Golden (orange) Torch Coral..pics

[Reef Frog]

Ok now in focus. With NO DOSING whatsoever, with that ALK & Ca level, your salt must be to blame. Or whatever else you have in your tank has not utilized much in the last 10-11 months after your levels reached the levels they are today. What else is in the tank coral or clam wise?

Maybe a bad batch? if it absolutely won't go down maybe a switch to a less concentrated brand is the best long term answer. But a salt change is a big decision and should be done slowly, as it can stress sensitive corals. 1.023 salinity isn't bad, your Ca level isn't lethal per se, but I would address the ALK & Ca along with the nutrients and try a torch again.

 

[CqSmrtazz]

Just to be clear, I am not dosing ANYTHING. I stopped using 2 part over 2 years ago when I got the calc reactor.
I mix 50 gallons of salt at a time in a 55 gallon plastic drum for 2 straight days and also aerate it at the same time.
Never thought of testing the newly mixed water before a water change, I only checked the salinity and temp. I buy the salt by the box (4 bags, each makes 50 gallons) One thing I have recently noticed is 1 bag is not making 50 gallons. it takes an additional 1/3+/- of a bag to get a salinity of 1.024.
My drum is translucent enough to see the level of the water at the 50 gallon mark that's molded in the drum itself and the float turns off the RO/DI at that level, so I know its not the amount of water per mix. I have some mix left over for a water change from 2 days ago, I'll test it and see. In the mean time, any suggestions on another brand of salt if needed?

 

[CqSmrtazz]

Ok now in focus. With NO DOSING whatsoever, with that ALK & Ca level, your salt must be to blame. Or whatever else you have in your tank has not utilized much in the last 10-11 months after your levels reached the levels they are today. What else is in the tank coral or clam wise?

Maybe a bad batch? if it absolutely won't go down maybe a switch to a less concentrated brand is the best long term answer. But a salt change is a big decision and should be done slowly, as it can stress sensitive corals. 1.023 salinity isn't bad, your Ca level isn't lethal per se, but I would address the ALK & Ca along with the nutrients and try a torch again.

I have 5 out of 8 hard corals left. the biggest being about the size of a baseball, was doing really well, now not so good. the others are frags that are barely hanging on. For some reason, I never could keep hard corals.
3 different leathers, some blastos, 4 different frogspawns, 1 hammer, 3 different types of zoa polyps, 2 cynarina brains, 1 plate, all I can think of off hand.
I always used reef crystals. The instant ocean had about the lowest amount of calc that I could find, plus it was made by the same company. By the way, about 600 lbs of live rock, about half coverage with coralline algae, hardly any on back glass. Seams to me the calc level is high because its not being used.

 

[mcfa2403]

Q: After dissolving Instant Ocean® in purified water, my calcium and/or magnesium concentration seems lower than expected. Why?
A: Instant Ocean® is formulated to provide a solution with levels of calcium and magnesium found in natural seawater (NSW), assuming you use purified water to dissolve the sea salt. Tap water most often contains dissolved calcium, magnesium and other minerals that will add to the levels provided by Instant Ocean®. The specific gravity of NSW is typically 1.026 (35 parts per thousand, or ppt, salinity). When dissolved in pure water to a specific gravity of 1.026, Instant Ocean® should provide a solution that has 400 mg/L calcium ion and 1320 mg/L magnesium ion. If Instant Ocean® is dissolved to a lower specific gravity, then these concentrations (and, in fact, the concentration of every other ion) will be proportionately lower


this is from the instant ocean faq page.


with the few number of corals you have it will be hard to bring down calcium and alkalinity levels without water changes. I would definitely check your mixed water before adding it to the tank, also do not bother with buffering it.

Keep in mind that if the water your adding is at the correct alk of 8 and your current water is at 15 doing a 10 gallon change (4.5 percent) will only bring your alk down to 14.685 and that each subsequent change will have a less dramatic effect as the current water gets closer to the alk of the water you are adding.

Also check you might check your magnesium to see if your chemistry is just off balanced (if all else fails)

 

[CqSmrtazz]

Hear are the test results of my premix:

SALIFERT API
KH- 13.4dKH 14dKH
Ca- 660ppm 600ppm
Mg- 1740ppm N/A
Salinity- 32 SG 1.024

This is a new box of Reef crystals, first of 4 bags.

I might hand mix a small batch of the Instant Ocean and test that just to see.

 

[Reef Frog]

Wow that water is rich. Can't say for sure it did in your coral though. But you will never go wrong keeping normal, standard reef parameters.

 

[nonstopfishies]

Hear are the test results of my premix:

SALIFERT API
KH- 13.4dKH 14dKH
Ca- 660ppm 600ppm
Mg- 1740ppm N/A
Salinity- 32 SG 1.024

This is a new box of Reef crystals, first of 4 bags.

I might hand mix a small batch of the Instant Ocean and test that just to see.

How much of a 2nd bag of salt did you add to get to 1.024?

 

[P3t3r]

Golden (orange) Torch Coral..pics

Nnnnniiiccceeeee very nice. I've been having trouble with my latest hammer/torch additions. It seems they are fine for a few days and then they close, not completely but mostly. Is this due to too much flow (mainly)?

 

[CqSmrtazz]

How much of a 2nd bag of salt did you add to get to 1.024?

I'd say a 1/4 maybe a 1/3 of the 2nd bag.


All of my hammers, torches and frogspawn are "flowing" in the current. Nothing real strong, just enough to keep them moving