SPS not looking good

codybug

codybug

New member
Some of my SPS are not looking so good. I'm getting some RTN I think. My calcium looks high (490-500 according to salifert test) and my alk looks low (7.0 on test kit). All other parameters seem OK. How can I get a better balance. Water change? Should I add the alk part of Two-part B-ionic?

My other softies and fish seem OK - its just my SPS that are looking bad lately. My MH light is getting old - about 10 months old (pheonix 250 watt)

Any help is appreciated.
 
calcium should be between 400 - 425 and alk around 7-9 what is your magnesium level?

the MH should be good for another 2 months
 
I do not have a mag test kit. Will a 15-20% water change help with magnesium if it is low? I use Tropic marin pro reef salt.

thanks
 
you have a 55 gallon.. i would do water changes all weekend 50%-75%... but get a mg test kit, SPS need MG levels that high.. test water again on sunday and see where you are..
 
I started getting some stn when my alk got too high... Remember calc and alk react to each other.... Usually when the calc is that high the alk is high too... Retest your alk.

Now that I have my parameters back to normal my corals are recovering and growing over the burned parts..
 
I'm not exactly sure what the problem is. I'm just going to do some big water changes this weekend with some good reef salt and see what happens.

thanks for advice!
 
hi there codybug,

i think bebo77's recommendation to change water as the first response is the best option as always. tried and proven. i think, far too often, we look to other factors without considering the overall composition of the water. i doubt alk is causing an issue, seeing as NSW is generally between 6-7dkh, though of course, for better growth, you might like to raise that a bit.

plus there are lots of parameters we dont and cant test for which could be causing a concern. seeing as you keep softies too, it could possibly be some form of alleopathy or some chemical warfare thingee that is affecting the water condition. do you run some carbon?

also, dont give up on the sps pieces which dont seem to be doing well ya. try the water change and give them some time. do give them a proper check though, as you could possibly have some parasitic issue there as sometimes, these bugs hide away on the side of the colony that isnt readily visible.

ive had colonies that seemed to be beyond hope turn around, even when RTN and STN were obvious, so keep faith ya.

all the best!

cheers,
ian
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7884595#post7884595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by codybug
I'm not exactly sure what the problem is. I'm just going to do some big water changes this weekend with some good reef salt and see what happens.

thanks for advice!
Click to expand...

hold on there big fella...water changes are ok but I wouldn't go overboard...maybe a 10 gal today and another in a week. You don't want to make things worse...Your Ca and alk levels are not all that bad. I'd try and get the alk up to around 10 (slowly) a small WC will lower Ca.

What's the temp and are you sure? have you double, triple checked it with other meters? What's the PH and are you 100% sure about that? SG is what? Not talking down to you, just asking if you've double checked all these.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7885665#post7885665 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Frankysreef
Alk at 10 is WAYYY too high, natural sea water is 7-8. I have experienced Alk burn at 10.5 and STN......
Click to expand...

So you say...I ran the KH on my 150 at 13+ for years. I actully shot for 15...no problems at all.

FWIW, kh is 11.5 and Ca is 480 in my tank right now....everything looks ok to me.
 
Mark, it seems as the skimmers and other filtration methods improve those with low nutrient tanks are experiencing problems with higher Alk (DKH of 10+). This is one of the reasons that Zeo users recommend low Alk levels (no higher than 8 DKH)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7885813#post7885813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
Mark, it seems as the skimmers and other filtration methods improve those with low nutrient tanks are experiencing problems with higher Alk (DKH of 10+). This is one of the reasons that Zeo users recommend low Alk levels (no higher than 8 DKH)
Click to expand...

Greg, I didn't know Cody was using Zeo...If he is then I'm all for a alk lower then 10..

BTW, what are you trying to say...my 150 was high in nutrients:lol:
 
I think dirty is a better word! :D

I wasn't saying tht he was using Zeo, just using that as an example of a filtration system that makes tanks nutrient poor like large skimmers, phosphate removers, ect...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7885891#post7885891 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
I think dirty is a better word! :D

..
Click to expand...


:lol: If that's the case I think I'll get back to dirty
 
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