Bet you can't figure this out.
- Thread starter neoalchemist74
- Start date
mutateddogbone
New member
what is that? copper or a magnet?
redfishsc
New member
Several things come to mind.
The first one involves the beer. How many of those do you dose in a day lol?
Now on a more serious note.
You're using GFO fairly aggressively, it seems, and also have very low phosphate according to the numbers you post.
That's generally good for SPS, but they do need "some" phosphorus.
In your case I'd recommend reducing your GFO by half, and increase your direct coral feedings using a very fine particulate food like Reef Chili or something.
You don't want to "jack up" your phosphate readings, but you do want to sneak a little in there for nutrition....
The corals just sound starved to me, limited by phosphorus. They don't need much... just a little.
Just to throw this out in the open, but I personally believe that grounding probes aren't as useful as people think.
I won't fully claim to understand all that's behind this, but I do know for sure that a grounding probe will turn stray voltage into stray amperage (current), which is probably more of a problem than stray voltage.
I have around 10v "stray" in my tank and I totally ignore it. It's coming from my Maxi-jets (I have 4 or 5 of them in the system) and maybe some other pumps, and it goes away little by little as I turn them off one by one. So I know it's not a single "leaky" pump.
I just ignore it. Voltage by itself isn't dangerous, it means there is "potential" danger. Current, however, is very dangerous (well, depending on the load). I know on my system, a latent 10v isn't anything to worry about.
The first one involves the beer. How many of those do you dose in a day lol?
Now on a more serious note.
You're using GFO fairly aggressively, it seems, and also have very low phosphate according to the numbers you post.
That's generally good for SPS, but they do need "some" phosphorus.
In your case I'd recommend reducing your GFO by half, and increase your direct coral feedings using a very fine particulate food like Reef Chili or something.
You don't want to "jack up" your phosphate readings, but you do want to sneak a little in there for nutrition....
The corals just sound starved to me, limited by phosphorus. They don't need much... just a little.
Just to throw this out in the open, but I personally believe that grounding probes aren't as useful as people think.
I won't fully claim to understand all that's behind this, but I do know for sure that a grounding probe will turn stray voltage into stray amperage (current), which is probably more of a problem than stray voltage.
I have around 10v "stray" in my tank and I totally ignore it. It's coming from my Maxi-jets (I have 4 or 5 of them in the system) and maybe some other pumps, and it goes away little by little as I turn them off one by one. So I know it's not a single "leaky" pump.
I just ignore it. Voltage by itself isn't dangerous, it means there is "potential" danger. Current, however, is very dangerous (well, depending on the load). I know on my system, a latent 10v isn't anything to worry about.
neoalchemist74
New member
Its a magnet, Stainless coated,IE a conglomerate of heavy metals. I falsely assumed it was sealed. The magnet wasn't under the water level but through salt creep and water level in sump rising during water changes it slowly corroded until the casing opened and then sped up and started dissolving
neoalchemist74
New member
Let me clarify.I use two gfo reactors each filled w/ about 6 oz of GFO but not at the same time. I alternate between the two whanever I get a phos reading. As for the stray voltage I am definately concerned but need to buy a good volt meter to be sure.
Last edited:
mutateddogbone
New member
man thats the last thing i thought it would be.. crazy that iamwrasseman hit it on the head the first reply. the corrosives and dissolved metal did the trick. any improvement since you removed it?
*note to self, when having problems do an all inclusive equipment check*
*note to self, when having problems do an all inclusive equipment check*
neoalchemist74
New member
I've been running cuprisorb and have gone back to my normall regiment of passive carbon, by-weekly water changes and 6 oz. of gfo for about 2 weeks, and I'm starting to see new growth again (yeeaaaa!) on afew of the corals that were affected. Some are still suffering, but its a deffinate turn around.
neoalchemist74
New member
Well its late August, and this tank is deffinately over the problem and growing nicely. It seems the heavy metals from the magnet have depleted the amount of bacteria in my system so I've had to fight a mini cycle and with the help of Brightwell Micro bacter I'm at ZERO NO3 and PO4. I'm still fighting a little stray algea and dino from the cycle but the good news is that I've not lost any more corals ( other than 2/3 of my mature colonies) and I'm seeing good growth again. I'm taking everyones suggestion into consideration though to make slow improvements upon the system. I'm running less GFO for less duration, I've started the switch to Vortechs to cut duwn the risk of electrcal componants, I've removed my sand sifting star and am careful not to disturb more than 1/2" of my sand bed.
One other thing I should mention. Through this process I've found that by using air stones to airate my change water I've been pre loading my change water with dust and dander, DON'T USE AIR STONES TO AIRATE YOUR WATER. Its bad news.
Thanx everyone for your help, it was all invaluable.
One other thing I should mention. Through this process I've found that by using air stones to airate my change water I've been pre loading my change water with dust and dander, DON'T USE AIR STONES TO AIRATE YOUR WATER. Its bad news.
Thanx everyone for your help, it was all invaluable.
