Disaster!

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Timbits

That's what I thought... I think it might have been longer than 15 min though maybe 30-45...

I bought a large stag acro and it was too large to pack. I moved it to my house dry in a rubbermaid tub. I was probably out of water 70 or 80 minutes. No issues. I once burned the tips of a coral under a 400w bulb by leaving the water low for 30 minutes, but that's an extreme. Your lighting shouldn't cause any issues like you describe. Worst case, you could get a lot of slime, but no losses.

[Stones]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I bought a large stag acro and it was too large to pack. I moved it to my house dry in a rubbermaid tub. I was probably out of water 70 or 80 minutes. No issues. I once burned the tips of a coral under a 400w bulb by leaving the water low for 30 minutes, but that's an extreme. Your lighting shouldn't cause any issues like you describe. Worst case, you could get a lot of slime, but no losses.

+1

Probably 1/3 of my acropora are fully exposed when I do water changes on my tank and they are sitting only 10" under 12 x 80 watt T5 tubes that I leave on so I can see what I'm doing. Most of the time they are out of the water for 30 mintues by the time I fininsh refilling the tank and sump and I've never experienced any losses from this.

I'd have to agree that likely one of the parameters in you new water was off and alkalinity is commonly the cuprit. Too high mag levels can also cause problems but you usually don't see high magnesium in any of the comercially available salts.

[daniella3d]

I don't think it was the exposition to air as well. I take a long time to do my water change because I refill with bucket from my basement so it takes me 40 minutes minimum and during this time I shut down my heater (to prevent overheating and cracking) and I leave the T5 on.

I never had a problem with any of my SPS doing this. It does smell very strong, and they often produce mucus but they are just fine one hour later.

[Timbits]

Ahhhhh I think you guys are right! It made me think that though because only the top of the sps's branches were losing color not the bottom part or the top heads of my frogspawn. The part closest to the light.

Anyways I think I found the culprit. I tested the tds of my ro and it was 17!!! Omg I guess my membrane is finally done cuz I replaced all the other filters like a week ago! Argh I'm so mad.

How bad is this? Going to replace the membrane today. Should I do a large water change after I make new water? How much should I do? My tank volume is roughly 40 g I think.

My Sps and lps were looking better today though sigh...

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by Timbits

Anyways I think I found the culprit. I tested the tds of my ro and it was 17!!! Omg I guess my membrane is finally done cuz I replaced all the other filters like a week ago! Argh I'm so mad.

How bad is this? Going to replace the membrane today. Should I do a large water change after I make new water? How much should I do? My tank volume is roughly 40 g I think.

My Sps and lps were looking better today though sigh...

Lots of people use tap water with much higher TDS, I don't think that is the issue.

[Starry]

whats your alk?

[Timbits]

Originally Posted by Starry

whats your alk?

Wow ok so I tested for alkalinity and was shocked to find it at 0 ppm. Ph was low too at around 7.5. That is definitely the problem. What I dont understand is why all my corals/fish were looking the best I've ever seen, I do a water change and I get problems right away. If my alk was low, shouldn't the water change raise my levels a bit. Did around 30% change. Why was it still at 0.

Adding a buffer to the tank atm to get levels back in check and will monitor more closely in the future.

Corals are all looking 100 times better. Just a little color loss but no losses.