A Couple of Newbie Questions

[redstorm6]

Hi Everyone,

I have a couple of questions that have been nagging me for a while and I'm hoping some of you can help.

1. Do high phosphates automatically = brown out and loss of color?

2. Do I need to dose magnesium with changing water with IO weekly?

The reason I ask is I'm having a hard time maintaining an ALK that doesn't swing 30+ every day. I have a 30 gallon cube that is well stocked with frags and I'm adding 10 ML a day ( of alk and cal) of Randy's 2 part and it swings between 90 - 110 every day. Calcium stays fairly constant. Does this even point to low Mg or poor husbandry?

3. I only have one small clownfish in the tank and he gets fed a couple of flakes every other day. My SPS colors are good and I've even had a few brown ones from the LFS color back up in my tank. Is my tank too nutrient free? I literally mean he gets about 3 flakes every other day plus some bugs he picks off the rock.

4. I'm having a hell of a time getting super glue gel to attach frags with to work properly. It seems like I have to use half a tube to mount a decent frag under water. Any Tips??

Thanks for your time,
Chris

 

[wentreefgirl]

If your frags are coloring up in your tank they must like the nutrient poor conditions. Ive only seen frags brown out in high nutrient. Have you checked your mag in a test kit? The answer lies there. I have the same issue. My cal stays up and the alk goes down. I just keep on it. I think you can feed your clown a little more. Just watch for algae growth and discoloring of the corals. Not sure what you mean by superglueing under the water. Id put the superglue on the bottom of the frag outside the tank and then place in. I only need like a pea size.

 

[MiddletonMark]

In my 58, with 2-part dosing ... I notice the Alk dropping a lot more than Calcium. I wouldn't be suprised as growth takes off.

Test Magnesium. It could be demand from the tank, it could be precipitating ... only testing will tell. I haven't really ever had to dose Magnesium regularly, but as I haven't had issues involved with it - maybe I'm just lucky.

Superglue. In my experience, it works best if you can dry the base of the frag + where you're gluing it - and glue + let it set a few minutes out of water. Mostly I used smaller pieces of rubble, branch-rock etc to mount my frags to - then wedge/epoxy/etc them onto the rockwork - so I superglue them out of the tank.

 

[Sk8r]

I agree on magnesium: if things won't stabilize, that's what to test for. It should be 3x your calcium reading, ideally cal @ 400 and mg. @ 1200.

Try IC-Gel. It's an aquarium variety of glue that handles easily and doesn't run. Hold specimen out of water, put a large glob on (remember you're gluing for 2 pieces), count to 20 slowly, then shove it into the water and hold it to the site absolutely immobile (no twitches) for at least 30 (longer, if a larger piece or awkward placement). That should get it.

 

[oneil]

i use zap gel and have the same problem even if i hold the frag for a few seconds before placeing it in the tank . now i just glue them outside the tank to a small branch or rock and use epoxy to attach them to my reef.