This is concerning my smaller tank, the 67 gallon. Just the past few days... a couple corals are starting to bleach a bit on one or two limbs < a birdsnest & an sps> and my 3 clams ( 1 Max, 1 Deresa, 1 Crocea) don't look as good as they should, mantels not fully extended, etc. Up until now, everything has thrived and looked great and grown, etc.
I do monthly water changes < at least 15 gallons> have a sump with a filter sock, protein skimmer, lots of great LR, and plenty of water movement in the display tank, not over populated at all, only 5 real small fish, perc, 6-line, Fridmani, Tailspot blenny & red spotted blenny. 250 watt MH lighting, 14,000k.
So anyway.... I mentioned before that my calcium/alk balance was way out of whack.
Yesterday...before doing a 15 gallon water change, I ran all my levels with three different test kits to try to figure out what's going on.
Here's the results of those tests...
First.... Temp was 78 and it runs pretty steady only fluxing a degree or two lower between lights out and mid day.
S.G.= 1.025
SAL. = 33
Elos test kit API Test Kit Hagen Master Test kit
PH= 8.4 8.3 8.3
NH3= 0 0 0
NO2= 0.04 ____ * no test for this* 0.1
NO3= 25ppm 80ppm 20 ppm
K.H.=6.5dkh 8.5dkh 5.8 dkh
CA= 525 m/l ppm 500 m/l ppm 560 m/l ppm
PO4= 0.01 m/l ppm 0.25 m/l ppm _______ *no test for this*
According to the graphs I downloaded from *Saltwaterfish.com* if my Calcium is running at around 500, my Alk should be 19.6 dkh or 350 ppm in order for the two to be in balance and work properly. /also.... since my Alk is only around 6 to 7 dkh, my calcium should only be between 400 t0 420 for them to be in balance.
So I guess my question is....do you think this imbalance is the cause of the bleaching etc? If not then what are your thoughts?
I've also been running a mesh bag of carbon thrown in my filter sock, but changing it frequently < both carbon and sock> so that shouldn't cause I problem I wouldn't think?
Question.... I also have some high grade GFO. Could a person run both GFO and carbon in the same mesh bag? simply layer it? I know some people put them both in together in the same reactor tube.
Thanks for any help you might give.
Terri Randall
I do monthly water changes < at least 15 gallons> have a sump with a filter sock, protein skimmer, lots of great LR, and plenty of water movement in the display tank, not over populated at all, only 5 real small fish, perc, 6-line, Fridmani, Tailspot blenny & red spotted blenny. 250 watt MH lighting, 14,000k.
So anyway.... I mentioned before that my calcium/alk balance was way out of whack.
Yesterday...before doing a 15 gallon water change, I ran all my levels with three different test kits to try to figure out what's going on.
Here's the results of those tests...
First.... Temp was 78 and it runs pretty steady only fluxing a degree or two lower between lights out and mid day.
S.G.= 1.025
SAL. = 33
Elos test kit API Test Kit Hagen Master Test kit
PH= 8.4 8.3 8.3
NH3= 0 0 0
NO2= 0.04 ____ * no test for this* 0.1
NO3= 25ppm 80ppm 20 ppm
K.H.=6.5dkh 8.5dkh 5.8 dkh
CA= 525 m/l ppm 500 m/l ppm 560 m/l ppm
PO4= 0.01 m/l ppm 0.25 m/l ppm _______ *no test for this*
According to the graphs I downloaded from *Saltwaterfish.com* if my Calcium is running at around 500, my Alk should be 19.6 dkh or 350 ppm in order for the two to be in balance and work properly. /also.... since my Alk is only around 6 to 7 dkh, my calcium should only be between 400 t0 420 for them to be in balance.
So I guess my question is....do you think this imbalance is the cause of the bleaching etc? If not then what are your thoughts?
I've also been running a mesh bag of carbon thrown in my filter sock, but changing it frequently < both carbon and sock> so that shouldn't cause I problem I wouldn't think?
Question.... I also have some high grade GFO. Could a person run both GFO and carbon in the same mesh bag? simply layer it? I know some people put them both in together in the same reactor tube.
Thanks for any help you might give.
Terri Randall