ReeferNoob4ever
New member
Something else I thought of is, what's your salinity and how are you testing it? Have you checked for stray electrical current?
Feeling Deflated...
- Thread starter mauricion69
- Start date
Mr. Brooks
MASVC Member
This sounds very similar to a metal contamination issue I had with a Dart pump leaching rust into my saltwater mixing station. Every time I did a water change I made the problem worse.
Like you I couldn't keep a snail alive. They would all die and contribute to the algae problem. You are well aware of how frustrating this can be. It took me over a year to figure out the problem with the help of a couple Triton tests.
I highly recommend sending your water out to be tested by Triton. It's what saved my tank.
I would check the inside of every pump and magnet that interacts with your tank or your RO/DI for contamination.
Also, make sure you're changing your DI filters the minute they start to read over 001 on a TDS meter.
It's always a good idea to calibrate your testing equipment when things are inexplicably going wrong. Especially your refractometer.
Like you I couldn't keep a snail alive. They would all die and contribute to the algae problem. You are well aware of how frustrating this can be. It took me over a year to figure out the problem with the help of a couple Triton tests.
I highly recommend sending your water out to be tested by Triton. It's what saved my tank.
I would check the inside of every pump and magnet that interacts with your tank or your RO/DI for contamination.
Also, make sure you're changing your DI filters the minute they start to read over 001 on a TDS meter.
It's always a good idea to calibrate your testing equipment when things are inexplicably going wrong. Especially your refractometer.
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ReeferNoob4ever
New member
"It's always a good idea to calibrate your testing equipment when things are inexplicably going wrong. Especially your refractometer."
THIS
THIS
Water Quality...I had similar issues when I setup my last tank, here are a few things you can do:
- Get some Seachem Prime and add a single dose to your tank. If you have metal contamination, it can be a temporary band aid. Ill dose my tank when things don't look quite right, as a precaution.
- See if your water company uses chloramines. If so, make sure you are using the correct carbon blocks. BRS has carbon blocks specifically for it.
- Get a Triton test. This will make sure your home tests are accurate, as well as highlight any metal contamination and a lack of any elements you can't test for.
I had weird algae issues and had difficulties keeping sensitive fish and corals alive. It turns out my water source is one of the worst in the country. Then, my triton test revealed that my salifert magnesium test was off by 300 ppm, there were high levels of tin from a bad mag float, and my iodine was stripped too. In my case: getting the proper carbon blocks, using Prime in change water and top off water, and getting my mag dialed in brought everything back. My tank is finally starting to take off now.
You also noted that you cured your rocks in a brute container. Was it food safe? The wrong container could have easily contaminated your rock.
- Get some Seachem Prime and add a single dose to your tank. If you have metal contamination, it can be a temporary band aid. Ill dose my tank when things don't look quite right, as a precaution.
- See if your water company uses chloramines. If so, make sure you are using the correct carbon blocks. BRS has carbon blocks specifically for it.
- Get a Triton test. This will make sure your home tests are accurate, as well as highlight any metal contamination and a lack of any elements you can't test for.
I had weird algae issues and had difficulties keeping sensitive fish and corals alive. It turns out my water source is one of the worst in the country. Then, my triton test revealed that my salifert magnesium test was off by 300 ppm, there were high levels of tin from a bad mag float, and my iodine was stripped too. In my case: getting the proper carbon blocks, using Prime in change water and top off water, and getting my mag dialed in brought everything back. My tank is finally starting to take off now.
You also noted that you cured your rocks in a brute container. Was it food safe? The wrong container could have easily contaminated your rock.
All this Reef Central advise is good. Also consider bringing in a person familiar with salt water tanks -professional or just another fellow reefer to TAKE A LOOK at your setup. Sometimes the "too obvious" is hard to notice on your own system.
One time someone chimed in about getting a bad batch of salt and for months things went to sh*t. Then with switching to another batch things recovered. . .
But do one change at a time to pinpoint the culprit.
Good luck!
One time someone chimed in about getting a bad batch of salt and for months things went to sh*t. Then with switching to another batch things recovered. . .
But do one change at a time to pinpoint the culprit.
Good luck!
mauricion69
New member
Ive thought of this as well but don't most use big Rubbermaid brutes to store and mix water?
Salinity is at 1.026, and is tested with a Milwaukee digital refractometer that I calibrate with calibration solution.
And I have not checked for stray electrical current. How would I go about doing that?
I will definitely open up my return pump and the pump I use to mix saltwater(old used iwaki) and I will look into the triton test now.
For the most part i used all new sand when I set it up the aquarium, I used a bit of established sand from the 65g to fill in some low spots.
