High Tide Aquatics

Help interpret my Water Chemistry ...pre-dosing

Hey everyone,



I have been testing everyday for nearly 5 weeks now using the Red Sea Foundation Kit.

I started dosing NOPOX two weeks ago, which is what drove me to test for everything everyday...almost. Nitrate was at 80ppm, surprisingly everything was still alive and well, but it explained why nothing thrived but the effing algae. There WAS also a Powder Blue Tang in there, and those guys are filthy! He has finally made it into his 375 gallon home (my 50gal was his nursery).
Regardless, NOPOX has brought down Nitrates successfully in two weeks, dosing the 50Gal reef 6ml daily for 18 days, now that Nitrates are undetectable dosing has been reduced to 3ml of NOPOX per day, keeping Nitrates undetectable. SOME patches of algae are disappearing from the rock, I have started to see this green film/moss algae grow on some parts of the rock, I can only assume it is the die off as it still happens at a bacterial/molecular level, so I will remain patient. I also believe this is an indicator my phosphates are disappearing? Would you start the GFO reactor back up or keep it off?


ALK has been weird tho. I have been double testing since I have 2 different test kits. I only have one syringe, which will explain the following:



2/10/2017 Blue Powder Tang "Pepe the Fish" has new home. NA 80. NOPOX DAY 1 dosing 6ml. GFO REACTOR OFF DAY 1!

2/11/2017 NA 60 HADN'T TESTED FOR EVERYTHING YET. WATER CHANGE.

2/12/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1500 ; CA 395 ; DKH 6.7 EVERYTHING STRUGGLES, LOTS OF CLOSED POLYPS

2/13/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7

2/15/2017 - NA 15-20 ; MG 1480 ; CA 395 ; DKH 7 EVERYTHING STARTS TO LOOK HEALTHIER, LESS CLOSED POLYPS

2/16/2017 - NA 20 ; MG 1460 ; CA 400 ; OUT

2/17/2017 - NA 10-15 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYTHING LOOKS HEALTHY

2/19/2017 - NA 10 ; OUT ; CA 395 ; OUT

2/21/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT ; CA 410 ; OUT EVERYONE IS HAPPY

2/22/2017 - NA 5 ; OUT , CA 415 ; OUT WATER CHANGE

2/23/2017 - NA 0-1 ; MG 1530 ; CA 445 ; DKH 7.6 - REDUCE NOPOX 6ml=3ml NEW KITSS POLYP EXTENSION, BTAS COLORING UP, FISH SWIM MORE

2/24/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 450 ; DKH 7.7

2/28/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 450 ; 8.4 EVERYTHING IS HAPPY, MORE BTA COLORATION, FISH ARE HUNGRIER

3/01/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 430 ; 7.8 - 8.4 DOUBLE TESTED ALK, DOUBLE DIFFERENT RESULT. WATER CHANGE.

3/02/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1520 ; CA 440 ; STOPPED TRUSTING ALK KIT

3/03/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1540 ; CA 445 ; 7.4 DECIDED TO CHANGE TO DIFFERENT SYRINGE

3/04/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 430 ; 6.5 WTF ALK?

3/05/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1580 ; CA 445 ; GRRRRR ALK TEST ! AGAIN!!

3/06/2017 - NA 0 ; MG 1560 ; CA 445 ; 6.5 RESTESTED TWICED (so yeah, 4 different times, same result always, same syringe though)

3/8 - CA 450 Alk ... MG 1580 (WATER CHANGE = Alk - 11.5dkH)

3/10 - CA 440 Alk 7.1

3/12 - CA 450 Alk #1=7.0dkH #2=7.2dkH #3=7.1dkH (new syringes arrive, tested alk 3 times)

3/13 - CA 440 Alk 7.0

3/14 - CA 430 Alk 6.9 MG 1600

3/18
ALK (Red Sea) - #1= 7.4dkH ; #2= 7.3 dkH
ALK (Salifert) - 7.4dkH
CA - 450
pH 8.0

3/19
ALK RS - 7.2dkH
ALK S - 7.3dkH
CA - 445
MG 1580
pH 8.0

3/20
ALK RS - 7.1dkH
ALK S - 7.1dkH
CA - 450
pH - 8.0

3/28/17
Alk RS 7dkH
Alk Sali 7dkH
CA 450


I am trying to grow out my coral, they have been there long enough and I have been through two algae outbreaks, finally got my Nitrates under control, phosphates will have to be guessed for now until my Hanna Checker arrives this Friday 3/31st. algae is turning green, but disappearing mostly, I can finally start to see the surface of my rocks again, they are starting to look clean!

The algae is firmly on the rock (turkey-baster-proof), it is turf-like.
Will this algae disappear in time with the reduction of Po4?

Water runs at 79/80 degrees, if it gets too hot it rises to 81/82. All acceptable levels I believe?

Salinity is at 1.025

IF this where YOUR tank, what would you do? Help me get my coral happy and growing.
 
What type of corals for the most part? How long has tank been up and running at current levels? And wow -- testing everyday! That's commitment.
 
Tank has been up since late 2015. Testing like this just started in February 2017, so I don't know how long it has been at current levels, before I tested randomly and didn't really know what I was doing. Why is MAG going up? Why is CAL not being consumed?

I really want to understand what is happening I want thriving coral!

Tank has 6 anemones, a handful of zoas and a few mushrooms. 4 medium euphyllia and a GSP colony.
In the last week, there has been a tiny (about half the size of a dime) sprout of Coralline Algae on the front panel.
 
