Why can’t I keep/grow coral? What am I doing wrong?

[crannon]

Water both salt and fresh for top off come from my LFS. I do not mix my own. Dosing cal and alk. I dose alk using sea chem marine buffer. I haven’t had a need to dose magnesium yet at least according to my testing using trident and either salifert or AF (can’t remember off top of my head)

Do you test their water? Or know what salt they use?

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Stop chasing numbers and removing the carbon and the gfo. I feed twice a day on a 50g tank with no filter sock or any filters. 10% water changes a week and I have about 20-30 sps in my system. Bacteria and corals need food and stability. Just get one schedule and stick to it. Run a skimmer to keep ur doc down and do a 10% wc with a good salt that’s all u need

 

[newyorkmets15]

Do you test their water? Or know what salt they use?

I do not to either of those

 

[crannon]

I do not to either of those

Have you considered making your own? That way you know exactly what's in it and what levels. It seems you've already invested quite heavily in your reef tank, an rodi system and diy mixing station seems reasonable.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My phosphate rises much easier then my nitrate and they should be somewhat cohesive correct? If I was to dose something to raise nitrate, I would want it to impact nitrate more then phosphate. Based on my original post and what you see in the thread, do you have any ideas? I will be sending out an icp test and I will tag you in that. I did remove GFO last night per the advice I received from many reefers so far

Anything I suggested doing will raise nitrate alone (ammonia, amino acids, or nitrate dosing), or at least much more than phosphate (feeding more).

 

[newyorkmets15]

Have you considered making your own? That way you know exactly what's in it and what levels. It seems you've already invested quite heavily in your reef tank, an rodi system and diy mixing station seems reasonable.

I have and my reason for not doing it is not time or money. It’s space. I don’t have the room available to set up an rodi system/mixing station. Once I get a house I will definitely be doing that. I will however test the water from the LFS and find out what salt they use

 

[newyorkmets15]

Anything I suggested doing will raise nitrate alone (ammonia, amino acids, or nitrate dosing), or at least much more than phosphate (feeding more).

Great thank you! Are you concerned about any other issues at play here? Metal mesh lid? Lighting? Concerns that I listed or something else I may have missed?

 

[newyorkmets15]

I think it’s a good sign you’re keeping snails. If it was a leaching heavy metal issue I would think they would also be doing poorly.

Anecdotal evidence only, but my tank does the best between .1-.2 phosphates. I don’t dose GFO until my tank gets above .2 and I only bring it down to around .1-.15. My tanks (one SPS/clam tank and one LPS heavy tank) both fluctuate by about 3 degrees per day and I’ve never noticed an issue.

I used to have an AI prime on an 30 gallon at about 50% use and when I used a par meter, they were hardly putting off any light where my corals were. I’ll recheck your tank and lighting schedule in a minute, but it’s definitely possible your corals is not getting enough par.

Did you ever get a chance to look at my light schedule to see if the par is low?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Great thank you! Are you concerned about any other issues at play here? Metal mesh lid? Lighting? Concerns that I listed or something else I may have missed?

A metal mesh lid that corrodes can certainly be an issue for corals. I'd suggest getting an ICP test from a good company if you are concerned that is a possibility.

 

[newyorkmets15]

A metal mesh lid that corrodes can certainly be an issue for corals. I'd suggest getting an ICP test from a good company if you are concerned that is a possibility.

I received the package from icp analysis today and will be sending it out today or tomorrow. I will tag you with the results when I get them to get your thoughts

 

[Hats_]

Did you ever get a chance to look at my light schedule to see if the par is low?

not really how par works, different tank dimensions mean different par values, even with the same light

 

[newyorkmets15]

not really how par works, different tank dimensions mean different par values, even with the same light

No I completely understand that. @ccole said he’d take a look at my lighting schedule and give me his option on it. The only reason that is possible is because BRS did a par test with a 40 g breeder with two ai primes which is my exact setup. Followed their video exactly just reduced intensity to about 75%. Ik par varies from tank to tank light to light

 

[MexiReefer]

What @p1u5h13r4m24 said- stop chasing numbers and stop making changes. Stick for one routin for the following SEVERAL months. everything that it is mentioned here (nitrates, enzymes, flow, additives etc) are (in my experience) fine tunning, provided nothing is off charts. I would probably only reduce one hour of the photoperiod-

wish you luck

ps. I was in the same spot you are now a couple of years back.

 

[newyorkmets15]

@dwest @workhz @ccole @Pod_01 @BartMan @p1u5h13r4m24 @MexiReefer
Update: GFO was removed on Wednesday and metal lid was replaced with white egg crate on Saturday night. Unfortunately I have lost a torch in the process. It retracted for the first time yesterday morning really since I put it in the tank 2 or so months ago and it has slow diminished to just about nothing at this point

As of a few minutes ago:
Phosphate: .17
Nitrate: 5.9

 

[AcanSkywalker]

The concern with the metal lid is rust getting in the water correct? Any ideas on what to replace it with? I have a suicidal Diamond goby lol

Order an Incomparable Poly Pad, it will absorb any metals or toxic supstances in your tank and you'll be able to see what was in there by the color changes of the poly pad.

POLY-BIO-MARINE, Inc.

POLY-BIO-MARINE - Specialized Water Filtration Systems

www.poly-bio-marine.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Order an Incomparable Poly Pad, it will absorb any metals or toxic supstances in your tank and you'll be able to see what was in there by the color changes of the poly pad.

POLY-BIO-MARINE, Inc.

POLY-BIO-MARINE - Specialized Water Filtration Systems

www.poly-bio-marine.com

A poly-filter is a fine way to lower excessive trace metals, but bear in mind it also binds trace elements you may want to keep, and at least one of its color claims (aluminum being red) is incorrect. If you do not have a highly elevated trace element problem, it may do more harm than good.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

@dwest @workhz @ccole @Pod_01 @BartMan @p1u5h13r4m24 @MexiReefer
Update: GFO was removed on Wednesday and metal lid was replaced with white egg crate on Saturday night. Unfortunately I have lost a torch in the process. It retracted for the first time yesterday morning really since I put it in the tank 2 or so months ago and it has slow diminished to just about nothing at this point

As of a few minutes ago:
Phosphate: .17
Nitrate: 5.9

Have you been adding anything to the tank? How often do you feed and what do you feed? Also it is important that whatever you do you stay stable. Trying to change an inch of different things in one week is gonna make things worse and it could be why you lost the torch this week. I wouldn’t add any filters. If you’re worried about anything toxins in your tank. Do a 10% wc and wait 2-3 days and see if things look better.

 

[newyorkmets15]

Have you been adding anything to the tank? How often do you feed and what do you feed? Also it is important that whatever you do you stay stable. Trying to change an inch of different things in one week is gonna make things worse and it could be why you lost the torch this week. I wouldn’t add any filters. If you’re worried about anything toxins in your tank. Do a 10% wc and wait 2-3 days and see if things look better.

I feed about a silver dollar size amount of pe pellets at noon and at 9 pm. At 5 I add a 2x3 inchish piece of nori. Stopped feeding corals about 2 weeks ago because of GHA growth. I will also note that since removing the GFO my rocks are the cleanest I’ve seen them in a long time

 

[newyorkmets15]

@Randy Holmes-Farley alright icp analysis results are in. What are you thoughts? Looks like lid was not the problem

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That’s correct, I do not see an elevated metal issue. Some may be low and could possibly benefit from dosing.

That company should get the Nobel Prize for devising a method so precise that they can claim to know phosphate to 16 significant figures. lol