I have my lfs check my parameters and was told that ammonia, nitrates are all okay but my KH and calcium were low. I knew something was off because most of my corals are looking quite cranky except for my ducan and trumpet corals look fine.
I was told frequent water changes are no longer enough and that I need to dose weekly and have them recheck parameter next week again.
Yes my heater is about 6-8 inches from the weeping willow toadstool but has been there since I set up the tank in May. Its connected to a temperature controller as well so its not always on.
While you may indeed need to start dosing calcium and alkalinity, it isn’t recommended to dose if you can’t monitor it by regular testing, and no once a week at the lfs isn’t enough.
Thats how I was using them. I think it was the phosphate one I was struggling with trying to drip and shake it down until the correct color change happens. It always went to the wrong color for me and I was told I must be going too fast.