Newbie Lagoon 25

[Woodman]

I have no idea why my digitata montipora is bleaching (photo 4). My RBT (photo 5) has no tentacles and is hanging upside, it has been on the decline since I brought it about 7 weeks ago. The second green micromussa polyp is bailing out of the skeleton as well (photo 1). The first polyp bailed out about 2 weeks ago from the same frag, I had this frag since June of this year, and it has been reclining. However, since I started to daily dose Red Sea AB+ with phyto-fest the micromussa started to inflate their polyps and show their feeders reacting to the coral nutrition, in way to recover and get better. All of my zoas, gold hammer, torch, and blastomussa frags are doing well, photos are attached (photos 2 &3).

Equipment: IM lagoon 25, hydra 32 [running all blues, UV, and violet] (on 3 pm to 11 pm), sicce 1.5 return pump, nero 3, running max 49% on random.

Filtration: dual IM caddy that has filter floss, carbon, nano chemi pure blue, and cheato doing a reverse light cycle (on 11 pm to 9 am).

Parameters: all tested with Red Sea Master Test Kit except for Phosphate tested by Hanna checker low range
temp: 79
pH 8.2
Nitrate 10
Phosphate .03
Salinity 1.026
Alkalinity 11.5
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1120

Tank has been running for a year and 2 months. I just purchased the seneye par meter, however I can not test my light until I get a windows base computer.

If you are able to you provide me advice that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

IMO a couple of your parameters seem a little off.

Your alk seems really high at 11.5. It might be too much. I always shot for 7.5-8.5.

Your Mg seems a touch low too. I shoot for 1250-1350 to help keep precipitation down, especially in a high alk system like yours.

Finally a PO4 of 0.03 is too low IMO. I always shot for 0.06-0.12. The accuracy of the PO4 checker is +- 0.04 ppm. At 0.03, you could be at zero, which causes all kinds of problems. At 0.06-0.12, the levels are still low but you know there is some food in there for your coral to consume. If you get crazy algae at 0.12, go for a 0.04-0.08 range. I had a lot of problems with my Montipora digi when I had low PO4. It was happiest at 0.08 or so.

 

[Woodman]

IMO a couple of your parameters seem a little off.

Your alk seems really high at 11.5. It might be too much. I always shot for 7.5-8.5.

Your Mg seems a touch low too. I shoot for 1250-1350 to help keep precipitation down, especially in a high alk system like yours.

Finally a PO4 of 0.03 is too low IMO. I always shot for 0.06-0.12. The accuracy of the PO4 checker is +- 0.04 ppm. At 0.03, you could be at zero, which causes all kinds of problems. At 0.06-0.12, the levels are still low but you know there is some food in there for your coral to consume. If you get crazy algae at 0.12, go for a 0.04-0.08 range. I had a lot of problems with my Montipora digi when I had low PO4. It was happiest at 0.08 or so.

Thank you I will raise my PO4 by dosing the brightwell PO4 daily, and increase my Mg by doing a water change. The salt that I use is quantum LPS that shows parameters of:

So I'm not understanding why I'm not getting the 1295 or more for 1.026 Mg. I really do appreciate your input!

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Probably because the Mg salts are heavier and possibly bigger and settle out in the bottom of the salt mixture. I noticed it happen to my IO reef crystal salt. My Mg was crazy low.

 

[Woodman]

Probably because the Mg salts are heavier and possibly bigger and settle out in the bottom of the salt mixture. I noticed it happen to my IO reef crystal salt. My Mg was crazy low.

Issue solved, my ATC refractometer was not calibrated. Before I got the Fritz 35 ppt solution (arrived today), my water was showing a reading of 1.026. After calibrating my refractometer, the reading was 1.022!!!

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[Woodman]

New parameters after calibrating my refractometer and conducting a 20% wc!