tank's not looking too good.
- Thread starter JB NY
- Start date
jsbzmcdaniel
New member
Joe,
Have you always had issues maintaining MG? I was having issues as well but that's due to using IO salt. I have since started buffering my makeup water with both CA and MG before a water change. I also use Zeo MG granules that are put in my CA reactor to help maintain MG. You can do the same by using Dolomite.
Just a thought. Good luck....I hope everything works out for ya!
Have you always had issues maintaining MG? I was having issues as well but that's due to using IO salt. I have since started buffering my makeup water with both CA and MG before a water change. I also use Zeo MG granules that are put in my CA reactor to help maintain MG. You can do the same by using Dolomite.
Just a thought. Good luck....I hope everything works out for ya!
SunnyX
New member
Hang in there Joe.
Your tank is the pinnacle of reef tanks.
How will we be able to measure our success if you tank is no longer the Bar to which almost all tanks are measured upon.
Plus the great site you have is amazing.
I cant tell you how many times Ive had a problem and said WWJD(What would Joe Do).
If the tank is in an unstoppable downward spiral I would contact a local LFS or reefer and have them hold your Livestock.
Who knows, maybe a new, larger tank will come out of all this.
Your tank is the pinnacle of reef tanks.
How will we be able to measure our success if you tank is no longer the Bar to which almost all tanks are measured upon.
Plus the great site you have is amazing.
I cant tell you how many times Ive had a problem and said WWJD(What would Joe Do).
If the tank is in an unstoppable downward spiral I would contact a local LFS or reefer and have them hold your Livestock.
Who knows, maybe a new, larger tank will come out of all this.
JB NY
Active member
We'll that's not a good thing to hear. The only good thing I can say is I don't have any algae problems right now. :lol: So P04 is not something I'm overly concerned about. I'm sure the water changes that are in my future will help to bring any trace level down if there are any,
jjjimmy I'll probably start doing daily water changes this weekend. So that should help to get things in balance. I agree on the 2nd CO2 tank too.
Hey Mark, I was able to get out today and get to the LFS as well as get the CO2 tank filled. I won't be home till about 10:30 tonight so I won't get a chance to do anything with it till then. I did think about using epsom salt, with some quick calculations I would need add about 6,000 grams to get my Mg 1300. so I was a little worried about adding so much. I think I'll try water changes and mg supplement for the next week and see how that goes.
ndb13 I am using ESV liquid mg supplement. I also bought a bottle ok Kent's Tech M.
jsbzmcdaniel I had issues a few years ago with mg in my tank. Mostly is was due to using IO as well. I eventually switched salts as used Oceanic and did not have any problems with mg until recently. But as I stated I was using TM and IO both are low in Mg.
Once again thanks for the kind words and suggestions they help a lot. Hey, it got me determined to get the Mg and CO2 today. I won't have a chance to do any water changes till this Saturday, but I should get in at least one every other day for a few days. Hopefully that, along with the supplementation and ca reactor being back on line, will get things on the right track.
SunnyX WWJD. LOL that's funny! I've done the same thing myself, as I'm about to do something that feels like a knee jerk reaction I've actually caught myself saying "I would never recommend that someone do this" and have stopped myself.
dgasmd
New member
I know exactly how you must be feeling. I've had the same feeling al year with one thing after another. Hang in there. It does get better.
I was going to suggest the second CO2 tank as well, but I guess others beat me to it.
As far as the schuran media, I don't know what you run it like in your reactor, but after using it now for about 8 months, I have learned a couple of things about it:
1. The lower the pH below 6.6, the higher the DKH. I was originally running my effluent pH at about 6.3 and the effluent DKH was in the 70's. People running the pH at 6.2 have reported DKH in the 90's. I believe the rowa media also has a DKH in the 90's.
2. You can run the pH at 6.5 just fine, but you will require a littler higher effluent rate. It is what I have ultimately have done as I was dumping in too much CO2 for my taste.
3. ALL media put PO4 i the water. It is not a coat or anything you can "wash" off with Ro/DI water or anything else. It is part of the media's make up.
