Green Leather Tree Coral

[Flyboy450r]

Hi guy put a green leather tree coral (Thats what the LFS called it) in my tank Sunday and its now Wednesday and it looks ruff. It contacts and expanses when the light is turned on/ off but it looks limp. Not laying on the sand limp. But if it was a tree it would be a weeping willow. Not the oak it was in the pet store. Its in the middle front section of my 29g tank under a 150w MH. Anyone have any idea's the water is in check my p.h. is low though 7.8 which ive been fighting with forever, and my calc wont go up according to my api test kits its 80 which i find hard to believe. Nitrates are 10-20 ??? Im dosing with reef vital dna, and purple up, also im trying to use sea chems reef buffer to raise my p.h. for the little guy but my alk is getting pretty hi. Thanks mike. Also im using instant ocean reef salt over there standard so i know that contains more trace elements than the standard.

[Original Fin]

Can you get a pic of that coral?
7.8 is right at the danger zone for a reef. Nitrates 10-20 aren't great, but that's probably the least of your troubles. The only way calcium would ever get that low would be if you are not doing water changes. How often/how much do you?

How high is your Alk? Have you checked magnesium? If it's out of balance you will not be able to raise cal. I advise stop using the purple up. It doesn't do anything to raise cal...all it does is screw with ph and cloud your water.

That mh may be a bit strong for softies in a tank that small initially, you may need to raise it up and gradually lower it back down to acclimate.

Forget about the ph buffer....you're chasing your talk with that stuff. Focus on balancing Alk, cal and mag. When you do, ph will get to where it needs to be on it's own. I'd stop Dosing the reef essentials for now too. Unless you have all those trace test kits, you have no idea when you've overshot the mark, and too much can make balancing chemistry impossible.

[Original Fin]

The only way calcium would ever get that low would be if you are not doing water changes.

Actually, that's not true...there are other factors in water chemistry that could prevent cal from remaining soluble beyond a certain point. Low Magnesium being one of them.

It's not that you can't add more cal, it's just that it wont stay in solution. It's probably precipitating and hardening your substrate and/or forming deposits elsewhere like in your pumps/plumbing. Either that or your test kit is no good. It's worth a second opinion.

[Flyboy450r]

I have no idea what my mag is i tried to get a test kit today but everything is closed on account of the blizzard. Also my calc kit is still good but to be honest i've never had a high reading with it. Ive been struggling with my p.h. since I started this hobby. Ive never had it above 7.8 and it doesn't change at all morning to evening. I do water changes once a week 20% but I plan do do a few larger ones to get my nitrates back down. Ill post a pic asap thanks mike.

[Flyboy450r]

Leather Coral picture by mcogar86 - Photobucket

Heres a Pic and some more of my coral and bta

[Original Fin]

Nice tank. I like your rock structure.

First thing about PH if you say it's always been low would be to make sure you're getting an accurate reading. Have you always used the same test kit, or have you tried different methods?

If you're able to verify PH is actually low, next thing I would do is get a mag kit (when you can), test and get it to somewhere around 1300. Once you're sure mag is where it needs to be, then work on balancing Cal and Alk. If mag is low, cal additives will only precipitate and you'll be wasting time and $.

If you find you are way off on Alk and Cal, you'll want to raise them to normal, ballanced levels slowly. Baking soda (not powder) works well for large Alk adjustments. Calcium chloride works well for large calcium adjustments. You don't want to dose more in 24 hrs than would change PH by more than 2 tenths of a point. Whatever products you use should come with dosing instructions, but I find this reef chemistry calculator invaluable in case you're unsure. 'Reef Chemistry Calculator FV'
Once you get them in range, measure the daily/weekly depletion rate, and then use two part additives daily for maintenance dosing.

I also wonder if you might be having an issue with CO2 and gas exhange? It's not the only thing can cause low PH, but it's worth checking. Do you have CO2 issues in your home, like is the tank in a stagnant area of the house that doesn't get much fresh air/ventilation? Does this tank have a cover, or is it open? Do you have a skimmer injecting fresh air into the water collumn...make/model? Some people have had success by extending their skimmer breather tubing to the outside, thus injecting fresh air into the water column.

[Saltwater To Go]

Your leather looks like its just fine. They tend to get a little wilty when they are moved from tank to tank. Marc Wiese coral vital really works well to get new corals to open up. 80 on the cal that is reallly low. Did you say you are using reef crystals? Sounds like your magnesium is low, you definitly need to check your mag. levels.

Fishman

[Flyboy450r]

No this is a brand new test kit every test kit Ive ever had has said the same thing as far as p.h. goes. Im not 100 percent sure about my calc test kit I just bought it six months ago but I cant find a expiration date but it may be wrong I hope it is Im planning to buy a new one today. Along with the mag and alk. I don't know why this one didn't come with a alk???? Ive done alot of reading about the p.h. and I have to be honest ive never put a air stone in a bucket to see if there not enough aeration. Nor have I tested the p.h before I put it in my tank to see what it is with this new salt. I hope your right about the leather coral did anyone go forward in my pic's and see my bta? I have never though it looked right but im pretty new to anemone's Ive had it for three months just wondering though. But I hope we get this all straightened out thanks for all the help.

[Flyboy450r]

Well I could not find a mag kit to save my life. I did get a few new test kits though and have a few new results.

Alk-179 kh
- 10 dkh
Which I know is way to high need advice

Calc-520
New test kit worked

P.H. 8.2
Retested today after using the buffer the other day may have raised my alk

Phosphates

0.25
Cant believe I have any reading but im working on lowering it

Well I know my water is all out of wack thanks for any help ordering a mag kit asap

[Original Fin]

Actually that doesn't sound too bad. Cal will fall on it's own over time as it's consumed. Alk is on the higher end, but not out of range. This too will fall on it's own as long as you're not dosing anything. My guess now is that mag is probably ok, but would be good to know regardless.

[Flyboy450r]

Yeah I did some reading last night and I know some people aim for alk and calc that high. But im assuming my p.h went up because i dosed the p.h. buffer. Which kinda leaves me in the boat if i stop dosing its going to drop again and ill be back with a low p.h. were I have been the whole time. I think first im going to aim one getting my nitrates down then if my mag is ok and once my alk, and calc are ok im going to target the p.h. im really starting to think its a o2 issue. Also could my leather be trying to get away from the m.h. light aka why its leaning over? The lfs guy had that idea didnt know what everyone thought.

[Flyboy450r]

So I tested my r.o water and found the source of my phosphates. I talked to the lfs guy and he was going to test them for himself and call in the service guy to fix the issue. Also tested my mixed salt water before adding it to my tank and it was the same reading in calc, and alk but my p.h. was really low 7.6 or so. I'm going to bubble my tank water tomorrow when I do a water change and see if I can raise my p.h. Ill let you know how that goes. But as far as the high alk and calc before it even goes in my tank should I change salt? If so any suggestion? Just looking for ideas i have not ordered the mag yet but ill do it tomorrow.

[Flyboy450r]

So I woke up this morning and I don't think the leather coral is going to make it. It looks pretty bad now its just limp.