Corals lookin slugish--dosing redsea abc

[Reefmob]

SO my corals have been looking kinda slugish but not bad.. I tested the water..
Ph-8.4
Am-0
Ni-0
N-0
Ca- 370
Alk-7.8
Mg-1280

Have
60 gallon cube ( actual water is 50 gal)
Dual CPR skimmer
Phosban reactor
4 t5 lights
75 LR
60 LS

Live stock
Frogspawn
Hammer
Mushrooms
Zoanthids
Blue star clove polyps
Xenias
Duncan's
Monticaps
Green star polyps
-----
Cleaner shrimp
Peppermint
Pistol tiger
Yellow watchman
2 barlet anthias
2 clowns
Coco worm
Chromis
Beleni
And cuc
Serpent star

The guy at the lfs recomended red reef foundation ABC

It's my first time dosing anything exempt red reef coraline grow.. So I dont know exactly what to do. Help?

I added 2 scoops at once directly in tank and my corals all closed right away.. (there slowly opening again)

What should I do?
How do I dose ?
I have no idea what to do?

Please help

[Schism]

Originally Posted by Reefmob

SO my corals have been looking kinda slugish but not bad.. I tested the water..
Ph-8.4
Am-0
Ni-0
N-0
Ca- 370
Alk-7.8
Mg-1280

Have
60 gallon cube ( actual water is 50 gal)
Dual CPR skimmer
Phosban reactor
4 t5 lights
75 LR
60 LS

Live stock
Frogspawn
Hammer
Mushrooms
Zoanthids
Blue star clove polyps
Xenias
Duncan's
Monticaps
Green star polyps
-----
Cleaner shrimp
Peppermint
Pistol tiger
Yellow watchman
2 barlet anthias
2 clowns
Coco worm
Chromis
Beleni
And cuc
Serpent star

The guy at the lfs recomended red reef foundation ABC

It's my first time dosing anything exempt red reef coraline grow.. So I dont know exactly what to do. Help?

I added 2 scoops at once directly in tank and my corals all closed right away.. (there slowly opening again)

What should I do?
How do I dose ?
I have no idea what to do?

Please help

Stop.

Why would you dose anything if your not sure what your doing? You could really screw things up. What are you dosing? To accomplish what? Why do you think you need to dose? And what do you mean by they look sluggish?

How old is the tank?

Never dose anything directly to tank like that either. Your corals closed up because they did not appreciate that.

Also how big and how often are your water changes?

[Reefmob]

Originally Posted by Schism

Stop.

Why would you dose anything if your not sure what your doing? You could really screw things up. What are you dosing? To accomplish what? Why do you think you need to dose? And what do you mean by they look sluggish?

How old is the tank?

Never dose anything directly to tank like that either. Your corals closed up because they did not appreciate that.

Also how big and how often are your water changes?

The guy at the lfs told me to do it this way.

I am dosing red sea reef foundations A B And C

To accomplish
1. Higher alk
2. Higher calcium
3, higher mg
4 accelerated coral growth

I think I need to dose because my corals have not grown at all and they randomly close and open for no reason. Recently some corals like the Duncan are mostly closed. Like I said slugish that's what I meant

Tank is 5 months

Water changes are 20 % every week

[Schism]

First off if the lfs guy told you to dump straight in tank, then he really doesnt know what hes talking about.

As for calcium alk and mag, your levels are approx that of natural seawater. If you want higher levels switch salt. No reason you should have to dose. Dosing is just one of those you dont wanna do unless you have to and you shouldnt have to with that size tank, your WC schedule and good salt.

Only time you need to dose is if something is being depleted at a faster rate than it can be replaced. Not likely the case here.



How old are your bulbs?

[Schism]

Also your tank could probably use more light and may be the reason your seeing slow growth.

[carey]

Schism has said it all. I would 100% agree that you shouldnt need to dose if you are doing weekly water changes and have a average amount of corals. Also, I try to make it a rule to never ever dose anything I am not testing for.

In my 125g I have to dose soda ash for alkalinity maybe twice a week, BUT I don't do water changes weekly on that tank and have a nice amount of large corals. Even then, I try not to unless I have to. I test several times a week for calcium, alkalinity and magnesium, still trying ti find the sweet spot in my tank. lol

Good luck!

Oh, and if you do dose something put it in a small container of tank water so it can dilute a bit and then slowly add that to the sump or tank.

[Reefmob]

My bulbs are the age of the tank so about 5 months.. I will be changing them next month.. I also have a ecoexotic panorama pro magenta..

Shouldn't my be at
Ca -- 450
Alk--12
Mg-1300

For better coloration and growth ?

[Schism]

Originally Posted by Reefmob

My bulbs are the age of the tank so about 5 months.. I will be changing them next month.. I also have a ecoexotic panorama pro magenta..

Shouldn't my be at
Ca -- 450
Alk--12
Mg-1300

For better coloration and growth ?

What makes you think having more calcium, alk, and mag will be better for growth? The rate in which corals take up these elements is not based off how much ca,alk,mag is the water.

Higher levels are pretty much only needed for high demand tanks like large sps tanks. On these tanks calcium alk and mag are sucked out of the water at rapid rates, starting with higher levels can minimize the swing

[Schism]

Originally Posted by Reefmob

My bulbs are the age of the tank so about 5 months.. I will be changing them next month.. I also have a ecoexotic panorama pro magenta..

Shouldn't my be at
Ca -- 450
Alk--12
Mg-1300

For better coloration and growth ?

In no way will having more cal, alk, and mag give you more color and growth. The amount in the water does not effect the rate in which corals can use it.

Coloration and growth are effected by lighting and health (food, trace elements, water quality).

No reason you need to be higher than natural seawater levels. Only reason to be higher is if you had a high demand tank.

I suggest a salt switch.

[crister13]

I completely agree. The coloration of corals is actually a protective coating to protect the zooxanthellae from high levels of light, or so I've heard. That's why corals turn brown or yellow when there is too little light, to expose the zooxanthellae more. Switch salt if you want to increase your levels.

[Reefmob]

Thanks for the replys so what do I do about corals somtines closing. If its lighting then what should I change to or add. I do gave a ecoecotic panorama pro magenta will that help?
Any thing helps thanks!!

[Schism]

Originally Posted by Reefmob

Thanks for the replys so what do I do about corals somtines closing. If its lighting then what should I change to or add. I do gave a ecoecotic panorama pro magenta will that help?
Any thing helps thanks!!

Switch salt. You are on the lower end of most elements so your probably also lacking certain trace elements. Switch to a more reef based salt like reef crystals or red sea coral pro for example. That would be step one. Also it is natural for corals to sometimes close. Many close at different times depending on the corals.

[kdpuffer]

Corals being open is them feeding, corals like torch and hammer rely alot on the symbiotic algae so they open during the day and tend to close at night. Other corals like candy cane and favia feed at night and tend to open after lights out. Typically with soft coral they rely on photosynthesis also so tend to open during the day and close at night. This isn't always the case but something to keep in mind.