Looking for input on loss of SPS in my large reef

I'm sure you're aware but just in case, there is a recall on Kent carbon because it's contaminated with metals ( do a search here on r/c), so if you're using or have used it in the past that may be the problem. Also worth checking your ro/di unit and change your membrane if you have done so in the last 1 1/2 year, and buy the carbon block that removes chloramines. Good luck....
 
Just read through this and wanted to add Brightwell carbon has been attributed to issues such as you are having as well. Seems like an odd issue for someone who has taken the precautions such as yourself. Definately would add the Seachem "metal remover" as it works well, best of luck.
 
are you using gfo ?or other reactors with media just wondering remember my coral turning brown but that was nitrates and phosphates ..perplexing
 
No real progress yet. I added the Cuprisorb about a week ago and another polyfilter. I use BRS carbon and GFO as needed. I have noticed that about 1/6 of my sandbed has turned hard. I'm going to remove these large hard compacted chunks this weekend and add new live sand back in. Also in the process of setting up an offline frag tank.
 
you say your sand bed is getting hard....
this can be from too much alk i believe.... (i think that is what people have said it was from)

are you sure your ALK test is good? just saying...
i dont remember exactly why this happens.... but ill look a little deeper for you.
dont forget about us!!
 
How sure are you your testing methods are correct? I've spent months chasing a problem just to figure out a test kit went bad or my pH probe wasn't calibrated correctly. I just tested 3 alk kits a had laying around and two read 9 while one read 6. 9 was correct.
 
Its not too much ALk, its too fast of a kalk addition that causes the hard sandbed. Try to slow your kalk dosing to minimize this. Bleaching sounds like starved corals to me especially if your par is only in the 300's. Maybe try not using carbon/gfo or carbon dosing and let your tank get dirty. The stale water could be it, Id plug that line off for now. Also if you use a CA reactor, you can try changing your media. HTH
 
I will double check my ALK test kit. Right now my ALK doser runs for 5 one hour increments per day. I will spread it out to 10 thirty minute increments.
 
That should help the sandbed from turning to concrete and will help your pumps too. You could also dilute the alk mix. I figured you used kalk but the alk part of 2part can do it too. gl
 
OK, Here is what has been done so far.
The extra overflow has been cleaned out and now has steady flow thru it.
Cuprisorb has been running for about 2 weeks and has not changed color.
I removed the sand chunks from the refugium and replaced with live sand. Still need to do the display.
I changed the ALK doser from 5 (1) hour dosing times to 10 thirty minute dosing times evenly spread out over 24 hours.
I check my ALK test kit against a hanna ALK test and my water is at 8.6
 
Where are you dosing your Alk? Tank, refugium, sump?
I ask, because it may help to dose in say a filter sock on the drain line so it can be diluted better.
Just a thought, and shouldn't be hard to move if its within range.

Keep us updated.... (you gave us an update on the Alk, so I'm guessing no change on the corals since nothing was mentioned.... )

Thanks!
 
A quick update. Things seem to look a bit better but nothing drastic. I'm ok with steady slow improvement if that is what the tank wants to do
 
I was dealing with alk issues like this last week Ryan. One of the reasons why i didn't post anything for the auction. I noticed some acro doing the same thing then added a bicarb buffer and watched it snow. Do you know what your calcium and mag are at right now?
 
Dead snails, LPS and softies OK. I'm thinking salinity. Or temperature.

I had a very similar problem, my tank was actually running at 71 degrees and my salinity was super-high. Both my probe and refractometer were bad. Find someones tank whose corals are vibrant and healthy and use your kits to test their levels.

I actually just received corals from two popular online vendors. Their salinity readings were really low, then I realized, wait maybe my probe is not reading correctly and mine levels are actually way off.
 
Last edited:
Frick said:
I was dealing with alk issues like this last week Ryan. One of the reasons why i didn't post anything for the auction. I noticed some acro doing the same thing then added a bicarb buffer and watched it snow. Do you know what your calcium and mag are at right now?
Click to expand...

My calcium has dropped over the past 4 weeks as I stopped using the BRS calcium chloride on a doser and went to the calcium blocks. It was steady at 420-440 and is now down to 380. Working on getting that back up.

Mag has been steady at 1300.

I have checked my parameters against other test kits and refractometers and only have slight differences. Not really anything to get excited about.
 
Just wanted to update and hopefully put a close to this thread :) SPS looking much better. Not sure what it was in the end as I started doing a few things at once but I think it was light and ALK related. Here are a few SPS pics to show the inprovement. Thanks for everyones help!

<center>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5949.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5948.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5947.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5943.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5941.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5923.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br/><br/>
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d146/evolust/IMG_5749.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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What about your alkalinity and lighting do you think was causing the issues? I ask, because I'm having trouble similar to yours as well. Could it have been the Cuprisorb that helped things along?
 
I dont think it had anything to do with the cuprisorb as its supposed to change colors if it removes anything which it did not. In regards to the ALK. I had my doser set to dose CA & ALK at the same time into the same place in the sump. I set them on oppsite schedules and they drip in different locations of the sump. As far as lighting I moved the reflectors down about 4-5" and replaced 2 of the 4 bulbs. Everything is doing better and the side with the new bulbs is doing great. I just need to replace the other 2 bulbs now and I should be set. Hope this helps you figure out your issues.
 
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