Tips for a coral beginner(what am I doing wrong)

[MnFish1]

2x2x4 isnt 75g its 120g. 38 salinity is high looking for max 36 most go by sg not ppt but some do. Ie 1.025sg or 1.023 or whatever 1.026 and 36ppt are about the same and like I said the highest it should be.

The 38 salinity is basically an SG of 1.029. 36 is basically 1.027. Most reef tanks are set at 1.026. which corresponds to a salinity of 35.

 

[X-37B]

No, that was the actual owner's advice. I only go in when he's there. I have been there a few times and walked in and saw an employee, and just walked out. I only deal with the owner so I can utilize his knowledge, but he clearly gave me poor advice

Yea thats to bad. I live 3hrs away in redding.
My sister lives a mile from his store.
A few guys go to his house where he has more corals and really like the guy. I have never met him.
Pm me if your interested.

 

[smalltownuser]

The 38 salinity is basically an SG of 1.029. 36 is basically 1.027. Most reef tanks are set at 1.026. which corresponds to a salinity of 35.

Yeah I am getting it back to 35. That is my first step, and then I will work on the other parameters next. It seems I got my answer, on that I DO need to watch all those other things, even though I was told I didnt

 

[MnFish1]

I agree. From what you said, your corals (three?) sound like all soft corals, to don‘t worry about dosing.

do worry about your salinity. Start to slowly lower it until you get to 35. You can do this with fresh RODI water. If you get the chance, please take pictures of your corals under white lights And post them to this thread. This will help to confirm the coral types.

The best way IMHO to reduce salinity slowly (which is the best way) - is take out 2 quarts of tank water and add back 2 quarts of RODI. Using this calculator https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/TargetSalinity.php it will tank 20 water changes (0f 2 quarts)to lower the salinity to 35 you could do it over 2-3 days. "
. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.84 ppt.

2. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.68 ppt.

3. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.53 ppt.

4. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.37 ppt.

5. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.21 ppt.

6. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.06 ppt.

7. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.91 ppt.

8. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.75 ppt.

9. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.6 ppt.

10. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.45 ppt.

11. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.29 ppt.

12. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.14 ppt.

13. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.99 ppt.

14. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.84 ppt.

15. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.69 ppt.

16. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.54 ppt.

17. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.4 ppt.

18. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.25 ppt.

19. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.1 ppt.

20. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 10.66 ppt
In order to reach 35 ppt.

"

 

[X-37B]

How often would you do a water change then? Learning as I went pretty much every source I found said to do weekly water changes, along with the specialty coral store telling me weekly water changes will be good for coral

I do 10% a month just to get rid of whatever we cant test for that might build up in our systems.

 

[MnFish1]

How often would you do a water change then? Learning as I went pretty much every source I found said to do weekly water changes, along with the specialty coral store telling me weekly water changes will be good for coral

there Is no problem with weekly water changes - I would tend to do less if you only have corals - and go by things like nitrates, etc

 

[X-37B]

The best way IMHO to reduce salinity slowly (which is the best way) - is take out 2 quarts of tank water and add back 2 quarts of RODI. Using this calculator https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/TargetSalinity.php it will tank 20 water changes (0f 2 quarts)to lower the salinity to 35 you could do it over 2-3 days. "
. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.84 ppt.

2. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.68 ppt.

3. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.53 ppt.

4. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.37 ppt.

5. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.21 ppt.

6. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 37.06 ppt.

7. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.91 ppt.

8. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.75 ppt.

9. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.6 ppt.

10. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.45 ppt.

11. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.29 ppt.

12. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 36.14 ppt.

13. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.99 ppt.

14. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.84 ppt.

15. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.69 ppt.

16. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.54 ppt.

17. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.4 ppt.

18. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.25 ppt.

19. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 0 ppt
In order to reach 35.1 ppt.

20. Remove 0.5 G and then add 0.5 G @ 10.66 ppt
In order to reach 35 ppt.

"

Good advice. Just go slow.

 

[sushiboss]

It is a new tank then. Your salinity is much higher that it should be. It's important to know the parameters in your tank, how it's cycled, etc. You may be doing too much too fast. I have no clue why anyone would recommend those amounts of water changes

What amounts would you consider adequate?

I’m curious in all honesty. I’ve been doing weekly 10g water changes in my 40b and 4g water changes in my 15g nano. Tanks are thriving and I don’t really have time on other days to alter my cleaning regimen.

I’ve had success IE no dying corals and good growth.

Tanks are nearing there 1yr mark and I’ve kept that routine since week 1. Never seemed to have issues. I’ve only ever lost 1 sps coral and I know it was my fault after some deliberation I figured out my cause.

Dosing esv alk into the display and the return pump was blowing it directly at this sps piece and caused it to wither away.

Only noticed it because in my 40b I was doing the same and my Duncan was on the verge of death and once I stopped he perked up and is lively. Now I just dose into my return chamber smh lol.

 

[twentyleagues]

The 38 salinity is basically an SG of 1.029. 36 is basically 1.027. Most reef tanks are set at 1.026. which corresponds to a salinity of 35.

Yeah I didnt have actual conversions in front of me was basically a round-a-bout number, as long as the idea came across.

 

[twentyleagues]

What amounts would you consider adequate?

I’m curious in all honesty. I’ve been doing weekly 10g water changes in my 40b and 4g water changes in my 15g nano. Tanks are thriving and I don’t really have time on other days to alter my cleaning regimen.

I’ve had success IE no dying corals and good growth.

Tanks are nearing there 1yr mark and I’ve kept that routine since week 1. Never seemed to have issues. I’ve only ever lost 1 sps coral and I know it was my fault after some deliberation I figured out my cause.

Dosing esv alk into the display and the return pump was blowing it directly at this sps piece and caused it to wither away.

Only noticed it because in my 40b I was doing the same and my Duncan was on the verge of death and once I stopped he perked up and is lively. Now I just dose into my return chamber smh lol.

I dont know, I do weekly wc of 7g on my 30g tank. Like you corals are thriving. I test once a month and see very little difference in alk, calc or mag. I dont really test ph except for the test strips I got from ioaoi as its easy and they were free and its close-ish.

 

[MnFish1]

What amounts would you consider adequate?

I’m curious in all honesty. I’ve been doing weekly 10g water changes in my 40b and 4g water changes in my 15g nano. Tanks are thriving and I don’t really have time on other days to alter my cleaning regimen.

I’ve had success IE no dying corals and good growth.

Tanks are nearing there 1yr mark and I’ve kept that routine since week 1. Never seemed to have issues. I’ve only ever lost 1 sps coral and I know it was my fault after some deliberation I figured out my cause.

Dosing esv alk into the display and the return pump was blowing it directly at this sps piece and caused it to wither away.

Only noticed it because in my 40b I was doing the same and my Duncan was on the verge of death and once I stopped he perked up and is lively. Now I just dose into my return chamber smh lol.

10 percent/week. Curious - do yo have an ATO?