Total Failure

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Fox

All of you have told me that my pH is too low but no one has suggested how to solve it. On top of all that everyone has a different suggestion as to what I am doing wrong which just adds to me theory that everything I am doing is wrong.

If I cant use tap water then I might as well quit now because I am not putting any more equipment into this tank and I am not going to buy huge jugs of water just for the tank.


My ammonia is too high...Great...how do I fix it? Just water changes over the next few weeks?

My pH is too High...Once again...How do I fix that...

Why is slow dripping bad for the fish...Seems to be 2 schools of thought on that...and if it was slow dripping that hurt them then why did they last for so long afterward and then suddenly die.

I dont know what kind of salt I am using...

My test kits suck...ok great...What test kits don't suck so I can buy the right one?

My gravity is too low...I have read so much conflicting information on this I don't know who to believe any more...

Sorry if I seem ungrateful but the more people that respond with something different, the more discouraged I get.

Hi, welcome to the board First, your pH is way too low for a SW tank, therefore, I don't believe the value, I've seen tap water with a pH of 7. Yours is not 7.0. Trust me, it's just not. If you have cleaner shrimp in the tank surviving, your pH is fine enough.
Tap water is not the best, but many successful people here use it. Again, not likey your problem.
what kind of salt your using is important, maybe check it and report back.
Ammonia is too high if you can read it, so yes, you need to find the dead fish. Sucks, I know, but you gotta get it out. The tank is too small to support natural decomposition.
I agree with Canadian, dripping for an hour is not required, I float to match temp, dump them in.
Salifert kits are good. Elos kits are good.
Specific gravity is too low for a reef, it should be 1.026. But, at this point, you're just trying to keep fish alive, 1.022 will not be harmful to them.

Now wait until you stabilize things a bit, do a water change to get rid of ammonia, next time you get one fish only, acclimate as described by Canadian, and see if you have better luck. If someone here has offered to test your water, take them up on it, a third opinion is great.

[Fox]

Tonight I will tear down the tank and try to find the goby and make sure I grab the brand of salt...

I keep track of all my tests in my iPod so I have them with me whenever I need them...

I am using a refractometer (the swing arm was just way to inconsistent) so I will slowly start to increase my salinity. Should be relatively easy to do with the more frequent water changes...

You guys are really awesome...this whole board just being there for people like me and taking the time to help out...Really...thanks!!! I cant say it enough...

[rocketlily]

I buy my RO water in Sherwood Park. A $60 card buys you 25 - 5 gal jugs. $ 2.40 for 5 gals. Not too bad of a price. PM me for the store's name if you need it.

[Fox]

My wife and I are going to look at RO water in the big blue jugs the next time we go and consider it...We buy the jugs anyway (just not the RO ones) so I guess a few more wouldn't be too bad...do you just have to add your salt after that then and not the conditioner I take it?

P.S. Where on that site did you get that ticker I see so often...I had a look but could only find ovulation ones...hahaha

[saltynuts]

www.tickerfactory.com

[Fox]

Apparently I just didnt understand what I was reading at first..Got it figured out...
Thanks again!

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Hi, welcome to the board First, your pH is way too low for a SW tank, therefore, I don't believe the value, I've seen tap water with a pH of 7. Yours is not 7.0. Trust me, it's just not. If you have cleaner shrimp in the tank surviving, your pH is fine enough.
Tap water is not the best, but many successful people here use it. Again, not likey your problem.
what kind of salt your using is important, maybe check it and report back.
Ammonia is too high if you can read it, so yes, you need to find the dead fish. Sucks, I know, but you gotta get it out. The tank is too small to support natural decomposition.
I agree with Canadian, dripping for an hour is not required, I float to match temp, dump them in.
Salifert kits are good. Elos kits are good.
Specific gravity is too low for a reef, it should be 1.026. But, at this point, you're just trying to keep fish alive, 1.022 will not be harmful to them.

Now wait until you stabilize things a bit, do a water change to get rid of ammonia, next time you get one fish only, acclimate as described by Canadian, and see if you have better luck. If someone here has offered to test your water, take them up on it, a third opinion is great.

As per dumping in...if his salinty is 1.022 and the stores is 1.025 or 1.026 then simply dumping is foolhardy...if his is higher then it is a bit less shock, but if his is lower than the stores i would say dumping them in is bad advice.

[Fox]

Thats what I figured... I had been testing theirs vs mine...and dripping based on that...but even then it was suggested I was dripping for too long.

[subman]

The problem with slow dripping is temperature unless you can float and drip!

You are using marine salt though right?
The reason I ask is marine salt is buffered right out of the pail so you would have a higher ph.

[Fox]

Good call...I never considered the temperature when I was dripping...Thanks!

I thought I would try and save a few bucks and I am using those round salt tablets that we use to soften our water...

<dramatic pause>

Kidding of course...Until I get home I don't remember the details of the type of salt I bought...I originally bought a bag and then bought a big pail from big al's on boxing day...