't dose anything, I was wondering what my parameters were. Up until today I never tested my water. I measured the following parameters today:

pH: 8,15
Alk: 8,6
Ca: 500
Mg: >1500
NO3: 50

It surpirsed me that all values are this high. Water change was a week ago. Especially the nitrate concerns me, yet I don't have that much algae in the tank.
I wanted to start dosing to increase the growth of my corals and coralline algae (atm I have no coralline growth anymore).
I have a dosing pump and aquaforest component 1,2 and 3 ready to start ,but I am confused were to begin now. I was expecting low calcium and alk in my tank. Hope someone can give some advise on this.

Tank specs:
40 gallon
2 powerheads and a wavemaker (35x volume/h)
Tunze 9001 skimmer
Easyled universal 2.0 marine blue LED
Started with live rock

CUC:
9 hermits
2 peppermints
2 cleaner shrimp
8 trochus snails
tonnes of tiny brittle stars

Fish:
2 clowns
Royal gramma
Clown goby
Red firefish
Sleeper banded goby
Scopas tang (small)
Azure damsel
Mccoskers flasher wrasse
Lawnmower blenny

 

[Jekyl]

I've had nitrates way higher. I would do 2, 20gal changes over the next week to get them where they should be. I keep mine between 10 and 20. I'm guessing the lack of growth is due to the light you are using.

 

[Jekyl]

The nitrates are that high due to the high amount of fish you have and will require additional maintenance to keep it in check. Maybe from now on do a 20% change to keep them in order.

 

[StarksReef]

I've had nitrates way higher. I would do 2, 20gal changes over the next week to get them where they should be. I keep mine between 10 and 20. I'm guessing the lack of growth is due to the light you are using.

I measured them again, it might be a bit lower but still 25+. I measured my RO water as well, it has zero nitrates. It surprises me that I have almost zero coralline growth, even though my alk and calcium seem sufficient. Looks like there is almost no consumption in my tank. My lights grow sofies just fine and my LPS corals are not the most demanding in terms of light. So I would expect them to grow as well.

I know I might be a bit over-stocked, yet the tank looks so empty. I will do a 20% change tomorrow and see what will happen

 

[BanjoBandito]

FYI: There's a relationship between Ca and ALK. and really magnesium. I whipped up this chart for you....as ALK goes up Ca goes down, it's like a seesaw with the fulcrum being Mg. This info REALLY helped me visualize parameters and what was going on. Hope it helps!!!!

 

[Jekyl]

I measured them again, it might be a bit lower but still 25+. I measured my RO water as well, it has zero nitrates. It surprises me that I have almost zero coralline growth, even though my alk and calcium seem sufficient. Looks like there is almost no consumption in my tank. My lights grow sofies just fine and my LPS corals are not the most demanding in terms of light. So I would expect them to grow as well.

I know I might be a bit over-stocked, yet the tank looks so empty. I will do a 20% change tomorrow and see what will happen

I would delve into more information on your light. I couldn't find much on it. However 24w just doesn't seem like enough to me. Your tank had plenty of nutrients, if things aren't growing then all signs point to lighting.

 

[4tanks]

I measured them again, it might be a bit lower but still 25+. I measured my RO water as well, it has zero nitrates. It surprises me that I have almost zero coralline growth, even though my alk and calcium seem sufficient. Looks like there is almost no consumption in my tank. My lights grow sofies just fine and my LPS corals are not the most demanding in terms of light. So I would expect them to grow as well.

I know I might be a bit over-stocked, yet the tank looks so empty. I will do a 20% change tomorrow and see what will happen

Have you checked your phosphates

 

[StarksReef]

I would delve into more information on your light. I couldn't find much on it. However 24w just doesn't seem like enough to me. Your tank had plenty of nutrients, if things aren't growing then all signs point to lighting.

It's a 52w led light. It should grow corals (based on german and dutch forums) and my sofies are doing fine under it. I also have quite some pulsing xenia, shouldn't that help with nitrate consumption?

In the future the light will get an upgrade for sure though

 

[DirkCourage]

Simplest solution would be in increase your WC, your filtration is just not quite keeping up. 10% isn’t all that much, 90% of your problem remains and continues to get added to. Nitrate seems crazy high to you because you haven’t been testing, but I think this has probably been building very slowly over time.

You LPS/SPS health might be even more affected by PO4. If NO3 is high this may also be high.

 

[StarksReef]

Simplest solution would be in increase your WC, your filtration is just not quite keeping up. 10% isn’t all that much, 90% of your problem remains and continues to get added to. Nitrate seems crazy high to you because you haven’t been testing, but I think this has probably been building very slowly over time.

You LPS/SPS health might be even more affected by PO4. If NO3 is high this may also be high.

I did a 20% change this weekend and will continue testing to see where my nitrates are going. I expect they were higher in the past though. I used to have cyano in the sand (which is now white again) and used to feed 3 cubes of frozen feeds a day, instead of just one now. And I stopped feeding my anemones regularly

I also increased my alk and pH slightly and now my duncan is fully open again. My toadstool is also extending more than it used to be.

Next time I order something or visit my lfs I will get a PO4 test kit

 

[StarksReef]

Have you checked your phosphates

Late reply, but I just got a kit and did the test. It was way darker within seconds than the highest number on the scale. I am even surprised my LPS is looking fine in the tank, although there is little to no growth.
I reseached vodka dosing, so I will start with that for now to see if it will help. Water changes don't seem to keep up with my nutrients. Was hoping my large amount of xenia and GSP would handle at least some it, but gues that ins't the case for me.

I increased my alk, which is at 9.9 now and I see now again growth of coralline algae and a small consumption of alk over time.