tank's not looking too good.

[JB NY]

Looks like my tank is getting ready to crash.

As you may or might not know my work has been keeping me busy the last few months. Lots of little trips that are keeping me away from the tank. A few equipment failures over the last few months have thrown things for a loop a few times as well. Lost a few pieces here and there due to not being as attentive as the tank requires, or even being home when something occures.

This weekend I noticed that my Ca reactor was out of CO2. Noticed it on a Saturday, can't do anything about it until Monday. Unfortunately I was going to be away for a few days and would not be able to get it filled. So yesterday I get back from work, still have not been able to fill the CO2, and notice RTN on two corals, two more with slight reccession. Decide to do a round of tests to see how bad the damage is.

Alk: 6.2 DKh
Ca: 390
Mg: 720 ??!!
NO3: 0
PO4: 0

Man are my values all messed up! So I need to get out and get my CO2 filled and get some magnesium ASAP. Looking at my work, I doubt I will be able to get anything done until tomorrow.

I'm sure this is going to cost me. The tank is already balanced on the edge, just ready to go IMO.

All this shows is that an SPS really needs stability, as things start to go wrong (they always do for one reason or another) you need to be on top of things to correct them. Actually for the last few months the tank has been very much neglected (but I have be able to get weekly water changes in) and in all honesty I'm amazed that is has held on as well as it has.

Hopefully I'll been able to save the tank from spiraling into a full blow crash. But I'm not too sure...

 

[KevinFJB]

Sorry to hear about the troubles. I have been having similar problems...not sure about your tank, but whenever a colony goes in mine, it is always a favorite - recently a nice tort and superman danae.

 

[JB NY]

Yeah I just lost my A. suharsonoi. Such a slow grower took me two years to grow it from a tiny frag. White as a ghost this morning.


here is a pic from October.

 

[Bomber]

Re: tank's not looking too good.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6289625#post6289625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JB NY
All this shows is that an SPS really needs stability,

Joe, they really don't. It's your system that needs the stability, not the corals at all.

I'm sorry about all this, it seems you've been having one problem after the other. Wish we were closer, I would take everything and hold it for you.

 

[Ereefic]

Sorry to hear about this Joe. Keep the chin up and maybe things will turn out better than expected.

Any chance you can get fired, collect unemployment for 6 months, get the tank taken care of, then find a new job?

 

[Syris]

Sorry to hear. Your tank is an inspiration to a lot of us, hopefully it will recover.

 

[Markk96]

Joe I am sorry to hear this. I had to take my tank down last month due to the fact it crashed. It was very painful for me to do, so I cannot even begin to think how you feel. Your tank has always been one of the top notch tanks on ReefCentral IMO.

Hang in there
Mark

 

[johns]

It's odd that your Mg has been able to fall to this level while still doing weekly water changes. WHat type of salt are you using?

 

[Large Polyp Dave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6289724#post6289724 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by johns
It's odd that your Mg has been able to fall to this level while still doing weekly water changes. WHat type of salt are you using?

when you have as many acros as JBNY does... the mg gets inhaled.


i'm awfully sorry to hear that this his happening Joe. Maybe you can beg for some local reefers to make a supply run for you and drop it off co2 and some mag/ca supplements at your house?



i know how work can put everything on hold sometimes. best of luck with it

 

[JB NY]

Thanks guys, things will get better, they always do. Getting there can be frustrating though.

Ereefic No chance on that, I really like my job, even though it can get busy at times.

johns I was using Oceanic for years. Two months ago my LFS ran out, So I was using Tropic Marine and IO. Both of those salts tested low on Mg. Also there is a good chance that my CA reactor effluent needs to be looked at. I changed to that Shuran media to give it a try two months ago. It doesn't seem to melt as easily as ARM did, so maybe I should have been adding more effluent from the reactor than I was. All points back to me not having enough time to work on the tank.

Yeah things that I have done differently in the past few months, changed salts, changed reactor media. Had a few equipment failures. This is how creatures of habit happen. Probably if I stuck with the same salt and the same reactor media I might not be in this mess.

