ICP Results Questions and Coral Issues

[Joe.D]

Wasn’t sure where to post, but since I’m talking ICP, decided on Reef Chemistry.

My tank has been set up for 2.5 years and due to a few recent coral issues, I decided to do an ICP test as my testing with Hanna checkers and Red Sea (for Ca) aren’t showing anything out of whack.

I have a 75g display.

Hanna Results:
Alk 10.4
Mg 1325
Nitrate 22.2
PO4 .13

Red Sea
Ca 440

Salinity using Tropic Marin Hydrometer
1.0245

ICP Results with samples from same time as my tests above (full report attached)
Ca 423
Mg 1317
PO4 .034
Salinity 35.225 PSU


When I compare my tests to ICP, Salinity, Ca and Mg seem comparable - but, unless I’m converting units incorrectly, PO4 is way off.

From what I’m seeing for PO4 mg/l is the same as ppm (which Hanna shows) - so my Hanna is way high compared to the ICP. Thoughts?

The coral issues I’m seeing are spotty:

I have 4 torches - 3 doing well, 4th is not opening much. Tried moving it to area with different flow/light and no change.

I have 2 hammers next to each other - both were doing well, now 1 isn’t opening all the way and looks like it’s bleaching a bit. It’s turning whiter.

2 Acans were both doing well - a frilly mushroom was starting to grow into them and they weren’t looking great. Moved them both away from other corals and no improvement.

3 Gonis - 2 doing great, 3rd one hasn’t opened in a few weeks.

Candy cane not as puffy.

Ricordia all shriveled up.

Other corals (leathers, stylo, zoas, mushrooms) all look great.
Pics attached.
All of this started in early Nov after installing Reefmat in late October and Nitrate and PO4 bottomed out. I started dosing NeoNitro and feeding more Nori, then Nitrate and PO4 shot up. I’ve since stopped dosing NeoNitro and cut back on feeding Nori.

I got away from doing 10 % weekly water changes over the summer to maybe doing a 15% change once per month or so since my parameters looked ok.
I’m going back to regular weekly water changes. Here are today’s parameters before water change:
Alk - 10.2 last of older reagent bottle. Retested with new reagent and 8.6.
PO4 .09
Nitrate 17.3

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would not agonize over the phosphate difference, but feeding more and dosing a trace element mix like Tropic Marin A and K may be desirable.

 

[Joe.D]

Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley.

As far as feeding. The fish or the corals or just overall? I do a mix of pellets in the morning and a chunk of reef frenzy in the afternoon and nori a few times per week.

As for the Tropic Marin A and K - I have 1 doser open - can they be mixed together 1:1 and dosed accordingly?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley.

As far as feeding. The fish or the corals or just overall? I do a mix of pellets in the morning and a chunk of reef frenzy in the afternoon and nori a few times per week.

As for the Tropic Marin A and K - I have 1 doser open - can they be mixed together 1:1 and dosed accordingly?

No, do not mix them.

Any type of feeding may help, or not.

 

[eggie]

What size tank is this looks like 36" ?

 

[Joe.D]

Red Sea Reefer 350. 48”

 

[eggie]

Red Sea Reefer 350. 48”

Try playing with flow some corals don't like flow or moving them away from direct flow. I keep my candy canes with medium to low flow not directly same as my duncans. The hammer that's not doing well doesn't like the same flow and light as the Yellow hammer even do they are same type. Try Less light and medium indirect flow

 

[Joe.D]

Thanks! Will give it a shot! The Duncan was lower and off to the side - just moved him to that spot the other day after I knocked it over when cleaning the glass.