Parameters off

[blkhwkz]

So before I left on vacation, coral looked good, good colors and good PE. When I got home I noticed a bunch have lost their colors and no PE anymore on the ones that have okay color still (but not as good as it was.) Got multiple frags yesterday, all had PE when added, none today. I tested my water multiple times yesterday and today some with multiple test kits to verify.

Tank Red Sea Reefer XL425 100 gallons of water between tank and sump after displacement.
Calcium 520 Salifert/500 API
dKH 8.46 Hannah/ API confirmed between 8-9
Mag Salifert 1500
NO3 0 API/ 1 Nyos
PO4 .04 Hannah ULR
PH fluctuates between 7.9-8.1
Temp 78

Running biopellets, GFO, phosguard. I use Reef Crystals for salt and doing a 12 gallon a week water change with RODI 0 TDS.

I feel like the calcium and mag are way high compared to the alkalinity. Was trying to keep alk around 8 since I am running biopellets. Haven't dosed anything besides some Acropower. Thinking I need to raise the alk to try and balance things out a bit. Not sure how high I should go and how slowly I should raise it. With there just being a bunch of small frags in there now, not a lot of weekly calcium usage yet which is why I have just been doing water changes and not dosing.

 

[blkhwkz]

Yea, it wasn't meant to be low nutrients, but only had 2 fish in there until the other day, and had my one kid feeding lightly when I was out of town. Going to feed a bit heavier for a few days and try and get nitrates up a little. The other parameters are the same as before I left when everything looked good, only difference was nitrates were around 5.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It looks fine to me, but I agree with letting nitrate rise a bit. :)

 

[blkhwkz]

Thanks Randy, going to feed heavy, dose a little potassium nitrate and see if things color up a bit again.