Should I dose?

[Saltwater_hobbiest]

I have 50 gallon tank with about 20 soft corals and I have noticed 2 of my soft corals starting to lose flesh and look like they are dying. Here are my numbers.

Nitrate - 0.5 ppm
Alkalinity - 7
Calcium - 360 ppm

Should I start to dose my tank or what should I do in order to save the two soft corals?

 

[Fish Fan]

I noticed your other post today, and I believe this is a related question. Could I ask what you're using for testing? On face value, your reported numbers seem a little low, but this could also be testing error

 

[Saltwater_hobbiest]

I noticed your other post today, and I believe this is a related question. Could I ask what you're using for testing? On face value, your reported numbers seem a little low, but this could also be testing error

I have been using the reef master test kit. I keep asking questions because I have these two toadstool corals and I can’t get them to open up and it’s very frustrating.

 

[Celestion]

If cal is actual 360 coral will show stress , 400 to 450 is safe. dose or change water if thats something you do ...its so easy to bring cal up ...im thinking

 

[Saltwater_hobbiest]

If cal is actual 360 coral will show stress

Even if all my corals are soft corals?

 

[Saltwater_hobbiest]

I noticed your other post today, and I believe this is a related question. Could I ask what you're using for testing? On face value, your reported numbers seem a little low, but this could also be testing error

Should I dose to get the alkalinity and calcium higher or what should I do?

 

[Fish Fan]

I have been using the reef master test kit. I keep asking questions because I have these two toadstool corals and I can’t get them to open up and it’s very frustrating.

Friend, I wasn't saying that you double posted or anything like that

I'm assuming this is the API Reef Master test kits? If so, they don't get a lot of love here on R2R, but in my experience they are not really that bad. In general look for trends, like nitrates went up or down over time, and don't get focused on hard numbers. Pretty much all of the hobby-level kits we have are just that; hobby level, not laboratory grade.

Even if all my corals are soft corals?

This is a really good question, and personally I'd say; possibly, yes

Soft corals do not need to build calcium carbonate skeletons, but like all corals I think they benefit from primarily a stable environment, and secondarily parameters that at least meet the minimum for any coral. If accurate, your parameters do seem low for any coral.

Can you bring a sample of water to you local fish store and ask them to test it, provided they don't also use API kits?

After water quality its flow. Flow is really important to coral health

Should I dose to get the alkalinity and calcium higher or what should I do?

Friend, I don't claim to be an expert in reefing or anything, but I personally wouldn't add anything until you know for sure what your parameters are.

I'll also ask, what salt mix are you using?

 

[Saltwater_hobbiest]

Friend, I wasn't saying that you double posted or anything like that

I'm assuming this is the API Reef Master test kits? If so, they don't get a lot of love here on R2R, but in my experience they are not really that bad. In general look for trends, like nitrates went up or down over time, and don't get focused on hard numbers. Pretty much all of the hobby-level kits we have are just that; hobby level, not laboratory grade.


This is a really good question, and personally I'd say; possibly, yes

Soft corals do not need to build calcium carbonate skeletons, but like all corals I think they benefit from primarily a stable environment, and secondarily parameters that at least meet the minimum for any coral. If accurate, your parameters do seem low for any coral.

Can you bring a sample of water to you local fish store and ask them to test it, provided they don't also use API kits?

After water quality its flow. Flow is really important to coral health


Friend, I don't claim to be an expert in reefing or anything, but I personally wouldn't add anything until you know for sure what your parameters are.

I'll also ask, what salt mix are you using?

When I go to the store I just get their Fritz saltwater.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I have 50 gallon tank with about 20 soft corals and I have noticed 2 of my soft corals starting to lose flesh and look like they are dying. Here are my numbers.

Nitrate - 0.5 ppm
Alkalinity - 7
Calcium - 360 ppm

Should I start to dose my tank or what should I do in order to save the two soft corals?

How often do you do water changes and how much water is changed? With all soft corals I think water changes would cover a lot of your needs.

 

[Fish Fan]

When I go to the store I just get their Fritz saltwater.

OK, but have you ever confirmed that Fritz saltwater with your tank water? Most here at R2R recommend testing both fresh and saltwater you buy even from a trusted LFS to make sure it's the same salinity, temp and ideally alkalinity as what your tank is running.

 

[Celestion]

add cal to 425ppm the ph is likely get better , 7 it should never be ....a Stable 8 is the reef dream....