Ooops I bleached this one
- Thread starter worm5406
- Start date
Decadence
New member
What you need to do is get you alk and cal in check. If recommend to kalk in the top off water or a stirrer with a bypass to get rock solid numbers. It isn't X number that gets you results but rather stability. Every time your parameters change, the corals have to adjust and become stressed. Once you find a balance there, PH will fall into place. Water changes with a good salt should be enough to keep up mag and trace elements. Nitrate isn't a big deal but is ideally <1ppm. Phosphate is a big deal and is an sps killer. A lot of people say that GFO is just a band-aid but its better than an open cut. If you aren't running GFO, start.. If you are running it, run more. Get your phosphates to undetectable levels and then trace down the issue which allowed the to raise from the start.
Yes, I am very rock solid now.
My coraline has started to populate my new 180, after moving it all from the 120. I have patches on the glass and plastic now. Some people think it is a new tank, well I guess it kinda is, as it is an upgrade. I move 100% of the old rock and enough sand to seed the LS.
GFO is running and I am at .07 right now. Lowering it on a regular basis. I think the rock I added to the 180 to build me up more from what I had in the 120 made my phosphates rise. I did add about 100lb of rock to the upgrade. Everything has been smooth in the upgrade. Even the GHA was smooth and silky... hahahaha... That is cleared out and I am looking at a ATS to add to help, too.
My coraline has started to populate my new 180, after moving it all from the 120. I have patches on the glass and plastic now. Some people think it is a new tank, well I guess it kinda is, as it is an upgrade. I move 100% of the old rock and enough sand to seed the LS.
GFO is running and I am at .07 right now. Lowering it on a regular basis. I think the rock I added to the 180 to build me up more from what I had in the 120 made my phosphates rise. I did add about 100lb of rock to the upgrade. Everything has been smooth in the upgrade. Even the GHA was smooth and silky... hahahaha... That is cleared out and I am looking at a ATS to add to help, too.
fishguy597
Member
( If you aren't running GFO, start.. )If you are running it, run more
No disrespect but I do not agree with that at all. Check the water leaving your reactor with a Hanna meter if you start reading po4 then change it. I only run 1/2 of the recommended dose. I was running the full dose of gfo and then my corals suffered. It's strong stuff and will strip the water column. There have been a lot of people that run into problems running it at a full dose. But then again not everyone's tank is the same. If you have problems at least you know where to look then.
As far as your alk is concerned don't go chasing numbers. What ever you can get to be maintained should be fine as long as its over 8. This way you have a buffer.
No disrespect but I do not agree with that at all. Check the water leaving your reactor with a Hanna meter if you start reading po4 then change it. I only run 1/2 of the recommended dose. I was running the full dose of gfo and then my corals suffered. It's strong stuff and will strip the water column. There have been a lot of people that run into problems running it at a full dose. But then again not everyone's tank is the same. If you have problems at least you know where to look then.
As far as your alk is concerned don't go chasing numbers. What ever you can get to be maintained should be fine as long as its over 8. This way you have a buffer.
Decadence
New member
None taken, we all have our methods. You cut off the most important part of that advice though: "If you aren't running GFO, start.. If you are running it, run more. Get your phosphates to undetectable levels and then trace down the issue which allowed the to raise from the start." The reason I gave this advice is because he already has 0.07ppm free phosphate in the water column. This is high enough to kill sensitive SPS. Even if his husbandry becomes 100% spot on and the phosphate building issue is solved, it will still be leaching from the sand and rock for a long time to come which will mean for dead corals. Because of this, I recommend him to add more until levels are undetectable to save the corals until the problem is solved.
I keep my levels <0.015ppm as measured (undetectable) from a doubled-up salifert test monthly and have never had a problem with angry corals. I also have a whole lot of fish and feed very often. Inorganic phosphate is harmful but organic phosphate is good for them as they use it as building blocks for tissue construction.
I keep my levels <0.015ppm as measured (undetectable) from a doubled-up salifert test monthly and have never had a problem with angry corals. I also have a whole lot of fish and feed very often. Inorganic phosphate is harmful but organic phosphate is good for them as they use it as building blocks for tissue construction.
