Achieving and Maintaining tank stability

[Coralgurl]

Ive been testing my tank every couple of weeks after water changes and am having problems maintaining stability with my parameters in my 180. My 55 is a month since my last water change, tests as follows:
Ph 8.3
Mag 1200
Cal 460
Dkh 6

180-water changed on Saturday
Ph 8.3
Mag 1150
Ca400
Dkh 6

I picked up a doser for the 180 but have not installed it yet. I'm having issues with the corals in this tank, but everything in the 55 is growing like crazy. Both tanks are mostly lps with a couple of softies.

Should I be concerned with these results and be raising them? I'm using salinity salt and salinity is 1.026 in both tanks.

Temp on the 180 is 79 and the 180 is at 80.

Thanks

[fishytime]

DKH and mg are low on both systems.... I would get the doser going on the big tank since you say your having issues with the coral in that tank and I would leave the 55 alone, since the corals are doing well(if it ain't broke, don't fix it:wink:)

[FragIt Dan]

+1 on the Mg and dKh being too low, IME, dKh bottoms out and becomes limiting at ~6. You MIGHT be adding just enough dKh to your small tank to keep up, but not enough to your big tank. If this were the case, a small increase to your dose, perhaps 20%, will start to raise your dKh on your small tank, but not your large one. You would have to substantially increase your dose on your large tank (at one point I had to triple my daily dose to start raising it) to see an increase. To test this, and ultimately restore your dKh to appropriate levels, I would increase your dKh dose by 20% or so on each of your tanks every time you test it until you see it start to raise, then when it hits 9 or 10, cut your dose back to maintain that level (ie week 1 dose 1.2x, week 2 dose 1.5x original dose, week 3 dose 2x original dose etc).
You may also see an increase in consumption associated with installation of your dosing pump as a result of increased stability, so may have to increase again. Of course your coral issues in the larger tank may be related to other things as well, but the low dKh, IMO, is at least contributing. The same would go for Mg, but I have found it does not become limiting until well less than 1000ppm, although it can slow growth down and potentially mess with your Ca as you start to fall below ~1200ish.
Good luck and let us know how it goes :)
Dan

[Coralgurl]

+1 on the Mg and dKh being too low, IME, dKh bottoms out and becomes limiting at ~6. You MIGHT be adding just enough dKh to your small tank to keep up, but not enough to your big tank. If this were the case, a small increase to your dose, perhaps 20%, will start to raise your dKh on your small tank, but not your large one. You would have to substantially increase your dose on your large tank (at one point I had to triple my daily dose to start raising it) to see an increase. To test this, and ultimately restore your dKh to appropriate levels, I would increase your dKh dose by 20% or so on each of your tanks every time you test it until you see it start to raise, then when it hits 9 or 10, cut your dose back to maintain that level (ie week 1 dose 1.2x, week 2 dose 1.5x original dose, week 3 dose 2x original dose etc).
You may also see an increase in consumption associated with installation of your dosing pump as a result of increased stability, so may have to increase again. Of course your coral issues in the larger tank may be related to other things as well, but the low dKh, IMO, is at least contributing. The same would go for Mg, but I have found it does not become limiting until well less than 1000ppm, although it can slow growth down and potentially mess with your Ca as you start to fall below ~1200ish.
Good luck and let us know how it goes :)
Dan

Thanks Dan, this is exactly what I was looking for. I think with the smaller tank, a water change will bring things back where they should be for Mag. I ran out of water after the 180 change, made more, just haven't done it yet. I've never had my dkh up above 6 in the last year, even though ca and mag have been fine. I've tested my mix water and all parameters are bang on. On the 180, I was surprised at the results last night with the recent change. I may have to increase to weekly changes. I'm also not sure whether I should stick with the Seachem Salinity salt or change, I have enough left for 2 more water changes so will be buying new salt tonight.

The stuff I have for mag and ca (can't remember off the top of my head), the instructions are unclear for dosing and whether its to increase or maintain, so I've been unsure how much to add when I do dose, I've just been following the basic instructions, obviously things are not where they need to be so this isn't working.

I will get this set up over the weekend and monitor over the next few weeks.

[FragIt Dan]

I would say your dosing is helping, just not keeping up. If everything else is good, dosing your dKh, Ca and perhaps Mg between water changes should fix things. Personally, I try to have my tank parameters maintained by my dosing rather than water changes. Your dKh dosing should be next to free once you figure out a DIY recipe, which is very easy and a great start into the DIY world (google or forum search this). This method should also be less expensive then larger, more frequent water changes, especially on the larger tank. Good luck!
Dan