issues, light, flow or levels

[cluanar]

First off I apologize for the pics, moto android no filter pics.

Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10-15 ( moving lower since i got a kessil for chaeto refug )
PH 8.2 ( was 8.8 over kalk I think )
calc 420
salinity 1.023 ( going to slowly bring up to 1.026 )

AI Vega lights with a lux meter reading at surface of 470 par.

I am new to reefing but I see one frag as maybe what you call "reaching"? Does it need more light?
the others seem to be half opening and not growing.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Reaching/stretching can be indicative of the colony wanting more light, but I would be more concerned with what is growing over your rocks. What are your phosphates and nitrates at and do you know how stable those values stay?

 

[cluanar]

Reaching/stretching can be indicative of the colony wanting more light, but I would be more concerned with what is growing over your rocks. What are your phosphates and nitrates at and do you know how stable those values stay?

It is mostly purple live rock with green polyps but there is some brown algea and brown dusting. I have a GFO to clean phosphates but was warned it may do more damage to corals if I ran it too much.

Nitrates were a steady 20 but now that I have my refug running with chaeto and kessil it is now at 10 4 days later.
I need to get a phosphate and mag tester I suppose. I will try to get a better picture but hard with this camera.

New pic. You can see the purple rock easier though there is some brown hair and dust.
Also, lfs said mag and phosphates were okay but didn't give numbers.

 

[tankstudy]

Have you done an alkalinty test?

 

[cluanar]

Have you done an alkalinty test?

179 ppm

I am going to the lfs to pick up a dip tomorrow. Any better than others?

 

[Reeferdood]

That can't be right...
Please retest. That would be somewhere @ 3.5 Dkh....

 

[Reeferdood]

Opps, my bad..
Thats 10 dkh, a little high IMHO...

 

[cluanar]

That can't be right...
Please retest. That would be somewhere @ 3.5 Dkh....

Took 10 drops to turn yellow per instructions. Did i read that wrong on that chart?

 

[Reeferdood]

My bad, I owned up...

 

[Bill_Moorman]

I keep my alk at 9dKH.

10 is a bit high!

 

[cluanar]

I keep my alk at 9dKH.

10 is a bit high!

And I am guessing i have on the low side of nutrients. I just got some phytoplankton and pods so I am
hoping that helps.

 

[Bill_Moorman]

How long have the frags been in your tank?

Sometimes corals take a long time to fully open, sometimes they close for no reason other than to stress you out. This blasto took 3 weeks to open. Spent hours researching and checking water params. Finally opened up and is accepting food.

 

[Bill_Moorman]

And I am guessing i have on the low side of nutrients. I just got some phytoplankton and pods so I am
hoping that helps.

You actually aren’t. For nutrients we generally consider phosphate and nitrate as nutrients.

Also, how did you acclimate them? You want to start them in lower flow and lighting (putting them on the sand bed is a good start) and slowly move them up to their final destination.

 

[cluanar]

You actually aren’t. For nutrients we generally consider phosphate and nitrate as nutrients.

Also, how did you acclimate them? You want to start them in lower flow and lighting (putting them on the sand bed is a good start) and slowly move them up to their final destination.

I have had some for a couple of months and some for 3 weeks. IN regards to acclimation i just took advice from the seller ( home frag seller ) and placed accordingly. Any future frags I will start with acclimation. His are all in short tanks so even if mine are high in tank probably lower than what he had them but i do not know par levels.

 

[cluanar]

Update:
Phosphates were 1.0 yesterday. I ran GFO all night and day, dipped my affected corals and as of 1 hour ago my phosphates were .25 and some zoa's are starting to peak. I moved a couple up higher as well.

You guys/gals have been great in helping me learn this hobby.

Thanks, I will send a pic in a few days in hopes all is well.

Here is one that was totally closed.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Introduction!! Did you acclimate and place them in bright light immediately or did you use lower light for acclimation ( which makes a difference)?

 

[cluanar]

Introduction!! Did you acclimate and place them in bright light immediately or did you use lower light for acclimation ( which makes a difference)?

Varied based on sellers recommendations. most were higher , top 2/3 rds. Next time i was thinking starting on SB.