Adding Corals

[MMAX]

I use Instant Ocean salt

[Myka]

Instant Ocean is low in Calcium, low in Magnesium, and kinda of high in Alkalinity. So you're going to be low in Magnesium as well, and it's possible that the low Calcium in IO has countered the amount of Calcium you've been adding.

Let us know when you get some new test kits, and what your new parameters are.

[MMAX]

I picked up a Nutrafin Master Test Kit last night. Here's my parameters...Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 15 mg/L, Phosphate 0.5 mg/L, Calcium 340 mg/L (it says optimum range is 400-450), pH 8.3, and Alkalinity (KH) 130 mg/L (it says 105-125 is ideal). Temp is 27 celcius and SG is 1.0245. There were no tests for magnesium in the kit I bought.

[Cyclo]

Heres a little article to help know what to shoot for.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

[Myka]

Originally Posted by MMAX

I picked up a Nutrafin Master Test Kit last night. Here's my parameters...Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 15 mg/L, Phosphate 0.5 mg/L, Calcium 340 mg/L (it says optimum range is 400-450), pH 8.3, and Alkalinity (KH) 130 mg/L (it says 105-125 is ideal). Temp is 27 celcius and SG is 1.0245. There were no tests for magnesium in the kit I bought.

Your nitrates and phosphates are definately on the high side for a reef tank. Are you having any algae issues? It really would help if you posted a pic of your tank. Is that possible?

And it looks like you weren't adding as much Calcium as it sounded like you were! Time to boost up the Calcium! I keep my Calcium around 410-425 ppm, and it works well. It would be a good idea to up your salinity just a bit too to 1.025-1.026 as corals prefer a higher salinity.

[MMAX]

I tried taking some pictures of my tank but they don't seem to turn out too good. I definately don't have an algae problem.

[Myka]

I'm surprised that you don't have any algae issues since your phosphates and nitrates are at considerable levels. I would consider running some phosphate media (like PhosBan or RowaPhos). There are a lot of contributing factors to nitrate (and phosphate), and it's too late for me to write a book about it...