Help! What parameter should I be checking?

[Moe_K]

I'm not having much luck, this time around, in keeping coral.
Zooanthids do OK.
Xenia doesn't pulse, although my alkalinity is on the high side of optimal (9.0 to 12.0 dKH).
M. digitata does well
A chalice I have is doing OK, not setting growth records, though.

My new Nepthea corals look skittish - polyps not really opening.
New toadstool extended polyps first couple of days, now is all withdrawn.

The few other SPS corals I have tried have faded and died.

The anemone I tried months ago bleached, then died. That one I chalk up to swings in salinity.

Coraline algae is coming on strong in the past couple of months.
No hair algae. No cyano - I went through that already.
Tank was re-established in Oct 2012.

So what should I be testing for to see what's wrong? I have plenty of light. 250 watt MH lights.

I don't have ammonia.
I don't have nitrite.
I am getting nitrate, just a bit.

Alk is usually around 9 dKH.

pH is around 8.2. Calibrated recently. New probe.

Calcium got really high this spring. Not it's back down to around 400.

PO4? I don't have a phosphate kit.
Mg? I don't have a magnesium kit.

Salinity is about 30 ppm as measure by refractometer.

Temp stays at 78 degrees as measure by temp probe and old fashioned thermometer.

 

[YOOZE]

You have any powerheads in tank and what type light

 

[Moe_K]

yup.
two powerheads.

light source listed in first post.

 

[nemodan]

Are you changing water every week ?

Type of water ?

I use destile water and 20% water changes every week.

Yes, I know I have 2 nano (14G and 18G) and that makes life easier but I was doing the same in my 100G some years ago.

Doing that and adding some supplements as indicated in the bottle, always using a writen agenda to avoid changing the days or frequency I stop measuring any parameter. Just occasionally, once per month or less y do some measurements.

Consistency was always my rule. I have SPS , LPS , and softies.

 

[frank180reef]

Hi
I would get definate salinity, alk , calc and mag measurements to start,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
and what type of test kits
if the softies arent opening give them more flow

has ur temperature varied with the recent heat at all, say above 84?

 

[Moe_K]

Are you changing water every week ?

Type of water ?

I use destile water and 20% water changes every week.

Yes, I know I have 2 nano (14G and 18G) and that makes life easier but I was doing the same in my 100G some years ago.

Doing that and adding some supplements as indicated in the bottle, always using a writen agenda to avoid changing the days or frequency I stop measuring any parameter. Just occasionally, once per month or less y do some measurements.

Consistency was always my rule. I have SPS , LPS , and softies.

It's a 125 gal tank. I do a 30 gal water change every couple of weeks. I use RODI water.
Years ago I did monthly or less frequent water changes. That tank (55 gal) had mega polyp extension and growth:

 

[Moe_K]

Hi
I would get definate salinity, alk , calc and mag measurements to start,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
and what type of test kits
if the softies arent opening give them more flow

has ur temperature varied with the recent heat at all, say above 84?

Brand new Elos test kit for alk.
The other parameters I had tested at Krystal Clear.

Hottest my tank got in the heat spell was just over 79 degrees.

 

[nemodan]

It's a 125 gal tank. I do a 30 gal water change every couple of weeks. I use RODI water.
Years ago I did monthly or less frequent water changes. That tank (55 gal) had mega polyp extension and growth:

Men...that was a pretty loaded reef tank.

Now I am scratching my head thinking what could be wrong in your new tank. Sorry I wasn't of much help.

I will follow the thread because I am sure I will learn from it.

 

[RadReefer]

Salinity at 30ppm is a problem for a reef. That's 1.0226 specific gravity. You want to be more toward 35ppm or 1.0264 specific gravity. This is what I would suspect.

 

[RadReefer]

I would also test Mg as well. It's the element that I least like to test but it is just as important as Alk and calcium, I know you know this having been around the block for so long

 

[Moe_K]

My conch is out tonight for the first time in weeks. I take that as a good sign.

I'm thinking it's salinity too. Next water change I shall bump up the salt.

 

[Moe_K]

Tree coral kinda extending polyps?

 

[Moe_K]

Meanwhile polyps, mushrooms, and conch look OK?

Fan worms in there (hydroids?) looking OK too. Been doing well for weeks.

 

[Moe_K]

I bumped my salinity up to 35 ppm (which looks like just a hair over 1.025 at 78 degrees).
Hopefully this will improve conditions in my tank.