kh high and mg low & torches

AquaAdam

New member
Hello everyone,

For some reason I can't seem to keep torches alive in my tank. All my other corals have been surviving but I always have trouble with the torches. It wouldn't bother me so much but i've always liked the look of them, and would really like one to survive in the tank.

I usually change my water every 2 weeks, but I'm slightly over as I've been sick. My tank is a 60 gallon with a 10 gal. sump. Right now my salinity is at 1.026, cal - 460, mag - 1275, kh = 11.

My magnesium has always been slightly lower than expected, and I have tried using the ions additive in the past, even up to the max dosing and my level never really changes much. My thoughts are that because my tank is comprised of 95% live rock, the live rock must eat up some of that magnesium, but because its always stable I haven't been overly worried.

From what i've read, based on the fact my calcium is relatively good, my kh should drop naturally to where it needs to be over time but, I'd like clarification on this, as I haven't had a problem with it in the past. I do plan on doing a water change & cleaning this week once I'm better, so I'm assuming that will change the kh as well.

Is it these variations in levels that are causing my torch to die?

Also, I was thinking about going digital with the testing. I'd like to know how accurate they really are.

Any help on these issues would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
KH of 11 is fine as long as it is stable. That's not the cause of your issues with torches. Anywhere from 8-12dkh and stable most importantly is what I go by. I got a hanna phosphate meter it seems accurate but who really knows. You have to be certified by the dude who made the test just to know your doing it right. It's crazy.
If all your other corals are fine torches just might not happen in your tank. Every tank is like that. There is a coral or a group of corals that just won't do. Mine are xenia and zoas and nice mushrooms. They just don't like my tank. I find shade for them and low flow areas I try really hard to grow this fancy blue rhodactis mushroom. Damn thing has been one polyp for 3 years. Just chillin.
You sound new though. It's always good to have someone check out the tank and make sure there isn't something obvious to a more experienced reefer. You said your corals are "surviving". That doesn't sound good. There is a lot more too it then just elements. Water flow, lighting, nitrates etc.
 
Hi, Thanks for your response.

I have heard that in the past, that there's always one coral that just won't work in your tank, and I'm beginning to believe that coral is torches for me. mushrooms and zoos seem to do well in mine, better in brighter lighting, and not too much flow. I do have a mushroom like yours. mines a poptastic yuma, been one polyp since I bought it, and I think it was one of the first corals I ever bought. When I said they're surviving I meant they're doing fairly well, some are multiplying, although i'd like them to grow faster, they're not dying. I will admit I still don't really know a proper lighting schedule, and when asking, it seems everyone has a different time period and different intensities, based on the tank. This makes sense, based on whats in it, but I honestly have no clue if my current lighting schedule is considered adequate. I'm going to start asking around to see if I can find someone to come check out my tank.
 
pictures help, tell us about your lights, schedule, fish load, nitrates and phosphates if you have a test kit. Tank might be too clean, corals need nutrients. What kind of flow are you putting the torch in. they like some flow but too much will kill them. Do you have much algae growth?

You may never figure it out. My last reef would not grow xenia and green slimmer. xenia would just slowly melt over a few weeks and the green slimmer would stn. Green slimmer is supposed to be the easiest acro to grow and it just wouldn't live for me. Other acros colored up and grew but the slimmer died. Tried 4 times because I liked it even though it is very common.
 
Also, how did your alk get so high? If dosing I would stop and let it fall naturally. 12 is kind of high, but from what I understand if your tank is low nutrients 12 would be very high.
 
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