Help on nutrient levels.....

[Amtaylor417]

Hey everyone,

So I need a bit of help and guidance. I run a 110 gallon tank it's about 4 months old but had other tanks the is the now established upgraded tank. My tank is lps/soft corals and fish. I just did a 45 gallon water change on Sat. 2/5. Here is what my levels tested at today 2/9:
Nitrate: approx 15
Nitrite: 0
dKH: 11.2
Calcium: 485
Mag: 1680
Haven't dosed since before the water change.

One of my zoas just isn't looking good at all and I have a splatter green branching hammer that one of the heads isn't fully opened. And seems unhappy.

Not sure what to do.....can you guys give me suggestions please!!!!!!! Thank you in advance!

 

[BostonReefer300]

I run an 8 hr max photoperiod. In the morning, there's an hour buildup. In the evening, there's a four hour tail down that is heavy on blues because that's when I'm most looking at the tank. Big water changes can indeed stress tank inhabitants even if the new water is only slightly different than the tank water. Generally, you don't need to do big water changes to adjust Ca, etc. because those things will get consumed over time.

 

[Amtaylor417]

You all have been so helpful! I'm going to take a lecture of the tank in a bit when the corals are awake and open to show you guys my baby

 

[vetteguy53081]

That's interesting you say they aren't supportive of most corals. They bleach out all my sponsor corals. So u gave up on them.

Yes- A long time ago. Great for fish only but little PAR from them (Par is the measurement of brightness)

 

[Amtaylor417]

You all have been so helpful! I'm going to take a lecture of the tank in a bit when the corals are awake and open to show you guys my baby

Picture***

 

[Amtaylor417]

Yes- A long time ago. Great for fish only but little PAR from them (Par is the measurement of brightness)

Ehat would you suggest for lights that are crazy expensive for softies and lps? My duncans and hammers are super happy.

 

[Amtaylor417]

Ehat would you suggest for lights that are crazy expensive for softies and lps? My duncans and hammers are super happy.

That arent*****

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ehat would you suggest for lights that are crazy expensive for softies and lps? My duncans and hammers are super happy.

heres my best suggestion:
Keep the Fluvals you have and add an Orphek OR3 light bar- Not crazy priced and awesome color effects to work with your current lite. Reef Brite is also a good light bar.

 

[Amtaylor417]

heres my best suggestion:
Keep the Fluvals you have and add an Orphek OR3 light bar- Not crazy priced and awesome color effects to work with your current lite. Reef Brite is also a good light bar.

Thank you!

 

[bruno3047]

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BostonReefer300 said:
Lots of good questions and some good preliminary advice already. One thing I'd add is that a 35% water change is a very big water change usually reserved for if things are really wrong. Per an earlier post, would be interesting to know the parameters before the water change. In any case, I usually do a 10-15% water change twice a month in my 300G DT (net water volume incl sump and removing rock, etc.). Your big water change may have been enough to shock coral in and of itself
Click to expand...

“I never knew the water change could shock them. The main reason I did it was because i dosed two weeks before my water change and the calcium was wayyy too high and well, yea. My tank was not ok”

The dramatic reduction in calcium levels could very well have caused your corals to not open after the wc. As previously noted, with a few days/weeks of consistency, hopefully, they’ll be OK. In the future, be aware that dramatic changes in essential parameters via large water changes will negatively impact your corals and even, in some more delicate species, your fish. When doing a large water change, after you’re finished mixing your new water, take some basic parameters (temp, salinity, alk, calcium) and compare them to your tank. Adjust any large discrepancies in your new water if you can. If not, do smaller water changes spaced a few days apart. Enjoy your tank.

 

[Amtaylor417]

Alright so, salinity is at 1.028, and that's pre mixed salt water I put in there on 2/5 from my LFS. That's tooo high....any suggestions??

 

[Duncan62]

Alright so, salinity is at 1.028, and that's pre mixed salt water I put in there on 2/5 from my LFS. That's tooo high....any suggestions??

Make sure your test is accurate then if you have an ato just remove tank water and let the ATO replace it slowly. If not just remove salt and replace with rodi gradually..

 

[Amtaylor417]

Make sure your test is accurate then if you have an ato just remove tank water and let the ATO replace it slowly. If not just remove salt and replace with rodi gradually..

Thank you!

 

[Duncan62]

Thank you!

Good luck. I'm sure your tank will be pretty. Just be patient. How many watts is the light you're using?

 

[Amtaylor417]

Good luck. I'm sure your tank will be pretty. Just be patient. How many watts is the light you're using?

I believe it's the 59w

 

[Amtaylor417]

I believe it's the 59w

Good luck. I'm sure your tank will be pretty. Just be patient. How many watts is the light you're using?

Btw, what's an ATO?

 

[bruno3047]

Btw, what's an ATO?

Automatic top off. Consists of a reservoir to hold RO water, a float switch to detect when the level In your sump drops from evaporation, and a pump to transfer the water from the reservoir to your sump. This allows you to maintain a constant water level in your sump so your skimmer will work better, if you have an in-sump skimmer. It also allows you to maintain a constant salinity along with other parameters. You can buy a ready-made unit or build one yourself utilizing a 10 gallon tank or bucket, a small pump or powerhead and a top-off switch from a website autotopoff.com. That’s probably the cheapest route.

 

[Amtaylor417]

Automatic top off. Consists of a reservoir to hold RO water, a float switch to detect when the level In your sump drops from evaporation, and a pump to transfer the water from the reservoir to your sump. This allows you to maintain a constant water level in your sump so your skimmer will work better.

Yoooo! I need one of those!!!!! Where do I get one?!?!?!

 

[bruno3047]

Yoooo! I need one of those!!!!! Where do I get one?!?!?!

As I said you can buy a ready-made one complete. I think they go for upwards of 100 bucks. I built my own. 10 gallon tank 10 bucks. Small powerhead 10 to 15 bucks. ATO switch from autotopoff.com, 40 bucks.

 

[Amtaylor417]

As I said you can buy a ready-made one complete. I think they go for upwards of 100 bucks. I built my own. 10 gallon tank 10 bucks. Small powerhead 10 to 15 bucks. ATO switch from autotopoff.com, 40 bucks.

I could make one...but where do you keep the 10gallon bucket? I don't have room underneath. Lol do you?

 

[bruno3047]

I could make one...but where do you keep the 10gallon bucket? I don't have room underneath. Lol do you?

I do because I built my stand that way. When I was pressed for space I used a tall dog food container. Held about 6 gallons of water with a footprint of 6“ x 8“. You might want to look for something like that. All you need is something that is food safe and will fit in your stand. I’ll be more than happy to help you through the whole process if you think you’d like to pursue it