Help with params

Tiwo · 09/24/2017, 10:09 PM

Over the past week i have had fairly bad params. The tank (40 gal breeder) has been setup for about a month and it has been cycled. Earlier i had a problem with high alkalinity(12-13 dkh) But over time that came down to 8-9dkh. But now i have a problem with high calcium, its was about 680-700 so i got new salt and did a water change yesterday. I was using corallife but now im using neo marine. The water change brought the cal down to about 620 but im still wondering why it was that high and what a safe way to bring it down without doing water changes everyday is.

I have lost coral but that was from alkalinity shock. right now i have a few zoas, a toadstool and a cyphastrea but none of them are open/extending. I also have 2 clowns which are doing very well. My params right now are
cal: 620
alk: 9
phos: .05~
nitrite: 1~
Im using API test kit (i know its bad no need call me out) and im planning on getting a mag test soon to see if thats the problem.

bertoni · 09/24/2017, 11:31 PM

Did you mean nitrite is at 1 ppm, or is that nitrate? The calcium level should be fine for the animals, at least for quite a while. I suspect that the alkalinity shift would be the cause of any problems you're having, if it came down to the parameters.

The only way to lower the calcium level actively would be water changes with a lower-calcium salt product. Have you measured some freshly-mixed saltwater? Some people get unlucky with their batch of salt, and sometimes salt products settle badly during shipment.

As long as the corals aren't opening, I'd continue with the water changes. A few 15-20% changes might help. Some fresh carbon can help mop up organics and trace metals bound to organics.

Tiwo · 09/25/2017, 08:03 PM

that was nitrate, just tested and nitrate is now at ~0, cal is 580, alk is ~7.5dkh, and phos is still at .05~ (1.025 salinity)

I noticed today there is alot more brown algae (i believe they are diatoms?) No corals have opened up yet.

Should I dos some alk? Ive never dosed and would be using B-Ionic buffer. also how much should i raise it to? im thinking about 9dkh. Or should i do more water changes and not dos...

bertoni · 09/25/2017, 09:07 PM

Those parameters are fine as is. The recommended range for alkalinity is 7-11 dKH. I might dose a bit of alkalinity to keep the level above 7 for the daily low, but otherwise, those parameters likely are acceptable. The phosphate might be driving a bit of algal growth, so I might consider adding a bit of GFO if the growth continues to be a problem.

I'd consider some water changes and probably add some fresh activated carbon to the system. Those steps might remove organics that might have been released by stressed corals.

09/24/2017, 10:09 PM	#1
Tiwo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 40	Help with params Over the past week i have had fairly bad params. The tank (40 gal breeder) has been setup for about a month and it has been cycled. Earlier i had a problem with high alkalinity(12-13 dkh) But over time that came down to 8-9dkh. But now i have a problem with high calcium, its was about 680-700 so i got new salt and did a water change yesterday. I was using corallife but now im using neo marine. The water change brought the cal down to about 620 but im still wondering why it was that high and what a safe way to bring it down without doing water changes everyday is. I have lost coral but that was from alkalinity shock. right now i have a few zoas, a toadstool and a cyphastrea but none of them are open/extending. I also have 2 clowns which are doing very well. My params right now are cal: 620 alk: 9 phos: .05~ nitrite: 1~ Im using API test kit (i know its bad no need call me out) and im planning on getting a mag test soon to see if thats the problem.

09/24/2017, 11:31 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Did you mean nitrite is at 1 ppm, or is that nitrate? The calcium level should be fine for the animals, at least for quite a while. I suspect that the alkalinity shift would be the cause of any problems you're having, if it came down to the parameters. The only way to lower the calcium level actively would be water changes with a lower-calcium salt product. Have you measured some freshly-mixed saltwater? Some people get unlucky with their batch of salt, and sometimes salt products settle badly during shipment. As long as the corals aren't opening, I'd continue with the water changes. A few 15-20% changes might help. Some fresh carbon can help mop up organics and trace metals bound to organics. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/25/2017, 09:07 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Those parameters are fine as is. The recommended range for alkalinity is 7-11 dKH. I might dose a bit of alkalinity to keep the level above 7 for the daily low, but otherwise, those parameters likely are acceptable. The phosphate might be driving a bit of algal growth, so I might consider adding a bit of GFO if the growth continues to be a problem. I'd consider some water changes and probably add some fresh activated carbon to the system. Those steps might remove organics that might have been released by stressed corals. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/25/2017, 08:03 PM	#3
Tiwo Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 40	that was nitrate, just tested and nitrate is now at ~0, cal is 580, alk is ~7.5dkh, and phos is still at .05~ (1.025 salinity) I noticed today there is alot more brown algae (i believe they are diatoms?) No corals have opened up yet. Should I dos some alk? Ive never dosed and would be using B-Ionic buffer. also how much should i raise it to? im thinking about 9dkh. Or should i do more water changes and not dos...