 

[Treg]

Joe, Wish I lived closer I would come help but the best advice I can give is please consider taking a few "sick days" from work.

This April we moved into a new home and when I moved the tank there were some issue's. I left for a 2 week trip for work and by the time I made it home I had lost everything but a pair of clown fish and a clam.

Please dont let that happen to your tank, Its a huge inspiration to all of us.

Best of luck.

 

[Kip]

got any b-ionic or similar laying around? .. I make my own, but i always keep it on hand for a reactor-malfunction/emergency.

how about some baking soda just to top dkh off a little bit? if this would lower your pH too much, then bake it an hour before using it.

you use kalk right? .. could you take 1/2 gal or a gal of water out of your system and let the kalk replace that to help keep Ca-dkh up.... then later take a gallon out, add a little salt and replace to make up for the small loss in salinity?

i'd do whatever in the world i could to keep it hanging on by at least a shoestring until you got the co2 thing worked out.

its a d_mn shame to lose such a nice tank with so much work into it.

 

[steveweast]

Sorry to hear that Joe. I've been travelling quite a bit for work too. Be careful bringing that Mg up too fast.....I burned several tips about a year ago by bringing it up too fast. Oh....and you might consider doing what I do on the CO2.....have a second cylinder that's filled and ready to go at all times.....that way, when the first empties (which always seems to be a holiday or Sunday), you have one ready to go. Even the folks watching your tank can change a cylinder.....and then you can refill the spent cylinder over the next week or two as time permits. Good luck....I feel your pain.

 

[Sparky0028]

Joe
Sorry to hear about your problems of late. Your tank have always been my favorite. I have learned so much from you and your site so if there is anything I can do for you let me know.
I am sure you will get a handle on things and the tank will survive.

Rich

 

[JB NY]

Treg Sick day LOL that's funny. No chance for a sick day. I have a vacation day scheduled for tomorrow. I have two conference calls that day I need to be on, so how that for a vacation day!

Kip, I've got tons of buffer, and turbo calc if needed. I added two table spoons of buffer last night and a table spoon this morning to the tank. So I will be able to help my alk.

steveweast You read my mind buddy. That's exactly what I was thinking I need to do on my way to work this morning, get an extra CO2 tank. I'll be careful on raising the magnesium. I've done as much a 200 points in the past without a noticeable problem. At that rate I can get the tank back in three days, you think that is too aggressive?

 

[Fliger]

There has got to be someone to hold your corals for you! Last couple times I had issues folks held my stuff while my tank recovered. If you have a good quality po4 test kit you might want to check it out. I was having a chat with a European friend who told me that Schuran media has pretty high po4.

Good luck. I'm sure a lot of people will be thinking about you all day, Joe.

Oh also the Seachem calcium (not the Turbo) has magnesium in it, that might help. My smaller tank with a small portion of your corals uses 1 heaping T of Seachem buffer per day do stay on top of that with your reactor down.

 

[manderx]

i'd drop the photoperiod and temp a bit, might slow their metabolism down a little till you can get things taken care of.

i keep a spare 5# cause i know it takes me ~2 weeks to get around to refilling my 20#.

 

[jjjimmy]

I just recently went through exactly what you are going through now. I also lost several of my favorite corals.

Above all maintain your patience. Do all that you can to do a water change every 3 to 4 days for the next 3-4 weeks. That will only help to get all of your parameters back to where they need to be and help to get rid of the die off in your tank. I would also recommend that you do not move anything at all, your corals are already stressed enough as it is.

I also could not agree more with Steve Weast on having a second CO2 tank. I have had a spare since the day I put my reactor online.

Good luck and Best wishes.

Jimmy

 

[Mark]

Sorry to hear about your tank troubles Joe.

If getting to a LFS to get a magnesium supplement is the hold up, just go to the local grocery store and pick up some epsom salt. Long term use of epsom to raise magnesium could cause a buildup of sulfate, but that's not going to happen if you're using it for a quick fix. Plus, your weekly water changes circumvent a build up as well.

 

[nbd13]

Dang sorry to hear, your tank has always inspired me.

if you dont mind me asking what product will you use to raise the Mg?

i hope everything works out for you!

Nick