Water quality problem...test result's included

[Ifeelsick]

Hi all, my soft coral's are not opening as much as each day goes by and sps starting to bleech.

My result's

KH = 7.3 - 7.5
Mag = 1425ppm
Calcium = 440ppm - 445ppm
Phosphate = ZERO - ELOS high resolution £35!
Nitrate = 5ppm - 10ppm
PH = 8.15 - 8.3 - HARD TO READ

What do you expert's think?

Thanks

[mcgyvr]

Nothing alarming there at all.. Fairly normal..

Are you running a GFO reactor? If so you might want to stop it and maybe feed a bit more.. Some phosphates are needed for growth/color,etc..

[Ifeelsick]

Hi mcgyvr, supprised everything is normal! I am running phosphate reactor with Rowaphos. I will turn it off and get back to you in a few day's. Can i PM you when i post in a few day's?

Thanks

[Ifeelsick]

I forgot to say if my water parameter's are in check why does a water change temperarily fix thing's for a few day's?

Thanks

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Ifeelsick

I forgot to say if my water parameter's are in check why does a water change temperarily fix thing's for a few day's?

Thanks

Well.. The key to good tank health is really maintaining stable/consistent parameters..
Your alk is on the lower end of the scale but that doesn't mean a problem at all..
Do have measurements for how the parameters change between water changes?
Again.. stable between water changes is the key..

[Tanthaitrung]

Originally Posted by Ifeelsick

I forgot to say if my water parameter's are in check why does a water change temperarily fix thing's for a few day's?

Thanks

Although your parameters are in check. But water change adds trace elements, that your corals need

[Ifeelsick]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Well.. The key to good tank health is really maintaining stable/consistent parameters..
Your alk is on the lower end of the scale but that doesn't mean a problem at all..
Do have measurements for how the parameters change between water changes?
Again.. stable between water changes is the key..

I will do a water change today and let you know. Thank's

It's just so frustrating as my tank is only stable for 4 day's before i need to do a water change again. Will increasing my dkh fix my problem's as it is low? Also my salt stat's it should be 9.8 dkh when mixed.

Thanks

[Ifeelsick]

Hi all, this is one coral 8 days after last water change.



Previous water change's:

27th November 36l
29th November 18l

[Ifeelsick]

Sorry my tank is 105l

[75mixedreef]

You might be low on iodine. Softies take in iodine a lot more than other corals but everything still needs it. The other option is coral warfare. You could try running carbon if you haven't already. If they are releasing toxins then the carbon should pull it out. If you dose iodine and run carbon and that doesn't work it is probably some other trace element that is getting depleted.

What they said about low phosphates is true too. It is possible that you are adding trace levels of phosphates with water changes and that could be causing your corals to look happier. In a softie tank carbon is good to run anyways and iodine is pretty cheap for a small bottle to test it out. Luckily your tank seems to respond quickly so you should be able to try each solution one at a time to figure it out. It will only take 3 weeks or so at the most.

[Ifeelsick]

Hi 75mixedreef, i was actually running carbon but it wasn't fixing anything. I will buy an iodine test kit when i get a chance and see what happen's and stop running my phosphate reactor.

Do you think increasing my Dkh from 7.3 - 7.5 to 8 will help at all?

Thanks alot!

[nuttyd]

What is your salinity level? Had a similar issue a few months back and it turns out that the refractometer was calibrated wrong and i was too high on the salt.

[Ifeelsick]

Hi nuttyy, my salinity is 35ppt but i will recalibrate with ro water (not the best i know). Thanks

[nuttyd]

thats where i had the issue. Was quite a bit off from the calibration fluid.

[outssider]

Originally Posted by Ifeelsick

i will recalibrate with ro water

this is a bad idea....always use calibration fluid. most refractometers will not be accurate at sea level when calibrated at -0-

[2wheelsonly]

Those test kits for Po4 that use color charts are all garbage. Get yourself a hanna ULR checker and get your real readings.

I was under the impression that my Elos, Salifert, Red Sea phosphate kits were giving me accurate results at zero (clear, no coloration) only to find out my hanna said I was 0.08 at one time. Throw that thing in the garbage and order the hanna, trust me! If you have any sign of algae then your po4 is not zero, if you're completely algae free then the kits are probably working for you. In my experience they were junk.

[Tanthaitrung]

In my experience, no need iodine test kit.

Leather is one of the easy. I used to fallow my tank in few months without water change, there was a ton of hair algae it still worked well and splited itself (now i have 5).

Then I return to the hobby, keep NO3, PO4 at zero, target feed, dose trace elements (including iodine) do water change every 2 weeks.

Finally, I learned myself that it need NO3, PO4. If not, dose trace element and target feed. Of course, KH, MAG, CA are in check and stable are the key.

[Mad_Reefer]

As said, phosphate is needed. Things will balance easier when you use more natural methods. Algae will remove both phosphate and nitrate, and keep balance.

[duberz]

I'm going through the same problem. All parameters are in check. Flow and lighting are good along with husbandry. Most of my zoas stay closed along with my clove polyps. Everything was dipped before entry to the display. My clove polyps open for a day after last water change then closed back up. I'm only running a small bag of carbon and no gfo. I'm registering some nitrate and po4 so I know the water isn't too clean. I'm stumped!

[Ifeelsick]

Originally Posted by duberz

I'm going through the same problem. All parameters are in check. Flow and lighting are good along with husbandry. Most of my zoas stay closed along with my clove polyps. Everything was dipped before entry to the display. My clove polyps open for a day after last water change then closed back up. I'm only running a small bag of carbon and no gfo. I'm registering some nitrate and po4 so I know the water isn't too clean. I'm stumped!

I have no idea what is going. I am trying to raise my alkalinity to 9.8 dkh from 7.3 - 7.5 dkh. I'm hoping for a miracle cure that will fix my coral's. If not i will try dosing something else. Good luck

[nuttyd]

Would really get some calibration fluid to check salinity. 7.5 dkh is perfect for the sps. going high might cause them to stn.

[Ifeelsick]

Hi all, my toadstool look's so much better now. I raised my alkalinity from 7.3 - 7.5 to 8.9 dkh and it has helped tremendously. I will upload a photo later so show what low alk can do.

Thanks

[RobZilla04]

Once I added a Chemi-pure activated carbon filter bag my clarity improved immensely.

https://www.amazon.com/Boyd-Enterpri...rds=chemi+pure

[Ifeelsick]

I'm so happy i finally sorted this problem, and when combined with water change's i should have a stable reef tank!


Before 7.3 - 7.5 dkh


After 9.3 dkh

[RobZilla04]

Glad to hear. My dKh is still above 10 and my softies and LPS are loving it.