Can someone help me interpret these water tests?

[kdx7214]

I did a water change yesterday and did water testing today and am just not sure what to make of this. Since the water change my gorgonian and GSP are both really unhappy. The single SPS I have in the tank is just as unhappy as it's always been and probably well on it's way to death :(

Here's the results by date:

3/17/24: pH: 8.15, Alk: 7.6, Ca: 347, PO4: 0.06, NO3: 9.6
3/28/24: pH: 8.2, Alk: 8.0, Ca: 445, PO4: 0.00, NO3: 9.7
3/28/24: Did water change
4/1/24: pH: 7.8, Alk: 7.9, Ca: 420, PO4: 0.07, NO3: 1.57

I run kalk in the ATO and was more than a bit surprised that a water change dropped the pH as much as it did.

Anyway, how would you interpret these tests and what should I change in the future? I usually do water changes weekly and, at the advice of someone on here, bought a Salifert alkalinity test and am doing that daily now. Also, what would cause the GSP (and gorgonian) to close up?

I'm trying to get things figured out so that maybe, one day, I can keep an sps alive.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I did a water change yesterday and did water testing today and am just not sure what to make of this. Since the water change my gorgonian and GSP are both really unhappy. The single SPS I have in the tank is just as unhappy as it's always been and probably well on it's way to death :(

Here's the results by date:

3/17/24: pH: 8.15, Alk: 7.6, Ca: 347, PO4: 0.06, NO3: 9.6
3/28/24: pH: 8.2, Alk: 8.0, Ca: 445, PO4: 0.00, NO3: 9.7
3/28/24: Did water change
4/1/24: pH: 7.8, Alk: 7.9, Ca: 420, PO4: 0.07, NO3: 1.57

I run kalk in the ATO and was more than a bit surprised that a water change dropped the pH as much as it did.

Anyway, how would you interpret these tests and what should I change in the future? I usually do water changes weekly and, at the advice of someone on here, bought a Salifert alkalinity test and am doing that daily now. Also, what would cause the GSP (and gorgonian) to close up?

I'm trying to get things figured out so that maybe, one day, I can keep an sps alive.

The most recent test results look pretty good
For comparison to ideal (range):
Alk 8-11
Mag 1300-1400
Ca- 400-460
Ph 8.1-8.3
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77-79
Ammonia < .025
Nitrate- 10-15
Nitrite- Disregard
Phosphate .05 - .09

 

[kdx7214]

The most recent test results look pretty good
For comparison to ideal (range):
Alk 8-11
Mag 1300-1400
Ca- 400-460
Ph 8.1-8.3
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77-79
Ammonia < .025
Nitrate- 10-15
Nitrite- Disregard
Phosphate .05 - .09

Thanks for looking at that. What would have caused the GSP and gorgonian to close up and look awful? About all that I can see that changed significantly are the pH and nitrates. Is that what did it?

 

[kolokele]

How long has the tank been established? Also, when did the coral start looking upset?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for looking at that. What would have caused the GSP and gorgonian to close up and look awful? About all that I can see that changed significantly are the pH and nitrates. Is that what did it?

Both of them respond to light and flow. You want to provide Medium water flow and light and high nitrates will have an impact and the gorgonians need phyto to feed off of

 

[kdx7214]

How long has the tank been established? Also, when did the coral start looking upset?

Tank is two years old. The GSP and gorgonian started looking weird right after the water change. Temperature and salinity were carefully matched before the water change.

 

[kdx7214]

Both of them respond to light and flow. You want to provide Medium water flow and light and high nitrates will have an impact and the gorgonians need phyto to feed off of

I bet it's the low nitrates then. I'm fortunate enough to have what I was told is one of the photosynthetic gorgonians. I've not fed phyto in around a year and it's growing like mad.