Sharing post-cycle / new tank woes

[Steve973]

My tank is probably about 2 months post-cycle (dry rock and bagged sand). With the help of Purgen, Chemi-Pure Elite, and weekly water changes, I'm keeping some pretty consistent parameters:

 

Salifert tests:

Mg - 1420

PO4 - 0

KH - 7.7

Ca - 480

 

API:

PH - 8.0

NO3 - 0

 

SG - 1.026 (maintained with an auto-topoff)

Temp - 77F

 

I'm still dialing in Mg and Ca, but I don't think that they are quite at troublesome levels. Lately, though, I'm getting more buildup on the glass and back wall and few wisps of hair algae here and there on the rocks. Check out these odd bits of algae, really blued out though:

 

Might be scroll algae:

 

This might look a little bit like neomeris, but it's not. It is a bit like a pipe cleaner or like a bottle brush, and it's about an inch long, and it's more brown than green:

 

I know that I just have to keep things going, but I just wanted to share because it's hard to be patient. We all want pure awesomeness right away! Since I've been pretty stable after my cycle, I bought an ORA Verde Acro frag. It has lost a lot of its color over the few weeks that it has been in my tank, and it's not extending its polyps. I know that it was early to introduce it, but I thought I'd give it a try. Well, I'll just keep at it. Feel free to share your post-cycle woes, too.

[seabass]

I'm still dialing in Mg and Ca, but I don't think that they are quite at troublesome levels.

You mean that you're dosing calcium and magnesium? Being a new tank you shouldn't have to dose either. Essentially, you figure out the consumption rate (without coralline algae and many hard corals, the consumption rate should be pretty small. Then you dose to replenish, not elevate. If you want higher levels than what your salt mix mixes to, then switch salt mixes.

 

I bought an ORA Verde Acro frag. It has lost a lot of its color over the few weeks that it has been in my tank, and it's not extending its polyps.

Getting pale or getting brown? Brown indicates a lack of light. Pale could indicate that there are no nutrients in your tank. You mention undetectable levels of phosphate and nitrate. While high levels are a common problem, low levels (along with lack of food and amino acids) are also a problem for coral health.

[Wiinberg]

Your Salifert PO4 test kit is only good for checking if there's any water in the tank. Otherwise, it's crap.. Just so you don't rely on that too much.

[Steve973]

You mean that you're dosing calcium and magnesium? Being a new tank you shouldn't have to dose either. Essentially, you figure out the consumption rate (without coralline algae and many hard corals, the consumption rate should be pretty small. Then you dose to replenish, not elevate. If you want higher levels than what your salt mix mixes to, then switch salt mixes.

 

Getting pale or getting brown? Brown indicates a lack of light. Pale could indicate that there are no nutrients in your tank. You mention undetectable levels of phosphate and nitrate. While high levels are a common problem, low levels (along with lack of food and amino acids) are also a problem for coral health.

I intend to try a different salt mix, but while I still have a ton of IO, I figured that it would be cheaper to augment the levels of some of the nutriets, rather than throw the salt away. Eventually, even if I switch to a salt mix that I find to be more satisfactory, I will probably end up dosing again sometime in the future. Magnesium was very low for me, and calcium was pretty low, too.

 

I thought the acro was getting a bit pale at first, but it seems to be getting more tan. I feed approximately every other day with Reef Chili (feel free to recommend something else if you like), but without polyp extension, it won't feed. I wouldn't be opposed to dosing aminos, too.

[seabass]

If it's turning tan/brown, it might not be getting enough light. This is due to the brown symbiotic zooxanthellae which helps provide the coral with energy. The less light, the more zooxanthellae is produced to compensate. What type of light and tank do you have?

[Steve973]

If it's turning tan/brown, it might not be getting enough light. This is due to the brown symbiotic zooxanthellae which helps provide the coral with energy. The less light, the more zooxanthellae is produced to compensate. What type of light and tank do you have?

IM Nuvo 16 and a Nano Box Duo. The acro is at about the midpoint in the tank. I didn't want to blast it in the beginning, but I can move it up and see. That still doesn't quite explain the lack of polyp extension, though.

[seabass]

That still doesn't quite explain the lack of polyp extension, though.

Do they come out at night? Did you dip the coral prior to putting it in your tank? It could be due to a number of things. Could be due to pests, flow, water chemistry, etc.

[Steve973]

Do they come out at night? Did you dip the coral prior to putting it in your tank? It could be due to a number of things. Could be due to pests, flow, water chemistry, etc.

They don't change at night. I dipped in coralrx before adding to my tank. I have an MP10 that I have on short pulse mode, and not turned up very high.

[Steve973]

Your Salifert PO4 test kit is only good for checking if there's any water in the tank. Otherwise, it's crap.. Just so you don't rely on that too much.

What do you recommend, then? The general consensus seems to be pretty good for the Salifert phosphate test kit, but I don't have anything else to compare it to.

[seabass]

I can't say that I've found a perfect phosphate test. However, I'm currently using a Hanna Phosphorus Checker: http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-Handheld-Colorimeter-Phosphorus/dp/B003UNK3I8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1408786920&sr=8-3&keywords=Hanna+phosphorous I feel that it provides a decent estimate of your water's phosphate level, and it's digital (so no color chart to scratch your head over).

[vlangel]

I intend to try a different salt mix, but while I still have a ton of IO, I figured that it would be cheaper to augment the levels of some of the nutriets, rather than throw the salt away. Eventually, even if I switch to a salt mix that I find to be more satisfactory, I will probably end up dosing again sometime in the future. Magnesium was very low for me, and calcium was pretty low, too.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about your calcium and magnesium numbers, that's what I would expect with instant ocean salt. Its formulated to be closer to natural seawater so those numbers are about right and should be OK for your tank until you get more corals that draw a lot more calcium. If I were you I'd go ahead and use up this salt while the tank is still new and not using much calcium yet and then switch to a salt that contains more calcium and such.

 

[Wiinberg]

What do you recommend, then? The general consensus seems to be pretty good for the Salifert phosphate test kit, but I don't have anything else to compare it to.

 

Don't know what brands you have access to in the states, but Hanna/Milwaukee checkers, and Rowa/Gilbers are decent. None of them are very accurate, but they are fine for our use. In most of Europe, nobody uses Salifert for Po4. It generally can't detect low levels and are very inconsistent.