Sorry this didn't get a reply yet
When something is unhappy, I think it's best to look towards lights, flow, and water chemistry. Could you let us know what you've got for flow? It's not getting beaten up by too much flow, is it? Lighting?
For water chemistry, let's first start with, what are you using for test kits?
Something does seem a little off to me. You really *shouldn't* have any ammonia at this point, though I'm personally not terribly concerned with your 0.50 ppm. It's most likely test kit error, and even if real it's just about right where I'd start to get concerned if it get's any higher.
Double check your salinity with a properly calibrated salinity tester using Randy Holmes-Farley's DIY recipes to make your own salinity test standards (calibration fluid). It's very easy, it uses regular Morton's kitchen salt. Choose what device you have, and make the appropriate recipe. It's really important to get your salinity right because when it's off all other parameters are off too
Reef Aquarium Salinity: DIY Calibration Standards By Randy Holmes-Farley One of the most important issues facing marine aquarists is providing a suitable environment for their aquaria's inhabitants. Among the important properties for a marine...
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Alkalinity at 11 dKH isn't exactly wrong, but I believe it might be unnecessarily high for your corals, though I think that's how Reef Crystals mixes. But then your calcium is quite low for RC, so something is off. This could be test error, or it's at least possible that the salt was not mixed well before dissolving, either at the factory or after you purchased it. Some note that this is a "thing" with Instant Ocean salts.
I wouldn't bother testing magnesium, that is almost certainly an inaccurate test result. See this link:
OK, this thread has been many years in the making, and I'm posting it here since folks in the chem forum are probably already tired of all the threads relating to problematic magnesium testing. I'm going to propose a method, let's call it the Randy Magnesium Method, or RMM for short. All good...
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Your phosphate is indeed high, but others have had hit higher, and I don't know if that alone would be what's making your coral grumpy, but it might be. It's also a little trickier to manage because there's a relationship between phosphate and your rocks, which bind and release phosphate from their surface. This will eventually reach an equilibrium, but it can be frustrating in newer aquaria.
I try to follow the suggestion from Randy Holmes Farley for what levels to keep:
Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...
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From the above link:
4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:
- Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
- Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
- Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
- Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
- Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
- Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.
Let's see if maybe the #reefsquad team can
#reefsquadme further help!
Good luck!!
