I think my tank is in trouble

[ninjamini]

I noticed some corals not looking so good. My toadstool was shriveled in a way that I never seen before. One of my montipora started to bleach. So I did some testing:

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 0
Phosphates = .1
Ph = 7.8
Alk test is empty - But it always tests low.
Calcium = 540

I dosed using ph/alk oceans blend 50 ml half the recommended dose for a 90 gal. That was Monday morning. Today I get home to find my toadstool is disintegrating at its top and the montipora is a lot more bleached.

It was lights out when I got home so I will do more testing after we open presents. Any thoughts.

I do not have any saltwater for a quick change because I but NSW.

[ReefWreak]

I know it's not very helpful, but I would suggest a water change like you said. That usually is the best bandaid for most situations. I would stop dosing totally. If you want to borrow a test kit, I'm happy to lend, just let me know. I'm around today and tomorrow if you need anything.

[Mr..Tang]

raise your ph and keep your alk up

[Beach Bum 70]

check mag aswell

[Rogger Castells]

Steve, stop dosing, you have an imbalance, do a couple of water changes, buy a salifert alk test kit and check water, post the results

[dobly_1999]

I had this situation like yours a few months back. I turned off my CA reactor and used Kalkwasser only during top-off. I did 20 gallon water changes each week for a month. Then I backed off to 20 gallons biweekly, then to 15 gallons every month since. I added Two Little Fishies Phosban Phosphate Removal Media in the water flow to lower phosphate to zero on the test results. Now my corals are growing and colorful.

[jeffbrig]

Try Randy's 2part alkalinity portion to correct the alkalinity. Take 2.5 cups of baking soda, spread it onto a baking sheet, and bake it at 300 degrees for an hour. Mix it with RO/DI water in a 1 gallon jug. Dose 50-100mL/day, slowly, to bring up your alkalinity. Ph will rise with it.

Also, use the reef chemistry calculator to determine how much you need to get it back to normal, and later to determine how much to dose daily to maintain.

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

[Mr..Tang]

Tell me again why you should bake the baking soda?? I thought I read something somewhere saying not to bake??

[Rogger Castells]

Originally posted by Mr..Tang
Tell me again why you should bake the baking soda?? I thought I read something somewhere saying not to bake??

it is mainly to drive off water and carbon dioxide.

[Mr..Tang]

Water and carbon dioxide in the baking soda?? What effects will you have if you don't bake??

[prideprops]

You can always get water at the Hillsboro Inlet. High tide tonight is at 9:17 pm!

[Rogger Castells]

Originally posted by Mr..Tang
Water and carbon dioxide in the baking soda?? What effects will you have if you don't bake??

I don't think there will be any bad effects, probably not as pure and effective but it will work either way.

[jeffbrig]

Originally posted by Mr..Tang
Water and carbon dioxide in the baking soda?? What effects will you have if you don't bake??

Nothing bad. In fact, alkalinity will rise just the same. The difference is that straight baking soda causes a short-term drop in pH, something you want to avoid if ph is low to begin with. Baking the baking soda to dry it drives off CO2, and causes a short-term increase in pH along with bolstering alkalinity.

If your tank has high ph, use straight baking soda.
If you have low ph, bake your baking soda first.

[ninjamini]

How long after a water change should I see a change in the tanks ph? Its been 3 hours and ph is still 7.8.

[ReefWreak]

7.8 isn't that low of a ph. I'm quite convinced that mine runs about that pretty regularly due to the calcium reactor. Your tank should be fine at that level

[gasman059]

Originally posted by ReefWreak
7.8 isn't that low of a ph. I'm quite convinced that mine runs about that pretty regularly due to the calcium reactor. Your tank should be fine at that level

mine is constantly around 7.8- 8.0

[Lacy]

Another thought - I had a similar problem in my last tank but it turned out to be an electrical short. I found that one by reaching into the tank one time with my shoes off, got that tingling feeling with no cuts / scrapes. Turned out to be a powerhead leaking into the water.

Mike

[ninjamini]

LAcy,
I did not think of that but its worth a shot. Although I did have my hands in the tank yesterday pulling out the PH to clean them.

[Lacy]

If you are wearing shoes or other insulating clothing, you may not feel it. Be careful, no need to look like gasman's avatar.

[ninjamini]

Nope, no shoes in the house.


Which begs the question about a grounding probe. How do you use one?

[macawmagic]

with a grounding probe you literally stick the one end in the tank and then the other end into that third hole in a socket. that's the grounding line. it'll ground and access electricity you've got in you're tank, but is only a bandaid for the problem!

[gasman059]

my probe was finally calibrated after 2 years and it was off by .6 LOL.
pays to pay attention to your tank LOL

[ninjamini]

Well I found the issue. Thanx to the guys at EcoReef my KH was at 5. Apparently all my tests were giving me bad results. My calcium which was 550 according to my test was at 440 there. My phosphates which was at .1 on my test was at .18.

I am dosing PH/ALK and I will keep you all posted.

My thanx to the guys at EcoReef. Man I hat test kits that dont work

[Rogger Castells]

What test kit were u using? which test kit did Eco-reef used?

[gasman059]

Originally posted by Rogger Castells
What test kit were u using? which test kit did Eco-reef used?

pls very interested.