My corals aren't extending please help

[Doogy]

I would say you found the problem! That's crazy that the calcium and alk is that high. I see no problem in doing a 50% water change given those parameters. 50% is rather big, but you need to get your alk down.

 

[Mark9]

geez people, 12.3 kh is not that bad, some salt mixes come that high.
It's not the end of the world.
And yes, 640 ca is high, but again, not the end of the world.
I wouldn't do any crazy 50% water changes, just keep up your regular schedule and it will come down.
I had a dosing incident, ca went up over 600.
Was that way for weeks before I noticed. I let it come down naturally, didn't lose a thing, fish or coral.
I would verify your salinity though.
Don't know what you are using to check, but if it's a swing arm, and it's off, your ca & kh will be off.
And if you're using a swing arm, get a refractometer and some pinpoint solution.

 

[JammyBirch]

geez people, 12.3 kh is not that bad, some salt mixes come that high.
It's not the end of the world.
And yes, 640 ca is high, but again, not the end of the world.
I wouldn't do any crazy 50% water changes, just keep up your regular schedule and it will come down.
I had a dosing incident, ca went up over 600.
Was that way for weeks before I noticed. I let it come down naturally, didn't lose a thing, fish or coral.
I would verify your salinity though.
Don't know what you are using to check, but if it's a swing arm, and it's off, your ca & kh will be off.
And if you're using a swing arm, get a refractometer and some pinpoint solution.

Alk that high would burn every SPS i have in a few hours. I would do a water change though, he doesn't have enough in to bring it down any time soon.

 

[CStrickland]

I just tested it and the Calcium what about 590. So need less to say I most likely won't be going their anymore. So if I do 30% water changes will that be enough to fix the issues or should I do 50%?

Idk how high it has to get to be a prob, alk affects fish too. since nitrates was something you were concerned about anyways I don't see a problem with a 50% change if that makes you feel better.

The way the salt works is it comes a little high in the things that corals use up so that a smaller water change will get you back to where you want to be. Some of the fancy salts are higher than others, and also they market having a lot of calcium and stuff in their advertisements. So the salt water for doing little water changes to get ca back up should be "richer" than what you fill the whole tank with the first time. It's hard when you are a noob though cause people just act like higher numbers are better. Even so, I thought alk12 and ca480 were like the max I think tropic marin and rscp had those? Anyway...

I use the cheap non-reef Instant Ocean salt because it keeps up with my couple of corals no problem. For me the super reef salts would be a waste of money, and the extra stuff is just wasted. I also let my nitrates get up to 20 once in a while if I go on vaca, I'd not worry about those personally.

It's tough cause stuff like this can happen even if you read a lot before you start. When people talk about mature tanks it's not just that there's a lot of pods or whatev, it's also that the reefer has learned from a lot of mistakes and has a feel for their tank.

 

[Garrettgomez55]

I did a small water change today. I have a 54 gallon tank so I did a little over five gallons. The guy at coral connection said to do a small water change weekly until my levels are better. Going from high level and down to quick could stress my live stock even more. Better be safe than sorry. I must say my hammer coral is doing allot better just from that small change. How long do I wait to test the tank after a water change? A day or two?

 

[Mcgeezer]

alk that high would burn every sps i have in a few hours. I would do a water change though, he doesn't have enough in to bring it down any time soon.

+1

 

[ZeeSparrow]

Yep I would test again tomorrow.

 

[moonpies4misfit]

How much light and flow were the corals in when you bought them compared to your tank? I've seen the same response from corals trying to protect/adjust themselves to excess light and flow. With less exposed tissue they are not affected by the light and flow as much. If this is the case they should slowly open and be fine.

 

[Garrettgomez55]

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How much light and flow were the corals in when you bought them compared to your tank? I've seen the same response from corals trying to protect/adjust themselves to excess light and flow. With less exposed tissue they are not affected by the light and flow as much. If this is the case they should slowly open and be fine.

Not sure what light set up they had at the place. My lights are dialed down its at about 30% whites and 30% blues. As for the flow I been kinda playing round with it. The hammer and the zoas i hear light indirect flow so I have the power head pointed above them. Yesterday they were extended a little more but still not full.