Sps dosing

[Bosnianblood69]

So i bought a bunch of sps yesterday and put them in my tank. Last time i tested water was October 9th and alk was at 8 and cal was at 560, i tested today and alk is at 7 and cal is at 520. Should i start dosing? Do i finally get to use my dosing pump thats been sitting for months? Any ideas? Could it be that big of a change in only a day?


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[BigRedsReefs10]

What tests are you using? How often do you do wc's? It's highly highly unlikely that any sps added a day ago have been growing enough to have any impact on your element levels, and a test 2 weeks ago isn't a good barometer of where the levels are at.

 

[Bosnianblood69]

I added about 11 good size frags, and i dont really do water changes


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[Bosnianblood69]

Im using api test kits


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[BigRedsReefs10]

IMHO the api kit isn't accurate enough for sps corals, and why no wc's? What's your filtration on the tank? Sps require pretty clean water and stable element levels, wc's help with both of these.

 

[Bosnianblood69]

I find my water to be pretty stable right now and clean, well thats pretty much all i have access to since my lfs uses them too
It goes from tank to socks/carbon then to protein skimmer and gfo reactor and then fug and then out sometime i have another sponge on return


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[mr_X]

I agree. I doubt you have a calcium level in the 500s first of all. I suggest you invest in some better kits. Salifert makes good test kits. At least alkalinity.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

What do you consider stable and clean? What does your tank run at params wise?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Everything is at zero, no algae no nothing, knock on wood. And the high cal i think is from the salt i use, thats what others have told me


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[mr_X]

What salt is that?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Oceanic


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[mr_X]

It has high calcium, but very low alkalinity. You will need to dose alkalinity. I use it also. Though I see it in the high 400s, and 7dkh. If you don't do water changes the corals will use up that alkalinity in a very short time. If you do, do water changes, it will only ever go as high as around 7, and dip below that as it's used up. What does your tank look like now? How much coral is in it, and what's the total water volume?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Well alk was at 8 on the 9th now its at 7, and i have a 110 wide
Im not sure how well u can see but i have around 29 small to medium frags 12 sps 5 lps and rest are softies


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[mr_X]

Those corals aren't going to pull much yet, but I would start a regular water change regimen to ensure They are getting enough of what they need. How long have you had that anemone?

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Since march, he already split naturally once, why are you asking? The pumps where off in the pics soo


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[Bosnianblood69]

He split in only about 3 months time and its been about a month or 2 since and hes already bigger then he was


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[mr_X]

I'm asking because if you had a water quality issue, you would probably see it with the anemone. Splitting is a sign of stress, so take that into consideration. It's generally not a good sign. That it's retained color and is getting larger is a good sign though. Maybe the initial change from the store to your tank created the stress.

 

[Bosnianblood69]

Might be, i got him from a guy on craigslist since it split in his tank. And i mean if i had anything wrong he would go right? If you water is good enough for a rbta its good enough for basic sps right? Or no


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[Bosnianblood69]

And i mean water clearity not cal and alk wise


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[mr_X]

I don't know the answer to that. Some sps are extremely sensitive to excess nitrate and/or phosphate....the anemone may not be phased. Good test kits are the best way to tip the odds in your favor.