Kat's Birthday Party

[metrokat]

Pico looks great. I can't even keep gsp alive. It all melted on me for some reason. :/

It likes dirty water, I know your levels are testing alright but maybe the Kat getting lighter and the GSP melting is an indication of something.

[metrokat]

The Kat colony is still fuzzy. If the stingers are out, something is likely irritating it. This is only in the top of the colony, where is it browning. I think I'm going to try a dip. But which one. My choices are:

Coral RX

Melafix Marine

Lugols

RODI

[TheKleinReef]

It likes dirty water, I know your levels are testing alright but maybe the Kat getting lighter and the GSP melting is an indication of something.

 

The Kat hasn't gotten any lighter. Since the initial lightening, it's been about the same.

My tank is by no means clean or under fed, I can guarantee you that. haha

[metrokat]

 

The Kat hasn't gotten any lighter. Since the initial lightening, it's been about the same.

My tank is by no means clean or under fed, I can guarantee you that. haha

I know. But perhaps the nutrients are being utilized by other organisms rather than the corals.

[TheKleinReef]

I know. But perhaps the nutrients are being utilized by other organisms rather than the corals.

 

Perhaps. I've only lost GSP so far. So I'm not too concerned at the moment. Zoas, shrooms, LPS, and 90% of SPS are doing well.

[MikeTR]

Your katropora has a mind of its own. Meanwhile some of my sps is dying. The kat however is nice and green, encrusting more, and started to grow some. It's only been like a year.

[metrokat]

Alright, LFS tested my water with Red Sea kits.

 

Calcium 350

Alk 9

Magnesium 1120

Nitrate 20

Phosphate 0

ph 8.2

 

So the zero phosphate blew my mind. Took GFO offline and dosed some Brightwell NeoPhos.

I need to get the nitrates down as well. I threw in Seachem Matrix a while back and I think it may be contributing to the problem, I'm not sure.

My home tests on April 2 below

Errbady's been harping on me for parameters. This is for you harpies.

Tests are wacky.

 

ALK

Red Sea Alk 7.6

New Red Sea kit Alk 6.4

 

CALCIUM

Red Sea Cal 370

New Red Sea kit 420

 

MAGNESIUM

Red Sea Mag 1000 (did test twice second time 1040)

New Red Sea kit 1120

Salifert Mag 1470

 

PHOS

Salifert Phosphate between 0.03 and 0.10

Red Sea phosphate 0.36

 

NITRATE

Salifert Nitrate between 5 and 10

Red Sea Nitrate 2ppm

 

Historically, all numbers are about in range. Phosphate is higher than normal if you go with the red sea numbers. Corals aren't brown so not sure if I should go with the salifert results.

Going to test tomorrow again. I have some water ready for a change so I might do that too.

 

Fed the pigs some live black worms. The Anthias went ballistic.

What is new about phosphate control is the reactor that I hooked up to my manifold. The flow through it is great, might have made the GFO uber effective.

[jbb]

[hypostatic]

Maybe you should dose some K to get those P and N levels balanced

[metrokat]

Maybe you should dose some K to get those P and N levels balanced

I dose potassium pretty much every day. But I'm curious how it will balance out N and P?

[jbb]

[metrokat]

Gosh, you have a pitbull jaw doncha

or maybe it's bulldog

yeah that's it

[metrokat]

Y'all should follow the oxydator thread. You know. For shits and giggles.

[natalia_la_loca]

I've been lurking on that one a lot

[metrokat]

It's a magical time in reef keeping.

[hypostatic]

I dose potassium pretty much every day. But I'm curious how it will balance out N and P?

 

Oh what do you use?

 

So K is a crucial element in fertilizers, along with N and P. I think it's possible that low K might cause N or P to shoot up, as you need a balance between all of them for optimal growth and nutrient consumption. K is almost as abundant as Ca in seawater (400ppm), so having low levels might cause things to go out of whack.

 

Here are some articles by Justin Credabel:

https://www.reefs.com/blog/2014/12/15/potassium-element-needs-second-look-part-1/

https://www.reefs.com/blog/2015/01/05/potassium-element-needs-second-look-part-2/

https://www.reefs.com/blog/2015/01/20/potassium-element-needs-second-look-part-3/

[metrokat]

Thanks for the links and simple explanation hypo

 

I dose Brightwell Potassion. Ingredients are

Potassium sulfate, Potassium chloride.

 

I also dose Lugols

potassium iodide, and iodine.

I'll test for K tomorrow. In the meantime, the pink in my reef tank is pretty sweet.

[metrokat]

I'm still wondering if Seachem Matrix is keeping my nitrates high.

[Acielot]

so much dosing.. I was told that this hobby was relaxing

[metrokat]

It is it is. Walk by throw something into the tank. That's how I roll.

[Pinner Reef]

Have you tried moving those cyano corals/rack to different locations in your system?

[natalia_la_loca]

Walk by throw something into the tank. That's how I roll.

my reef keeping modus operandi in a nutshell

[metrokat]

Have you tried moving those cyano corals/rack to different locations in your system?

I'll try tomorrow

my reef keeping modus operandi in a nutshell

Errmagerd BFFs

 

[JR!]

i would like a fts before i go to bed. kthnksbye

[hypostatic]

Thanks for the links and simple explanation hypo

 

I dose Brightwell Potassion. Ingredients are

Potassium sulfate, Potassium chloride.

 

I also dose Lugols

potassium iodide, and iodine.

I'll test for K tomorrow. In the meantime, the pink in my reef tank is pretty sweet.

 

 

Ah I've been considering Brightwell's K, but I've been hesitant since I don't have a K tester, and because they don't list the concentrations/molarities.

 

Credabel says that K "has a striking effect on the coral’s fluorescent proteins. Pinks, Purples and Reds respond most profoundly. Pink and Purple Pocillopora and Stylophora start emanating eye blasting hues. Neon Green and Orange fluorescence are all kicked into overdrive as well." "I’ve noticed potassium enhances certain pigments especially pink. I had color enhancement effects within several days of dosing."

 

On par with what people see in ULNS tanks Credabel says "Low potassium and the colors are dull, even brown."

 

Interestingly, Credabel says that Lugol's, it's not the iodine that corals benefit from, but the K in the solution. "I have also had faster growth on my soft coral and macroalgae. I think it’s probable that the potassium in the Lugol’s what grows the Xenia. Perhaps the iodine alone is not as critical as potassium."

 

Also, he's a big fan of Iron dosing. "Iron dosing helps develop brown pigments, healthy background color, and deep toned greens. This in part seems due to enhanced zooxanthellae growth." I do a bit of sporadic Fe/Mn dosing in my tank (pretty much the only thing I dose).