Tank problem

[snobanker]

Ok I'm not sure what is happening, but I musta done something wrong. My water appears slightly cloudy and most of my critters are closed up. My mushrooms are a little smallish, zenia and anthilia not quite open, my mushroom toadstool and cabbage leather are not extended....zoos and polyps are fine.???? My water params are temp-80.1, PH 8.2, ammo <10ppm(always been this reading with my kit), nitrates 10ppm(lowest its been in awhile...some good news) I'm still having the low CA problem-255, but it's been like this and never had an issue, my KH is 14.7 and alk 5.2...really high I know, but how do I drop it?...it's also been that way for a long while like my CA. I don't know what my MG is cause my kit is on backorder . I just did a WC last week with RO/DI as usual and plan on doing another one tommorrow. This just started today...I'm hoping its just some fluke and will be OK tommorrow, but you know how that goes. Oh the only thing I have changed is I started dosing CA with Seachem Reef Calcium last week instead of Warner Calxmax. I followed the CA calculator suggestion for raising my CA using that product, but I havent even been putting as much in as it suggested because I was afraid of raising my CA too quickly......any ideas anyone?? Oh and my skimmer has been producing skimmate like mad too, more than usual.

 

[NaH2O]

Hmmm.....I would also check the mix water's parameters, and see if that is the source of your high alk. Have you checked the calcium with another kit to make sure that is an accurate reading? How cloudy is it? If you can do a water change sooner, that may help out.

 

[mojoreef]

You Calcium is low because you alk is to high. Thats not really the worry though, the big thing you should consintrate on is the ammonia and nitrates, neither is good and can cuase some big problems with the corals. As Nikki's says I would also do multiple WC's until you can get rid of these levels. Also make sure you have a good test kit its an important thing to monitor.


MIke

 

[sryder]

hey mojo , if he is having ammonia and nitrates is it possible the tank is trying to cycle out something that has been added as far as livestock, rock,corals or over feeding. rotting food or detritus? possibly too much of a load killing off beneficial bacteria? would carbon help clear up the cloudiness? im new too, so this is also for me if the situation ever comes up.

 

[NaH2O]

I'm not sure he is getting ammonia and nitrate readings, but rather that is the lowest his test kit shows. Stan, can you clarify that?

 

[jlehigh]

Hang in there Stan,

I agree that changing some water out is a very good route to go. I don;t see how your perameters are causing the cloudyness nor over skimming though. Is it possible despite the now balanced PH level there may have been too much Kalk added? This would upset the animals, cause cloudiness and overskimming.

The only other activitie i have witnessed with these symptoms is clams spawning.

regardless multiple small water changes over the next few days should help your Calcium, alk and Nitrate issues.

 

[Scooterman]

Yep I can't add much but I will anyways lol!
Asides from your multipable wc's, take your time and get good test kits, & don't add anything until you know what you have as a base line, you'll be ok, let that skimmer go, let it suck everything it can until it clears up. Keep us posted, if you need more help we can get into more details until you get things in order.

 

[snobanker]

Hey all,

Right at this moment the tank is clear as a bell. The lights just came on so not everything is open yet, but my xenia and anthelia are pumping away.


Nikki as far as the ammo reading...yes that is the lowest it always reads and has always read.

Mike, my Nitrates are actually much better then they were (I've been doing more frequent WC's and put on a better skimmer awhile ago that has really helped.

I use Salfert for alk and CA and nitrate. All my other kits are AP.

Sryder I haven't had anything die off as far as fish or corals, and I blow the detritis off the rocks every other day, so I "don't think" it is that, plus my feeding schedule is very light so not much food detritis.

I ran some carbon last night too. I am about to go do a WC right now too. Also I added about 7 gals to the system last night just by starting up my (empty other that water ) refugium, which I've been delaying for some reason. I have been adding a little extra CA to try and bring it up, but using the suggested amounts per the CA calculator. But I am using less than suggested to try and avoid raising it too quickly. It sounds like from what Mike said that I may be defeating myself because my alk is so high....how do you reduce alk??? Just frequent WC's?

Jlehigh and Scooty I am not going to add anything else until I see everything come in to line with what it should be. I'll just do several WC's.

The only other thing I ever put in the tank is that I mix a little Selcon, Garlic extreme, and some marine Zoe with frozen brine shrimp, and formula 2 cube when the fish get that, which is about every third day. in between about every other day they get a "little" formula 2 flake. I have a tang that gets a nori strip every day.

 

[Scooterman]

Yep, you will get the water closer to what you want mearly by doing water changes, last time mine was off, I did two really big changes which made the best results, then littler ones.

 

[mojoreef]

As Scott says when its out like that its better to just WC's your self back to proper levels and then go from thier. Good to hear all is doing better.



Mike

 

[NaH2O]

I may be defeating myself because my alk is so high....how do you reduce alk??? Just frequent WC's?

Have you checked the parameters of your mix water? I would check and make sure it isn't skewed with really high alk.

 

[snobanker]

Nikki, I'm glad you asked that again, cause I was just about to go do the WC and I almost forgot to do that as you suggested before.

 

[snobanker]

OK I just checked the mix water

Alk=4.11
CA+330

Now if I try and raise the CA of my mix water before putting it in will this help me or will the high Alk still keep my CA down?

Update on how the tank looks- water is still clear. everything is open better exept my toadstool started to extend then pulled back, and my cabbage leather is not extended. I have some pink stars polyps that were not out yesterday, but are mostly out now, but not quite as much as usual.

 

[mojoreef]

Make your mix water to 1.025 with cal at 420 and your alk at 4. If you continue to do this you will eventually replace all the water in you tank with water that is properly balanced


Mike

 

[MikeS]

Agreed with mojo....for a significant imbalance like that, adding Ca isn't going to do too much. You can add and add, but you likely won't see the increase in Ca you desire. Water changes with properly balanced water are the best way to correct this. Check the "big three" in the new water...ie Ca, Alk and Mg to insure balance prior to replacing it.

MikeS

 

[snobanker]

Ok thats what I am going to do then....

 

[snobanker]

Well, thanks to a loan by Gobie, I was able to test my Mg which turned out to be 1110 ppm....pretty low. My mix water was at 1225 ppm. I figure I'll work on the Mg which should help my CA/alk problem too, if what I'm reading here on RF is correct.

 

[gobie]

you are welcom stan. Any thing to help out a friend in need.try to use less garlic I have heard it can have an effect on your bio filter

 

[MikeS]

1110ppm MG is a bit low, but IMO not likely a major contributor to the imbalance. MG depleats slowly, and you *generally* won't see significant problems in balance before it drops below 1000 ppm. But, yes, it does play into the delicate balancing act...

What SG are you keeping your tank at? That is important when figuring the proper levels of Ca, Alk and Mg....

MikeS

 

[jeremy]

your temp is way to high 74-77 not 81 thats death i've got over 700 coral in my 1000gal trust me thats the reason