Tank parameters

[Bill Urbanski]

Ok so help me out here. Tank parameters didn't seem that bad to me. What are your thoughts?

 

[SPR1968]

I would query the phosphate level, a good target is very low at around .03, so if it’s 21 or 0.21 both are on the high side and you may get hair algae etc. so look into lowering it, GFO, rowaphos etc.

Alkalinity is getting to the higher side, and magnesium to the lower side, but currently ok depending on what your trying to achieve

But if your tank is happy then just keep an eye on things

 

[Bill Urbanski]

I would query the phosphate level, a good target is very low at around .03, so if it’s 21 or 0.21 both are on the high side and you may get hair algae etc. so look into lowering it, GFO, rowaphos etc.

Alkalinity is getting to the higher side, and magnesium to the lower side, but currently ok depending on what your trying to achieve

But if your tank is happy then just keep an eye on things

Phosphate reading is from a Hanna ULR. So 21 is .06

 

[Ludders]

what is your concern?

 

[rwreef]

Looks okay to me.

 

[Bill Urbanski]

what is your concern?

Concern is corals aren't looking good. Can't figure out why. Starting to get cyano. Can't figure out why. Only change is the salt. Have always used TMP. Recently tried using Fritz RPM. Did a couple water changes with it combined with TMP. That's the only thing different. Tank is two years old.

 

[Ludders]

SPS coral? you could do with lowering your nitrates and phosphates could be halved too.

 

[Bill Urbanski]

SPS coral? you could do with lowering your nitrates and phosphates could be halved too.

Only sps some Montipora. Mostly softies and mushrooms. More of a fish guy then coral.

 

[Ludders]

I am not familiar with the salt, but it could have caused a change in alk. Do you monitor your alk on a regular basis? i.e. every other day

 

[Bill Urbanski]

I am not familiar with the salt, but it could have caused a change in alk. Do you monitor your alk on a regular basis? i.e. every other day

Not daily. Almost weekly I would say for sure. Always stays around 9. I dose daily.

 

[Ludders]

It's difficult to tell then, might be the change in salt. So long as you maintain the key chemistry at a stable level it should bounce back. The cyano will be down to nutrients.

 

[Suohhen]

"Coral not looking good" can be attributable to many things. Do you feed the coral, dose amino, are they pale, dying, being overrun by algae, showing no signs of growth? Cyano is not the worst thing to battle, it's very easy to blow off the rocks and there are a number of established treatments for it but I would recommend dealing with coral health before dosing any bacterial treatments to the tank.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Maybe something else is causing the issues. Just a thought.

 

[Bill Urbanski]

"Coral not looking good" can be attributable to many things. Do you feed the coral, dose amino, are they pale, dying, being overrun by algae, showing no signs of growth? Cyano is not the worst thing to battle, it's very easy to blow off the rocks and there are a number of established treatments for it but I would recommend dealing with coral health before dosing any bacterial treatments to the tank.

I have never feed any corals directly. Only what they get when I add LRS reef frenzy to the tank. That might be every couple weeks. But it's not like they have always looked like crap.

 

[Suohhen]

I would suggest you look up the BRS videos regarding coral food and amino acids. There has been published research showing the only positively effective coral foods are reef roids and reef chili, iirc. Regardless the video discusses this research and amino acids are not researched to any level of proof afaik but they did test them and the results were very compelling and many including the top coral breeders rave about their ability to protect coral and make colors and flesh very vibrant and healthy.

 

[Suohhen]

Here is the research https://www.researchgate.net/public...ts_of_light_water_motion_and_artificial_foods

 

[Bill Urbanski]

I would suggest you look up the BRS videos regarding coral food and amino acids. There has been published research showing the only positively effective coral foods are reef roids and reef chili, iirc. Regardless the video discusses this research and amino acids are not researched to any level of proof afaik but they did test them and the results were very compelling and many including the top coral breeders rave about their ability to protect coral and make colors and flesh very vibrant and healthy.

Thank you.

 

[Suohhen]

Ofc and the point about it possibly being something else entirely is well made. Unfortunately when it comes to these types of issues there is almost no way to really dive in deep enough to get to the heart of the issue. We could ask a thousand questions but ultimately you know your tank the best so we can only try to arm you with the knowledge. Best of luck!

 

[ncjeepguy75]

So I found my phosphates to be a bit off... I was aiming for. 02 but realized I was actually at. 25 so ahhhh... No wonder I had a bit of hair algae moving in!... Started carbon dosing... This is the second day and levels moving towards 0 as needed...

 

[William Morris]

Concern is corals aren't looking good. Can't figure out why. Starting to get cyano. Can't figure out why. Only change is the salt. Have always used TMP. Recently tried using Fritz RPM. Did a couple water changes with it combined with TMP. That's the only thing different. Tank is two years old.

I would go back to TMP if you can find it. Seems like that is the only thing you changed so I would start there.