High Tide Aquatics

Rasta Chalice

sendo

sendo

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I came back from a three week stay in LA and this is all that was left of my Rasta

rasta.jpg


Tank parameters:

ALK - 2.5 meql (Seachem)

Calcium - 380 ppm (Salifert)

Mag - 1200 (Seachem)


So do you guys think it was the low mag? All my other chalices and corals are fine, except for this one.
 
Bummer. I've had a similar thing happen when 1 of my chalices died but the rest are ok. I couldn't figure out why, and my best guess was low Alk did it in as some chalice can be sensitive to that.
 
That sucks, how long did you have it. One thing though, your parameters are a bit low across the board.
 
If everything else looks good, excessive current is a prime culprit for tissue recession. Same deal with mycedium too. They can go away in two or three days.
 
I had this one since June. It was just starting to spread out. I am slowly raising all my levels to

Alk - 3 (should I maintain a higher level?)

Cal-420

Mag- 1350

My Alk did drop a little lower than I like to keep it. I added a few acros before I left and didn't think to adjust the dosing pumps.

It could be excessive flow. Things have been whipping around ever since I added the vortech, but I added that a while ago. Would too much flow effect a chalice right away, or take a while?
 
Ya it sucks, that was the piece I got at BAYMAC. Why is it that your favorite piece always goes first?

So Norm, I should try to be between 3.6-4 with my alk? Where do you keep your Calcium and Magnesium levels?
 
Hey Scott,

What about Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, ammonia, and pH? Was anybody feeding or overfeeding your reef? Water changes? When was the last time the protein skimmer was cleaned?

Michael
 
sendo said:
So Norm, I should try to be between 3.6-4 with my alk? Where do you keep your Calcium and Magnesium levels?
Click to expand...

Well, I've gone up to 4.2 on alk. Mainly keep your alk well above 2.5. When you test to 2.5, it's easy to be under 2.5 in actuality. People tend to overshoot on titrations.

I let my Mg fluctuate between 1200 and 1400, and try to target 1350.

Ca somewhere around 430.

Alk is the most critical to keep on target on a daily basis. Ca and Mg normally don't change enough from day to day to cause problems.
 
Hmmm.... I just reread your post and see that you use Seachem alk test. Is that the one that comes in the Reef Status kit with alk and Mg?

I don't like that particular alk test. I used it a couple times and it seemed that the endpoint doesn't show well. I buy the kit for the Mg test and throw away the alk test.

I like to use API for alk, but I calibrate it against the BAR alk standard and titrate using Salifert syringes.
 
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate all read zero, but I am using one of those API master kits so who knows. While I was away I had my dad come over and feed every day, change 5 gallons of premixed salt water once a week, and clean the skimmer cup once a week.


I only have a false perc, tailspot blenny, and a skunk cleaner shrimp in a 45 gallon w/ 15 gallon sump plumbed to a 12 gallon fuge so usually I don't have issues with excess nutrients.

I am using the alk test attached with the mag test. I have an api Alk test as well and some BAR standard, so I will start using that for sure.

Trying to bring all my levels up slowly. Had a mini salinity spike to 1.028 from adding all the stuff so I scooped about two cups of water out and let my ATO correct. Will check it again tomorrow.

I was at the meeting when you talked about calibrating the API test. What was the formula again?

3.8/ # of 0.ml it takes to titrate right?
 
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