Is my tank too low on nutrients? Too high?

[delta]

might be worth watching the marketplace lots of tanks sales this time of year

 

[Nicole79]

I use two part from BRS. I also have a 40b mixed reef as well
once I started using it regularly life exploded in my tank
There is coraline algae everywhere..my clam doubled in size in about 3 months..the only thing is that you still need to test regularly
My tanks needs continue to increase as corals, clams and coraline algae grow.
I just added a 2nd Clam and expect the dosing to increase even more.

I currently dose 50ml of solution a day!! I change 5 gallons of water a week as well
There is no doubt in my mind that without dosing, nothing in my tank would be alive!

The great thing about the Brs 2 part kit is that its not too expensive for a small tank like a 40b
And as part of the dosing they include Magnesium which you dose after you finish each gallon of the 2 part


Its personal preference what/how you decide to dose, but there comes a point where you have to or your tank will just decline.

Do some research on what method will work best for your situation

 

[dz6t]

I saw you use ReefCrystal salt, but the Alk seems low for such salt. The possibility is either the salinity is off or the batch of salt is not up to par, which happened several times for RC.

 

[Overlook reef]

I suspect the alk is low do to consumption. Bi weekly water changes will just make it go lower. Dosing may be needed. I would do a couple of partial water changes this week to help equalize everything. Do not change too much too quick or you may lose more. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[evan.lundberg4]

So here's whats going on...
1. COLOR: A lot of the really nice bright SPS frags I got from a fellow BRS member a few months back are fading and/or white (dead ). Aside from these SPS the only other I have are a few different caps/montis. My idaho grape monti looks great, however orange cap has also been a bit faded looking.

2. GROWTH: Another issue is growth in the tank has been minimal lately. A few of those SPS frags have about finger nail size of growth, zoas don't seem to be spreading anymore, acan and duncan growth is slow if any despite direct feedings here and there. My large toadstool leather looks great and has spawned however.

3. ALGAE: Past month or two have had a bit of lyngbya algae in the tank. Usually able to keep it in check with manual removal during water changes, but comes back. Another thing I want to mention is my tank has NEVER been able to grow coralline algae. I've purchased frags and critters covered in it but it just always fades away.

So now let me give you as much details on the tank as I can think of here...

Equip: 40b, Remora S skimmer, MP10 set to low pulse and Jaebo WP25,reefbreeders Photon24 LED, no sump.

Livestock: Mixed reef. Clownfish and wrasse, various snails & hermits, fire shrimp, two clams.

Levels:
temp - usually between 78-80. It's been at 80 lately due to season but I lowered heater a bit yesterday and got tank temp back down to 78.
Salinity - 1.028 (using bobble type hydrometer since beginning).
All the following tests done with API test kit -
Alk - 2.5 meq/L
Calc - 420
Mag - never tested.
Phos - 0
Nitrate - 0
PH - 8.0

Light Cycle: Slowly ramps up to a max of 50blues/40whites from 9am-12am. Can give more details hour by hour here if anyone thinks necessary. Note, I switched to the Reefbreeders fixture in January, previously was using 6 bulb Tek Light Elite T5's. Despite some debate on LED's, I do believe these have helped and def seen better coloration in the tank. The SPS orange cap in my tank was fading before the LED switch and other SPS frags mentioned were purchased after. My idaho grape monti has never looked better.

Maintenance & feeding routine:
What I feed is one of the following on any given day - Hikari frozen shrimp or mysis, frozen food mix purchased from Jays in NH, Formula two flake, BRS Reef Chili. Feeding is typically once a day, usually skipping a day or two during the week. I'd say I usually feed frozen 2-3 days of the week, reef chili once a week, and flakes the other days.

Misc info:
-Tank has been running since 2006, but has gone through a few changes of course over the years but nothing too drastic in past 6 months other than lighting change.
-I use Reefcrystals salt mix, I do not dose, but find so far the levels stay in check with my wc routines. I have approx a 1" sand bed and I'd guess 30-40 lbs of LR.

Anything else you need to know to help please let me know!

This is all my opinion but if you're going to keep SPS corals and clams it seems to me you are missing something important. That, I think, is stability within acceptable water parameters. If your tank doesn't have stable alkalinity magnesium and calcium levels SPS corals won't live or grow. They're too finicky, it's just the way it is and believe me I have been there. Someone posted acceptable ranges for balanced alkalinity, calcium and magnesium so what you want to do is get close to those levels and keep it there ask the time. You'll have to dose for that be it by using kalkwasser solution or two part additives. You can also do a calcium reactor but if you're on a budget these are hard to swing.

To me that seems like your biggest problem. There could be other things going on as well but it would make a big difference getting after parameters steady. And remember only change one thing at a time. If your change everything thing at once them you won't know what's going on and what's causing what to happen.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[ro_nicu]

I would not trust the API test for nitrate and ESPECIALLY phosphate, they are way off sensitivity wise, by the time you see anything on them your tank will be a phosphate bomb. If you decide to dose, once you establish a baseline it's enough to test once a week for Alc, Kalc and PH, unless you notice something weired.

 

[wpeterson]

I have grappled with the same issues as I've added more SPS and LPS corals to my 30gal nano system. I think you've got even more corals in your 40 breeder from the last time I saw your tank.

I would guess you have both low Magnesium and low Alk. Unfortunately, you'll likely need to start monitoring and dosing Alk/Ca/Mg based on the amount of corals you have. I've got test kits for all of these things if you would like a second opinion on your levels.

