OK! Enough chat...Starting a 1000g+ Reef
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
jnarowe
New member
So I am in the middle of learning a harsh lesson, although I am not entirely sure what it is yet. About a week and a half ago I had a violent battle with the GSM Clown and the next day I noticed some weakening in my corals, especially those on the frag rack. Now several larger colonies plus nearly every coral on the frag rack have lost most color and are completely retracted. I do not see any necrosis as of yet, but the overall health of the corals is not good.
I did do a water cahnge a few days agaon, and then another one last night. I also have been testing like a madman with no evidence of what could be wrong, until last night.
Test results are as follows:
10-31-08 4:30pm
Alkalinity: 8.0 dKh (Salifert)
Salinity: 1.025 (refractometer)
Ca: 430 ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1500 ppm (Salifert)
Nitrite: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Nitrate: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Cu: 0 ppm (Red Sea)
PO4: 0 ppm (Merk)
Ammonia: .25 ppm (API)
So I had not done an ammonia test until last night because I never do them and shouldn't have any reason to. Realizing that this is not the most accurate test on the market, I did a "control" using my fresh made SW which clearly gave a result of 0 ppm.
So the question is, where is the ammonia coming from? When I had the GSM battle, I ended up stirring up a lot of detritus and clouding the tank. That seems to be the key here, but maybe it was the heavy feeding I did for Big Blue? I find that hard to believe because the corals reacted before I put Blue into the tank, and I would think other parameters would spike as well if that was the root cause.
But what could I have uncovered in the detritus cloud? Maybe sulfates?
So I am just putting this out to get ideas. I will be swapping out carbon today and that should help. And not ALL corals are affected.
I did do a water cahnge a few days agaon, and then another one last night. I also have been testing like a madman with no evidence of what could be wrong, until last night.
Test results are as follows:
10-31-08 4:30pm
Alkalinity: 8.0 dKh (Salifert)
Salinity: 1.025 (refractometer)
Ca: 430 ppm (Salifert)
Mg: 1500 ppm (Salifert)
Nitrite: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Nitrate: 0 ppm (Seachem)
Cu: 0 ppm (Red Sea)
PO4: 0 ppm (Merk)
Ammonia: .25 ppm (API)
So I had not done an ammonia test until last night because I never do them and shouldn't have any reason to. Realizing that this is not the most accurate test on the market, I did a "control" using my fresh made SW which clearly gave a result of 0 ppm.
So the question is, where is the ammonia coming from? When I had the GSM battle, I ended up stirring up a lot of detritus and clouding the tank. That seems to be the key here, but maybe it was the heavy feeding I did for Big Blue? I find that hard to believe because the corals reacted before I put Blue into the tank, and I would think other parameters would spike as well if that was the root cause.
But what could I have uncovered in the detritus cloud? Maybe sulfates?
So I am just putting this out to get ideas. I will be swapping out carbon today and that should help. And not ALL corals are affected.
Untamed12
New member
Wow...Is that what I'm in for with my ABT? Mine is still relatively small and is starting to show signs of turning blue. He has been looking increasingly blue lately.
This is a photo from a few months back...
Hard to believe that this....turns into what you've got!
I would believe that what you just did to the tank (release of ammonia...or whatever) is probably a good thing to have done in the long run. Of course, you'll probably see a spike in algae in a few weeks...
This is a photo from a few months back...
Hard to believe that this....turns into what you've got!
I would believe that what you just did to the tank (release of ammonia...or whatever) is probably a good thing to have done in the long run. Of course, you'll probably see a spike in algae in a few weeks...
Untamed12
New member
I know what you mean. Here's a more recent photo. It is a terrible shot, but it shows how his fins have changed (although the tail is still yellow). He's a unique kind of blue-ish yellow at the moment.
I think he is getting more blue by the day. I think I'll go get an updated photo right now, in fact.
Yours is actually the first time I've seen a full adult coloured one in someone's tank. Nice...big...
I think he is getting more blue by the day. I think I'll go get an updated photo right now, in fact.
Yours is actually the first time I've seen a full adult coloured one in someone's tank. Nice...big...
jnarowe
New member
Well, I am back with an issue I guess I need help on. My SPS and zoanthids continue to decline, while the PLS all seem fine. Fish health is excellent. I have moderate algal growth in the system. Water parameters all seem to be normal, but for the last 3 days my pH has been very low, getting down to 7.65 last night and not going above 8.0 during the daylight cycle.
