[tango]

This is my situation...
I had a fresh water tank for about 6 yrs. had very little problems.
After shutting down my tank for about a year I decided to get involved w/salt water reef/fish tank. I did as much research and reading about the subject as I could before I set up my tank. This is what I have, 90 gal. tank, 100lbs cured
LR, 100lbs live sand, 4 802 power heads for water movement, UV sterilizer,
Eco system 40 hang on back refugium, Coralife deluxe series light,and only
use live sea water (not mixed).
In the tank for fish I have 1 powder blue tang, 1 sail fin tang, 2 blue green chromas, 2 clown fish (nemo type), 1 pajama cardinal, 1 brittle star, 12 snails, 12 small sand burrowing snails, 1 open brain, 1 monipora, 1 brown sps, 2 feather dusters (lost their feathers, one is still in tube don't know about other one), 1 small clam, 3 cleaner shrimp pulsing xenia, yellow zooanthids, & some button polyps.
I set the tank up end of NOV.
everything was going fine, until about 2 1/2-3 weeks ago, xenias shrivled up,
zooanthids closed up but still alive, feather dusters lost feathers couple days ago. I have tested my water w/2 diff. test kits & get same readings-
ph 8.2 amonia 0ppm-0.25 nitrite 0ppm nitrate 10 ppm (added refugium last week to help nitrates) 0 phos. 380 cal. what could be causing my steady decline?? I am at witts end!!!! & the other day my sps started bleaching out!!
I also have a protien skimmer working also.
I don't think I'm over feeding.
What could be causing this???

[Reefland]

Where do you get your seawater from and what is the salinity and temperature?

[tango]

Originally Posted by Reefland

Where do you get your seawater from and what is the salinity and temperature?

I get from my LFS It's called Nuti sea water, comes in a 4.4 gal jug
my salinity is at 35, specific gr @1.026, temp is at 78-80 deg.

[vtec si]

What are your ALK and MAG levels?

Martin

[tango]

Originally Posted by vtec si

What are your ALK and MAG levels?

Martin

My ALK is at 300 ppm, not sure what my MAG level is.
Not to sound too stupid but is the Mag reading ultra important?
I could not find a test kit for it at my LFS. What should the levels be at and how can you raise and lower them?