Any Suggestions for a newbie?

[kobe6710]

pH 7.8
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 20ppm
Alkalinity 9.8 dKH
Calcium 440ppm
Phosphate 0.15ppm
Magnesium 1400ppm
Salinity 35.5 ppt

Had an alkalinity spike a couple weeks ago, along with high phosphates that have been falling from 0.25ppm.

Very high nitrates from too much feeding were brought down from 60-80ppm to 20 over the last couple weeks as well.

Could any of these factors be the culprit for bleaching in my acros, birdsnests, and montipora? Should I test for potassium?

I’ve added the acros after the parameter swings and they are now bleaching from the stem as well.

Tank is 4 months old with invertebrates and no fish yet.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Why are you feeding too much if you have no fish or inverts?
sps can bleach or die for any number of reasons, such unstable parameters, insufficient lighting or flow, alk spikes can certainly kill sps corals. Even now your alk is higher than most, the more different the alk is from the tank it came from, the harder it is for the coral to adjust to your tank.

 

[KrisReef]

Alk spikes are killer.
Young tanks often fail to grow sticks, but some do.

 

[kobe6710]

Why are you feeding too much if you have no fish or inverts?
sps can bleach or die for any number of reasons, such unstable parameters, insufficient lighting or flow, alk spikes can certainly kill sps corals. Even now your alk is higher than most, the more different the alk is from the tank it came from, the harder it is for the coral to adjust to your tank.

Sorry feeding RedSeaAB+, ReefRoids and Benereef.

I’ve cut back on AB+ after seeing higher phosphates

 

[kobe6710]

Alk spikes are killer.
Young tanks often fail to grow sticks, but some do.

Starting to think the tank is just too new young. I got the coral for free so I just thought I’d give it a shot.

Going to pick up a live phyto blend and get some fish soon as well

 

[KrisReef]

Starting to think the tank is just too new young. I got the coral for free so I just thought I’d give it a shot.

Going to pick up a live phyto blend and get some fish soon as well

I don’t know how many people have posted locally asking for “Test frags” for their new tanks. Once they start growing the test period is over.

So many mysteries in this hobby

 

[kobe6710]

Starting to think the tank is just too new young. I got the coral for free so I just thought I’d give it a shot.

Going to pick up a live phyto blend and get some fish soon as well

I don’t know how many people have posted locally asking for “Test frags” for their new tanks. Once they start growing the test period is over.

So many mysteries in this hobby

They were offered to me, the reefers that I met told me they’d be fine. Guess I learned a lesson