Coral Beauty losing "beauty"

[steve-s]

FWIW, the salinity (SG in your case) has nothing at all to do with your fish problems. If anything a hypersalinity would be a concern which is possible with a swing arm hydrometer. Glass hydrometers are more accurate as long as they are calibtrated for the temp you are keeping your tank at. If not you have to manually calculate the variance. Hypersalinity can also lead to algae issues.

At 1.022-23, your most likely close to 1.025 anyway. NSW is 1.0265 or 35 ppt. The most important factor here is stability.

Hey thanks. Yes I know not to add salt directly and yes I have started letting my tap water for changes sit for at least 24, however, I did not know to add air or circulate.

You need to circulate the water so the salt dissolves properly and the chemistry (pH specifically) stabalizes. You do not need to add air, the water motion is enough to aerate the water. If using tap water, it's a good idea to use a dechlorinator as well. Most tap waters will contain chloramines which do not dissapate as fast as chlorine. Chlorine will dissapate in about 24 hrs if the water is kept turbulent, chloramines can take about 7-10 days.

Cheers
Steve

 

[BJTenn]

Water changes

Do you think I should let sit 7-10 days to let out other contaminates??

And I do stir to disolve salt (oceanic right now), as well as add dechlorinator and buffer.

I'll take any advice to get these nitrates down. Will probably do another water change on Friday or the weekend. Not as much, probably only 10% or so.

Oh and by the way, did you see the newer Coral Beauty pics? After I used my flash to try and get a better picture, it really does look like holes! and looks like it may be spreading which I couldn't tell just looking at him...??? Go figure..

Thanks,

 

[steve-s]

Do you think I should let sit 7-10 days to let out other contaminates??

And I do stir to disolve salt (oceanic right now), as well as add dechlorinator and buffer.

I'm not a big fan of using tap water without the use of a dechlorinator unless running it through a carbon filter. Use a cheap powerhead to stir the new SW. Just let it sit on the bottom of the pail/container. It will do what you need. Letting the water sit for any length of time will only aid with off gasing, it will not help with metal or other contaminates.

As for the buffer, what's the alk level of the salt? For that matter, what's the Ca?
I'm pretty sure the Ca will be close to 500 ppm, not sure on the alk. Make sure you test this from a freshly mixed batch. If you change the salinity level, you also change the chemistry component.

I'll take any advice to get these nitrates down. Will probably do another water change on Friday or the weekend. Not as much, probably only 10% or so.

Why so little? What's the nitrate at now?

Oh and by the way, did you see the newer Coral Beauty pics? After I used my flash to try and get a better picture, it really does look like holes! and looks like it may be spreading which I couldn't tell just looking at him...??? Go figure..

I'll go look.

Cheers
Steve

 

[BJTenn]

Calcium too high!

I lost my chart that goes with my test kit, but I'm up to like 33 drops which I think is way off the chart as I recall. I think it was like 20 drops that indicated 300-400 range.

I'll have to get a alk kit.

I've ordered a iodide/iodine test kit and will get an alk kit.

On the water change, I did like 25% or so yesterday and thought subsequent more frequent changes should be less while this is trying to get calcium and nitrates down....

Thanks,
I'll have to check back later - have to go rescue yet "another" ferret. Yes I belong to local rescue group.

Send any info my way.....

 

[plack]

You might mant to order a seachem calcium test kit as well. It's good quality and is the best bang for your buck,better than salifert !

 

[steve-s]

I did like 25% or so yesterday and thought subsequent more frequent changes should be less while this is trying to get calcium and nitrates down....

While trying to get water specs in line, larger more frequent water changes will be more beneficial. Just be sure the new SW has mixed properly for 24 hrs before use.

What brand is you alk kit?
300 ppm alkalinity is high.

Cheers
Steve

 

[BJTenn]

Not alk kit, I got it backwards if thats what I said. I have a calcium kit and intend to get alk kit. I don't really want to admit this, but I have 5-1 test strips, and thats what I've been going by on alk and ph and nitrates. That's probably part of my problem as well, but I know the nitrates have to be high, there's really not another explanation for poor performance, other than crushed coral bed. As well as high calcium of course. I'm going to bite the bullet and order the Seachem kit for all the necessities....soon!

And what is larger and more frequent? How much do you allow for displacement of gallons for the live rock. I did about 25 or so yesterday, I figured 13 was close. Yes/no??? I also thought you could only change as often as weekly??? Please advise.

Thanks,

 

[BJTenn]

And duh!! you asked what the nitrate level was now! Not what the calcium was - Nitrates are 80 or above.....

 

[jsmkmavity]

in an earlier comment i suggested that 25% water change is a lot for routine maintainance but while trying to regulate out of spec water conditions its fine-even helpful an long as changes dont happen too quickly. the first few larger water changes will make greater changes than ones after that as high substances are reduced and low ones are increased. if your alk is low than is normal for oceanic, as well as high calcium. inland ocean ocean tends to be just opposite, but dont run off and change brands right now. you can slowly start mixing io with oceanic later. right now you should keep variables to a minimum. the exception would be if the salt mix cant be adjusted to normal parameters of alk ph and sg. magnesium is another kit you might want to get later as this can show what is out of balance. these levels are inter related and changing one can change another. with good salt mix and regular water changes, time and good maintainance everything should settle down to normal

 

[BJTenn]

Thanks a lot.

How often is frequent?? 3-5 days, 1 per week ????

What brand test kits do you use??

More brain picking - sorry, I'm almost ready to retire for the evening, or morning.

BJ

 

[steve-s]

There is absolutely no harm in changing the water daily if you wanted to as long as it's chemically/temp compensated to match the tanks water. You can change 100% of the water without incident. Whoever told you/lead you to believe too many water changes or frequent changes where bad are dead wrong. You just need to ensure the salinity, pH and temp are as close a match as possible. as long as you do that, you will have no problems.

I would be doing at minumum 15% every other day. 25% weekly at minimum with your current state of affairs. Once things are "back in line" that can be diminished but you really should do weekly changes instead of monthly.

As far as your salt choice, Oceanic is terrible. Normally I would say just compenstate for the shortfall of a particular brand but in this case I wouldn't waste your time. Oceanic is nothing but trouble over the long haul. Once what you have now is out, do look into an alternate manufacturer. Instant Ocean, Tropic Marine, Kent etc...

For test kits, I prefer Salifert for ease of use, accuracey and price. There is also Seachem, Hatch and Lamotte. One thing to note about your test strips and the current results you're getting, they could be completely wrong or at the very least not as bad as you think.

Cheers
Steve

 

[BJTenn]

Yeah, I know the test strips are unreliable. But they at least have been consistent up to now. I can tell if there is a variation in the PH and Nitrates for instance.

I'm sure something is going on because of the lack of blooming on some stuff and the MHLLE, which I do think the Coral Beauty has.

I'm going to put out some more water this evening and do another 15% tomorrow evening. Hopefully by then I'll get out and buy a PH, Alk, Nitrates kits, I have a good calcium kit, I think.

Thanks so much for your hand holding Steve.

Later
BJ