Ca, alk, and Mg levels need to reflect NO3 and PO4. If NO3 and PO4 are ultra low or undetectable you can't have high alk or you will get burned tips.
For the first 18 months, I was really struggling with ultra low nutrients. I tried a bunch of things to raise nutrients, but couldn't find the sweet spot, so I had to keep the big three at natural seawater levels. Just recently I started using Pohls Xtra which contains ammonia, nitrate, and amino acids. This was the magic ingredient for me and I'm finally able to get some NO3 and PO4 readings on the test kits, so I slowly let Ca, alk and the rest of the parameters rise up a bit. Currently sitting at Ca 430, and alk 8.2.
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~ Mindy
SPS fanatic.
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