New Zoa Frags not opening

[Luke Schnabel]

My green star has grown 7-10 new stars since I got it... (Taking my GF word on that she counts then every day).... I'm thinking its a combo of my light being to much for them at the moment and the nitrate being a little to high.... Anyone else care to comment? Lol

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Luke what is the list of livestock and corals you have in this tank and what size tank is it. Also how long has it been setup. I'm assuming a few things because of the way this thread has gone. It sounds like all you have are the two corals.

 

[anthonys51]

Dkumann. Thought you where going to bed. Only joking. I agree with you I only playing. What kind of test kits are you using. You shouldn't really need to dose mg everyday

 

[whosurcaddie]

I would just stop dosing right now you don't really need too with the corals you have in there. The one you want to keep an eye on is your alk, make sure it stays in the 8-9 range and that its not bouncing all over the place. Your mag is good so your cal and alk will be less likely to fluctuate.

Just be patient, keep doing water changes, stop dosing and keep your alk steady. Maybe do a larger water change than 15 gallons. I have a 120 and do 20 gallons every 7 days. I would maybe try a 30% water change this should bring you down to about 14ppm nitrate. Good luck!

 

[Luke Schnabel]

Display is 125g, sump is 75g. Total water of about 150-160g. Livestock in display ...2 clowns, one Dottyback, emerald crab, skunk cleaner shrimp, handful of hermits and about 30 snails. Corals are one star polyp frag and two zoa frags.

My Mg dose is next to nothing I think it's putting out 6ml per day. It's keeping it right around 1400.
I'm using Red Sea Cal, Mg and Alk test kits every 4-5days. I use API's dkh and cal test the days I don't test with Red Sea just to keep an eye on my levels.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I'm not following you guys on the not dosing part. If my levels drop within days why wouldn't I dose to keep them at a constant level?
My Alk has been between 9-10 for the last two weeks because I dose. Same with Mg it's been right around the same for the last two weeks. If I stop dosing it my levels will drop way down then I'll have to dose to bring them back up. Which will couse spikes and drops all the time? My coralline is growing great and so is the green star.
I don't use a "reef salt", I'm using instant ocean salt for all my water changes.

 

[whosurcaddie]

I would do a 50 gallon water change and watch the nitrates drop. Make sure you match the calcium alk and mag thats in your tank now, along with temp.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I can do a 30gallon water change thats the most I can do at once. IM still confused as to why people are saying not to dose Cal Alk and Mg when my tank is using them?? Maybe not my corals but I have lots of coralline algae growing.

 

[anthonys51]

ok i want to fully understand what you are dosing. you say 6 ml of mg. i got that. 6 ml of mg isn't going to do anything in 180 gallons of water.

plus i know with my 2 part when i was dosing both too much, my alk was high and my calcium was low. didn't fully understand why, but calcium is used in about a 20-1 ratio to alk.
i would buy brs 2 part.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I can do a 30gallon water change thats the most I can do at once. IM still confused as to why people are saying not to dose Cal Alk and Mg when my tank is using them?? Maybe not my corals but I have lots of coralline algae growing.

The salt you mix with RODI water has all of the nutrients that you need for your tank with a few corals etc. The reason people dose nutrients is that they have a large amount of corals that consume the nutrients as they grow, so they need to be replaced. What you need to do is mix a batch of water for your next water change and take readings of all parameters of that batch of water so you know what you're putting in the tank. What brand of salt mix do you use? It's got what should be in it on the bag.

So since you have very few corals there should be no need for dosing at this time. This is why we are saying you shouldn't need to dose.

 

[CStrickland]

I don't use a "reef salt", I'm using instant ocean salt for all my water changes.

I just switched to the io reef version. Sometimes on Amazon it's the same price. I think it works out cheaper than dosing.

PS sometimes new tanks go through bursts of instability. Like when a bunch of coralline decides to grow, or you add a new coral that is hungry from being shipped. IMO it's part of the maturation process of a tank that those things level out. I just do extra water changes until things settle down.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

ok i want to fully understand what you are dosing. you say 6 ml of mg. i got that. 6 ml of mg isn't going to do anything in 180 gallons of water.

plus i know with my 2 part when i was dosing both too much, my alk was high and my calcium was low. didn't fully understand why, but calcium is used in about a 20-1 ratio to alk.
i would buy brs 2 part.

I would agree to this AFTER he takes samples of the mix water before it's added to the tank.

I'm using Instant Ocean reef crystals and it is awesome for a few corals. I've got many more corals than Luke does and I don't need to dose. Only do wc's every two weeks.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I just switched to the io reef version. Sometimes on Amazon it's the same price. I think it works out cheaper than dosing.

PS sometimes new tanks go through bursts of instability. Like when a bunch of coralline decides to grow, or you add a new coral that is hungry from being shipped. IMO it's part of the maturation process of a tank that those things level out. I just do extra water changes until things settle down.

I agree or use the 2 part or even add trace elements, Kent is what I use. In this case for between wc's it's cheaper to use the trace elements or 2 part between the wc's

 

[anthonys51]

i agree with dkuhlmann. i also use io and i find it a little low in alk , mg and calcium. i add all to my water change water before i put in into my tank. but that might be just a bad batch of salt. but i bought a big box and need to use the rest of it. but next salt mix with be io reef version.

 

[anthonys51]

also just test once a week at the same time each week, like maybe Sunday morning.
i noticed testing at all different times and days and too often, my test would jump all over the place. remmeber these are hobby grade test with human error. 10 alk and 10.5 alk and 9.5 are very close with most test with a little human error

 

[anthonys51]

also when feeding, make sure to not feed so much that food is flying all over the tank. most fish wont eat it once it lands on the rocks. i feed 2 cube of brine shrimp or Myst shrimp a day. but i spread it out over 5 feedings maybe more depending if i am hoem more. i also put little bit in tiny cups and tell more gf to feed the cup.
. i drop a few i, let them eat, drop a few more, let them eat. once my 2 female anthies stop going after the food i know its time to stop. my kole tang and my clowns and fairy wrasse, wont ever stop lol. wait at least and hour between feedings

 

[anthonys51]

also i find the cubes are cleaner that the sheet. i like Hitachi or something i find i don't have to drain the fluid from those.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

i agree with dkuhlmann. i also use io and i find it a little low in alk , mg and calcium. i add all to my water change water before i put in into my tank. but that might be just a bad batch of salt. but i bought a big box and need to use the rest of it. but next salt mix with be io reef version.

You're using the regular IO not the Reef Crystals. BIG difference in what's in there.

 

[anthonys51]

Yes I know. But I bought like 100 lbs of it and too cheap to just throw it awAy. He is using the io also if I am correct

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Buy Reef Crystals and mix it 50/50 it will surprise you how much better off you'll be. No need to throw it away. The regular IO is for FOWLR tanks not reef tanks. Now it's starting to make sense why he is dosing. Shop around you can find the Reef Crystals cheap on Ebay in 200 gal boxes w/free shipping then just mix it 50/50 until you use it up