New to forum

[Scotty333!!!]

Hello fellow reefers
Just joined up here hoping I get some help or different opinions on my comeback having neglected my tank for 4 years

My tank and sump is 525ltr , currently have 7 fish and a few softies and a bta

I did a complete rescape a month ago and now am fighting to get my water ready for some stonies

My params have been so unstable it’s unreal , nitrates 75 and po4 0.47

Started dosing nopox and got po4 down to 0.03 one day and 2 days later was back up to .50
Nitrates stay at 75

Calc 650 ( overdosed )
Mag 1610 ( overdosed)
Kh 7.1
Salinity 1.025

I live in Portugal near the ocean so tomorrow I’m doing a 30% water change then another on Wednesday

Here’s my aquarium pic

 

[griss]

The large water change sounds good.

I would test the questionable parameters with a second test kit (to make sure your test kit isn’t bad) to be safe. If you’re still struggling w/ PO4, you could try some GFO.

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Hi
Double checked with hanna

Po4 reduction isn’t the problem with the nopox but nitrate is

 

[griss]

Do you have a Refugium? That would help with Nitrates.

 

[T Diddy]

I really like the rock scape

 

[reefing102]

How often was the sand bed disturbed prior to the rescape?

I’m curious if this is due to disturbing the sand bed which is spiking the nutrients

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Do you have a Refugium? That would help with Nitrates.

Fuge with dsb mate

 

[Scotty333!!!]

I really like the rock scape

Thanks mate, only took me 4 hours

 

[Scotty333!!!]

How often was the sand bed disturbed prior to the rescape?

I’m curious if this is due to disturbing the sand bed which is spiking the nutrientsDidn’t touch it before , the high po4 no3 is certainly due to the rescape

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Sand bed wasn’t disturbed during the rescape

 

[Scotty333!!!]

100ltr changed (20%)

Salinity 1.025
Phos .50 (guessed) looks the same blue as last test)
Nitrate .50 (ish) see photo and judge yourself
Kh 8.3
Mag 1500+ 2ml more out the syringe which if I’m right is a further 300
Calc 500+ 4ml more out the syringe which I’m right is a further 200

 

[reefing102]

100ltr changed (20%)

Salinity 1.025
Phos .50 (guessed) looks the same blue as last test)
Nitrate .50 (ish) see photo and judge yourself
Kh 8.3
Mag 1500+ 2ml more out the syringe which if I’m right is a further 300
Calc 500+ 4ml more out the syringe which I’m right is a further 200

Doesn’t look like a pic attached.

If the sand bed wasn’t disturbed I’m wondering if it’s just all the loose detritus from the rocks.

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Sorry forgot

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Because these figures do not add up to a 20% reduction in not relying on numbers but let the nem tell me it’s ok
Today is half open
Tomorrow will be another 100ltr change and hopefully that’ll be enough for it to be happy again

 

[Scotty333!!!]

100 ltr change (20%)

For what it’s worth the results are :
Salinity 1.025
Kh 8.6
Po4 around .50
No3 100 (gone up!)
Mag 1680
Calc 365 (tested twice )

Nems happy so I’m getting there , another 100ltr change on Friday

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Lfs calcium tested 380 so somethings wrong here

 

[griss]

Hmmm, this is a head scratcher for sure. I may have missed if you already answered these question but:

What salt are you using to make water for your water changes?

Have to tested a newly mixed batch of saltwater? I had a couple bad batches of salt some time ago with the Ca extremely high and the Alk extremely low.

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Tell me about it !
Lfs water is nsw locally sourced

 

[reefing102]

Calcium is a bit low but all of you’re other numbers (except NO3) appear to be in range.

I do not have a chemistry background but it’d be interesting to see if your LFS can test their water to see what their parameters are. I’m curious if since the average sea temperature is fairly cool around Portugal, if warming up the water for aquarium use is causing a shift in calcium content? Just thinking outloud. I have no proof of this

 

[Scotty333!!!]

Lfs tested 380
Yes the temperature is a lot lower but not sure either if temp is a contributing factor?