Should I wait ... or should I play with chemistry?

[jon in alberta]

Hi All,

- my tank is about a year old (150 gal)
- inhabitants are IMO 'satisfied' but not thriving

That is my problem - now for the details.
tank specs:
- vertex 260 LED lighting
- good skimmer (not great)
- recently bought (but not turned on) dosers for Ca and Alk ... BUT Ca is around 425 mg/L and Alk is around 3.5 meq/L. (NO3 <0.25; Ammonia <0.25; pH 8.08 .. that's all the test I have). With those readings I don't think I have to start dosing?
- recently bought a ozone generator, with ORP probe. The ORP started at 115 mV and within 3 days of applying ozone went up to and is sitting around 350 mV (which shuts the ozone generation off). I had been applying ozone through the skimmer.

Here is are my questions:
1) Should I shut up and just wait? Things gotta grow, and the tank will mature ...
2) Is Ca and Alk my limiting factor?
3) how is my ORP sitting at 350mV+ with my ozone generator unplugged?

Any advice is welcome.

[Proteus]

I'd like to know what you have for fish. What's your setup. Amount of flow. Canister or sump what makes you think fish are not all that happy. Got coral or nems

[subman]

your alk is low for sure I would bring that up. Once the alk and CA are in balance the corals will take off

[11purewater]

why are you using ozone?

[Seriak]

Your Alk is fine. What is your Mg at?

[jon in alberta]

Originally Posted by Seriak

Your Alk is fine. What is your Mg at?

good call. I was wondering if I needed to by that test kit. I have good salt (with sufficient Mg) and do water changes about every 3 weeks. further, i have Mg dosing solution but don't plan to tie it to an automatic doser like the Ca and Alk.

[jon in alberta]

Originally Posted by subman

your alk is low for sure I would bring that up. Once the alk and CA are in balance the corals will take off

ok, thanks - alk up to what constitutes balanced?

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by jon in alberta

ok, thanks - alk up to what constitutes balanced?

Check out this article by Randy Holmes-Farley. It will explain everything. You'll know what balanced is after this.

As for Alk... there's no right answer, but rather an acceptable range. I would actually consider yours perfectly balanced. No need to worry. Once the corals start to take off you see your levels drop and that'll be the time to fire up the dosers.

I consider your pH a touch on the low side, but not problematic. A better skimmer will probably boost this up a bit with better aeration.

How many corals do you have? What kind of corals? What kind of lighting? How often and how much of water changes are you doing? (the water changes might be replenishing your levels, hence no need to dose).

[subman]

Sorry I read this at a red light your alk is fine I thought it was 3.5dkh. It's perfect where it is my mistake.

Originally Posted by Seriak

Your Alk is fine. What is your Mg at?

What Seriak said mg may be your problem

[kien]

If you don't already have one, which you did suggest that you didn't, I would get a phosphate test kit and figure out your P04. Phosphates can be an inhibitor of growth. At least it would be nice to rule it out even if it's in check.