Water changes not replenishing elements

ChaseB143 · Dec 14, 2019

I’ve had my 20 gallon tank running for a little over half a year. At first, I kinda neglected it, not changing or testing the water often. Now I try to test the water when I can, and change the water weekly. The past two weeks I have done 20% water changes, but my elements have continued to drop. I use Red Sea coral pro salt. I run a skimmer and activated carbon. I’ve started recording everything I do, so I’ll attach a picture of that.

spspirate · Dec 14, 2019

Is it filled with stony coral?

Triggreef · Dec 14, 2019

Tanks still pretty new. Takes a while for them to settle in and stabilize. Keep up with water changes and it will stabilize another year from now...

ChaseB143 · Dec 14, 2019

spspirate said:
Is it filled with stony coral?

No, it’s mostly zoas, a mushroom, and a leather. I do have two frogspawns, one with four heads and one with almost two. There is also a small acan with around 10 heads.

mich2599 · Dec 14, 2019

wow alk at 5.9.......what kind of test kits are you using?

Daddy-o · Dec 15, 2019

So Coral Pro mixes at 11-12 dkh and your reef is at 5.9 dkh? I would think that you are stressing you livestock with every water change. Perhaps start using Blue Bucket (7.5-8.5 dkh) and dose 2 part (or Kalk) to keep up with usage. I like to dose alk/calcium to keep my reef at the same dkh as my salt mix.
Cheers! Mark

ChaseB143 · Dec 15, 2019

mich2599 said:
wow alk at 5.9.......what kind of test kits are you using?

Redsea

Greg P · Dec 15, 2019

ChaseB143 said:
Redsea

Wow, Red Sea salt and you're still getting 5.9dKh with your tests??
Something is off ...

Greg P · Dec 15, 2019

What's your Sg ??
What do you use to test Sg ??

ChaseB143 · Dec 15, 2019

gregzz4 said:
What's your Sg ??
What do you use to test Sg ??

.025, I test with a refractometer

dadnjesse · Dec 15, 2019

ChaseB143 said:
.025, I test with a refractometer

Do you calibrate it with 35ppt fluid

Samina · Dec 15, 2019

I would double check the refractometer as well. Having a few corals should not leave you with such an alk drop especially if you are using Red Sea pro salt which mixes pretty high. I would also check the alk, Ca, and mg on the salt mix before you do a water change. What test kit are you using? And check expiration on it as well. Looks like you have an imbalance since calcium and mg are still good but alk is seemingly dropping much rapidly. But to narrow it down, we need more info.

Also, why are you dosing vibrant? You have 0 nitrates and phosphates and generally, that is not ideal for coral health as they need these nutrients, especially LPS and softies. Unless you offset a ULNS with aminos and spot feed coral foods, you may be starving them. But I wouldn’t recommend dosing anything like that, but maybe cut back dosing vibrant.