Can't keep certain coral...need help!

[Breakthecycle2]

I also have been using Red Sea Pro salt.

 

[CodyRVA]

I also have been using Red Sea Pro salt.

How often are you doing water changes? RS pro has high ALK. Your calcium is fine btw.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

How often are you doing water changes? RS pro has high ALK. Your calcium is fine btw.

I was doing weekly 15%, now I do a 30% once a month.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

And like I said, I am using a alk/ph buffer in my ATO water.

 

[CodyRVA]

And like I said, I am using a alk/ph buffer in my ATO water.

Maybe just cut back on the buffer a bit until your ALK drops some. Can't say it enough, parameter consistency is far more important than hitting some magic number. You have phos and nitrate readings so I doubt you're under feeding. Swinging ALK by a point daily would be enough to cause problems. Test daily twice a day with a quality test kit and see what you get.

 

[rolyguy7]

It's complicated. I'll send you a link on Alk and calcium and their balance. Has something to do with the number of calcium ions in the water to the number of bicarbonate ions. You can read more about it here.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

The fact your Alk isn't dropping even though you're not dosing indicates you either have very little coral load using it or your balance is off and your corals are having trouble using it.

 

[adestafi]

How much light/flow are they getting? Chalices don't like a lot of light and they prefer gentle flow

 

[CodyRVA]

It's complicated. I'll send you a link on Alk and calcium and their balance. Has something to do with the number of calcium ions in the water to the number of bicarbonate ions. You can read more about it here.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

The fact your Alk isn't dropping even though you're not dosing indicates you either have very little coral load using it or your balance is off and your corals are having trouble using it.

My guess is using RS pro and having few corals translates to high ALK. Might consider blue bucket.

 

[rolyguy7]

I'd stop using buffer in your RO. Your Alk may not drop because of this.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

My guess is using RS pro and having few corals translates to high ALK. Might consider blue bucket.

No, I used that before and none of my coral opened for three weeks. I was thinking of going back to Tropic Marin Pro or Aqua Forest.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

How much light/flow are they getting? Chalices don't like a lot of light and they prefer gentle flow

They are at the bottom.

 

[CodyRVA]

No, I used that before and none of my coral opened for three weeks. I was thinking of going back to Tropic Marin Pro or Aqua Forest.

RS is a solid salt. If you had bad luck with it before there's a deeper reason. I use RS pro myself.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

RS is a solid salt. If you had bad luck with it before there's a deeper reason. I use RS pro myself.

This is becoming to complicated..lol.

 

[rolyguy7]

I use Reef Crystals Instant Ocean. Salts are overrated.

 

[rolyguy7]

My frag tank.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I was having an algae issue and inconsistent levels the last time I used it.

 

[CodyRVA]

This is becoming to complicated..lol.

Haha then simplify it. Cut back on the buffer, using pro, I doubt you need it. Start slow, change one thing at a time and adjust accordingly. There's a plethora of advice here to try. All I can say is consistency is king. My salinity runs 1.024, have nothing but success Bc it's consistent.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Haha then simplify it. Cut back on the buffer, using pro, I doubt you need it. Start slow, change one thing at a time and adjust accordingly. There's a plethora of advice here to try. All I can say is consistency is king. My salinity runs 1.024, have nothing but success Bc it's consistent.

SO I guess the question is, do I bother switching salts are keep as is?

 

[CodyRVA]

SO I guess the question is, do I bother switching salts are keep as is?

Again, start slow. Try removing the buffer, test ALK daily. You do wanna drop it but make sure it's not swinging. If that doesn't lower it enough then consider switching salts. After doing so, ALK might drop too much and you might need the buffer. It's one big puzzle.

 

[Lenny_S]

As others have suggested, stop using the buffer. Most buffers are very high in borate and that is picked up by most alkalinity tests giving you a high reading. The reality is that the amount of calcium carbonate and bicarbonate is much lower. Water params wise that is the only thing I would worry about. As long as things don't fluctuate a lot most corals (especially LPS) are forgiving in the ranges.
The second thing I'd look at is your lighting. With puck style LEDs they need to be mounted high enough to allow for proper blending and diffusion. 10" above the water line is minimum recommended. Check the spectrum as well, in a mixed reef tank you want no more than a 2:1 ratio of blue channels to white.
Hope this helps