Stressing over no calcium/alkalinity intake

[squarereefer]

My tank is a mix of mostly lps with some SPS mixed in. I have been dosing NeoNitro to try to maintain nitrate at 5ppm and it seems to have stabilized there (not needing to dose as often to maintain level). However, my corals are still not uptaking any calcium/alk. Those numbers have been pretty much the same for weeks. It does seem to be using around 25 mg/l magnesium daily. I have a bit of cyano that I am battling, but other wise algae free. Should I be concerned about the cal/alk? Perhaps i need to raise nurtients a bit more to fight cyano and encourage corals?

This mornings parameters:
Cal 460
Alkalinity 8.5
Nitrate 5
Phosphate .04
Magnesium 1280

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, dosing nitrate adds alkalinity.

Raising nutrients is not a way to fight cyano, IMO, and your levels are fine.

 

[squarereefer]

Randy,
Thank you for the extensive knowledge you share on this forum and for answering my question. This system is my first experience with a tank that wants to zero out on nitrate/phosphate and needs nitrate addition to keep up. Is there a point when I should become concerned if I do not see calcium/alkalinity consumption? These corals required daily 2-part dosing in my 60-gallon cube to maintain levels, so I've been concerned with the lack of uptake in the new tank.

For the Cyano, is continued patience my best course of action? It's not terrible, and I am doing manual removal as often as possible. There are two MP-40s in the tank so I don't think it's a flow issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy,
Thank you for the extensive knowledge you share on this forum and for answering my question. This system is my first experience with a tank that wants to zero out on nitrate/phosphate and needs nitrate addition to keep up. Is there a point when I should become concerned if I do not see calcium/alkalinity consumption? These corals required daily 2-part dosing in my 60-gallon cube to maintain levels, so I've been concerned with the lack of uptake in the new tank.

For the Cyano, is continued patience my best course of action? It's not terrible, and I am doing manual removal as often as possible. There are two MP-40s in the tank so I don't think it's a flow issue.

Thanks!

if the corals seem to be thriving, then I would not worry. Low pH can also greatly reduce demand, and growth rates of corals.

Have you measured pH?

 

[squarereefer]

PH is slightly lower than I would like. I use an Apex to keep an eye on things and the PH swings from 7.85 - 8.25 throughout the day. I've cross checked with a cheapo API test just to make sure that the Neptune probe is accurate.