Hi All as some of you probably know I am having an issue with my encrusting corals in my mixed reef tank. All my soft, lps, and SPS corals are ok. However specifically my encrusting corals were turning what I thought was purple but actually realized was white. The corals with problems were favia, burning banana, and montiporia.
with help it was thought that the issue was with Alkalinty, phosphates or lighting.
I have reduced the lighting levels and I am happy to say while some color needs to come back to the burning banana it’s polyps are out daily. The other corals have shown no improvement.
I had concerns my api test kits were not to good and have replaced most of them with Hanna checkers. With my new Hanna checkers and testing every other day I am happy to report my phosphates are coming up at either .68 or .70 over the last 2 weeks. As I understand it while that may be high the stability is key and I’d say mine look pretty stable.
so my concern now for my encrusting corals boils down to Alkalinity. Initially I was concerned my alkalinity was rising. However my new Hanna checker has shown me otherwise. I am actually loosing a small amount of alkalinity during the week.
i change my water every 2 weeks. 10 gallons per change. If check my Alkalinity 24 hours after a water change I’m getting 7 /7.2. During the first week Alkalinty stays at 7/7.2
On the onset of the 2nd week my alkalinity falls to about 6.8 on Monday6.6 / 6.5 by Thursday. Would this .5 loss/swing in my alkalinity be enough to turn my encrusting corals White?
If this is possibly the issue what is a good product and method to dose and keep my Alkalinty stable?
with help it was thought that the issue was with Alkalinty, phosphates or lighting.
I have reduced the lighting levels and I am happy to say while some color needs to come back to the burning banana it’s polyps are out daily. The other corals have shown no improvement.
I had concerns my api test kits were not to good and have replaced most of them with Hanna checkers. With my new Hanna checkers and testing every other day I am happy to report my phosphates are coming up at either .68 or .70 over the last 2 weeks. As I understand it while that may be high the stability is key and I’d say mine look pretty stable.
so my concern now for my encrusting corals boils down to Alkalinity. Initially I was concerned my alkalinity was rising. However my new Hanna checker has shown me otherwise. I am actually loosing a small amount of alkalinity during the week.
i change my water every 2 weeks. 10 gallons per change. If check my Alkalinity 24 hours after a water change I’m getting 7 /7.2. During the first week Alkalinty stays at 7/7.2
On the onset of the 2nd week my alkalinity falls to about 6.8 on Monday6.6 / 6.5 by Thursday. Would this .5 loss/swing in my alkalinity be enough to turn my encrusting corals White?
If this is possibly the issue what is a good product and method to dose and keep my Alkalinty stable?