June Meeting

Doc's69

Doc's69

New member
I would like to propose hosting a meet next month, but hopefully, someone can help me figure out why everything in my tank (SPS) die, and in general I feel the tank is not happy.:confused: I have had a lot of help to date to get to this point but there is a problem that I just can't seem to figure out. And I know people in this club are far more learned than me in managing reefs.
I will have plenty of food and few door prizes (stole this idea from Steve S.) A few tanks to check out and some adult refreshments. in case some of you who don't know, my current tank in question is a 225 G tank w/ Aquatenic T5's and MR3 skimmer and at this point I do not even have my Ca reactor hooked up, I do 30 gallon water changes every 7-14 days clean out skimmer every week , cut back on feeding to once a day, all parameters are close to where they should be except NO3 which is between 25/50 Ca 400, Mg 1450, DKH 8 ALK 2.86, PH 8.00-8.30 temp 79-80F what I am seeing in this tank is from day one NO3 levels have been high (50-100), sps corals; the tips seem to turn white, polyps recede on sps and lps, clams look very happy, several mushrooms do well, zoos do well, all others burn out and fade away. really they loose color, it really looks like they are burning but they are not right under my lights and I know of others that are using the same lights w/ good results.
Sorry for the long winded message, but if anyone is interested I will host and be very thankful for ANY help I can get.
 
are you still doing that half zeo thing?

sounds like maybe you need to just toss the rock in a trashcan and cook it for a while until the nitrates are zero, then put a new sand bed down and new water and essentially start from scratch......seems like you've been battling this problem forever. :(
 
What is your po4 levels? Your nitrate levels will not kill sps. It may however turn them brown.

Are any other the affected sps in the direct path of one or both of your tunzes? Tunzes can rip the tissue right off the sps. I have had that happen to my stag when it got in the way.

When you changed your lights did you reduce your lighting cycle to prevent bleaching? Big changes in light intensity can bleach sps and other corals.

What additives are you using on the system?
 
Hope to make it Steve. I am sure with all of us and a few beers we can work out the problem.
Ade
 
Maybe that's what it needs..Some beer:D

I'm at a loss on this one. Everything testable on his tank is decent except Nitrates. If it was me, I would go back to basics with just water changes and not add ANYTHING. I had some trouble with Zeovit that was similar to what you are having. I quit that stuff and it stopped. Thing is, you have been having the same problem since you were in the 75 gal and it has transferred into the 210. Keeping a reef tank can really be as easy as just changing water and not adding anything. You may not get the best color without tweaking some things, but you shouldn't lose anything. The new refugium will help with the nitrates, but if some sort of contaminant is causing them..Nothing you do is going to help. I still believe something has contaminated this tank. There's no reason for all the losses. Nitrates won't kill all your SPS in fact some of them will have better color with low amounts of Nitrates. If I remember right your Phosphates were fairly low when tested with a colorimeter right? Again, phosphates won't kill sps as fast as you are losing things. I really don't think it's a lighting issue the way the corals are pealing from the tips, but it could be. Any SPS I've seen damaged from light bleach out first, then die if not moved. Those T5's will bleach some corals if not acclimated properly.

Are you keeping the Alkalinity stable? That's one thing that will kill off an SPS coral. Stability is the key with all your parameters actually. Not so much that they are all reading "0".
 
yeah, i do the basics also. all i do is water changes, and dosing a 2-part scheme (really 3-part including magnesium). its pretty basic and all i need.

aside from alk, have you checked your RO/DI water? whats the tds reading?

if your nitrates are sky high like that you should be getting massive algae blooms with high light (i would think). what abount NH3 and NO2?

i agree this sounds more like a contamination issue.
 
The only other thing I could think of would be that maybe something from his oil furnace is getting into the system. His skimmer and sump are in the same room with it. Does anyone know if the oil furnace would release any vapor that the skimmer could inject into the water?
 
I think that after Beer everything will look a lot clearer. Looking forward to seeing you tank and hopefully have some fun and laughs like we should be.
Ade
 
Some very good advice and observations from everyone, BTW where did you get your rock? From an established tank?

I'll try to make it also.

Colleen
 
And I will be happy to have everyone just to do some brainstorming, as well as waste a few brain cells to. But it seems like I have tried everything! But I know it's something simple I'm missing. Here is what I can tell you so far.
I started the tank w/ some of my old rock and some new, maybe 50/50, I added new sand w/ the exception of maybe 20#, I did have a Rubbermaid 100 G sump, didn't feel like I could clean it as well needed so I had Chris turn my 75 into a sump w/ baffles, I do run the skimmer semi wet, no additives to speak of as w/ the water changes 30-35 G and using TMP it's getting everything, my top off water TDS is 0-1, closer to 1 now, I have checked my NO3 levels in my h2o that will be added for changed w/ very low reading, .10, I do have my sump in the basement where my pipes from the furnace comes over top, let's see... I have stopped zeovit and added a fuge as Chris mentioned, I have a glimmer of hope as a few frags look okay in the bottom :)
 
You shouldn't be getting that high of a nitrate reading from your new water. Did you mean .01? Is a reading from the side or top? If it's side you have to move the decimal over 1 or 2 places I think it is. I don't have my instructions in front of me.
 
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Ok, that's .01. Do you rinse the vial out after each test? A dirty cup will give you a reading that high. Is your reading from the tank from the side as well, or from the top?
 
have you tested nitrates in just straight tap water? IMO you shouldnt have ANY in RO/DI.

nh3 and no2 is something else worth testing also
 
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Have we thought of a date/dates that we might be looking at yet?
Being as the summer is rolling in w/ends are getting booked up @ the lake with family and friends. Not that I couldn't get away for a few hours.
Just would like to know what dates we are looking at.
Thanks

Ade
 
Well I would like to do it on a Sunday where people can come and relax, after church for those who attend, I know Steve D. has something going on the first week, so it would be towards the later part of the month, so what works for everyone, the last Sunday or the one before. There is a fenced in yard for those w/ dogs, but be warned I have a large female doberman, but she is a baby, just don't know how she would do w/ a smaller dog. Children are welcome, and gracie is good w/ kids :)
Possible dates:6/17/07 6/23/07 6/24/07 6/30/07
meeting would start around 1-2:00 ish and last until people get tired of hanging around, my best choice would be the 24th but it won't work unless people can make it... so sound out and I will do my best.
 
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