co2 problem lingers

[mjs]

3 weeks ago, someone mistakenly bumped the knob on the calcium reactor. The co2 free flowed for a full day before realizing it. The result was a dramatic drop in PH, lost two anthias, corals shut down, and massive algae attack.

I have since got the water in balance (almost). Temp 80, salt 1.024, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 10 (normal), ph 8.1 am, 8.25 pm, phos 0, but calcium is at 320....normally steady at 450.

Corals were healthy, good lighting, 2 year old setup, very established.
There is good water movement and its getting oxygen

Problem is;
1. Cant seem to get calcium up, even though reactor is working fine
2. Red slime algae
3. Soft corals wont expand.(2 weeks now) they arent dead, no disintegration. Clam is fine.
4. Hard coral began to bleach, but appears to be stable
5. Coralline is turning white in some spots

What am i missing. i just cant get the tank back on track

 

[Anthony Calfo]

"Dilution is the Solution to Pollution"... do a large water change or two my friend. I assure you that it is very safe if you take the time to aerate it for a day or two in advance, adjust temp, pH and salinity. In fact, I do near 100% water changes on all of my aquariums under 50gall... weekly (!) as my normal routing. It frees me from skimmer and supplements and gives me better growth and health/vigor in my corals.

Beyond diluting the now skewed Ca/ALK dynamic in your tank, it will also dilute the excess mucus and noxious compounds shed heavily by your stressed corals.

If you are nervous... then do two 50% water changes in the next 7-10 days before resuming reactor dosing.

bets of luck

Anthony

 

[mjs]

Its an 75 tank, plus the well. You are suggesting doing a 40 gallon w/c, correct?
I have never done more than 15 gallons for fear of stress. But, i hear the part about really getting the water normal before hand. Worth a try. thanks

 

[ROWAUSA]

I am going to be the last person to go up against Anthony, and maybe he will remember me from his trip to Sacramento, but I would say give it some time. You did not mention what the pH dropped to, but remember the any dramatic pH drop is a huge shock to your aquarium. The red slim is due to die off. I had a 140 gallon system that looked similar to what you are reporting, except the SG was at 1.012. Everything but the fish were dieing. Over a month we slowly brought up the SG to 1.023 and everything is coming back.

I would do a water change of only enough water to vacuum out the red slim to keep it in check and give the aquarium some time to bounce back.

 

[wrightme43]

Lets see if this makes sense. If I add a large amount of co2 to water it acts like a acid, using up buffer and when it has used up the buffer the ph falls uses more buffer ph falls on and on. It is my understanding that the fish and the live rock are constantly producing acidic compounds that use buffer or cause ph to fall as well. You did not state your kh so I assume the buffer level is way down from the co2. If I am way off base let me know. I would if it were my tank, I would do a large partial water change. It has always been my experience that corals seem to do better with a quick return to good parameters than a slow long term stress. Sorta like pulling a band-aid off quick or slow. It hurts either way. But its got to come off. HTH Steve

 

[Anthony Calfo]

yes... true: CO2 added to the water (or imparted by some purification processes) lends carbonic acid to the water which could be aerated off and relieve some of the burden on buffers/ALK (good to do before adding sea salt). Else it is a burden. Natural (nitric) acid is produced in the aquarium by biological processes. A burden just the same.

And for properly done water changes (easy enough to adjust temp, SG, pH, etc)... there really are no disadvantages.

Hobbyists have a rather bizarre aversion to doing them, but commercial fisheries/aquaculture facilities have an intimate and clear appreciation for the positive (animal health = increased profits). Good hobbyists will look to such successful models of animal husbandry and learn from it

 

[ROWAUSA]

If you read mjs's post, all of the params are good except for calcium. That is not going to cause the problems listed. What mjs is seeing is a result of the pH shock. I could be wrong, but I don't think a water change for the sake of a water change is going to make that much difference at this time. He or she is already past that point. It is not time to watch and test to see what changes and adjust accordingly, IMHO.

 

[mjs]

I am nervous as hell about the massive water change. i respect Anthonys point, but will revert to my own fears and do a 20 gallon (25%). A local aquarium keeper suggested correcting the red slime with an additive. It wont solve the coral problem, but will it hurt it more?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

please do not (!) use and additive (antibiotics... they kill far more good than bad) to correct a BGA/Cyano problem. That is at least only treating the symptom... not the problem.

Increased water flow and increased nutrient export (like better protein skimming) easily reduces red slime in weeks.

 

[ROWAUSA]

The red slim is just feeding of the dead material on the surface of the rock. You can just vacuum it off with a hose. It is much safer then putting something in your tank that kills stuff.

Like I said above, I have the same problem with a clients aquarium. It took to services over two months and the red slim was gone. Be patient.

 

[mjs]

thanks to all

 

[mojoreef]

A calcium reactor is going to have a hard time getting your calcium up, unless it is way oversized for your consumsion rate. They are more of a maintaining type tool. I would go ahead with the water changes, Its going to dillute the doc's that are occuring due to die off and will help get the calcium in line if the mix is set at a proper point (ex. 425). I dont see a problem with 25%. The cyano is a good thing it is taking up nitrogen that is probibly built up from die off. Cyano sucks up nitrogen at in unreal rate I would use it to your advantage and just syphon it out. As the tank reaches an equalibrium it should pass away.

The reason I feel the WC's at this rate are good at this point is that thier is still nitrate in the water, I would imagine a fair amount of doc's and general detritus an stemming from the die off. Also with the soft corals in thier, (leathers I would imagine also) thier is going to be decent amount of sliming and other discharge from them recovering and reseting territory.

Anyway just my two cents


Mike

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Mike makes an especially excellent point about exploiting the cyano as a vehicle for fixing and exporting nitrogen via siphoning/slurping . This will break the cycle soon with other benefits

 

[dnjan]

Was there an alkalinity value posted? Whenever I have corraline starting to turn white, I know my alkalinity has gotten a bit low.