For example, I couldn't keep my Ca up until I fixed my Alk problems by dosing a baking soda solution regularly. However, even with Alk/Ca dosing my Magnesium was being stripped from the water by all the corals and coraline.

If your coraline always dies off - you're low on Magnesium. However, nuisance algae don't need Magnesium - so corals/coraline may starve, but you can get nuisance algae living off the low nutrients that would normally feed them.

I use Reef Crystals and do a 25% water change every week, but I still have to dose Alk/Calc/Mg regularly to keep my tank happy and everything growing.

Anyways, I'm sorry to say the chemistry and requirements may be more complex than your current maintenance plan and echo the advice of all the other folks. I've got test kits and supplements if you want any help measuring or trying solutions.

 

[frank180reef]

Hi Joe agree with most of the others, you have to dose, no way around it

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks everyone. So it's concluded, I need to stop being lazy and start dosing & testing more if I want to have healthy beautiful corals. I'll prob be shopping on BRS site soon for everything. From what I've read in the past, everyone raves about Salifert test kits. Are they still the top recommended or is their something cheaper that's just as good? I'll prob go with a two part for dosing that will keep it simple so I'm less likely to slack.

 

[P-Nut]

Thanks everyone. So it's concluded, I need to stop being lazy and start dosing & testing more if I want to have healthy beautiful corals. I'll prob be shopping on BRS site soon for everything. From what I've read in the past, everyone raves about Salifert test kits. Are they still the top recommended or is their something cheaper that's just as good? I'll prob go with a two part for dosing that will keep it simple so I'm less likely to slack.

The two part will get expensive. The big 1 gallon CA and ALK that BRS sells is great and cheap.

Slifert kits are awesome. Do not get those digital kits, they are terrible and take just as much time as using the Salifert kit.

Once your levels are stable you won't need to measure every day. I measure once per month now and the levels don't change. So spending the money on a good kit is worth it.

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks P-Nut, I'm not familiar with the CA and ALK in one BRS sells, will def look into it. Makes sense that once you determine the consumption there is no need to test every day, however is once a month frequent enough when you consider things like coral growth and adding a new coral to the tank?

 

[Marshall O]

Dosing on the cheap: two BRS dosing pumps, cheap light timers, 1 gallon jugs online, baking soda, and calcium carbonate from your favorite source. Mag is not used as fast, so no need for a third pump IMO. But do get quality test kits either way. And make sure your Mag is high enough before starting to dose (approx 3 times Calc).

 

[Overlook reef]

Do the DIY Cal, Alk and Mag.

I have had great results and it is quite a bit cheaper!

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[P-Nut]

Thanks P-Nut, I'm not familiar with the CA and ALK in one BRS sells, will def look into it. Makes sense that once you determine the consumption there is no need to test every day, however is once a month frequent enough when you consider things like coral growth and adding a new coral to the tank?

Depends on your coral growth and how many you add.

For me, once per month works because of what I have. You might have to check once/week. Anyway, a Salifert kit has around 50 tests or more, even at once/week it will last you around a year.

Also, you will learn your tank. If your corals grow so fast that you have to increase dosing every week, then either concentrate the dosing solution more (i.e. more baking soda per cup of water) or, in a year or so you will need a calcium reactor.

 

[jdeb101]

Hey again guys. I'm going to be placing an order from BRS soon and getting really confused on what additives to buy for dosing Calc, Alk, & Mag. It seems like there's a few different choices for each of them. Kalkwasser seems the easiest since it does both at once, but I assume thats only good once both levels are where they need to be at and not good for raising one or the other? I'm thinking of manually dosing for now unless there's an auto doser that's not too bad in price. TIA

 

[jdeb101]

This seems like a reasonable price, easy dosing solution - http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-2-part-calcium-alkalinity-total-package-with-dosers.html

Thoughts?

 

[Marshall O]

I use their dosing pumps, bought some tall 5 gallon quarts online (the normal gallon jugs wouldn't fit), calcium chloride (you can get it from BRS, DF&S, or any other source), and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Mag gets used so infrequently I rarely have to dose. When I do, I use Kent Tech M (bought it originally for Bryopsis). Pumps are controlled through cheap 24 hour timers.

 

[jdeb101]

Hello again everyone!

So in the past roughly two weeks I performed a 15 gallon wc and been working on raising my Alk. I've also finally purchased a refractometer! Tests are still being done with my AP test kits, however I should be receiving my Alk, Calc, and Mag Salifert test kits in the mail tomorrow. So pending my current test kits are not off, my levels are currently at where I believe they should be...

Alk = 4 meq/L
Calc = 440
Mag = ?
Salinity = 1.025

I know it's too soon, but no changes in appearance for my SPS as of yet. I will test again tomorrow evening with both AP and Salifert kits to compare and see if I notice any drops in 24 hours.

Stay tuned!

 

[Marshall O]

You do still need to test for Mag, so grab a test kit sooner than later If mag is out of line, you will never be able to balance Alk & Calc.

 

[jdeb101]

Ok so got in my Salifert test kits today for Alk, Calc, and Mag and just spent about an hour running new tests. Also picked up a refractometer. Here are the results, lmk your thoughts!

Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 80
Alk: 4 w/API test kit, 5.36 w/Salifert
Calc: 420 w/API, 440 w/Salifert
Mag: 1380