4. This media will not produce the sand and dirt seen with other media, so your filter pads inside the reactor will not clogg. Incidentally, I ahve removed my filter pads actually.
5. This media requires more errosion to break down well. So, having a pretty beefy pump to recirculate the water in the reactor is a huge plus that will cut down on the total CO2 you use to get the same DKH in the effluent. How do I know? I had a Little Giant 2MD for a recirculating pump due to a dead one before that. I ordered the non-pressure rated version and put it on before I realized my mistake. Ran it for a while and ordered the pressure rated version.. Later replaced it and noticed a difference from that single change alone.
6. The larger the tank's requirements, the more CO2 you add to the system's water. I use kalk for all of my evaporation, but I ahve seen a difference in night's pH. I personally don't get below 8.15 at the lowest with highest on the 8.35-8.4, but I add 8-12 gpd of kalk too!!! I couldn't imagine with a smaller tank packed to the brim and no kalk to compensate.
I hope I did not bore you too much. You are a pretty diligent and observant guy, so I am sure you ahve either read or found all these yourself as well.
I was going to suggest the second CO2 tank as well, but I guess others beat me to it.
As far as the schuran media, I don't know what you run it like in your reactor, but after using it now for about 8 months, I have learned a couple of things about it:
1. The lower the pH below 6.6, the higher the DKH. I was originally running my effluent pH at about 6.3 and the effluent DKH was in the 70's. People running the pH at 6.2 have reported DKH in the 90's. I believe the rowa media also has a DKH in the 90's.
2. You can run the pH at 6.5 just fine, but you will require a littler higher effluent rate. It is what I have ultimately have done as I was dumping in too much CO2 for my taste.
3. ALL media put PO4 i the water. It is not a coat or anything you can "wash" off with Ro/DI water or anything else. It is part of the media's make up.
4. This media will not produce the sand and dirt seen with other media, so your filter pads inside the reactor will not clogg. Incidentally, I ahve removed my filter pads actually.
5. This media requires more errosion to break down well. So, having a pretty beefy pump to recirculate the water in the reactor is a huge plus that will cut down on the total CO2 you use to get the same DKH in the effluent. How do I know? I had a Little Giant 2MD for a recirculating pump due to a dead one before that. I ordered the non-pressure rated version and put it on before I realized my mistake. Ran it for a while and ordered the pressure rated version.. Later replaced it and noticed a difference from that single change alone.
6. The larger the tank's requirements, the more CO2 you add to the system's water. I use kalk for all of my evaporation, but I ahve seen a difference in night's pH. I personally don't get below 8.15 at the lowest with highest on the 8.35-8.4, but I add 8-12 gpd of kalk too!!! I couldn't imagine with a smaller tank packed to the brim and no kalk to compensate.
I hope I did not bore you too much. You are a pretty diligent and observant guy, so I am sure you ahve either read or found all these yourself as well.
Johnsteph10
New member
Joe,
Let any of us LIRA members know if we can do anything to help out. I have plenty of room in my tank!
John
Let any of us LIRA members know if we can do anything to help out. I have plenty of room in my tank!
John
NewSchool04
New member
Sorry to hear about your troubles JB NY.
When you say you have tons of buffer, which product are you talking about?
When you say you have tons of buffer, which product are you talking about?
attml
New member
Joe,
Hang in there! I know it can be a bummer to loose corals you have babied for a long time! Hopefully you have given frags to friends and get the corals back! With Christmas right around the corner I hope you get some time in there to get your tank back where you like to keep it!! Good luck!
Mark
Hang in there! I know it can be a bummer to loose corals you have babied for a long time! Hopefully you have given frags to friends and get the corals back! With Christmas right around the corner I hope you get some time in there to get your tank back where you like to keep it!! Good luck!
Mark
clkwrk
Active member
Man O man I feel for you . I hope all pulls thru well and losses are minimal. I know you will get everything back in order
I must also congradulate you for not blaming it on things other than yourself and your husbandry lately combined with equipment probs. :thumbsup: Most would say otherwise in your situation. Like the dsb the problem and such.
