Feeling like I should give up. Nothing is working

Starting back to the basics of your stats, have you used multiple methods to verify your readings? I've had the occasional bad test kit, and I've had my refractometer get out of calibration before. It seems to be worth a second look for you.

Have you checked the parameters of your newly mixed salt water before water changes? Years ago I mixed a batch that had alk of 13 dkH. That was a downer. I now test before I use new water.

For the stray voltage, I agree with others. Unplug everything, one item at a time. Do that before you buy a grounding plug. Better to find the problem before you try to treat it.

Find out the TDS of your RO/DI. Also find out if your city uses chloramines. Both of those could cause your issues and are relatively easy fixes.

Good luck - I hope you find your answer!
 
Do you have a TDS meter on your RODI system? If so, what does your product water read? I pulled up your location's water quality report here, and you have incredibly hard, alkaline water (average of 500 ppm TDS, 151 ppm total alkalinity).

My guess is that your carbon block(s) is definitely gone after 10 months, and I'd be surprised if your DI cartridge isn't shot as well. The good news is that, at least at the time of the water quality report (2012), your city wasn't running chloramine. Regardless, having that high of a dissolved solids in your source water means that it could have substantial metal content, and your RODI system might not be taking it out. I'd at least look into it.
 
dkeller_nc said:
Do you have a TDS meter on your RODI system? If so, what does your product water read? I pulled up your location's water quality report here, and you have incredibly hard, alkaline water (average of 500 ppm TDS, 151 ppm total alkalinity).

My guess is that your carbon block(s) is definitely gone after 10 months, and I'd be surprised if your DI cartridge isn't shot as well. The good news is that, at least at the time of the water quality report (2012), your city wasn't running chloramine. Regardless, having that high of a dissolved solids in your source water means that it could have substantial metal content, and your RODI system might not be taking it out. I'd at least look into it.
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How often would you recommend I run the filters for the carbon and sediment stages? I have no pressure loss so I doubt at least the sediment is getting fully used.

my inline tds reads 0 but my com80 reads 3ppm. I knew it was time at 2ppm...but I didn't think 2ppm would make or break anything.

Either way I will replace all filters. I have sediment carbon and 2 di stages - maxcap and silicabuster.
 
1. are you dosing your alk once, twice or many times a day?

2. what is the ph of the tank water (especially at night)?

3. have you done homework on, and started to look for pests? Acropora eating flatworms, red bugs, etc?
 
ajcanale said:
Given the number's already provided pH is most likely not an issue.
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if it's a ph of 7.9 measured during the day...I wonder what the ph is at night. is it reaching 7.7?

I have witnessed several of my tanks just struggle to maintain a variety of seriatapora, pocillipora and acropora if the ph didnt get above 7.9 AND alkalinity stay below 9. So yeah I kinda think this is an issue.
 
ps2cho said:
How often would you recommend I run the filters for the carbon and sediment stages? I have no pressure loss so I doubt at least the sediment is getting fully used.

my inline tds reads 0 but my com80 reads 3ppm. I knew it was time at 2ppm...but I didn't think 2ppm would make or break anything.

Either way I will replace all filters. I have sediment carbon and 2 di stages - maxcap and silicabuster.
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I can only give you my example as far as replacement of carbon. I have a 75gpd system that supplies make-up and water change RODI for 50g and 20g display tanks, as well as a 55g live rock storage tank. I run a re-fillable cartridge with BRS catalytic carbon, then a BRS universal carbon block, and I change both every 3 months; I estimate that they'd actually last 4-5 months. However, my tap water is very low in total organic carbon, so the carbon retains its ability to remove chlorine and catalytically split chloramine longer than I'd expect to be the case if my municipal water was "dirtier".

My DI replacement schedule is probably a poor model for your situation - I replace it about once per year, but that's because my municipal; tap water is extremely low in dissolved minerals - less than 50 ppm.
 
What test kits did you use to produce posted #'s??????

Looks like you have water flow dynamics in the display well handled. however, 350 gph system pump???is that rating head pressure adjusted???? either way, I would be pushing AT LEAST 500gph through the sump/ (actual system turnover) on a 60gal SPS.

Ph / temp swing in 24hr period? have you measured? how are you measuring?

