Can’t keep hard corals

[Mani]

Hi fellows, I have a 120 gallon tank. I can’t seem to succeed with keeping any type of hard corals and mushrooms. Is there any place locally where I can get my water tested(of course pay for it). I have tested water at home and results are with in perimeter.
Appreciate any help

[Chin_Lee]

i know JL's will do the tests for you.
Not sure about Fish Addicts or Paul's Aquarium.
Roger's is only freshwater now so i doubt they have test kits for saltwater

[Mani]

Thank you, I will try to get to JL aquatics
I just finished testing water at home and here are the readings:
NO3- 2ppm
PO4- 0.2 ppm
Calcium - 460
PH- 8
Dkh- 8.4
Selenaty- 35
Temperature- 80.2
Water change - 400L/month

[Chin_Lee]

what testing kit or tester are you using?

[Mani]

Hanna for dkh and API for everything else.

[gregzz4]

Do you know the names of the corals you've been unsuccessful with?
What did you see when they died?
What kind of lighting do you have?
Did you test the water the corals came from?

It may or may not matter but what is your Mag @?

API kits can be unreliable when trying to get exact and consistent readings.
Consider Salifert or Red Sea, with a Hanna ULR for PO4

[Mani]

Do you know the names of the corals you've been unsuccessful with?
What did you see when they died?
What kind of lighting do you have?
Did you test the water the corals came from?

It may or may not matter but what is your Mag @?

API kits can be unreliable when trying to get exact and consistent readings.
Consider Salifert or Red Sea, with a Hanna ULR for PO4


I had hammer coral, torch, frog spawn
They slowly start dying within a week or so. Never checked Mag.
Went to JL on the weekend and they recommended that I get John from JL to pay a visit and see what

[dino]

if your planning on keeping sps then having proper test kits and really knowing your water is the place to start. after you get a good feel for that and dosing needed etc then its the time to try hard corals.

[dino]

oops didn't see the other post sorry. looks like you have your own kits

[gregzz4]

Went to JL on the weekend and they recommended that I get John from JL to pay a visit and see what

Sounds like a good plan

[Mani]

if your planning on keeping sps then having proper test kits and really knowing your water is the place to start. after you get a good feel for that and dosing needed etc then its the time to try hard corals.


Hi dino, thanks for reply. I am not even dreaming of SPS, I would be happy with LPS

[dino]

I guess you should completely explain your system. what you got? sump,lighting,flow,skimmer,water change etc etc

[Scythanith]

What Dino said. Also, you may want to consider sending an ICP test out to get a full picture.

[Mani]

I have 2 Al Hydra 56
Skimmer - Eshopps S-200
Water flow - 2 Gyre
Water changes, 400L once a month
I took water to JL and they couldn

[rustybee]

Temp is a tad high. Try in the 76-78 range. Could be copper in the water too.

[H2o2]

Check to make sure no electricity leaking in pump, heater or bad magnet mp 40 anything

[rustybee]

How high are you placing the mushrooms and LPS? With those Hydras they should be near the bottom of the tank too.