What parameters are absolutely necessary to test for soft corals?

[hailey1423]

So my toadstool leather coral is still doing bad since my last post. I test weekly for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Currently I'm trying to get my pH up by adding my wave maker to the surface (it's currently at 8.0). All my corals are soft corals but I'm planning on getting a Duncan soon, what test kits would you say I 100% need for this setup (and to figure out if that's what's bothering my leather). I've been searching around and from what I am gathering, I should be getting alkalinity, phosphate, and magnesium, and if I decide to add LPS I should get calcium? Are all of these necessary?

 

[JTP424]

I don't think you need Magnesium, (Search RMM on here for why)
I would recommend Phosphate and Nitrate to start. I don't think you'd need alk for softies for a WHILE.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

For softies id test salinity and do water changes and that's it.

Once you add the Duncan you can test alk weekly. Your calcium and magnesium dose can be based off your alk consumption

 

[Fish Fan]

^^This 100%

Though I do also agree that knowing nitrate and phosphate will be important for algae control.

 

[hailey1423]

For softies id test salinity and do water changes and that's it.

Once you add the Duncan you can test alk weekly. Your calcium and magnesium dose can be based off your alk consumption

Okay, should I be dosing anytning at all? Right now I’m just doing a 20% water change once a week and just use RO water with my salt mix. I test salinity daily and try to keep it between 1.024-1.025.

 

[Fish Fan]

Generally speaking, soft corals don't need nearly as much alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium compared to their stony coral cousins because the softies are not building a calcium carbonate skeleton. You don't typically need to dose anything for softies, just doing regular, partial water changes will keep those elements in a good range for them.

Consider adding an Auto Top Off (ATO) system to your tank, these will automagically replace evaporated fresh water, which goes a long way to both keeping your salinity very stable, and minimizing your maintenance. Topping off manually each day gets old fast

I hope that helps!

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Okay, should I be dosing anytning at all? Right now I’m just doing a 20% water change once a week and just use RO water with my salt mix. I test salinity daily and try to keep it between 1.024-1.025.

You are doing perfect. This time with low consumption is a perfect time to read up and understand dosing for when you do add stony coral in the future.

 

[JoJosReef]

Have you tested your nitrates and phosphates? With so much water changing in a dominant softie tank, you may be removing too much nutrients. Is your tank heavily stocked? Honestly, my softies do best when I do absolutely nothing. That is not my advice, but I would check params to make sure I'm not overdoing it. Bottomed out nutrients can lead to problems with dinos.

 

[hailey1423]

Have you tested your nitrates and phosphates? With so much water changing in a dominant softie tank, you may be removing too much nutrients. Is your tank heavily stocked? Honestly, my softies do best when I do absolutely nothing. That is not my advice, but I would check params to make sure I'm not overdoing it. Bottomed out nutrients can lead to problems with dinos.

Nitrates are around 5ppm, I don’t have a phosphate tester. And no not heavily stocked, I have 2 clowns and 2 astraea snails and 3 blue leg hermits. Maybe I will switch to a change every 2 weeks since it’s kind of hard to tell if my nitrates are actually at 5ppm since I use the API test, so it could be a bit lower than 5

 

[JoJosReef]

Your leather being pouty could be a water quality issue, or it could be unhappy with neighboring corals. Do you have any other leathers/soft corals in the tank? With leathers, I usually run a small baggy of carbon in the filtration chambers and swap that out every 2-3 weeks. Leathers release terpenes as part of their chemical war arsenal.

 

[mfinn]

Okay, should I be dosing anytning at all? Right now I’m just doing a 20% water change once a week and just use RO water with my salt mix. I test salinity daily and try to keep it between 1.024-1.025.

The only thing I do for my softy 240 is water change.
I have a ATO, so I really only test salinity before water changes.
I don't test anything else or dose anything.

 

[hailey1423]

Your leather being pouty could be a water quality issue, or it could be unhappy with neighboring corals. Do you have any other leathers/soft corals in the tank? With leathers, I usually run a small baggy of carbon in the filtration chambers and swap that out every 2-3 weeks. Leathers release terpenes as part of their chemical war arsenal.

Yea I have a Kenya tree, it took about a week and a half to open when I got it, then right after I did a water change it has been closed for about 3 days now. I also have 3 green hairy mushrooms doing really well and growing lots, same with my GSP it’s grown quite a bit. It’s just the leathers that aren’t doing too well for some reason, I do run a bag of carbon in my filter, I actually never take it out. Is it okay that I leave it in 24/7?

 

[JoJosReef]

Yea I have a Kenya tree, it took about a week and a half to open when I got it, then right after I did a water change it has been closed for about 3 days now. I also have 3 green hairy mushrooms doing really well and growing lots, same with my GSP it’s grown quite a bit. It’s just the leathers that aren’t doing too well for some reason, I do run a bag of carbon in my filter, I actually never take it out. Is it okay that I leave it in 24/7?

I leave mine in 24/7 and just change it every 2-3 weeks.