I saw that others mentioned maybe switch to MH/T5s, I would say that is sound. Or maybe crank down your LEDs and add a few t-5's if possible?
 
"My dosing is barely anything...the BRS dosers are only doing 3ml/day and alk is 1ml/day. It used to be more, but with everything dieing, I had to scale it back. "
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Why are you dosing two parts in unequal amounts? Scaling it back may not be helping? With things dieing did you notice your ALK and CAL creeping up? If not there was no need to stop dosing and you may have starved them of need elements.


Also i notice sand and bare spots. With a 75x turn over are you sandblasting your corals? Is there super fine particles in the sand?
 
I will also add when I lost 3 or 4 frags over 2 weeks I found that my salinity had dropped from 1.026 to 1.0245ish. Wet skimming and only replacing with RO was the culprit.
 
71xlch said:
I will also add when I lost 3 or 4 frags over 2 weeks I found that my salinity had dropped from 1.026 to 1.0245ish. Wet skimming and only replacing with RO was the culprit.
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That's not going be the problem.may add to what's wrong but not the major problem. I drop to 1.023 all the time.
Don't buy any more frags till you solve the tank is stable. If you going to buy anything get some old school bulletproof sps like green slimmer. Work with a check list and when your done wait a few day and check again and repeat .

No quick fix out there and snake oil only for short term. Took me a long time to get my tank dailed in and it's still has problems.
True you may get lucky. But luck will only last so long.
I screw up my carbon dosing at the begin because I wanted to rush now I'm still dealing with a red algae.
 
I don't have any absolute fix for you but do have some advice.
1.) fix the stray voltage problem, irregardless of the coral health it is a potential problem for you or anybody else who may contact the water. 19v isn't bad but could it get worse suddenly? who knows just fix it.
2.) BRS and others sell cheap test kits for chlorine and chloramines, $12.00 or so, or better yet send a sample of RO water to a county extension office or local college for testing. stop wondering and throwing money at a "possible" problem, find out.
3.) The Reefbreeders are not a problem. Settings may need to be adjusted but light will grow coral for sure.
4.) Take one of the affected corals out and dip it in an iodine type "disinfectant" dip. see if this stops it at least temporarily. If it does I would suspect a bacterial infection.
5.) As said by others double check and verify all results, even if you "know for sure" they are alright. Been caught by this more than once myself.
6.) I really doubt it is a problem but if you want shoot for PO4 of .02-.04 and NO3 of 3 or less(not zero.)
7.) Anything growing that could be allolepic(?) attacking ? Leather coral, etc.. This can be more of a problem in a small tank.
Anyway some ideas, hope you have success soon.
 
Contact Spectrapure if you are questioning your filter regimen- they would know better than anyone what works with your water and for how long- I think they are probably processing the same water.
 
What's the air movement in your house like? If you house is super sealed up like mine is it should explain the ph Levels. Mine were around the 7.8-7.7 during the day. Until I opened all the windows around the tank, took off the hood opened the are around the sump and let it breathe. Unbelievable. I was watching the ph climb! Now sits comfortably around 8.1.
 
Maybe I missed it, but are you target feeding any micro plankton? I notice my corals pop after dosing with phytoplankton and zooplankton.

Key factors for health and growth:
1) water quality
2) food
3) light

1) Corals survive with light but thrive with target feeding.
2) Target feeding affects water quality, requiring adequate filtration- sump, macro algae, frequent cleaning filter floss.
3) Different corals require different ligh/flow. Research light and flow requirements of corals you are trying to keep and adjust accordingly- or get corals suitable to your light/flow.
4) Find out what is acceptable voltage for corals. Some power supplies/surge suppressor a claim "clean energy". You might need such a device to clean up the current.

Good luck.
 
This has been asked but not answered. How are you controlling temperature? Do you have any daily swings? A consistent temp is really important. Especially in an enclosed system, out on the reef they can handle swings. But there is an unlimited body of water flowing and no chance of them causing bacterial blooms, etc.
 
71xlch said:
please tell that to the newest corals I had added that were wild acros....a stressed acro can die very easily.
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Some "fresh/ unstabilized" wild collected acros can croak if you sneeze wrong, I wouldn't put all the blame on a small salinity swing like that.
 
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