Why can't i keep coral

[Jenny_rs]

Little back story- I started in this hobby with a 5 gallon tall eclipse aio and had so much success with it I decided to upgrade. I wish I hadn't. That was about 10 years ago. Long story short my system crashed. Now I've recently (last june) switched to the jbj rimless 10g, stock pump. Currently running chemipure blue, Ai prime light, no skimmer although I bought the nano evo13 one but am not happy with it. There is about 8lbs or so of live rock, a clownfish, firefish, pistol shrimp, emerald crab and skunk cleaner. Oh and a small margarita snail. I am planning on setting up an ato, but currently add ro/di (ro buddy for at home use which is brand new) with every day to every other day to top off. Sg stays steady at 1.025, and my other levels are: nitrate: 40ppm (I just did a large water change so I have to retest but I ran out of them); nitrite and ammonia 0ppm, ph is a touch low at 8 and alk is also low at 2 meq/L, calcium is 400ppm. Temp is kept at 78. I also feed using Vitality platinum marine pellets every other day. I do not have a phosphate test kit yet. My inverts and fish are all happy but every time I acclimate a soft coral to the tank it dies. Red mushroom, zoas, I did have a small torch at one point who was doing well at first but then I had to trade it In before it died too. I am at my wits end. I do not know what could be causing this issue other than high nitrates which I am working to bring down. Picture of the tank for reference. Any thoughts anyone can chime in with I would greatly appreciate as I really want to keep some softies but this is so frustrating. Picture with all the corals is my old 5g.

 

[PokeFish]

shouldnt alk be like 11

 

[Uroplatus]

shouldnt alk be like 11

I keep mine at 8

 

[Jenny_rs]

shouldnt alk be like 11

My test kit says that it should be 4 to 6 meq/L and I measured 2 meq/L

 

[Bribo12]

No alk shouldn’t be at 11. Alk is very low at 2 meq/L or 5.6 dkh. I’d definitely get that up to 7-8 dkh (4 meq/L) A phosphate kit will help eliminate low or high phosphates as an issue. I’m wondering if you have a severe N/P imbalance (HighN/Low P). Could definitely lead to softies tanking. I’d potentially send off an ICP test as well to verify nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[Uroplatus]

Bump it up a little bit

 

[Jenny_rs]

No alk shouldn’t be at 11. Alk is very low at 2 meq/L or 5.6 dkh. I’d definitely get that up to 7-8 dkh (4 meq/L) A phosphate kit will help eliminate low or high phosphates as an issue. I’m wondering if you have a severe N/P imbalance (HighN/Low P). Could definitely lead to softies tanking. I’d potentially send off an ICP test as well to verify nothing out of the ordinary.

I can take a sample to get tested at my lfs but is there a way to increase this at home?

 

[PokeFish]

No alk shouldn’t be at 11. Alk is very low at 2 meq/L or 5.6 dkh. I’d definitely get that up to 7-8 dkh (4 meq/L) A phosphate kit will help eliminate low or high phosphates as an issue. I’m wondering if you have a severe N/P imbalance (HighN/Low P). Could definitely lead to softies tanking. I’d potentially send off an ICP test as well to verify nothing out of the ordinary.

oh mines at 11 lol

 

[PokeFish]

I can take a sample to get tested at my lfs but is there a way to increase this at home?

dose it

 

[Jenny_rs]

dose it

Okay what am I dosing with

 

[Uroplatus]

What Pokefish said I use soda ash but there are plenty of other ways, just be careful about what you buy in a bottle

 

[Jekyl]

I can take a sample to get tested at my lfs but is there a way to increase this at home?

Baking soda

 

[Jekyl]

Here's a calculator

Reef Chemistry Calculator

Never increase alk by more than 1dkh per day. Account for displacement of rocks and sand when inputting gallongs

 

[Jenny_rs]

Baking soda

Thank you, I will look up how much to use

 

[Jekyl]

Thank you, I will look up how much to use

Just posted a calculator. Make sure you mix the dry ingredients with water before dosing.

 

[Jenny_rs]

Just posted a calculator. Make sure you mix the dry ingredients with water before dosing.

Got it, thanks! I'll keep an eye on the ph while I'm doing it. How slowly should I add it?

 

[Jenny_rs]

Here's a calculator

Reef Chemistry Calculator

Never increase alk by more than 1dkh per day. Account for displacement of rocks and sand when inputting gallongs

Sorry I missed this! Thank you!

 

[Reef and Dive]

My test kit says that it should be 4 to 6 meq/L and I measured 2 meq/L

2meq/L = 5.6 dkh that’s pretty low
Very small systems are harder to keep but far from impossible. Big frequent (weekly, 50% solves most issues).
Check if you have enough flow, most corals need it.
Also check if you have minimum light, those corals are not demanding but they need some.

 

[Jenny_rs]

2meq/L = 5.6 dkh that’s pretty low
Very small systems are harder to keep but far from impossible. Big frequent (weekly, 50% solves most issues).
Check if you have enough flow, most corals need it.
Also check if you have minimum light, those corals are not demanding but they need some.

Thank you, my ai prime is set to around 30% for all colors except red and green. I usually have it at 50 to 60% but lowered the lights to acclimate the toadstool I got. I will be dosing some baking soda soon following instructions closely

 

[Jenny_rs]

Does anyone know if I can dose using tank water? Or does it have to be the ro water