I have never been so pleased with a zero but...

[prodman]

I was pleased to find that I have .00 po4 and .00 no3 . I made some dosing adjustments with a lot of help from Bob 3 weeks ago. Everything else tested out good as well. I did all the tests as I was concerned about 2 corals. They both have darkened tissue at base and have a lack of polyp extension. The tissue is there but looks like crap. I cant describe it any better than that. In the zeo guide it talks about similar symptoms occurring with an overdose of PIF or FE.I have been adding the PIF 6 drops at least 3x a week with my k-balance and 4 drops 2x week of the FE. Is this a case of less is more and I need to be more careful now that my nutrients are lower?
Thanks

[Aged Salt]

Hi Paul, do the two corals look "dried out", w/o a slime coat? If so, for the next few wks, dose both Bak & Food7 just once/wk & double your dosage of C-V[18-20 drops]. Your other quantities should be fine. Increase your WC's by 5%/wk. also. Bob

[prodman]

yes they do look dried out. .And I will do that. Thanks Bob.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Paul, one more thought with your situation, being your K+ may be deficient. I'd recommend also increasing K-B to dosing it daily at the present quantity for 2wks. then post-up your results. Thnx. Bob

[prodman]

What are the overdose signs for k-balance and CV? Just I can be on the look out for the next couple weeks.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Paul, there are no excess signs for C-V with the possible exception of the corals growing out of the water K-B excess with be a fine brown haze deposit on your panes, darkening our the corals & tissue-tip recession. With the schedule that I outlined previously, you will not have any excess signs. Bob

[prodman]

Its been 10 days and no real change. I have been adding the extra CV and the daily KB. Tested my water this morning I have dkh 6.4, CA 420,Mg 1250 No4 0,po4 .02.
I also have a lack of polyp extension in the corals that have the dried dark base problems and ones that dont.Some show less PE and a few show no PE. Over all the display has less PE, My frag tank on the other hand has great PE and its tied into the same system.

So is this a water issue do I have a fish nipping? I have looked but cant catch anyone. I have a bristle tooth tang,rabbit fish, 4 chromis, 2 anthias, possum wrasse and a pygmy hawk. The only change in tank was that I stopped cycling my zeo reactor on and off.
Thanks Paul

[prodman]

And I dont think I have red bugs. I was looking with a friends mesascope and could not find any.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Paul, those mesoscopes do come in handy--just a unbelieveable instrument.

Paul plz. raise your KH to ~ 7.5 & try to keep it in that range. P-E should improve. I forget why you stopped cycling the reactor, but that would only be a problem if N03's/P04's are rising. The zeolites do not release any toxic substances for the causation. Bob

[prodman]

So 7.5 but no higher right? I stopped cycling because you said it was only needed in the first phases. Do you think the lower kh would effect some corals more than others? Because I have some corals that look fine and a few have no P-E.
Thanks

[Aged Salt]

Yes, it has nothing to do with the zeolites. Be sure the Ca <450 & Mg<1350 with the KH between 7.5-8.0, w/o rapid swings. Polyp-extension should improve unless there is a K+ deficit, but I believe you're dosing K-B. LMK if you're not, Bob

[prodman]

Well I have been doing what you suggested and it seems to have worked.Coral colors have improved and P-E is much better. But now I am having another issue. My plumbed in frag tank has been growing more and more algae. . Its green and fluffy.And I have had to clean the glass much more frequently in the display tank I have not got any less than po4 .02 in the last few weeks. I have gradually increased my start2 to .25 3x a day. Should I increase that more? Should I start cycling my reactor again? thanks Paul

[Aged Salt]

Hi Paul, glad your corals are looking better For the next two wks, monitor the appearance of your corals & P04's level, while cycling the zeolite reactor, do not change your basic four dosages, but do decrease AAHC to four drops/day & hold Fe all together during this tine frame. Plz. update us in 2 wks, thnx. Bob

[prodman]

Thanks I will do that.

[prodman]

I just tested at .05 po4. I have not had it that high since the beginning. I did forget to say that I also added some extra live rock to the tank. About 40-45 lbs. It had only been cooked for a couple weeks. But it was not sheeding much detritus in the tub I was cooking it in. And it was free from algae. but I am thinking that might be a reason for the spike in po4.