Michika's 28g long nano-esque tank!

Doug · #1 12-04-2007, 08:13 PM

If you used a DI, then thats removes any high alkalinity, so it should not be the same problem, unless it was a bad salt mix.

I figured it out, much later, like almost a couple years, after having all kinds of problems with my tanks in that particular house. Partly from reading Instant Ocean threads. I also, stupidly thought my ro was removed any alkaline well water, plus it went through a sofener first. However it was not. I have a friend who had a similar problem and it was corrected by adding the di resin.

I dont believe my tank cycled again. It had a lot of rock and I was running my turf scrubber also. All my soft coral, fish & inverts were fine. I removed everything that never looked good. Man, did those large clams stink.

Of course its just my guess thats what my problem was, although we kind of proved it years later.

However, your DI should prevent that. Perhaps when you mix up a fresh batch of saltwater, see what the alk. is.

Other than that it could have just beed the move. Sps seem to get upset so easy and along with smaller clams are fairly sensitive to changes. Some of the sps tanks going down on RC would make you scratch your head. And most for no know reason.

I see some other post while I was typing this one said the same regarding sps & clams. I would not think a temp. change of that amount would start it. Most are colder than that when coming in to a lfs.

michika · #2 12-04-2007, 08:23 PM

Clams do stink! That smell is just so nasty and unique, you defnitely know what happened the moment it reaches your nose. Just thinking about it spikes my gag reflex.

MitchM · #3 12-05-2007, 12:21 AM

If you don't mind an out-of-the-blue opinion...

I didn't see in this thread how your move progressed, but I think that the only thing that could have prevented the terrible losses would have been the presence of MUCH more cured, mature live rock to help support all the corals and clams in your system.
I don't think that the amount of live rock and some old water alone had the capacity to support all that life.
If your old water was transported from Edmonton, how did the bacteria in it survive? It may have been dead already when you put it in the tank in Calgary.
I think Tony's right - it's cycling now.

Mitch

michika · #4 12-05-2007, 01:04 AM

Mitch,

Can you explain further what you mean about more mature rock? The bulk of the existing rock is about 4 years old. There was approximately 45 pounds in the previous tank, and this tank is only 4g larger then my previous system.

The rock was all in water, and it was in a heated car for the whole trip. I don't think the bacteria would have died between Edmonton and Calgary by just the move.

I'm confused about your opinion, can you clarify it more please?

michika · #5 12-05-2007, 03:21 AM

The remaining clams are in a new temporary home and I have opted to ride out the remainder of whatever this is.

Tonight there was another water change, to the tune of 10g instead of the usual 7g. The crazy neon green algae is still making frequent appearances. I had to clean my glass 5, yes 5 times, between when my MH came on this morning and when they shut of. Needless to say I have reduced my photoperiod.

MitchM · #6 12-05-2007, 11:09 AM

Hi Catherine,

Looking at the size of your system, it looks like it is relatively small for the amount of life that you have in there.
When you think about it, by moving, you basically turn off the lights, heaters and restrict gas exchange for 7 hours, set it up again and hope that it recovers alright.
If your system was running at pretty much full capacity before the move, the support system (live rock, mature water, plus removal of a sand bed) wasn't able to both recover itself and help the corals and clams recover as well.

It would have been interesting to know what the water temperatures and ammonia readings were after the drive.

Something didn't make it - as evidenced by the cycle happening now. I think that more mature live rock - even with new salt water, may have helped the system recover better.

Moving a reef tank has got to be the most difficult task for a reefer to do.

Mitch

michika · #7 12-05-2007, 02:12 PM

Its always possible. This is like my 8th tank move and this is the first time I've ever had anything negative happen in the least.

To answer your questions about the temperature and ammonia, it was 76, and 0. The temperature reading was taken about 10 minutes after I got to my new place, and the ammonia, probably 3 hours later (give or take).

Thank you though for clarifying your original post.