Wonky Parameters

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

Guys -

Some wonky parameters I am trying to figure out.

Tank: red sea reefer 450 (92 gal), Radion XR30w, Reef Octopus Regal 150-int,
Sal: 1.0245 (32.5 - Apex)
Temp: 77.8 (Apex)
PHOS: 0 - API kit
Nitrate: 0 -API kit
Calc:450 -Red Sea
PH: 8.18 (Apex probe)

Here we go: Alk - 9.5-9.8, Mag: 1800! Yes, 1800! (both RED SEA kit)

I've been running the tank for about 10 months, have seen very healthy (mushrooms, leathers), any LPS - bubble, open brain, have all suffered greatly. Also, no healthy Coraline algae growth (desired) at all.

TONS of "pineapple" sponges in the sump!

Using AquaForest Sea Salt, however, not performing regular water changes (only occasional)- RODI

Would love some help and recommendations -

THANKS!

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 11, 2017

What's wonky? The mag. That's the most common error across the board.

OREGONIC · Nov 11, 2017

I to use Aquaforest and have high mag. I was testing 1750 with red sea test kit, bought a salifirt and test 1550-1600. Everything happy and healthy except for a few bleached acros which I believe are more related to my experience level and have nothing to do with mag. Try a different test kit probably get a lower result.

OREGONIC · Nov 11, 2017

Your alk may be to high for that low of n03 and p04. Also Aquaforest mixes with much lower alk then your parameters 7.7-7.9 you may be having a alk swing every time you do a water change. Are you dosing 2 part? If so you may want to slowly lessen your dose and let your alk fall to a level in the lower 8’s that will help reduce the swing when you do water changes.

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 11, 2017

The alk is wanky cuz the salinity is off.

OREGONIC · Nov 11, 2017

What is your salinity and what are you using to test salinity.

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
The alk is wanky cuz the salinity is off.

Bring up Sal to 1.026? Should drop Alk?
No dosing going on.
Yes, the Mag is what is off the chart high.

Perhaps some "novice" stuff happening -

Thoughts?
THANK YOU!

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
The alk is wanky cuz the salinity is off.

Bring up Sal to 1.026? Should drop Alk?
No dosing going on.
Yes, the Mag is what is off the chart high.

Perhaps some "novice" stuff happening -

Thoughts?
THANK YOU!

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

Thanks for the feedback!

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

Will Mag drop with water changes, only? Can that be the cause of the coral suffering?

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 11, 2017

Basssa said:
Will Mag drop with water changes, only? Can that be the cause of the coral suffering?

Slowly adjust. Test mag 3 times in a row.

And like me. I stopped caring about mag. I dose evenly.

OREGONIC · Nov 11, 2017

Basssa said:
Bring up Sal to 1.026? Should drop Alk?
No dosing going on.
Yes, the Mag is what is off the chart high.

Perhaps some "novice" stuff happening -

Thoughts?
THANK YOU!

What is your salinity and what are you using to test salinity. Increasing salinity will increase alk.

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 11, 2017

Basssa said:
Will Mag drop with water changes, only? Can that be the cause of the coral suffering?

Mag will increase with water changes.
If your not dosing mag it can't be that high. Even if it was it's in most cases not an issue.

Personally from my sloppy refer days. , cal alk and mag have never really done anything save if they swing hard. Like 6dkh and use a 50%wc of a high alk salt.

Show us some sick corals.

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
Mag will increase with water changes.
If your not dosing mag it can't be that high. Even if it was it's in most cases not an issue.

Personally from my sloppy refer days. , cal alk and mag have never really done anything save if they swing hard. Like 6dkh and use a 50%wc of a high alk salt.

Show us some sick corals.

Lights out for the night, I'll post some pic's in the A.M. - sick and healthy - would really appreciate your thoughts.

Orgonic- Sal is at 1.024.

SaltyFilmFolks - no mag dosing going on - could it be the Red Sea test kit? Wondering if I should try a Salifert kit./ Are you suggesting a 50% water change (40 gal?)- or multiple 10 gal changes? Any rec's on a high alk salt?

Thanks guys!

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

Basssa said:
Lights out for the night, I'll post some pic's in the A.M. - sick and healthy - would really appreciate your thoughts.

Orgonic- Sal is at 1.024.

SaltyFilmFolks - no mag dosing going on - could it be the Red Sea test kit? Wondering if I should try a Salifert kit./ Are you suggesting a 50% water change (40 gal?)- or multiple 10 gal changes? Any rec's on a high alk salt?

Thanks guys!

BTW: Salinity = refractometer (1.024) and APEX probe (32.4) as of this note.
Salty- I misread your last post- you were expressing hard swing examples - my bad.

BTW: bio load - pair black ocellaris clowns, tomini tang, flame hawk, clean up crew (small). Also, have had a bunch of trouble with livestock surviving from LFS. Thinking about mail ordering. I am generally quarantining in a 20G long - same salinity.

WILL post corals pics in the morning -

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 11, 2017

Basssa said:
Lights out for the night, I'll post some pic's in the A.M. - sick and healthy - would really appreciate your thoughts.

Orgonic- Sal is at 1.024.

SaltyFilmFolks - no mag dosing going on - could it be the Red Sea test kit? Wondering if I should try a Salifert kit./ Are you suggesting a 50% water change (40 gal?)- or multiple 10 gal changes? Any rec's on a high alk salt?

Thanks guys!

The mag is the most common test error. Esp the Red Sea one.

So if your not dosing it , it can't be that high.

And no , just maybe step up to on a week. Insted of every other. Two five gal buckets instead of one maybe. That's how i do my math. How many buckets to carry.

But let's also look at the coral prob and see what else maybe going on.

As was mentioned earlier by @OREGONIC , the alk maybe high for a low nutrient system. So wc might not be the best idea too. It'll Lower nutrients and make the alk closer to the fresh mix levels. And that may be too high right now.

A quick test of your tests is, test alk cal and mag on a batch of fresh mixed sea water.it should match pretty closely the maufaturer specs with sligh variation (that's the test error not the mix)

Basssa · Nov 11, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
The mag is the most common test error. Esp the Red Sea one.

So if your not dosing it , it can't be that high.

And no , just maybe step up to on a week. Insted of every other. Two five gal buckets instead of one maybe. That's how i do my math. How many buckets to carry.

But let's also look at the coral prob and see what else maybe going on.

As was mentioned earlier by @OREGONIC , the alk maybe high for a low nutrient system. So wc might not be the best idea too. It'll Lower nutrients and make the alk closer to the fresh mix levels. And that may be too high right now.

A quick test of your tests is, test alk cal and mag on a batch of fresh mixed sea water.it should match pretty closely the maufaturer specs with sligh variation (that's the test error not the mix)

I'll test salt mix tomorrow as well as post coral pics. I still cant understand how the Calc can be spot on, Alk high and Mag high, with NO dosing happening. The only importing of elements is in the salt mixes. What salt do you use for wc?

many thanks for the forensic work - really appreciate it!

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 12, 2017

Basssa said:
I'll test salt mix tomorrow as well as post coral pics. I still cant understand how the Calc can be spot on, Alk high and Mag high, with NO dosing happening. The only importing of elements is in the salt mixes. What salt do you use for wc?

many thanks for the forensic work - really appreciate it!

Me. I just stopped instant ocean.
I'm back to ocean water.

The test tomorrow will shed some light on test error. I wouldn't worry much about it till then.

And keep in mind too cal alk mag change with salinity.