Salt Water Parameters

[SuperHaze57]

I would like to know if my water parameters are okay. The reason being I’ve had some issues with a couple of corals the most recent was my hammer. Luck has it I moved it to my sons quarantine tank just a couple miles away hoping it would recover.
A little history on the tank.
It’s a 20g that I set up as my quarantine / frag tank while I’m building my 75 DT.
It’s been up and running for almost 4 months.
It’s a bare bottom with about 15-20 lbs of rock, it has a aquafuge2 with some rock rubble and chaeto. 2 power heads on a wave maker.
Lighting is a black box led.
A couple of weeks after the cycle was finished I introduced a hammer frag to the tank and a week later a tree coral. After having the hammer in the tank for 10 days it slowly started closing up then by the end of the second week all five heads totally closed up and it wasn’t looking very good at all. The tree coral however was doing great.
I tested the water and didn’t see anything that was of a concern. I did my normal maintenance of water change @25% then a 50% the following week in hope something was going to change for the better. Long story short I was about to pitch the hammer but my son said it’s not dead and took it to his place.
At the time this took place these are my test results from when it closed up.

Temp 78.8
Salinity 1.025
NH3/NH4 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 1
PH 8.4
CA 380
KH 7 (2.50 meq/L)

I don’t have a mag test kit yet so that’s an unknown
I retested the water last night and this is what I got.

Temp 78.8
Salinity 1.026
NH3/NH4 -0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0
PH 8.4
CA 380
KH 7 (2.50 meq/L)
Phosphate 0

I want to start bring my corals back from my sons but I want to make sure everything is good to go first. The Kenya tree coral is doing great.
I know I need to get the ca up and I have been dosing for that but it’s been steady 380-400 but currently 380
Any help, suggestions are more then welcome.

 

[FredsNJReef]

The only thing I can think of is the salinity seems a little high. Most reefers recommend 1.025 max.

anyone else?

 

[SuperHaze57]

The only thing I can think of is the salinity seems a little high. Most reefers recommend 1.025 max.

anyone else?

It’s normally steady between 1.024 -1.025

 

[jsker]

I would suggest getting the nitrate up to around 3 to 5 ppm and phosphates up to .02 to .03 so that the corals have some nutrients. The natural way to boost nutrients is to feed, feed

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

The salinity is not an issue. Many reefers target S=35ppt, which is 1.0264 SG on the specific gravity scale. Salinity between 1.023 - 1.0264 SG is likely sufficient for most reef tanks.

 

[SuperHaze57]

I would suggest getting the nitrate up to around 3 to 5 ppm and phosphates up to .02 to .03 so that the corals have some nutrients. The natural way to boost nutrients is to feed, feed

Ok I will do that tonight
Thanks

 

[SuperHaze57]

I would suggest getting the nitrate up to around 3 to 5 ppm and phosphates up to .02 to .03 so that the corals have some nutrients. The natural way to boost nutrients is to feed, feed

Even though I only have the one tree coral in the tank and a couple snails for clean up I’ll do a feeding and see where that goes before I bring back my spendy corals I have at my sons place.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The only thing I can think of is the salinity seems a little high. Most reefers recommend 1.025 max.

anyone else?

I don’t agree. 35 ppt seawater has a sg of about 1.0264 and that’s a reasonable value, IMO. [emoji3]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Higher nitrate is a fine thing to do. You might also measure phosphate to be sure it isn’t too low.

 

[Pongo]

I don't see anything critical in your water chemistry that would bother a hammer.

What about light intensity? Have you measured?

 

[FredsNJReef]

I don’t agree. 35 ppt seawater has a sg of about 1.0264 and that’s a reasonable value, IMO. [emoji3]

Thanks for clearing up Randy! Good to know!

 

[SuperHaze57]

I don’t agree. 35 ppt seawater has a sg of about 1.0264 and that’s a reasonable value, IMO. [emoji3]

That’s what I thought too. I read the article you have in this forum and printed it out for reference
I guess my phosphate is needing attention as it’s 0.

 

[SuperHaze57]

I don't see anything critical in your water chemistry that would bother a hammer.

What about light intensity? Have you measured?

That is another issue as I don’t have a par meter. But I’m using the exact same LED light as the Lfs I got the hammer from and at the same settings as the tank hammer cane from. But I will get a par meter when I get the 75 set up

 

[SuperHaze57]

I don’t agree. 35 ppt seawater has a sg of about 1.0264 and that’s a reasonable value, IMO. [emoji3]

This is the article is was talking about. Great stuff!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

 

[jsker]

Even though I only have the one tree coral in the tank and a couple snails for clean up I’ll do a feeding and see where that goes before I bring back my spendy corals I have at my sons place.

Just a little bit though. Fish are also great to bring up the nitrates with their waste

 

[SuperHaze57]

Just a little bit though. Fish are also great to bring up the nitrates with their waste

Yeah I haven’t gotten any fish yet. I wanted to get my corals going for the 75g. I guess maybe a couple of clowns? I’m open to suggestions remember it’s only a 20 so I’d probably only do two at the most

 

[SuperHaze57]

Just a little bit though. Fish are also great to bring up the nitrates with their waste

I have a bottle of reef chili I’m not sure if I should make the recommended amount for the tank size or cut it back.

 

[reeferfoxx]

1.026 is perfectly fine. I'm surprised your calcium is 380 with such large water changes. Like others stated I would get nutrients up. Also reducing your water change percentage would help tremendously. I think you are going for ultra clean and really it should be a little dirtier. On my 30 gallon I do 5% water changes but I also have 2 part on a autodoser.

I would keep water changes at 5 to 15% or anywhere in-between for weekly changes. That will reduce major nutrients swings and parameter swings in the off chance you get a bad mix.

What salt are you using btw?

 

[SuperHaze57]

1.026 is perfectly fine. I'm surprised your calcium is 380 with such large water changes. Like others stated I would get nutrients up. Also reducing your water change percentage would help tremendously. I think you are going for ultra clean and really it should be a little dirtier. On my 30 gallon I do 5% water changes but I also have 2 part on a autodoser.

I would keep water changes at 5 to 15% or anywhere in-between for weekly changes. That will reduce major nutrients swings and parameter swings in the off chance you get a bad mix.

What salt are you using btw?

I know the 50% was extreme but I really thought something was way wrong. Until then I did a 25% change about every 10 days. I’m currently using HW Marinemix Reefer. I do have a 2 part dose for Ca and KH and haven’t played around to much with that. I just got a ca booster yesterday but thought I would ask before trying something else. This is all new for me so it’s a learning cure indeed.

 

[reeferfoxx]

I know the 50% was extreme but I really thought something was way wrong. Until then I did a 25% change about every 10 days. I’m currently using HW Marinemix Reefer

What are you testing your parameters with? Sorry for all the questions.