The coral and snail death has been a very slow process, so it never really raised ammonia much.
mauricion69
New member
Thanks guys for the help so far, makes me want to figure this thing out!
I have ordered some poly filters, and will most likely send a sample to triton.
Here are some pics of my setup. Sorry, I only have an iPhone as a camera.
First is the aquarium, with shots of the algae.
Second is my basement under the aquarium with my sump and plumbing, and QT.
And third is my R/O and mixing station.
I have ordered some poly filters, and will most likely send a sample to triton.
Here are some pics of my setup. Sorry, I only have an iPhone as a camera.
First is the aquarium, with shots of the algae.
Second is my basement under the aquarium with my sump and plumbing, and QT.
And third is my R/O and mixing station.
ReeferNoob4ever
New member
fishguy306
Member
I'm not much help as I'm currently looking to set up my first reef, however recently I was in a similar position. Something got into my system and killed off all of my freshwater stingrays, lost about $5k worth of fish over the course of a month. Really considered giving it all up as it is heartbreaking. But I decided to take a step back, and try a reef which is something I've always wanted but never done. I love the look of your tank and your equipment room looks really clean and well organized. I hope you are able to get it solved as you've got the potential for an amazing setup. Problem after problem is tough, but it is worth sticking it out and figuring it out.
mauricion69
New member
Voltage is only 7 volts max.
mauricion69
New member
I thought I'd update everyone on my setup. It's been over couple months since I started this thread.
So a few things changed after my last post. For one, I ran out of salt, and the brand I use, was sold out at all my Lfs so I went over a month without doing a water change.
Also I lowered my lighting schedule to about 5 hours.
Weeks went by and I noticed a significant change in the algae. At first I thought it was just me, but then my wife started mentioning that my tank was looking a lot better.
I opened up my iwaki pump that I use to mix salt water and fill my sump when I do water changes, and found a 1" crack in the plastic coating of the impelar. Not sure if I'll be able to source a replacement in Canada. Maybe I can JB Weld it
I purchased about 20 snails a month ago, and have only found 1-2 dead.
Also, I was finally able to locally source some poly-filter. And have been using it for the past month, and it has slowly started to turn light brown which is normal for organics.
Also, I have continued to use the basic zeovit system.
Algae is pretty much all gone, coralline is booming, and my tank hasn't looked this good in a loooong time.
I really wish I could have narrowed the problem down, but it seems like there's was a few causes. The no water changes alone could have corrected the issue with problems from the iwaki pump, my storage containers leaching something, or bad water from my city.
I have since done a couple water changes, and have started to slowly raise the lighting schedule, hoping I can get it back to where it once was.
Thanks everyone
So a few things changed after my last post. For one, I ran out of salt, and the brand I use, was sold out at all my Lfs so I went over a month without doing a water change.
Also I lowered my lighting schedule to about 5 hours.
Weeks went by and I noticed a significant change in the algae. At first I thought it was just me, but then my wife started mentioning that my tank was looking a lot better.
I opened up my iwaki pump that I use to mix salt water and fill my sump when I do water changes, and found a 1" crack in the plastic coating of the impelar. Not sure if I'll be able to source a replacement in Canada. Maybe I can JB Weld it
I purchased about 20 snails a month ago, and have only found 1-2 dead.
Also, I was finally able to locally source some poly-filter. And have been using it for the past month, and it has slowly started to turn light brown which is normal for organics.
Also, I have continued to use the basic zeovit system.
Algae is pretty much all gone, coralline is booming, and my tank hasn't looked this good in a loooong time.
I really wish I could have narrowed the problem down, but it seems like there's was a few causes. The no water changes alone could have corrected the issue with problems from the iwaki pump, my storage containers leaching something, or bad water from my city.
I have since done a couple water changes, and have started to slowly raise the lighting schedule, hoping I can get it back to where it once was.
Thanks everyone
Shia
New member
I agree too many variables to narrow down what caused it, could have also been a contaminated batch of salt. When adding things back to the tank I would move slowly. I imagine you are toping off with your RO/DI and things are moving in a positive direction. Maybe initially use a standard bucket and start with water changes again and monitor for a couple of weeks. That goes well bring back the big brute containers and a new pump and keep watching. Any residual contamination will be eventually removed with carbon. Happy to hear everything is going well.
mauricion69
New member
No need to worry, those 2 receptacles are fed from another set of receptacles under the right side of the bench, where they are protected by a gfci.
I'm actually a licensed electrician. Local 353
mauricion69
New member
Just took a good look at it, and checked the BRS website. Looks to be all pls and plastic
mauricion69
New member
PVC and plastic ***
Mad Marine
Member
Switch to triton method, leave tank fallow for two months, while fallow add very small amounts of food per day and light cycle on as you normally would
