Chemistry issues & Dosing questions

[doczuric]

Hey everyone, I've been reading from R2R for almost a year now and finally hit the point where I need everyone's specific expertise. I noticed some corals were shrinking and seemed slightly off. But all the other corals and critters seem great (GSP spreading like hotcakes). As a result, I noticed some chemistry issues, and then we got a decent algae bloom in the main and some cyano in the sump.

BLUF: 95G System, extremely low Mag, high Nitrate/Phosphates (Tried GFO, water changes, alt food, etc., now using NOPOX), and it seems ridiculous that I need to dose hundreds of ml for the mag, etc. Want to get solid with dosing and would love to know your recommendations for daily maximums and products you use. I'm leaning towards Red Sea Foundation A, B, C. Also, any other advice would be amazing.

Details:
I noticed my nitrates and phosphates were really high (>50 & 0.9), and the mag was extremely low (300/1350). So, after trying GFO, water changes, and alternative food, I dove into dosing for the first time and now feel overwhelmed. Below is what I have for parameters and tank setup, but there's so much info out there that I wanted to get some direct advice.

Todays Tests: Salinity 1.024; ca 400; mag 300; alk 7 dkh. 0 ammonia or nitrite, but 40-50 nitrates and phosphates around 0.36. Using Hanna testers and Red Sea kits as well as verification with LFS. Started NOPOX two days ago after 25% water changes every 3-4 days, reduced feeding, and cheto replacements every 8-10 days with limited results.

Setup: 95-gallon system, a 75-gallon main w/20-gallon sump with a small refugium. I use instant ocean salt or buy salt water from my LFS for larger water changes. 95% sure I have my sump dialed in, and all the other "gear" is working well.

Corals: I have a mixed reef with GSP, mixed Mushrooms, a green torch, pulsing xenia, gorgonian, and a small zoa frag.

Critters: 2 clowns, 2 Bangai Cardinals, 6 Green Chromis, 6-line wrasse, a watchman goby, pistol shrimp, 3 firefish, two urchins (Juvenile Tuxedos), two crabs (porcelain and emerald), a fire shrimp, 8 bubble tip nems (Split last month, waiting to offload 4-5 to friends), 2 rock flower nims, some turbo snails, and nerite snails for the cleaning crew. So, it's pretty stocked, and it's about 14 months old now. Started slow and steady, adding either a critter or coral every month or so, but have no intentions of adding any more, maybe downsizing if it's needed.

Any tips, tricks, or advice is welcome and greatly appreciated!

R/
Ethan

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There’s a problem with the magnesium test. Are you sure you are not reading it backwards?

 

[exnisstech]

What is your water change schedule? I would think you could get by with water changes only with the coral you have. I was a few years in before I had to start supplementing alk and calcium because I didn't have stony corals. You only have one, the torch.

 

[doczuric]

There’s a problem with the magnesium test. Are you sure you are not reading it backwards?

I assumed the same thing the first time so I took a sample to my LFS and they stated the same results. I’ll take it to a different one this weekend, maybe we both suck at reading the tests.

I initially only changed 10% every two weeks. But since the nitrate has been so high changed 50% 3 weeks ago, then 20-30% every 4-5 days.

 

[twentyleagues]

A few 30-50% water changes over a couple weeks would fix the issues assuming the mag is actually a problem. Then you could back off on quantity and/or frequency based on nitrate alone.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I assumed the same thing the first time so I took a sample to my LFS and they stated the same results. I’ll take it to a different one this weekend, maybe we both suck at reading the tests.

I initially only changed 10% every two weeks. But since the nitrate has been so high changed 50% 3 weeks ago, then 20-30% every 4-5 days.

There’s no chance that is real unless you use a salt mix that was a very serious bad batch. Remember, if you use near a full syringe of titrant, that means lots of magnesium, not a small amount.

Try the kit in some new salt water, maybe from a different company.

 

[Uncle99]

When I started dosing Red Sea MG, it took a lot of product until finally reaching 1450ppm in my 200g.

Now it only takes 10ml per day to maintain that same level for over a year with lots of Stoney corals.