Halp!!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa, do you use rodi water maybe your water where you live has a large amount of heavy metals or copper pipes could also be the culprit. I wouldnt throw your live rock away, its hard for me to see how it would be the problem. At the very least I would put it in a bucket and keep it in water. Sorry I dont have any better answers than that wish I could help more. If I get a free moment Its a long shot but I might could get enough time in the next few weeks to run up there with some test kits and 15 or 20 gallons of my tank water just in case we find something. I wish you the best.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15321120#post15321120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tommy patton
Lisa, do you use rodi water maybe your water where you live has a large amount of heavy metals or copper pipes could also be the culprit. I wouldnt throw your live rock away, its hard for me to see how it would be the problem. At the very least I would put it in a bucket and keep it in water. Sorry I dont have any better answers than that wish I could help more. If I get a free moment Its a long shot but I might could get enough time in the next few weeks to run up there with some test kits and 15 or 20 gallons of my tank water just in case we find something. I wish you the best.
Click to expand...

Yes, I use RO/DI.
I make my own with an AirWaterIce filter.
Just checked, TDS out of the faucet is 210.
TDS of my RO water is 1.2.
Thanks Tommy, I truly appreciate it.
 
The really curious thing to me here is that after moving the 20L into the new 30g system, everything was doing much better.
Within 2 hrs. after adding the Vortech MP20 back into the tank, the corals got unhappy again and returned to how they had been looking before the move.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
 
One possiblilty could that the corals hadn't adjusted to the higher flow rate. I know that the MP20s are adjustable, so what flow rate did you have it set at? Also the new pump and flow could have caused detritus in your sand bed to release into the water column which would most likey up your detectable nitratites/nitrates at least temporarily until the skimmer removed them. Even if it didn't disturb the sand bed it could have forced silt and detritus/ fish poop from your rocks into the water column and the corals might be reacting in protest. I know it may sound far fetched but that is just my $.02.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15322050#post15322050 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spongie
One possiblilty could that the corals hadn't adjusted to the higher flow rate. I know that the MP20s are adjustable, so what flow rate did you have it set at? Also the new pump and flow could have caused detritus in your sand bed to release into the water column which would most likey up your detectable nitratites/nitrates at least temporarily until the skimmer removed them. Even if it didn't disturb the sand bed it could have forced silt and detritus/ fish poop from your rocks into the water column and the corals might be reacting in protest. I know it may sound far fetched but that is just my $.02.
Click to expand...

The sand was completely new, had only been in there for 2 weeks.
Doubt there was much to kick up.
I considered that the corals needed to adjust to the flow rate and waited about 5 days to see if there was any improvement.
There wasn't.
I started out on the Lagoon setting at 50% max power.
From there I tried adjusting the power to a lower level and also tried using the Reef Crest setting.
No improvement in Coral Response.
 
It sounds to me like the reaction after adding the MP20 is more than just coincidence. I know you said you have a GFCI and a ground probe but is seems like it could be leaking stray voltage into your tank. Try unplugging it for a couple of days and see what happens.

Just my .015! Good Luck
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15323022#post15323022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shirley386
It sounds to me like the reaction after adding the MP20 is more than just coincidence. I know you said you have a GFCI and a ground probe but is seems like it could be leaking stray voltage into your tank. Try unplugging it for a couple of days and see what happens.

Just my .015! Good Luck
Click to expand...

It seems like more than a coincidence to me as well, but one of the unique things about the Vortech pumps is that the motor sits on the outside of the aquarium, so it's not possible for it to be leaking stray voltage.

Dunno if this will help, but here are pics I took of the Wet and Dry Sides of the MP20:

Inside of Dry Side showing the magnet:
IMG_3986.jpg


Cover for Dry Side showing the unbent pins:
IMG_3987.jpg


Underside of the magnet for the Wet Side:
IMG_3983.jpg


Top of the Wet Side:
IMG_3981.jpg


IMG_3985.jpg


Some of the parts that sit on the shaft of the Wet Side:
IMG_3989.jpg


IMG_3990.jpg
 
Another piece of the puzzle that would be nice is the amount of the ear drops dosed and the concenration of the ingredients in the drops. Regardless I doubt that is your problem at this point.
Did you mention adding sand 2 weeks before the problem started? If so where did you get it from and what kind of sand is it?
These things can be extrememly frustrating and it is usually something simple like a powerhead/heater leaking voltage, unknown spraying for bugs in an apt.......the list goes on and on. If you can find the problem solving it may be fairly easy. The most important thing is using a systematic approach to determining what is causing it if you want to definitively diagnose the cause.......which is easier said than done.

Chris
 
UPDATE:

After talking with some friends on another forum, it looks like the consensus is that the MP20 was causing problems by doing it's job too well.
Basically, I have a lot of different kinds of corals in my tank.
They think I was having coral warfare/allelopathy issues, and the MP20 was making it worse by circulating everything so well throughout the entire tank.
I have been using Poly-Filters, but they still felt I should add carbon, so I tried it.
My Frogspawn showed improvement almost immediately after adding carbon, but 12 hrs later regressed to it's previous condition and a chalice started losing flesh.
I quarantined the chalice and changed out the carbon.
Again, immediate improvement followed by regression approx. 12 hrs later.
Removed carbon.
I will be adding my last bag of carbon shortly and expect to have to remove it after 12 hrs.
I will be broke for about a week and won't be able to buy more carbon when that runs out.
Can anyone spare some carbon for me?
Randy, do you have any?
It would be easiest for me to get some from you since you live close to me and I don't have transportation 90% of the time.

Also interested in anyone's thoughts on the above.
 
Changing carbon out twice a day is surely not the long term solution...too annoying and expensive (Also, Purigen is likely more cost-effective since it can be recharged). The carbon seems to be removing something...find out what that something is, and address that root cause. For example, try removing the suspected allelopathic corals, do a water change, wait and see if tank looks better.

Is there a skimmer on that tank?
What do you mean by "regression?"
 
I sold my skimmer because it wasn't doing anything helpful for my tank.
Regression= return to previous unhappy condition. Not dying, but not happy.
 
I will be listing a bunch of free and cheap corals for club members later tonight.
I figure if I can clear some stuff out it will help to clear up the allelopathy issue.
 
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