What’s wrong here?

[MTsquared]

Here are my parameters, please tel me what I am missing.

What doesn’t seem right here?
Salinity 1.023-.024 (Milwaukee)
Temp 77-79 (apex)
Ph 8-8.25 (apex)
Alk 7.9 (Hanna)
Cal 410 (salifert)
Mag 1320 (salifert)
Nitrate 10ppm (salifert)
Phosphate .09 (ULR Hanna checker)
Lights - Radion xr30 g4 pro w/ diffuser x2 max power = 65%

Having issues with many different types of coral (LPS and beginner SPS). Turned skimmer off a few days ago to try to get nutrients up.

 

[Rmckoy]

Here are my parameters, please tel me what I am missing.

What doesn’t seem right here?
Salinity 1.023-.024 (Milwaukee)
Temp 77-79 (apex)
Ph 8-8.25 (apex)
Alk 7.9 (Hanna)
Cal 410 (salifert)
Mag 1320 (salifert)
Nitrate 10ppm (salifert)
Phosphate .09 (ULR Hanna checker)
Lights - Radion xr30 g4 pro w/ diffuser x2 max power = 65%

Having issues with many different types of coral (LPS and beginner SPS). Turned skimmer off a few days ago to try to get nutrients up.

What salt are you using ?

any pictures of corals you’re having issues with ?

 

[MTsquared]

What salt are you using ?

any pictures of corals you’re having issues with ?

Salt is Fritz (blue box) from LFS. I’ve been using their salt for several years now on a previous smaller tank without issues - currently building a mixing station to take this variable out of the equation.

The beginner SPS (digitata, monti caps, starter acros) all look good for a few days and then slowly melt away (RTN/ STN) or in the case of the caps and digitata just bleach out.
The LPS are receding from skeleton and I’ve had a few heads of some hammers just totally evaporate.
The pictures were taken just now as lights were about to turn off.

Most of the acans are receding from skeleton. Didn’t take any of the SPS as they are all basically done. The last two pictures of the hammers both used to be two head and just recently (last few days) one of the heads evaporated. They didn’t show signs of downward trajectory like the frog/Octo spawn.

 

[MTsquared]

Dosing BRS 2 part w/ mag as needed. Just started dosing Red Sea AB+ was using acro power for aminos prior. Feeding fish and coral every other day. Fish get the following mix: brine, mysis, LRS reef frenzy, bloodworms, pellets, pe mysis flake. LPS are spot fed with Turkey baster a mix of reef roids and brine/ mysis.

 

[PeterC99]

Water change frequency and percentage changed?

 

[ryshark]

Here are my parameters, please tel me what I am missing.

What doesn’t seem right here?
Salinity 1.023-.024 (Milwaukee)
Temp 77-79 (apex)
Ph 8-8.25 (apex)
Alk 7.9 (Hanna)
Cal 410 (salifert)
Mag 1320 (salifert)
Nitrate 10ppm (salifert)
Phosphate .09 (ULR Hanna checker)
Lights - Radion xr30 g4 pro w/ diffuser x2 max power = 65%

Having issues with many different types of coral (LPS and beginner SPS). Turned skimmer off a few days ago to try to get nutrients up.

You show 1.023-1.024 but if there is any error then you may only be at 1.021
I finally found that this was the root cause of my issue. Bad calibration solution for me which lead to low salinity which leads to low trace elements etc,

 

[MTsquared]

Water change frequency and percentage changed?

Was weekly/ biweekly and roughly 20-25g. System is Waterbox 130.4 - DT is 100g and sump is roughly 20g. Think that may have been part of the issue with the volume of the water change too large. That being said it’s been about two weeks since last big water change. Going forward plan to do 10-15g.

 

[MTsquared]

You show 1.023-1.024 but if there is any error then you may only be at 1.021
I finally found that this was the root cause of my issue. Bad calibration solution for me which lead to low salinity which leads to low trace elements etc,

I want to raise salinity into the 1.025-.026 range to also eliminate that variable. The Milwaukee unit I have is the big one (neon green) which I bought from a local reefer. Plan to get calibration fluid to make sure that number is accurate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Moderate Light and water flow
Targets:
Temperature. 77/79
Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.1-8.3
Ammonia. <. .03
Nitrate < .04
Phos < .05
Alk. 8/9
Mag 1300
CA. 440

 

[Dr. Jim]

@ryshark made a good point. I would buy at least 2 different brands of calibration solution, and/or consider making Randy's DIY with a scale that measures to 0.01 gm (and buy calibration weights for the scale). Never trust the Milwaukee digital without a calibration solution. (I have had a couple of them; they don't stay reliable for long either, even according to Milwaukee...at least that's how it was years ago). I found the T.M. High Precision Hydrometer to be the most accurate (matching ICP that uses accurate conductivity meter).

I'm sure a lot of people have salinities that are "off" and don't realize it.

This may not solve your problem but is good to know!

Hope you figure it out.

 

[MTsquared]

Moderate Light and water flow
Targets:
Temperature. 77/79
Salinity 1.025
Ph 8.1-8.3
Ammonia. <. .03
Nitrate < .04
Phos < .05
Alk. 8/9
Mag 1300
CA. 440

So you suggest lowering light output and water flow? My parameters seem to be pretty close to your targets with the exception of alk and cal being a little low.

