Tank parameters-help!

[Gexx]

Hi all,

I have a 5 month old 8 gallon reef tank. I am running galaxyhydro 165W LEDs at 30% white, 50%blue, about 6" above the water. I have been having some algae and SPS growth issues and would like some advice.
Parameters are as follows:
Salinity- 1.026
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 10ppm
pH- 8.2
Alkalinity- 4-5 dKh (i realize this may be my growth issue, advice?)
Calcium- 450ppm (titrated .8ml to turn blue in Seachem calcium kit, i may have the wrong ppm. Anyone else use this kit?)
PO4- 0ppm (salifert test kit)

I change 20-30% weekly from lfs water. My real concern is that i am reading the calcium kit wrong. For example, i used .8ml of the calcium titration liquid to change the color of the sample to its "finish" state. How i read the manual is that if i use .8ml, then i have 450ppm. However, if i am wrong then it is 100ppm. Does anyone else use the Seachem Reef Status Calcium?

 

[Gexx]

Tank inhabitants are 1 clownfish, various snail, LOTS of micro brittle starfish. I am also running a chaeto reactor out if a phosban 150 reactor on 24hr lighting. No protein skimmer. Also, GFO, carbon and purigen are used in small amounts continuously. There is around 100x turnover in the tank.

 

[Tahoe61]

You need to test the local fish stores water before a water change. There is a notable issue if your alk value is correct. You want to keep the alk value around 7. What test kits are you using? I have to suspect with the water changes and the calcium value that your alk value is in not correct.
There is no way that those values are correct if the water you are using is SW, and your changing that volume of water that frequently.

I would take a sample to the LFS that your getting the water from.

 

[Gexx]

Red seas for amm, trite, trate, pH, and alk. Seachem for calcium. Salifert for phosphate. LFS water test 0's on nitrogenous compounds and a 7 for alk.

 

[Gexx]

Ill be sure to take some water to the LFS next time i go. Good idea

 

[Tahoe61]

You want to strive for values close to NSW. Please see link below.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

I have not used that Calcium test kit that you're using but you can typically find a youtube with guidance on most test kits.

In an 8 month tank, unless your sps and lps colonies are significant you should be able to maintain the big 3, calcium, magnesium and alkalinity with the water changes you are currently performing.

HTH

 

[Gexx]

I believe, if my tests are correct, that my coral load is too much without dosing a two part solution for alk and calcium. I will get the LFS opinion next time i go (just to double check my levels via your advice).
Here is a coral list:
5x variety of zoanthids
Orange montipora cap
Mystic sunset encrusting monti
Blue and green encrusting monti
1 frag stylophora
ORA birds of paradise birdsnest
5" blue/ green chalice
Fuzzy mushroom
Yellow ricorrdea mushroom
And an umbrella leather coral

 

[Tahoe61]

The water changes should meet the utilization of the corals you're keeping with the water changes you're performing IME.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just to be sure, are you certain the alkalinity is in dKH and not meq/l?

 

[EuroDriver]

Just to chime in, I agree that something is wrong (inaccurate readings or something else) with your frequency of water changes. Also, it is incredibly hard to keep SPS in a tank that young, especially for its volume. I'd say it's nearly impossible to keep your water parameters sufficiently stable in an 8 gallon tank for SPS to thrive. Your Alk is waaay to low - it should be at least 9 dKH. Since your calcium is at normal levels, something is definitely out of balance. Have you tested you magnesium levels?

Another thing is gha with no phosphates and low nitrates - it's not adding up. Depending on how bad your algae outbreak is, it's possible that it's masking the problem in that the algae is consuming most of the phosphate and nitrates, thus giving you a false impression that your levels are low. What are you using for top-off water? I have a 180 at home and battled gha for months to the point of almost giving up. I was doing weekly 50 gal water changes and the algae would die off for a couple of days but by the end of the week, would be back in full force. After talking to a few fellow reefers, I found my problem - I was using "RO water" from water vending machines. Since I switched to RODI for top-off, the algae is gone and has stayed gone.

Whatever course of action you decide to take, don't raise your alk more that 1 dKH unit per day, otherwise you might fry your SPS.

Hate to rain on your party but again, in a tank that small, you're bound to keep beating your head against the wall.