2 month anniversary. Question on parameters

Fringe09 · Oct 13, 2017

Hi fellow reefers. Today mark the 2 month anniversary of setting up my tank. It's 200 gallon. 160 display and 40 sump.

2 Firefish, 1 Cardinal, 1 Scooter Blenny, & 1 Flametail Blenny. All small.

1 Armor of God, 1 Rhodactis Mushroom, 1 Green Duncan, 1 Green Flower Pot, & 1 Pink Birdsnest.

Assortment of crabs and snails.

The fish and coral all seem to be doing well. Only the Flower Pot has not been extending for about a day.

Below are my parameters. My Nitrate and Phosphates are 0. Should I been concerned? What is the reason behind this? Will it raise in due time as I get more fish and waste?

Salinity 1.023 (Starting to rise by replacing RO in ATO with 1.025 SW)
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
Phosphates: 0 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.2 dKH
Magnesium: 1300 ppm
Calcium: 360 ppm (I believe it's low because my Salinity is low)

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 13, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Will it raise in due time as I get more fish and waste?

Yes.

Keep an eye on the corals. If it looks good it is good.

Flower pots may be the only thing you have trouble with.

Fringe09 · Oct 13, 2017

Edited original post.

All corals doing well except the Flower Pot coral hasn’t extended out for about a day. Not sure if it is normal. I’ve had him for almost month now.

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 13, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Edited original post.

All corals doing well except the Flower Pot coral hasn’t extended out for about a day. Not sure if it is normal. I’ve had him for almost month now.

Try moving it to higher flow. Ime. Not an easy critter to keep.

Larry L · Oct 13, 2017

Flower Pot corals (Goniopora) are sometimes not so easy to keep even in an established tank. I find mine does better when I target feed once or twice a week.

I think for such a young tank your parameters look fine - don't start chasing numbers unless there's a need, otherwise you can cause more problems than you solve. You might want to bring the calcium up a bit if it is still low after you get your salinity to where you want it. You don't mention your water change schedule, or if you are doing any dosing (which you probably don't need at this point), but with only a few corals I'd just keep an eye on calcium and alkalinity and if water changes are not able to keep them high enough, then think about starting a little bit of two-part dosing.

Fringe09 · Oct 13, 2017

Larry L said:
Flower Pot corals (Goniopora) are sometimes not so easy to keep even in an established tank. I find mine does better when I target feed once or twice a week.

I think for such a young tank your parameters look fine - don't start chasing numbers unless there's a need, otherwise you can cause more problems than you solve. You might want to bring the calcium up a bit if it is still low after you get your salinity to where you want it. You don't mention your water change schedule, or if you are doing any dosing (which you probably don't need at this point), but with only a few corals I'd just keep an eye on calcium and alkalinity and if water changes are not able to keep them high enough, then think about starting a little bit of two-part dosing.

Thank you for your feedback.

I did a 15 gallon water change on 9/15 and a 20 gallon on 10/05.

I think I’ll wait until the salinity is up and then dose calcium if needed.

Fringe09 · Oct 13, 2017

Larry L said:
Flower Pot corals (Goniopora) are sometimes not so easy to keep even in an established tank. I find mine does better when I target feed once or twice a week.QUOTE]

Forgot to ask. What do you feed your Flower Pot corals. I have never fed corals before.

Larry L · Oct 13, 2017

Fringe09 said:
Forgot to ask. What do you feed your Flower Pot corals. I have never fed corals before.

I feed a variety of different things, but not all at once: Bulk Reef Supply Reef Chili, Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, Two Little Fishies Calan-Eeze, Brightwell Zooplanktos, ESV dried phytoplankton, etc. I have a little plastic squeeze bottle that came with the BRS Reef Chili, I put a little of whatever food in that along with some tank water and shake it up. Then I shut off my circulation pumps for a little while so I can squeeze the food out right into and over the corals.

Fringe09 · Oct 14, 2017

Larry L said:
I feed a variety of different things, but not all at once: Bulk Reef Supply Reef Chili, Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, Two Little Fishies Calan-Eeze, Brightwell Zooplanktos, ESV dried phytoplankton, etc. I have a little plastic squeeze bottle that came with the BRS Reef Chili, I put a little of whatever food in that along with some tank water and shake it up. Then I shut off my circulation pumps for a little while so I can squeeze the food out right into and over the corals.

Thank you