To Shut Down or Not to Shut Down. That is the Question.

[Mike Lemming]

You could also feed your corals something like reef roids to raise phosphate, which they might appreciate if the reason they're not doing well is lack of nutrition

I put reef roids in with my frozen food maybe like once a week. Maybe I’ll go twice a week and see what happens!

 

[dz6t]

But shouldn’t I try to match my salt all with what I alk I want to run the tank at?

No, you don’t have to.
Alk swing doesn’t do much to coral if it is in range.
7 to 11 dkh is a large range, you can swing all day long.

 

[dz6t]

The original idea of needing to keep alk at tight range has been debunked over and over again, from coral farmers to coral wholesalers and hobbyists.

 

[afboundguy]

But shouldn’t I try to match my salt all with what I alk I want to run the tank at?

As Dong mentioned it's not a big deal to match alkalinity levels of new SW and tank. I used to try and do that with calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, pH and temp. Now all I do is match temp and even at that it's just throwing in a preset heater for sometimes only a few hours and I haven't noticed any negative effects outside of my stupid Hanna test kits fiasco

 

[Mike Lemming]

The original idea of needing to keep alk at tight range has been debunked over and over again, from coral farmers to coral wholesalers and hobbyists.

Ii think Once I am done with this last box a Fritz, I'll make a change! So in your opinion, what parameter should be kept stable? I guess I have always heard that Alk and pH should always be stable..

 

[Mike Lemming]

As Dong mentioned it's not a big deal to match alkalinity levels of new SW and tank. I used to try and do that with calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, pH and temp. Now all I do is match temp and even at that it's just throwing in a preset heater for sometimes only a few hours and I haven't noticed any negative effects outside of my stupid Hanna test kits fiasco

Yes, I hear my water change water to roughly the same temp. Maybe a degree higher so that when my tank has been sitting there stagnant for the time it takes me to change the water, the slightly hotter new water will even the tank water out. I was surprised to read your thoughts on the Hanna test kits by the way. It's pretty much all I use..

 

[dz6t]

Ii think Once I am done with this last box a Fritz, I'll make a change! So in your opinion, what parameter should be kept stable? I guess I have always heard that Alk and pH should always be stable..

Salinity is the first priority, as it affects the whole function of coral.
Alk between 7 to 11
Calcium from 350 to 450
Mag from 1200 to 1400
Temperature within 2 to 3 F day and night
I don’t even want to watch pH, as it is the job of alkalinity.
Day and night swings happens in the coral reef too. If anyone still believes pH is rock stable at coral reef, please read literatures from Australia in recent years.
The latest research shows that pH has little impact on coral as long as within natural range, which is from 7.8 to 8.2.

 

[dz6t]

Here is an reef beef episode I highly recommend

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[Mike Lemming]

Salinity is the first priority, as it affects the whole function of coral.
Alk between 7 to 11
Calcium from 350 to 450
Mag from 1200 to 1400
Temperature within 2 to 3 F day and night
I don’t even want to watch pH, as it is the job of alkalinity.
Day and night swings happens in the coral reef too. If anyone still believes pH is rock stable at coral reef, please read literatures from Australia in recent years.
The latest research shows that pH has little impact on coral as long as within natural range, which is from 7.8 to 8.2.

Interesting! Thanks Dong! I actually currently listening you the latest ReefBum with all 5 of you guys. I'm enjoying this talk!

 

[dz6t]

Interesting! Thanks Dong! I actually currently listening you the latest ReefBum with all 5 of you guys. I'm enjoying this talk!

Thank you very much

 

[JBendel]

FWIW, for salinity, I'd reccommend a refractometer (with real calibration fluid ) vs. a hydrometer. I used my beer brewing hydrometer and needed a large beaker to give it enough room to float. It was impossible to read floating inside the tank unless all pumps are turned off.

 

[dz6t]

Also many hydrometers are calibrated at lower temperatures, many as low as 65F.
The only hydrometer that I found which has high resolution and calibrated at 77F is the Tropic Marin one.
Despite the instructions are not very clear but you can use the plastic case it comes with to hold salt water for testing.

 

[Mike Lemming]

Also many hydrometers are calibrated at lower temperatures, many as low as 65F.
The only hydrometer that I found which has high resolution and calibrated at 77F is the Tropic Marin one.
Despite the instructions are not very clear but you can use the plastic case it comes with to hold salt water for testing.

That's the one I was looking at. So is the Tropic Marin hydrometer Acro Garden approved?

 

[dz6t]

Absolutely! It is the best for measurement of salinity.

 

[dz6t]

I used it to calibrate the refractometer. As the refractometer is much friendly to use.

 

[Mike Lemming]

I used it to calibrate the refractometer. As the refractometer is much friendly to use.

Good idea. Thank you sir!

 

[dz6t]

No problem at all.

 

[NeverlosT]

I second using a TM hydrometer, I make water, shut off pumps, put it in and get a real and accurate salinity. I do that for each NSW batch, but for the tank I just use a milwaukee refractometer which I confirm from time to time with the hydrometer.

There has been lots of great input in here!

I figured I would share that when my tank was starting out, I had nitrate and little to no phosphate, I killed several SPS frags and even plating montiporas. I got my phosphate detectable and up closer to 0.1ppm and immediately noted an improvement, could keep SPS and the montis recovered. Then by accident the phosphate bottomed out again and I lost multiple frags. Now I track it weekly, keep it around 0.1ppm or a bit higher, and I have not lost any SPS in ages. So it may be possible to run an SPS tank with zero registered phosphate, but that certainly has not been my experience with this tank.

I am on board with water changes, just thought I would share the basis for my advise (in addition to the Delbeek video).

 

[Mike Lemming]

I second using a TM hydrometer, I make water, shut off pumps, put it in and get a real and accurate salinity. I do that for each NSW batch, but for the tank I just use a milwaukee refractometer which I confirm from time to time with the hydrometer.

There has been lots of great input in here!

I figured I would share that when my tank was starting out, I had nitrate and little to no phosphate, I killed several SPS frags and even plating montiporas. I got my phosphate detectable and up closer to 0.1ppm and immediately noted an improvement, could keep SPS and the montis recovered. Then by accident the phosphate bottomed out again and I lost multiple frags. Now I track it weekly, keep it around 0.1ppm or a bit higher, and I have not lost any SPS in ages. So it may be possible to run an SPS tank with zero registered phosphate, but that certainly has not been my experience with this tank.

I am on board with water changes, just thought I would share the basis for my advise (in addition to the Delbeek video).

I appreciate it man! I didn't have time to test last night, but on Sunday night, phosphates were up to .055. Still some work to do to get it higher but it's trending in the right direction! I also raised my light intensity a bit. I haven't been home during the day to test par just yet but I'll know where it sits on Thursday (day off).
I appreciate all the great advice and will keep you guys posted!

 

[ifarmer]

downgraded from a few bigger tanks to just a 10g nano was the best move in this hobby for me.