Tank struggles looking for guidance

[TwelveL16]

Struggles started off back in August or July when my nutrients bottomed out and developed Dino’s. They have lingered but I have pretty much gotten rid of them.

About two months ago I noticed my nitrates were a bit high (20-25) so I started dosing vodka very minimal. I think 4 ML a day. I chose vodka because i read it wouldn’t reduce phosphates, well that’s wrong. About 2 weeks in my nitrates had gone done however my phosphates bottomed out again. So I brought them back up and stopped the carbon dosing.

Also for about two months now my trident has been giving me some inconsistent Alk readings. When the phosphates bottomed out I lost a nice SPS coral and that’s also when I noticed the weird trident reading. My ALK kept climbing even though I wasn’t dosing anything. Normally I dose 2 part however I stopped it all when the Alk kept rising. I thought maybe since the phosphates bottomed out it stopped coral growth and Alk consumption.

I recalibrated my Alk and it dropped 2dkh so it was reading 10 and after recalibration it dropped to 8, which is where I like it. Fast forward a couple weeks till just a few days ago and all the sudden my Alk drops to 5.5 at this point I’m confused. I ran a test on the sample solution provided in the reagent box. Alk is suppose to be 8 in that solution, test showed 6.6.

Assuming it’s testing error and my Alk is close to where I like it. Bought a Salifert to cross check and it confirmed Alk is still around 8.

Everything seems to be in check however my toadstool has been closed up for about a month and I haven’t gotten PE extension on my Goni in a long time and I have another SPS that has some STN.

Despite most everything looking good I just can’t help but feeling like something is off.

Any advice?




I have a recent ICP test https://lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/13076da60cff5cf1b484

 

[cdemoss01]

@vetteguy53081 Are you able to help here?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 Are you able to help here?

I don’t rely on apex and will spot check with Hanna checker also

 

[Kooma]

Yea don’t rely on the one source. Always sanity check weekly with a salifert or Hanna.

Swings are going to cause issues. I’d work on stability next, don’t rely on automating for a bit until things are stable.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'll just advise that I would not carbon dose at 20 ppm nitrate unless the purpose is other than nutrient reduction. My target range is 5-50 ppm nitrate.

The only residual concern is the toadstool? They can close up for unknown reasons and for quite long periods of time.

 

[TwelveL16]

Yea don’t rely on the one source. Always sanity check weekly with a salifert or Hanna.

Swings are going to cause issues. I’d work on stability next, don’t rely on automating for a bit until things are stable.

Well, I agree but I thought with the apex reading 8 for months was stable regardless of what it actually was if that makes sense. Now it’s just fluctuating so much so I did get a different test, things have seem to stabilize however there’s 3 corals who just never seem happy no matter what I do. Specifically my gonis. I think something is eating the toadstool, and the STN on the sps idk. Probably from the swing.

 

[TwelveL16]

I'll just advise that I would not carbon dose at 20 ppm nitrate unless the purpose is other than nutrient reduction. My target range is 5-50 ppm nitrate.

The only residual concern is the toadstool? They can close up for unknown reasons and for quite long periods of time.

Ok on the carbon dosing I have stopped it.

I think something is eating the toadstool, he is showing some PE today. The Gonis have not looked good in months. And then the SPS STN I would equate to the swings in alk, (if it’s even swinging) I really don’t know with all inconsistent tests. Salifert still says 8 as of today which was my target ranger and always has been. I do have silicates in my RO which has been addressed as well.

 

[TwelveL16]

I forgot to add, I have a chalice or a plate coral, that every night right after dark I would find it flipped upside across the tank, when I would pull on it there was resistance I could never see what was holding it down. Once it was up against some zoas and once in a pile of mushrooms other times just been in the sand.

 

[logibear]

Tbh I’m more interested in what monster you have in the tank that is flipping that chalice over and holding it down

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I bought a green toadstool locally. It was cut to remove it from the tank, but it has never opened much in my tank in months.

 

[TwelveL16]

Tbh I’m more interested in what monster you have in the tank that is flipping that chalice over and holding it down

Today, or last night I guess, something took it off the frag rack off the top left side of my tank carried 4 ft accross and put it back in the pile of mushrooms. Craziest thing I’ve ever seen.

 

[logibear]

You need to set up a camera lol