What is wrong with my tank?

Zalman

Zalman

New member
I need some help... This started a few days ago, I am experiencing some tissue loss on a few acros and millies and now my open brain coral is looking a little ****ed off.
My parameters appear to be normal
alk 9.3
ph 8.2
calcium 440
nitrates <5
temp 78

These are all inhabitants that have been in my tank for many months. The rest of my LPS looks fine, nems look fine and my montis are fine as well...

Any thoughts?
 
Havent added anything in months

Po4 has never been an issue before and my feedings haven't changed. I suppose that might be a possibility although I run kalkwasser 24/7. I thought that helps reduce the levels.

No3 is <5 and probably 0 but I ran out of time the other day when I checked it and didn't give it the full time to run. Could low No3 be the cause? I know high alk and Low no3 can do damage... not sure if I am at the point though?
 
Honestly I have been lazy and haven't added anything to supplement it in a while. I usually keep it between 10 and 11 but heard it might be a good idea to run it a bit lower so I have been letting it drift down on its own.
 
I actually had it at 12+ for a few weeks last year by mistake and never saw any adverse affects. I was aiming for 10, but occasionally my math is a bit off and I end up higher. But now I want to keep it more in the 8.5-9.5 range
 
I am fighting the advice of keeping alk high, and the best thing I ever did was drop to 8.0 and keep it there while keeping no3 and po4 low. Then feed the ***t out of the tank. I use Red Sea blue bag/bucket wich is more towards natural sw at 7.7 alk give or take. Stability is no joke.
 
People who use Coral Pro salt can easily have their alk at 11-12 range.
I have a feeling this is probably due to swings in alk or something else.

Test alk every day for a bit and try for stability at whatever number you at.

I am with Tweaked on this in regards to Alk. I run mine at 7.1-7.3 range and Calcium in 410 range.
I am shooting for NSW
 
Zalman said:
Havent added anything in months

Po4 has never been an issue before and my feedings haven't changed. I suppose that might be a possibility although I run kalkwasser 24/7. I thought that helps reduce the levels.
Click to expand...

Kalk is used to raise Alk and Calcium. It does nothing for phophates. If you're running it 24/7 this could be concern for pH.
 
E Rosewater said:
Kalk is used to raise Alk and Calcium. It does nothing for phophates. If you're running it 24/7 this could be concern for pH.
Click to expand...

Kalk does not raise anything. Maybe if you dumped a ton in, but the effects on your ph would be a negative side effect. Kalk is used for maintaining ca/alk, not raising.
 
Oh, and Kalk might be able to precipitate phosphate as calcium phosphate, but that has yet to be proved. Many of posts on this subject, so your are not far off base by stating this.
 
I run at 10 -12 dkh.... and always have.

This was the norm in reefing and have never seen any adverse affects.....

Guys who had issues were running 12 - 17 dkh.....

that 7-8 seems way low and a thin line for error...

Just my opinion.
 
Agree to the thin line if you aren't a weekly water changer. I do 30 gallons weekly on a about 120g total volume which is about 25%. My idea was to go low nutrient, and try and mimic the NSW as well as the alk in the salt I use. And when we say low nutrient, that's just po4 and no3, and need to add a ton of supplement including amino acids. Brian, from your pictures and the length of time you have been in the game, Yes I am skating the line, but my results are amazing thus far.
 
Sharp Blades...Sharp Blades my friend!....


I too do 30 gal changes weekly....

btw ya ready for that trap or what .... Im sure hes still being a tool!
 
I know kalk does nothing for raising alk since i have had catastrophically low levels in the past while only using it.

What would cause an alk swing? I have a large water volume and dont dose anything other than kalk. would temperature or something else come into play?

My refractometer is over due for calibration so that might be a possibility.

i also do not have a phosphate test kit although these effects do seem to coincide with me using a new package of food and if kalk doesnt do as much as we think this also could be a possibility
 
A while back I was having issues with corals, and I hadn't calibrated my refractometer... One day I did, and it was actually 1.032 or so... I had checked it in a few months at least... I have no idea what your issues might be, and I feel for ya, but it's something to look at a little closer as it can happen and they do need to be calibrated fairly regularly...
 
If it was phosphates, I would think you would have noticed poor polyp extension first before losing tissue. I usually realize it's time to test po4 when I seen a little less PE on a few specific acros. After a test and a gfo change PE comes right back, but tissue loss is more of a problem, imo.

Where is the tissue loss? Tips? Bases? random spots? Pics?
 
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