I just checked the tank today and noticed my cabbage leather that I’ve had for about a year is bleaching around the tips. Yesterday it was fine. I should also mention (not sure if its a problem or not)but I have an encrusting monti frag that was whiteish/yellowish when I got it a few months ago and now it is partially brown. Here’s a breakdown
75 gal
48" t5ho,1 purple,2white,1 pink 460 nm 10k that I run about 10 hrs/day
seaclone skimmer
carbon
phosguard
Leather is mid-bottom of tank, monti is mid-top tank. All of my corals survived the tank change 1 month ago and have shown no problems until now. I move them around a lot trying to find a good spot when I add new rocks. I know I should minimize touching them and this could be stress induced.
My params are as follows:
dkh 179
Phosphate 0
Calc 420 and everything else is normal. The ONLY thing I can think of is my salinity it is a little high at 1.025. Temp is between 72-76. Any Ideas? I’ll post some pics.
forgot to say 2 powerheads (1 rotating, 1 straight) on the front left side of the tank and same thing on the back right side that are hooked up to a wavemaker so they alternate. yesterday i just added the 4th ph. dont know if this has anything to do with it. the leather still isnt in direct flow.
Well this is where we say pictures are worth a thousand words.
It could be that the monti was bleached when you bought it and is now just starting to color up. It could be that the monti was nearly dead when you got it and it’s now just being covered in algae.
The cabbage leather may just be showing new growth - it depends on how far down the coral the white is reaching. A white edge is generally just a sign of new growth. I don’t think you kill a cabbage leather if you tried. I’ve fragged mine by tearing a piece in half (I don’t reccomend doing this) and it survived just fine.
I don’t think the salinity is high, what do you normally keep it at? Like Craig said, pics would be great. I don’t know if it matters to your problem, but are you testing Mg yet? And first thing that jumps out at me is temp down to 72? that seems low, but i think some run their tanks that low, i never let mine get below 77. and what kind of monti is it?
The dkh test result? 179? what kit are you using? i’m looking for a cross ref for that, i usually measure mine and get results in the 8-9 or 10 range???
179 would be PPM which would be around 10 KH
thx Hudzon :BEER
The salinity has been low recently. I switched salts and I could never get it above 1.022. Since I switched back to reef crystals it has been 1.025 which I am ok with but I didnt know if the salinity swing would cause an upset. Also, I have been reading about raising the temp. When the tank was first started the we got some bad advice from lfs (that is now closed) that 72 to 74 is ideal. I will do that. I am so hesitant to make these changes because everything has been used to these conditions for so long.
The kh reading is from an api test kit. i was reading ppm.It only says 8-12 is normal and that is the range of 140 to 200 ppm. I am going to lfs today to get mg test kit. My local one doesn’t have any so today I am going to try an lfs farther away.
A quick word on then Mg kits… i had a redsea kit, and didn’t realize how much i hated it until i recently bought salifert brand.
And its good to be hesitant, and not change anything too quick.
The leather looks like it is splitting in to seperate “leaves”. It doesn’t appear that there is anything around it that could be stinging it, and generally they shrivel up if being irritated. I’d watch it for another day or 2 and see what it looks like compared to today’s picture.
The monti looks like it is coloring up to me. The white is where it was stressed and is bleached, the brown is the zoothella <sp?> starting to come back.
I think anyway.
you can easily change settings to those that are more desirable but just do it slowly, like temp just up it 2° wait three days and bump it up two more and that should put you in a good range with no stress to livestock.
Also take a sample of water with you if the LFS does not have a test kit you want you can most likely still get them to check it.
Ok thanks guys. I will watch them to see what they do. I will keep my fingers crossed to get a test kit. I have ::bs::also been watching some pinpoint meters on ebay and you can get them for less than 0 bucks! So ill be gett slap-ticking some of them soon.
Haha! I have no idea why my post said that. I guess that’s what happens when type on a phone! Lol :
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[quote=“JCoyne, post:13, topic:4082”]
Haha! I have no idea why my post said that. I guess that’s what happens when type on a phone! Lol ::[/quote]
That’s what happens when you drink vodka for breakfast ::
1.025 is a normal salinty, that will not be an issue for your corals… Do not buy Salifert Mg kits; I almost killed my tank a month ago with a faulty kit. John Gordon has been having significant issues with their kits as well.
I’ve been happy with my kit, but i’m sure everyones got their favorites. Mg kits can be tricky to get used to, the color change isn’t as easy to see as most other tests. if your not sure, mix up some fresh 1.025 salt water and test that, i know all salt brands differ, but you should be able to get some sort of idea if your testing right if your results come in around 1100-1200…BUT if in doubt, double check your test against someone elses water/ test kit BEFORE you supplement. If you don’t get it to where your comfortable with the readings by next meeting, let me know and i’ll test a sample of your water, or have your lfs test it too, i don’t know whos near you, but DPA will do it for customers.
How recently did you purchase your Salifert Kit? I have herd of 5 additional people experiencing issues with this brand which I used to consider extremely reputable.
[quote=“andrewk529, post:17, topic:4082”]
How recently did you purchase your Salifert Kit? I have herd of 5 additional people experiencing issues with this brand which I used to consider extremely reputable.[/quote]
not more than a couple months ago…curious…whats the issue with them? high/low reading?
Inconsistent readings, coupled with erroneous results. No color change at times or false numbers. One test would be 900 then another would be 0 then another would be 1200.
Mines always very consistent, so i guess i got an ok batch, PBJ!
Btw Jessica, what your kit will read from your tank water should be very very close to a fresh mixed cup of saltwater at the same specific gravity. There’s not a whole lot in your tank that would be using up Mg right now. I know you said you switched salt brands recently, so that might show a diff, depending on how much water is still in from the “old” mix.
I tested Mg several times at first, trying to get used to reading the results, and dripping the third reagent… (and those kits aren’t cheap!) but i finally got the hang of it…
the main thing i didn’t like about the redsea kit was the tall skinny tube they provided, i started using one of those little cups that come with cough syrup, and started using the “swirl” technique instead of capping and shaking, and got much more consistency, and its easier then all that capping, shaking, capping capping…ugh