keeping stable Levels....but not perfect?

[JonnyJ]

I have been in the hobby for almost eight years, reef keeping for four. I have made plenty mistakes and have learned from them and still learning. This year i have began venturing into SPS and harder to keep species.

A few years ago i attended a local swap and was lucky to sit through one of Simon Garrets Speech. If your not familiar with him i suggest you check him out!

Anyways, There was one thing that he mentioned that has stuck in my head. He explained that you do not need picture perfect levels... what is important is - stability.

My system is around 25 gallons and I do weekly water changes of a total of 5 gallons. Originally i was doing 5 gallons once a week but i occasionally noticed some ill effects so i started to break them up. Monday 2 gallons and 3 gallons on Saturday. I use Red Sea Reef Pro and i have tested fresh salt to be pretty spot on. I run a 24hr LED fuge 6500k and it grows like crazy. I prune every 2 weeks [or plan too] I have went for the natural approach on my reef and run a very large fuge. its nearly double my dt and currently i do not skim. So far it has been working pretty well.



Well for the past 2 months i have been trying to test twice a week and here is where i generally stand testing with new salifert kits.

Alk 8.0 - 8.2
MAG 1400
Calcium 400-420

Here's my question. Everything has been fine and growing well for the past 3 months and figured i can maintain this stability until things continue to grow out. Then i figured i would increase changes or start to dose...but this week i have started to see a decline in some of my coloration and wondering if i should start dosing. Should the levels listed above be fine if they are stable ? or should i be trying to raise both my alk and cal?

Some input would be great!

if i was to start dosing it would be manually. [i plan to put in a order for brs 3 part] i would be able to dose in the am before work.

 

[fishman1069]

Stability is def key but I would say to try and raise your alk and calc. Sps usually demand a higher alk and calc content and tend to use both up pretty quickly. Try to get your alk around 9 dkh and calc around 450 and keep them there. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[Mattl22]

Ur levels sound good ! My view on sps is this in the beginning ur frags will do real well because the sps isn't using up that much cal /alk at the yr - yr and a half mark as ur need for cal /alk goes up this is when many ppl myself included start to have issues because ur cal alk demand is so high if ur dosing pump clogs or cal reactor stops even for a day could mean big problems! So I agree stability is the key if u got that down ur ahead the game if ur unhappy with ur color try some sps food but just make sure ur phosphates r low to begin with it's a very fine line vie found between water too clean and too dirty I do find my sps look better when heavy feed but that leads to alage so trick is too feed them but also ur system must be able to remove the nutrients as well this is very hard too do!
I like elos new sps food

 

[JonnyJ]

Thanks for the replies..

I've actually been using coral frenzy, very small amount once a week. My fuge and my waterfall actually act as a scrubber & I havent cleaned my glass in over 2 months. dont even see a film. Now that im trying Coral Frenzy things may change.

I will be upgrading my sump to a 40 breeder running at full capacity once i move the tank which will help with stability. Im going to order BRS 2 part and start dosing once i monitor a few more weeks with water changes..Then ill probably start dosing in the AM to try to raise alk/cal a little bit.

I'm really just trying to figure out how much my system can handle without messing my system up.


Things start to get tricky in general - a nano is much worse...im running GFO still and a lrg fuge and i may not have to run both. add dosing and other things to the mix and i may cause an unwanted problem.

 

[Boomer]

Johnny I agree with Matt. The issue for most is to mess things up but making changes or chasing levels, when they do not understand what the out come is or even if said is needed. If it is not broke do not fix it.

A remark on your parameters: They are fine and perfrect. Most do not seem to understand that raising the Ca++ does nothing. What can make them grow faster is to raise the Alk and pH. In general the lower the pH the more Alk one needs to a degree of course. As Matt said food but have you looked at your lights and or tested their output lately. Lastly, this coloring up of corals is mostly the guy in the mirror that wants it not that the corals need it.

 

[Mattl22]

If u r getting 0 film on ur glass even after a few days u po4 might actually be low! I clean every 3 days

 

[sidcc]

P

 

[Boomer]

Matt, no film on the glass has nothing to do with PO4. You can have, 0 PO4 and still have film or high PO4 and have no film.

 

[Mattl22]

Really?? We talking bout same brown film algae? I notice it alot more when I over feed so just thought it was a result of a higher po4

 

[Boomer]

Those are diatoms, they are Silica based and like glass. Quite often when you increase the nutrient load they will increase. It has been shown that a increase in silica is more the culprit. Controlling algae is more than just one thing.