I must also congradulate you for not blaming it on things other than yourself and your husbandry lately combined with equipment probs. :thumbsup: Most would say otherwise in your situation. Like the dsb the problem and such.
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Joe - terribly sorry to hear buddy. man this sucks. my biggest idols tank is not doing well. i guess it does prove that your are human and your tank is a living thing that needs TLC. in pictures it looks so amazing i have never thought of anything like this happening.
almost wish i would have gotten those frags from you now. then i would have some pieces saved for you just in case.
i'm sure it will make it through w/ the reactor up and running and the mg back to normal
great now i need to get another CO2tank and a regulator just in case!
Lunchbucket
almost wish i would have gotten those frags from you now. then i would have some pieces saved for you just in case.
i'm sure it will make it through w/ the reactor up and running and the mg back to normal
great now i need to get another CO2tank and a regulator just in case!
Lunchbucket
Jesus
Member
I hear your pain Joe. I too have been slacking off with my tank. I have lost most of my fiji colonies due to unstable alk. My co2 tank suddenly emptied and I did not notice. Some how the bleed screw on my selenoid was lose creating a leak. I have a 20lb tank and it only lasted 2 months. I am now trying to get the alk to stable.
jesus
jesus
AcroSteve
Make my Funk a P-Funk
Man, this is so bad to hear. Makes me want to hang onto the extra CO2 equipment I have laying round.
While reading the suggestions about getting corals to another reefer to hold, I wondered something.
If that was done, wouldn't the net effect be the same as raising the tank parameters back to normal over a fairly short period of time?
If so, wouldn't the gradual improvements that Joe is making be better in the long run?
Good luck Joe.
You guys, with the spare tanks, make sure to keep up with the inspection dates on them. They need re-certified very few years.
While reading the suggestions about getting corals to another reefer to hold, I wondered something.
If that was done, wouldn't the net effect be the same as raising the tank parameters back to normal over a fairly short period of time?
If so, wouldn't the gradual improvements that Joe is making be better in the long run?
Good luck Joe.
You guys, with the spare tanks, make sure to keep up with the inspection dates on them. They need re-certified very few years.
JB NY
Active member
Thanks again for the words on encouragement. Thursday night I did not get home till midnight. But before I went to bed I mixed up some saltwater for the tank, added enough magnesium to raise the levels about 200 points and added some more buffer. I also hooked up the CO2 to the reactor and got that online.
The next morning, before I left, I did a water change and made some new saltwater for the next day. I was away all day until late last night as well. But this morning I was able to get another water change done and make up more saltwater to do another water change tomorrow.
Hopefully things will stabilize, I can't tell if things look any better, but they don't seem to be worse right now. Nothing RTN'd on me in the last two days. So at least that's good news. I'll keep you guys up to date on how it goes.
dgasmd Thanks for the hints with the shuran media. I run my effluent at 6.65 (6.45 in the first chamber). When I get the tank back on track I'll play around with a lower pH and see how it works out. I run all my topoff through my kalk reactor so lower tank pH shouldn't be much of a worry.
NewSchool04 I use Seachem reef builder for buffer.
Once again, thanks guys.
The next morning, before I left, I did a water change and made some new saltwater for the next day. I was away all day until late last night as well. But this morning I was able to get another water change done and make up more saltwater to do another water change tomorrow.
Hopefully things will stabilize, I can't tell if things look any better, but they don't seem to be worse right now. Nothing RTN'd on me in the last two days. So at least that's good news. I'll keep you guys up to date on how it goes.
dgasmd Thanks for the hints with the shuran media. I run my effluent at 6.65 (6.45 in the first chamber). When I get the tank back on track I'll play around with a lower pH and see how it works out. I run all my topoff through my kalk reactor so lower tank pH shouldn't be much of a worry.
NewSchool04 I use Seachem reef builder for buffer.
Once again, thanks guys.
