New growth or bleaching?

[Tahoe61]

How often are you doing wc and how much at a time?
Yeah test kits are pricey for sure. I would recommend a Hanna for alk though and Red Sea or Salifert for the Ca and Mag. When you can spare the money for a Hanna, it's worth it in the long run.
If you have access to a local fish store I would take a water sample in and get the big 3 tested to rule out test error and user error, get a base line.
Do you have a build thread?

 

[donnievaz]

How often are you doing wc and how much at a time?

I've been doing about 4 gallons every 2 weeks for the last couple months. Before that was once a week since January when I set this tank up. It was a transfer from a BC14 but I didn't use the old sand. Used new live sand. Had a very short mini-cycle.

Yeah test kits are pricey for sure. I would recommend a Hanna for alk though and Red Sea or Salifert for the Ca and Mag. When you can spare the money for a Hanna, it's worth it in the long run.

Sounds like a plan. Already using Salifert for mag so I'm 1/3 of the way there.

If you have access to a local fish store I would take a water sample in and get the big 3 tested to rule out test error and user error, get a base line.

I do have access so I may go ahead and do that. I'll probably bite the bullet and upgrade my test gear ASAP though.

Do you have a build thread?

No, I probably should but...

 

[Tahoe61]

I only ask about the build thread because one can garner more information regarding a tank status once you actually see equipment and the condition of the corals. From your description it does not sound like the tank is thriving, hardy corals like zoanthids and Caulastrea should be the easiest to keep. From the information you have posted thus far is sounds like a water chemistry issue which should be easy enough to correct. I have never used Brightwell salt and it could be a great salt mix, but IO is probably cheaper and mix closer to normal salt water values ime. It's the elevated Ca and low mag that has me puzzled.
BTW I do not have a current build thread either, waiting from my tank to settle after being moved 3 times since Nov. :-)

 

[donnievaz]

So there's an explanation for the wacky parameters. Crappy API test and old Salifert. I went and bought a Red Sea Reef Foundations kit. Here are the true parameters for CA Mg KH.

CA 460
Mg 1240
DKH 6.7

Still need to get the other kit with the rest of the tests. Definitely don't trust the API tests at all now.