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00W's AIO Smorgasbord

Aquarium Profile and Equipment

What type of saltwater aquarium is this?
Mixed Reef
Total Water Volume
115
When did you start this tank?
Jun 16, 2015
What is your aquarium made of?
Glass
Aquarium Length (inches)
48
Aquarium Width (inches)
18
Aquarium Height (inches)
24
Aquarium Overflow/Drain
Drain Style (durso, herbie, etc)
Aquarium Sump
YES
Sump Water Volume
20
Aquarium Stand
Wood
Aquarium Controller
NO
Protein Skimmer
NO
Protein Skimmer Make and Model
Lifereef vs3-24
Aquarium Reactors
  1. None
Return Pump
Eheim compaction 3000
What types of equipment are you using for water flow and circulation?
  1. Powerhead
  2. Wavemaker
Water Flow and Circulation Equipment List
Jebao OW 20 x2, OW10, Jebao 1300, 2 sicce small WaveMaker.
Aquarium Lighting
  1. T5 Fluorescent
  2. Natural Sunlight
Lighting Equipment List
Odyssea T5 HO fixture
Lighting PAR and Goals
Low
Dosing Equipment Detail
None
Auto Top Off or ATO
NO
Aquarium Heating and Cooling
  1. I am using a heater or heaters
Water Temperature
77
Heating and Cooling Equipment Detail
Eheim 300w with ink bird controller

Aquarium Water Chemistry and Parameters

pH Level
8.3
Specific Gravity
1.027
Nitrate or NO3
19
Phosphate or PO4
1.12
Calcium
440
Alkalinity
7
Magnesium
1300
Salt Brand
Red sea blue bucket
Trace Element Dosing
Kent essential elements

Aquarium Natural and Mechanical Filtration

Substrate
Bare Bottom (BB)
Substrate Level
No Substrate
Live Rock
75
Live Rock Type
Unknown
Nutrient Export
  1. Protein Skimmer
  2. Filter Sock
Water Changes
YES
Water Change Details
10% every Monday

Aquarium Tank Inhabitants (fish, coral, invert etc.)

Fish List
  1. Angelfish
  2. Clownfish
  3. Surgeonfish Tang
  4. Other Predatory
Total Fish
4
Coral List
  1. Zoanthids
  2. Soft Coral
  3. Mushroom Coral
  4. Other
Total Corals
6
Invert List
  1. Anemone
  2. Snails
  3. None
Total Inverts
0
Livestock Detail
Have a trigger which is not listed.
Livestock Quarantine
  1. No Quarantine

Aquarium Nutrition (fish, coral, invert etc. feeding)

Fish Feeding Frequency
Multiple Daily Feedings
Coral Feeding Frequency
Do Not Feed Coral Directly
Fish and Coral Feeding
  1. Flake
  2. Pellet
  3. Frozen
  4. Algae Strips
  5. Other
Auto Feeder
NO

Additional Aquarium Information

What do you think are the keys to your success in reefing?
Patience

tbrown

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Anything I can do to help it?
Put it in partial shade and very low flow if possible. Feed after dark and watch for shrimp or crabs crawling on it or fish pecking at it.
 

Calmwaters

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Looks like you're at the high end of your parameters already so I wouldn't dose. Magnesium is likely not.correct. according to Randy Holmes there aren't any reliable testers for magnesium.
So the ph, magnesium and calcium don't need to be higher?
 

NanoSteam

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Looks like you're at the high end of your parameters already so I wouldn't dose. Magnesium is likely not.correct. according to Randy Holmes there aren't any reliable testers for magnesium.
So the ph, magnesium and calcium don't need to be higher?
PH sure it can use an increase but not the end of the world but Calcium is definitely perfect, I wouldn't go any higher and Mag is likely wrong since there's no accurate way to test it.
 

Calmwaters

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Put it in partial shade and very low flow if possible. Feed after dark and watch for shrimp or crabs crawling on it or fish pecking at it.
Ok I moved it to an area with more shade today. Do you think I should try to spot feed it? I have reef roids, coral cane, frozen brine shrimp, and AB+ and goniopower.
 

ShakeyGizzard

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Here are the results from my test.
Ph 7.7
Calcium 470
Magnesium 1170
Kh 11.5
Phosphate .03
my 2 cents, calcium is good, PH and mag can come up. dKH is good. I think AFR adds to much calcium in respect to magnesium. what salt do you use
 

Calmwaters

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PH sure it can use an increase but not the end of the world but Calcium is definitely perfect, I wouldn't go any higher and Mag is likely wrong since there's no accurate way to test it.
Ok so maybe I just need to feed the corals more often to get them to grow? I was only feeding once sometimes twice a week.
 

cdemoss01

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No. If she's hiding, let her hide. Forcing her out when she's stressed will just stress her out more and make things worse.
But what else do I do? I had this happen to a coral beauty and it died.
 

ShakeyGizzard

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PH sure it can use an increase but not the end of the world but Calcium is definitely perfect, I wouldn't go any higher and Mag is likely wrong since there's no accurate way to test it.
I tend to run a base line with my tester based on a batch of fresh salt mix. I watch for trends up and down, its all i have to go with
 

NanoSteam

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PH sure it can use an increase but not the end of the world but Calcium is definitely perfect, I wouldn't go any higher and Mag is likely wrong since there's no accurate way to test it.
I tend to run a base line with my tester based on a batch of fresh salt mix. I watch for trends up and down, its all i have to go with
That can probably give you a ballpark then.
 

NanoSteam

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PH sure it can use an increase but not the end of the world but Calcium is definitely perfect, I wouldn't go any higher and Mag is likely wrong since there's no accurate way to test it.
Ok so maybe I just need to feed the corals more often to get them to grow? I was only feeding once sometimes twice a week.
It's tricky but I think with such a high Kh you would benefit with increasing your PH. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but there's a correlation there.
 

Calmwaters

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I tend to run a base line with my tester based on a batch of fresh salt mix. I watch for trends up and down, its all i have to go with
I have tested a fresh batch before but it was so long ago I can't remember what the readings where. I'm going to do my best to do a water change next weekend and will test the fresh batch then.
 

ShakeyGizzard

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It's tricky but I think with such a high Kh you would benefit with increasing your PH. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but there's a correlation there.
raising your dKH with sodium bicarbonate can lower your ph
 

kingranch2003

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Looks like you're at the high end of your parameters already so I wouldn't dose. Magnesium is likely not.correct. according to Randy Holmes there aren't any reliable testers for magnesium.
1150 isnt really at the high end of the recommended mag scale. I keep mine above 1400. Magnesium plays a large part in nuisance algae control, so the good stuff can out compete some of it. It also helps newer corals in the adjustment period after adding them to your tank.

Ive had this conversation with coral wholesalers that keep elevated mag levels for just this reason. Euphyllia acans and and many other lps will show drastic improvement in inflation and coloration as well.

I get what Randy is saying about hobby test kits, but ICP and numerous Hannah and salifert tests tests that show a response to mag supplementation or depletion every time, can at least show some control ability to maintain levels with dosing.
 

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