I have kalk dosing as normal. The temp. probe is good, and I cleaned and re-calibrated the pH probe with the exact same results. Maybe not enough fresh air? Ambient temps are dropping and the display got down to 76.5 last night. Perhaps I am not getting as much air vented in?
Looking for thoughts.
I have kalk dosing as normal. The temp. probe is good, and I cleaned and re-calibrated the pH probe with the exact same results. Maybe not enough fresh air? Ambient temps are dropping and the display got down to 76.5 last night. Perhaps I am not getting as much air vented in?
Looking for thoughts.
JCTewks
In Memoriam
Jonathan, refresh my memory: Are you using a calcium reactor as well as dosing calc for topoff? If using the reactor, are you dripping the effluent into the skimmer so that the excess CO2 is "blown off"? have you checked to make sure that the effluent rate is the same as it was and that the CO2 rate is the same?
Maybe there is something amiss with the kalk you are currently using?
Is there a way to get the alita to draw air in from outside so that there is more O2 going into the system? Sometimes when winter somes on and we all close up our houses the CO2 level rises dramatically. Also check to make sure that your heater and water heater (if gas/oil fired) are operating correctly...if the house is too tight they might be not venting correctly and dumping CO2 (and CO!) into the house which could also cause the low tank ph.
Maybe there is something amiss with the kalk you are currently using?
Is there a way to get the alita to draw air in from outside so that there is more O2 going into the system? Sometimes when winter somes on and we all close up our houses the CO2 level rises dramatically. Also check to make sure that your heater and water heater (if gas/oil fired) are operating correctly...if the house is too tight they might be not venting correctly and dumping CO2 (and CO!) into the house which could also cause the low tank ph.
melev
Well-known member
It seems rather unlikely the pH is that low. Time to check Alk, Ca, and Magnesium, as an imbalance will cause pH to drop.
What's the status of your huge DSB vat? Any circulation issues that would soak up oxygen in large amounts?
Take a cup of tank water, put it outside with an airpump and airstone for 30 minutes, and measure that with your calibrated pH probe and see what number you get.
What's the status of your huge DSB vat? Any circulation issues that would soak up oxygen in large amounts?
Take a cup of tank water, put it outside with an airpump and airstone for 30 minutes, and measure that with your calibrated pH probe and see what number you get.
Untamed12
New member
I had a similar experience (low pH cycle). At it's worst, I wasn't even getting back to 8.0 during the day. In my case, I was just pushing my Ca reactor too hard.
Specifically, the amount of media in the reactor was a bit low. To keep my Ca/Alk up, I had been increasing the flow rate and lowering the reactor pH.....and I created what you are seeing.
By filling the reactor nearly full with media, I was able to get MORE out of the reactor, using LESS flow. As a result, the effluent pH was higher and my low pH went away.
I'm about at the limit of my current reactor and will need to upgrade to a larger unit soon.
Food for thought. You might be in a similar situation.
Specifically, the amount of media in the reactor was a bit low. To keep my Ca/Alk up, I had been increasing the flow rate and lowering the reactor pH.....and I created what you are seeing.
By filling the reactor nearly full with media, I was able to get MORE out of the reactor, using LESS flow. As a result, the effluent pH was higher and my low pH went away.
I'm about at the limit of my current reactor and will need to upgrade to a larger unit soon.
Food for thought. You might be in a similar situation.
jnarowe
New member
Sorry guys, I didn't get an email notification of your posts.
I tested everything several times.
Well, as you know I have had a pH event over the last few days. It dropped so low I thought the probes might have been a problem, or some environmental factor, but when I loaded up some TLF, the problem was resolved.
It's kind of scary to think that the Custom Aquatic kalk could be doing fine and then suddenly hit a wall like that. Even scarier is the thought that my system is so reliant on it that when it went south, my pH dropped to 7.65 during the night cycle. That got my attention!
I tested everything several times.
Well, as you know I have had a pH event over the last few days. It dropped so low I thought the probes might have been a problem, or some environmental factor, but when I loaded up some TLF, the problem was resolved.
It's kind of scary to think that the Custom Aquatic kalk could be doing fine and then suddenly hit a wall like that. Even scarier is the thought that my system is so reliant on it that when it went south, my pH dropped to 7.65 during the night cycle. That got my attention!
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