 

[MTsquared]

@ryshark made a good point. I would buy at least 2 different brands of calibration solution, and/or consider making Randy's DIY with a scale that measures to 0.01 gm (and buy calibration weights for the scale). Never trust the Milwaukee digital without a calibration solution. (I have had a couple of them; they don't stay reliable for long either, even according to Milwaukee...at least that's how it was years ago). I found the T.M. High Precision Hydrometer to be the most accurate (matching ICP that uses accurate conductivity meter).

I'm sure a lot of people have salinities that are "off" and don't realize it.

This may not solve your problem but is good to know!

Hope you figure it out.

Thanks. I just read the Milwaukee manual online and they don’t mention any calibration fluid to use. Instead they recommend zeroing the unit before each use with RODI or distilled water. I was NOT doing this and will check using this method in the morning. Quick scan on BRS shows several different salinity calibration fluids however these are from manufacturers of specific brand units (pinpoint, Hanna, apex as an example). Will any of these work or should I just use the Milwaukee method of zeroing with RODI water?

 

[ryshark]

Thanks. I just read the Milwaukee manual online and they don’t mention any calibration fluid to use. Instead they recommend zeroing the unit before each use with RODI or distilled water. I was NOT doing this and will check using this method in the morning. Quick scan on BRS shows several different salinity calibration fluids however these are from manufacturers of specific brand units (pinpoint, Hanna, apex as an example). Will any of these work or should I just use the Milwaukee method of zeroing with RODI water?

Follow the instructions in your manual and let’s see what happens.
According to your units manual, I would calibrate with the RODI and then check it with a solution.

 

[Dr. Jim]

Thanks. I just read the Milwaukee manual online and they don’t mention any calibration fluid to use. Instead they recommend zeroing the unit before each use with RODI or distilled water. I was NOT doing this and will check using this method in the morning. Quick scan on BRS shows several different salinity calibration fluids however these are from manufacturers of specific brand units (pinpoint, Hanna, apex as an example). Will any of these work or should I just use the Milwaukee method of zeroing with RODI water?

You always have to zero with distilled water (or RO/DI) before EVERY use....but then put a drop of calibration solution on it to see if it reads where it is suppose to. Mine always reads 0.001 too high so I know to subtract that amount from any reading from my tank. But i wouldn't trust just one calibration solution. I had 4 of them at one time and they didn't all agree! (The average agreed with the T.M. High Precision Hydrometer that I mentioned. It is a pain to use because the water surface has to be perfectly still and it has to sit for a couple of minutes....but it will give you the most accurate reading IMO)

 

[ryshark]

You always have to zero with distilled water (or RO/DI) before EVERY use....but then put a drop of calibration solution on it to see if it reads where it is suppose to. Mine always reads 0.001 too high so I know to subtract that amount from any reading from my tank. But i wouldn't trust just one calibration solution. I had 4 of them at one time and they didn't all agree! (The average agreed with the T.M. High Precision Hydrometer that I mentioned. It is a pain to use because the water surface has to be perfectly still and it has to sit for a couple of minutes....but it will give you the most accurate reading IMO)

Which brand solution did you find to be the most accurate? This was driving me nuts a little while ago so I have 4-different brands of solution and 6-different bottles.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So you suggest lowering light output and water flow? My parameters seem to be pretty close to your targets with the exception of alk and cal being a little low.

Good flow, not blasting and light moderate- not super bright

 

[Dr. Jim]

Which brand solution did you find to be the most accurate? This was driving me nuts a little while ago so I have 4-different brands of solution and 6-different bottles.

I know what you mean! I can't really answer that because one company's solution may vary from batch to batch. To be practical they probably aren't off by more than 0.001, but you never know, and even that is too much for my liking. I've been using BRS and Pinpoint....mostly BRS I guess, and Randy's DIY (but even with meticulous measuring, it is hard for me to trust something home-made!).
I'd recommend getting the T.M. High Precision Hydrometer and calibrate the refractometer off of that....or at least, give that hydrometer "high priority."

 

[Dr. Jim]

Thanks. I just read the Milwaukee manual online and they don’t mention any calibration fluid to use. Instead they recommend zeroing the unit before each use with RODI or distilled water. I was NOT doing this and will check using this method in the morning. Quick scan on BRS shows several different salinity calibration fluids however these are from manufacturers of specific brand units (pinpoint, Hanna, apex as an example). Will any of these work or should I just use the Milwaukee method of zeroing with RODI water?

I hate to say it, but If you haven't been "zeroing" it with RO/DI then my bet is your readings are worthless! I would get your salinity straight as the top priority if this is what you have been doing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't see anything in that parameter list in the first post that would be a problem, but there are many other chemical and nonchemical factors that can be a problem with corals.

An ICP test might be a place to check into more chemical possibilities.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I hate to say it, but If you haven't been "zeroing" it with RO/DI then my bet is your readings are worthless! I would get your salinity straight as the top priority if this is what you have been doing.

While I'm not a fan of the Milwaukee refractometer, zeroing it with pure fresh water and then, and later checking it with a standard are all you can do.