Should I wait ... or should I play with chemistry?

ScubaSteve · #1 12-19-2012, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon in alberta

ok, thanks - alk up to what constitutes balanced?

Check out this article by Randy Holmes-Farley. It will explain everything. You'll know what balanced is after this.

As for Alk... there's no right answer, but rather an acceptable range. I would actually consider yours perfectly balanced. No need to worry. Once the corals start to take off you see your levels drop and that'll be the time to fire up the dosers.

I consider your pH a touch on the low side, but not problematic. A better skimmer will probably boost this up a bit with better aeration.

How many corals do you have? What kind of corals? What kind of lighting? How often and how much of water changes are you doing? (the water changes might be replenishing your levels, hence no need to dose).

subman · #2 12-19-2012, 04:23 AM

Sorry I read this at a red light your alk is fine I thought it was 3.5dkh. It's perfect where it is my mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seriak

Your Alk is fine. What is your Mg at?

What Seriak said mg may be your problem

ScubaSteve · #3 12-19-2012, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subman

Sorry I read this at a red light...

LMAO

I do the same thing...

subman · #4 12-19-2012, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

LMAO

I do the same thing...

kien · #5 12-19-2012, 04:25 AM

If you don't already have one, which you did suggest that you didn't, I would get a phosphate test kit and figure out your P04. Phosphates can be an inhibitor of growth. At least it would be nice to rule it out even if it's in check.

jon in alberta · #6 12-19-2012, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

If you don't already have one, which you did suggest that you didn't, I would get a phosphate test kit and figure out your P04. Phosphates can be an inhibitor of growth. At least it would be nice to rule it out even if it's in check.

Thanks all, so I guess I will be buying a PO4 and a Mg kit.

As for corals - I will try to list them all (and will forget some I am sure)
- green star polyp x 2
- 4 types of zoas (these were growing rapidly until 2 months ago - now they are sort of sitting there)
- bubble tip anemone (recently split into two)
- 'regular' anemone (really small)
- green/red favia - growing at 1mm / month (isn't that slow?)
- 'pink' millipora which is all dark green now
- pink/green trachy
- hammer coral
- green torch
- unknown mushrooms

... that's about all I can see now