water chemistry help

iceman86 · #1 07-31-2012, 02:08 PM

I have a couple sps corals in my tank that have been slowly bleaching over tge last couple weeks and last night i did some water tests and this is what i came up with.

Temp—80
PH—7.8
S.G.—1.025
Carbonate Hardness-11dkh
Calcium—500mg/l
Ammonia—0
Nitrite—0
Nitrate—5mg/l

I know the ph should be higher and the carbonate cardness a little lower. The calcium seems a bit high too. I was using instant ocean sea salt but recently switched over to instat ocwn reef crystals.

All the lps and softies seem fine.

Thanks!

Aquattro · #2 07-31-2012, 03:07 PM

Lighting? Type, bulb age?

fishytime · #3 07-31-2012, 03:11 PM

MG, phos?.....did the tank get hot with this hot spell we've been having?

Aquattro · #4 07-31-2012, 03:14 PM

And how long did you have these pieces before a problem started?

iceman86 · #5 07-31-2012, 05:32 PM

For lighting i have one of those 18-24" marineland reef capable LED lights. My tank is a 20x20x20 cube. Ive had it on my tank for 3 weeks. Thats also when i got those corals. Its a monti cap and a chalice that are bleaching.

As for phosphates im not sure if my kit is screwed because i tested my water and its 0.25 and im using r/o water and a phosphate reactor with phoslock. My city water also reads at 0.25 and i also tested my friends water at the same but he is able to keep sps corals so yhats why i think its screwed up.

The hottest the tank ever got over these warm days we have been having is 82.5 that i noticed.

reefwars · #6 07-31-2012, 08:30 PM

Your parameters are a bit off but shouldn't kill your sps just inhibit growth and colour , how close are your frags to the light? What about flow??

Phoslock??

iceman86 · #7 07-31-2012, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars

Your parameters are a bit off but shouldn't kill your sps just inhibit growth and colour , how close are your frags to the light? What about flow??

Phoslock??

The light sits on top of the tank and the frags are about 8-10 inches from the light. For flow i have a 350gph powerhead in the top corner of my tank facing the opposite corner.

Phoslock is a phosphate removal powder that i put in my reactor.

Megalodon · #8 08-01-2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman86

I know the ph should be higher and the carbonate cardness a little lower. The calcium seems a bit high too. I was using instant ocean sea salt but recently switched over to instat ocwn reef crystals.

True, but that shouldn't account for coral bleaching. I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. It must be something else.