Coral issue, help!

[Readingexcalibur]

Originally Posted by Japache

FYI - there are downloads of the API cards here - Downloads; Pump and filter Instructions, Test Kit charts
Saltwater & freshwater are different for everything aside from nitrite.

Also, you have LPS corals - have you tested your calcium levels? It sounds like you have the Kh test (turns to yellow).

Thanks for the download. I just purchased a saltwater kit for the heck of it. It has a built in wet dry sump. My calcium is at 480. Little high, but still in good area I think.

[Jabibi]

Yep water changes and check ur calcium and see if it is low. I keep my alkalinity between 9-11 and everything does really well but 15 is really high.

[Jabibi]

480 for calcium is not bad at all. I keep mine between 440 and 460

[Japache]

Originally Posted by Readingexcalibur

My calcium is at 480. Little high, but still in good area I think.

480 is a nice level & don't worry about your KH, unless you start seeing white snow like residue in your sump. Also, high calcium is unnecessary, but helps with phosphate control in the water column.

High KH (generally anything above 12 degrees) will precipitate calcium, which is fancy way of saying it will convert from small/liquid form to big, unusable form (the snow-like material).
There are other factors to calcium precipitation, but this is the main one for KH.
Now even if you can maintain normal levels of calcium even with the snow (i.e. 400 & up), there is still an issue of the snow affecting your pumps & collecting in any piping or tubing.

So, rather than messing with your parameters (never good), just watch out for the snow, make sure your pipes are clear & clean your pumps if you can.
I do a vinegar soak every other month during a water change.