watching husbands tank HELP!

[fender4string]

Just to be sure-did you check the slalinity with a hydrometer (it's basically a "box like" apparatus with a little arm that floats in the salt water and shows you the salt content) or a refractometer (a cylinder that you place drops of salt water on and hold it up to the light to see the results)? If you used a hyrdometer then the salinity reading could be off. Before I upgraded to a refractometer, my hyrdometer read .005 off. I just wanted to throw this out there to make sure that you don't adjust the salinity based on a wrong reading. Basically what I'm getting at is that your husband might know the offset of the hydrometer and compensate for that.

Someone else already mentioned it but I think the best advice is to call your husband and talk out the problem with him. He's the one who's the expert on his tank and you should trust him over what the LFS tells you.

Good luck!

 

[madeline23]

it is a 90 gallon and i changed 30 gallons. i feed the tank"new life spectrum marine fish formula" every 2-3 days when myy husband is feeding them he either gives them the pellets or a shrimp concoction but i dont not feed them the concoction because i over feed them

 

[KarlBob]

Good luck! At this point, you've gone above and beyond the call of duty. If your husband doesn't appreciate your efforts when he gets home, let us know and we'll call him lots of ugly names.

 

[madeline23]

i am up at all hours of the night with my babies and the corals never come out whether the light is on or off. they used to come out during the day and close at night. now they arent discolored but they have shrunk and will not open they have been like this for about a week

 

[WaterKeeper]

Ok thanks Madeline. It doesn't seem you are overfeeding and a 30% water change should help. I'd let the tank sit for the day and maybe do another 15% tomorrow if things don't improve. I think they will but be prepared to lug in another 130 lbs of water if needed. Just think of all the good exercise you are getting.

P.S. Get the hubby to buy and RO/DI so you don't need to haul water from the store every time you need some.

 

[madeline23]

yes it is a hydrometer so i will keep that in mind.

 

[Whys]

You see Madeline, the thing about reef keeping is it spreads like a disease. First it's just the tank, then it's the sump, then it's the refugium, then it's the QT, and now it's you. The trap was set and you've fallen in. Bet you didn't know you were gonna be a reef-keeper!

Your husband should have done more to keep you from feeling stranded and he can't really blame you for any loses, IMO. That said, this is a male dominated forum and it will do all it can to help a damsel in distress. But it's a bit like flying blind without knowing what is normal for your tank.

It is possible there isn't much wrong at all. Perhaps too much temperature swing during a water change (I've done that), or perhaps too much salinity swing from evaporation. The possibilities are pretty endless. Your current parameters look safe and if there has been a swing, I'm not sure there is much you can do now except monitor things for any further problems.

Make sure all the equipment is running and watch for swings. Then wait for hubby to come home.

Just my 2 cents. Hope it all works out.

 

[madeline23]

yes i had no idea that this is such a good workout. it would be a good investment

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

+1 with mixing your own water. Melev calculated that you pay ~$.07 per gallon of water (through an RODI) plus ~$.25 salt per gallon with a total of ~$.37 per gal of salt water. How much do you pay?

 

[Freed]

Are the ones that aren't coming out soft corals? Leather corals? This happens usually monthly when they "molt".

 

[WaterKeeper]

:lol: You are doing a GREAT job. :thumbsup:

 

[madeline23]

i pay 1.50 per gallon and they are soft corals. also i just want to thank everyone for there advice.

 

[Freed]

I figured up that I pay ~$0.17 per gallon or so of fresh salt change water. I bought dozens of buckets of IO salt way back when at $26 for a 200 gallon bucket :thumbsup:

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14845121#post14845121 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Whys
damsel in distress

No pun intended

I agree I don't think that your hubby is going to come home to a dead tank. after a water change they may be shocked to the differences in the new water. and will spring back in a couple days.

 

[madeline23]

i really how so. i would feel horrible.

 

[madeline23]

opps i really hope so.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Make sure he comes home with a pendant bracelet or diamond earrings

 

[madeline23]

that sounds good. thank you everyone for your advice! it is greatly appreciated

 

[davewbush]

If most of the corals are soft, they do this. Close up for a day, week, at a time. If they are not decaying or melting, they are fine.

 

[WaterKeeper]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14845438#post14845438 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davewbush
If they are not decaying or melting, they are (he is) fine.

That's exactly what people say about me.