Calcium is not being consumed because there is very little to consume it. The limited number of corals you have are not big calc users. Water changes alone are easily replacing the calc. As to Mag going up it may because of the salt your using -- not sure because we don't have enough info. You're also just getting coralline after two years of the tank being set-up. Assuming there's been something to seed it it's pretty unusual to have not seen it before. What lights are you using? And frankly with the corals you presently have water changes alone should handle everything without any dosing necessary.
 
There was coralline algae at one point about a year ago. But for some mysterious reason there was a bacterial bloom/algae problem and caused all this algae/gunk to grow for a long while.. Also had a couple of SPS that started to thrive, but as they all slowly died I started dosing Dr. Tim's product line (Waste Away, EcoBalance, ReFresh) diligently, and it was kind of working but not really removing the bulk of the problem...water produced a LOT of gunk, skimming was always super dark... I probably gave that a try for nearly a year, when I finally pulled the trigger on NOPOX a month ago, because I just couldn't understand what was wrong. In the first two weeks of everyday testing, while dosing NOPOX, results were evident, so I started this thread to further comprehend what is happening with my water.
The salt used in this tank since day 1 is Red Sea Coral Pro Salt Mix.
 
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Calcium is not being consumed because there is very little to consume it. The limited number of corals you have are not big calc users. Water changes alone are easily replacing the calc. As to Mag going up it may because of the salt your using -- not sure because we don't have enough info. You're also just getting coralline after two years of the tank being set-up. Assuming there's been something to seed it it's pretty unusual to have not seen it before. What lights are you using? And frankly with the corals you presently have water changes alone should handle everything without any dosing necessary.
Everything except alk, unless changing water every 2-3 days? Let's start slow but try to get it stable around 8
 
Lighting??
Now that numbers seem fairly stable, that is the next thing to worry about.

Was that algae/gunk that killed the coralline red? Cyano?

Herbivore is the best bet for algae. Perhaps a smaller tang? You did not mention tank size.
 
Tank seems stable now. I would keep testing every other day or every 3 days to track as you start adding corals.

Algae will only go away if something out competes it for nutrients. What are you doing for nutrient export?

Existing algae will linger unless physically removed either by you or a tank inhabitant. Herbivores like tangs and cuc will make short work if nutrients are under control.

Need a full list of equipment and regiment.

What lights? Reactors? Fuge?


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Is urchin a good clearner of algae?

My rocks constantly show patches of white areas, and the accumulation of sandy particles on the bare bottom consistent with materials from the rocks.

I always assumed both are a result of a single pencil urchin cleaning my rocks.
 
[QUOTE="anizatoreef, post: 292487, member: 9613"Why is MAG going up? Why is CAL not being consumed?
[/QUOTE]
Its harder for corals/coralline algae to consume Ca when alk is low, you might try to raise alk slowly up to 8 or 9dkH and see if corals start using more Ca. Some Ca/carbonate supplements contain Mg (like Seachem Reef Builder or Reef Advantage Calcium) - could be a source of Mg or you might have test noise if it seems like Mg is increasing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Is urchin a good clearner of algae?

My rocks constantly show patches of white areas, and the accumulation of sandy particles on the bare bottom consistent with materials from the rocks.

I always assumed both are a result of a single pencil urchin cleaning my rocks.

Yes that sounds like an urchin's work.
 
50gal display + 15gal sump. 10gal WC
Water changes are performed every Wednesday (making new water right now). Will test tank before WC, new water and tank at night, hours after WC.
Only nutrient export we have aside from the skimmer is the refugium which houses some Caulerpa which is harvested (about 2pounds) every month or so and gifted to LFS or reefers.

1 onyx clownfish
1 hippo tang
2 bipartitus wrasse
1 bangaii

Filter sock exchanged everyday (it gets full everyday).
Fuge filter floss gets exchanged every 3 days.

7 of 8 Filter socks are washed in the washing machine every 8th day. (we don't use chemicals to clean in this house). First with boiling hot water then double rinse.

Since February 2017:
I have been dosing 3ml of NOPOX every morning (6ml until NA reached 0ppm).
Dosing 2ml of Sicce HyperKoral at lights out.
Feed PE Mysis everyday am & pm.


Equipment:
2 A360WE Kessil
150NWB Octopus Skimmer
Fuge is 10gal in a 29gal tank. Fuge houses a MarinePure large ceramic plate, where the caulerpa likes to root, a handful of crabs, thousands of newly hatched snails and a trillion isopods, all lit up by a simple house bulb.
 
Weird. A weekly 20% water change. Tank's not over-stocked (depending on size of tang I suppose.) No SPS and limited LPS. Frankly with that big a water change and those inhabitants you shouldn't need ANY dosing. Two Kessil's are more than enough and you should be getting good growth with those corals. Even with a lower Alk you should still b e getting growth with all the water changes. Your husbandry is admirable. Yje other weird thing is a full filter sock every day? I don't get it. Something else is going on that's way beyond my experience.
 
Weird eh?
Hippo Tang is a baby, dude... slightly bigger than the clownfish.
The GSP seems to be growing nicely, but that has always been the case. I have noticed that the corals seem happier since NOPOX was introduced, obviously NA reaching 0ppm (tomorrow Friday the Po4 checker arrives!).
Yeah nearly a full sock every day or every other at most (every other, the sock is overflowing at this point).

I do not turn off the return when I feed. I thaw out some of the mysis and then I mix them with Selco. I probably feed them a whole cube a day... I say probably because I buy the slabs not the gum-packs).
So aside form the mysis I feed the Sicce Hyperkoral.

I am still figuring out how to dose B-ionic ALK & CA ... so effing confusing!
 
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