Red monti cap

[Randalli]

I have two red monti cap frags sitting on a rack in my Evo 13.5. Both about the same age and one has begun to look like it is declining (front in picture) and the other is still growing and looking ok.
I’m still trying to get my nitrates and phosphates up (slowly) and trying to bring up alkalinity through water changes.
pH 7.9
alk 5.0!
NO3 0.2ppm
PO4 0ppm
Ca 529ppm
Temp 79F
2 sharknose gobies
a few small zoa frags
2 Duncan frags
2 micromussa frags
1 war coral frag
small GSP
2 plume gorgonian frags
1 small toadstool



Struggling to bring up alkalinity even with larger water changes (~30%). I know Calcium is a bit high. I’m using Fritz Reef Pro salt and not dosing anything.
I’m using an old Kessil A80 Tuna blue about 8” off the surface running fairly low intensity and the frags are about 5” below surface.
What would be the best approach to get alkalinity in line in this small tank? Water changes aren’t helping so far. Would adding All For Reef be a simple enough approach? I do have an ATO but I haven’t tried kalkwasser since Ca is already high.

 

[dz6t]

Which brand of test kit are you using for alkalinity?

 

[Randalli]

Hanna tester. My main tank tests out ok and my freshly mixed saltwater tests out about 7.4

 

[Cpage101]

if your tank water is 5 and your mixed water tests at 7.2 and you only change 20% who’s is about 2 gallons this will only provide minimal alk. increase. you may need to dose to balance out

 

[dz6t]

Hanna tester. My main tank tests out ok and my freshly mixed saltwater tests out about 7.4

What is your salinity and how do you test that?

 

[Randalli]

What is your salinity and how do you test that?

1.025 with a Milwaukee digital tester. Matched to my new salt water and main display tank

 

[Randalli]

if your tank water is 5 and your mixed water tests at 7.2 and you only change 20% who’s is about 2 gallons this will only provide minimal alk. increase. you may need to dose to balance out

Last two water changes were about 40% each since I was trying to increase the impact.

 

[Cpage101]

Last two water changes were about 40% each since I was trying to increase the impact.

i would just dose alk back where it needs to be but what is your salinity as asked above?

 

[mandarin]

Magnesium level?

 

[dz6t]

May be use a different brand alkalinity test kit to verify the results? Such as a salifert alk test kit?

 

[Randalli]

Magnesium level?

I don’t have an Mg test kit or an LFS to run tests. I would think that regular water changes would be enough to maintain Mg for the few tiny frags that I have in there.

i would just dose alk back where it needs to be but what is your salinity as asked above?

Salinity at 1.025 as above