been in it for two years and dont know anything

[jazejeff]

thank for all the help guys i really do appreciate it :bigsmile:

 

[gilmour01]

might want to slowly up your salinity to 1.026.

1.022 is fine for fish only systems, but corals prefer slightly higher salinity.

invest in some good test kits....salifert are nice and accurate

 

[Jon Luciani]

Get some salifert test kits and a spell check

 

[Nate82]

You really need to research. HEAVILY! It seems your understanding of reefs is extremely basic if that. Honestly stop buying corals before you truly get a grasp of the hobby. You need to learn which corals are which. What tests accomplish and how they can help. ect.

 

[xrayrider]

I use Salifert test kits for Alk, CA and Magnesium.

You should also get some cheaper kits to test the PH, Nitrates, Nitrites and Ammonia. I use API for those and here's a link to the kit of those testers:

I agree with using Salifert for testing Alk, Ca, and Mag. They are the easiest to use, and the easiest to read. I agree with using API for Amonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. The only thing I would challange is the use of an API phosphate test kit. I use all the same test kits, for all the same tests, except for phosephates. I have one, and I tried using it a couple of times, but the resolution is so poor, that by the time it will detect phosphates, they are soo high, that it is an obvious issue. Levels have too be way above acceptable levels to even register on the kit. By then you would have hair algae everywhere. You have to spend some money on a lab grade phosphate test kit, like a Merc, to get a usable one. They cost about $100. I can usually tell by the polyp extension, and the color of a couple of my corals, without even using a $1 per test Merc test kit, when my phosphates are climing. I immediately change my Rowaphos, before hair algae starts growing.. If you get to know your corals, a PH test kit might not be needed. If you need one, buy a lab grade kit like a Merc, or you are just wasting your money.

 

[jazejeff]

ok i got the good test i think!!!!!!
calcium is 520
alkalinity 143.2 or 8 not sure
nitrate is 20
phosphates is .5


so how are they?

 

[cherokee_dude]

You'd want to check your phosphates too... Very important.

 

[jazejeff]

:matrix:

 

[xrayrider]

Nitrates and phosphates are higher than I would like in a reef system. Do you use a refugium with macroalgae? If not, this will help. Run Rowaphose, and a good skimmer if you are not yet, these will also help. I think I saw that you already use RO/DI water. Rinse all frozen foods before entry into the tank. Most frozen foods are sprayed with phosphates, as both a preservative, and for water retention, to increase the weight. Rinse larger foods by hand, and small things like mysis, cyclops, pods, etc. can be put into a reusable mesh coffee filter, then rinsed. The filter will hold back even the smallest shrimp, while letting the phosphates get rinsed through. I couldn't acheive zero nitrates until I added enough sand to get about 4-5 inches of depth, this will help too. Hope this helps.

 

[xiongaquatics]

there is alot of flow and im feeding every day 1 - 2 brine shrimp balls

water temp is at a constant 79-80 f and i use r/o water and i have no algie problem that im aware of

i will take better pics tom. as well as my entire set up

you might have too much flow on the torch. torch dont like that much flow. it will keep them from fully opening than later on start dying.
try putting it somewhere is it little flow and see if it will open fully.

 

[cherokee_dude]

IMO, I def. think it is Phosphates. I had the same problem with my torch. Started (slowly) running a Phosban reactor and the problem was solved. Could be other stuff, like Salinity... But that was def. my problem.