my tank just ain't working right

[jeffyounggren]

I have posted my troubles with my tank in the past and feel like I have done everything suggested and still am less than satisfied. Here are my parameters: 180 gal with 3 250 14K's and 2 96 watt PC's on actinic, DSB, Ca Reactor and a skimmer (Aqua C120 a little small), I have a sump and Phosban Reactor with media. Ca is 450, no nitrates and phosphates appear to be very low. I have water movement and a single Tunzie in the tank. So, I have gone through a bleaching plague, which has stopped but things just don't seem to be happy. Color is brown except for one Acro Jungei (sp) that is very blue and very pretty. Some of my frags are growing but my Bird's Nest just about died off with only slight growth on the tips left and my Robusto is almost gone with the same residual growth on the tips. I change 15 gals of H20 every ten days and replace water with RO. So, that's it. I am not sure what the heck to do in addition to this but this is getting frustrating. Oh, the ph is stable and the salinity is 1.025 plus or minus a little. A little help please. Jeff

 

[Justin/TiV]

what are the rest of your parametors...???

specific gravity
Magnesium
alk
ph
phosphates...yes low but what reading
temp ( and what swings)

lighting period...ect.

 

[Sk8r]

And how old are your bulbs?

 

[twon8]

i have seen bleaching with low alk.

 

[jeffnsa]

you need more flow.

 

[jackson6745]

By bleaching I assume you mean RTN. Your corals are dying right?
Please post testkit results and which testkits were used.
Do you have a refractometer?

 

[ONEMANBAND]

Post MG and Alk readings. Try snapping a dead frag, look for green inside the frag.

 

[jeffyounggren]

I will check the Alk and I have been using Salifert's test kits. The Dkh is down but I just ran the drip up from the Calc Reactor and changed 20 Gals. I really can't think it is a water flow problem since the pump I am using with the Tunzie really moves things around in the tank. The bulbs are one year old and I thought that MH's didn't need to be changed that often. Wrong? Also the PC's are two months old. PH is 8.3 and I have a refractometer. Sorry about posting this late but I didn't know there were responses to this and didn't get noticed by the listserve.

Jeff

 

[jeffyounggren]

Also, I cannot really get a sense of phosphates since most of the tests really suck. I have a very faint response to the test, so there are some but it is very, very low and I have the phosban in place as well. I don't think it is the phosphates.

 

[jackson6745]

2 things

Check for Acro Flatworms. You can't really see them on the coral so prepare a dip of tropic marin procure, or you can use a 15-20x dosage of Flatworm exit. If you don't have either of these products you can take a coral that looks pretty bad, that you don't care if it dies or not, and dip it in freshwater. Read the flatworm threads. They're more common then you thing.

Secondly, check all pumps(especially mags)+ equipment for rust and possible leaking electrical current.

HTH,
Rich

 

[jeffyounggren]

Thanks Rich, I will do that. Hmmm flatworms eh? Could be. What do you mean "flatworm threads?"

 

[jackson6745]

Here's one. There's another good one floating around this forum.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=756327

 

[LUCKY42032]

Could be the age of the bulbs also. It might be time to change the MHs. I change mine every 6 months but I run SE on an HQI ballast. JMO

 

[herefishyfishy2]

Where does the rust typically form on the Mag pumps and what is the best way to test for stray voltage other than getting shocked

 

[jeffyounggren]

Really, I thought you didn't need to change the MH's.

 

[jackson6745]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7157368#post7157368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by herefishyfishy2
Where does the rust typically form on the Mag pumps and what is the best way to test for stray voltage other than getting shocked

From the screws usually. Most of the guys from my local reef club have replace them with nylon screws.

Best way to test for voltage is to make your wife stick her hand in the tank, or you can use a voltmeter

 

[s10willy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7154973#post7154973 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ONEMANBAND
Try snapping a dead frag, look for green inside the frag.

What would the appearance (or lack of) green inside the frag indicate?

 

[twon8]

phosphate

 

[samsfishnchips]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7157617#post7157617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeffyounggren
Really, I thought you didn't need to change the MH's.

how old are them, brand, ballast, SE or DE,

sam