BIG TROUBLE!! Need advice please.

[cwatkins]

Do you use RO/DI? If not maybe something's going on with your local water?

Maybe something died off and released some crap? Run some carbon as already suggested?

[doch]

Yes, I do use RODI. This is the first time that I have.

I think that I may have found the Mg culprit. I had a bucket of 2Ocean sitting around waiting for changes.... I was at the bottom of the bucket, and today I did yet another water change, and tested the Mg before putting the tank online. 1850! Seems that is the Mg problem. I wasn't smart enough to test the Kh before putting it online, so who knows about that. For the record... yes, yes, I know... roll, shake and disturb salt before use. I have learned this the hard way. Crap. And lots of it.

This all said, who knows... it's a semi old Mg test kit, maybe it's out? I get a new one tomorrow so we'll see.

So, I went onto BRS and used their reef calculator... turns out that I was using too little GFO, so I upped that and the carbon. I dosed a little Ca so we'll see what that does... hopefully bring the Kh down.

One question though... talking to buddy tonight, I was told that dosing for Alk will drop the pH... is this right? Everytime I dose soda ash my pH spikes... I think. I haven't paid attention in a while, but I thought that was the case.


Anyways kids, thanks for the inputs. Wish me luck in saving my little box of ocean!

[viperfish]

Originally Posted by doch

Yes, I do use RODI. This is the first time that I have.

I think that I may have found the Mg culprit. I had a bucket of 2Ocean sitting around waiting for changes.... I was at the bottom of the bucket, and today I did yet another water change, and tested the Mg before putting the tank online. 1850! Seems that is the Mg problem. I wasn't smart enough to test the Kh before putting it online, so who knows about that. For the record... yes, yes, I know... roll, shake and disturb salt before use. I have learned this the hard way. Crap. And lots of it.

This all said, who knows... it's a semi old Mg test kit, maybe it's out? I get a new one tomorrow so we'll see.

So, I went onto BRS and used their reef calculator... turns out that I was using too little GFO, so I upped that and the carbon. I dosed a little Ca so we'll see what that does... hopefully bring the Kh down.

One question though... talking to buddy tonight, I was told that dosing for Alk will drop the pH... is this right? Everytime I dose soda ash my pH spikes... I think. I haven't paid attention in a while, but I thought that was the case.


Anyways kids, thanks for the inputs. Wish me luck in saving my little box of ocean!

The effect of Alk on your PH is determined by the recipe you are using. sodium bicarbonate will drop the PH but soda ash (sodium carbonate) will raise it.

[The Codfather]

Originally Posted by medhatreefguy

The effect of Alk on your PH is determined by the recipe you are using. sodium bicarbonate will drop the PH but soda ash (sodium carbonate) will raise it.

+1 soda will raise pH. We use soda ash in our treatment labs here to neutralize acidic waters.

[christyf5]

I've had high Mg levels before (way higher than the 1500 the kit maxed out at) without any problems. But the high Alk and low Ca could be part of the problem esp if you have new stuff that isn't acclimated to those levels (and I'm talking long term here not just the acclimation to your tank). Sometimes RTN can trigger a cascade effect and cause RTN in other colonies that have been in your tank for awhile. Try to get the alk back on track and the other levels should fall in line with water changes with new/better salt.

[Bblinks]

Originally Posted by christyf5

I've had high Mg levels before (way higher than the 1500 the kit maxed out at) without any problems. But the high Alk and low Ca could be part of the problem esp if you have new stuff that isn't acclimated to those levels (and I'm talking long term here not just the acclimation to your tank). Sometimes RTN can trigger a cascade effect and cause RTN in other colonies that have been in your tank for awhile. Try to get the alk back on track and the other levels should fall in line with water changes with new/better salt.

+1. if you are running probiotic system like pellets or zeovit, you alk should be around 7 anything over 10 dkh you will run into issues. I would get your alk and cal back to proper range and go from there, snip off the rtn sps frag it or what ever but try to get rid of all the other that rtn'ed before it begins a domino effect. best of luck, I know it sucks but just hang in there.

[doch]

Originally Posted by Bblinks

+1. if you are running probiotic system like pellets or zeovit, you alk should be around 7 anything over 10 dkh you will run into issues. I would get your alk and cal back to proper range and go from there, snip off the rtn sps frag it or what ever but try to get rid of all the other that rtn'ed before it begins a domino effect. best of luck, I know it sucks but just hang in there.

OH BOY! So you think that I should clear out anything that is dying? Can anyone else vouch? I've been taking stuff out and fragging it as best as I can and ditching th RTN portions if I can tell that they aren't going to make it, but there are a couple in there still that aren't looking great... should I frag and toss the parts with RTN??? Unfortunately, I'm now out of frag plugs and glue due to the massive amount of fragging that has been going on.

This sucks.