Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 OK so for a number of weeks I have been dealing with an issue. Here it goes the best of my ability, keep in mind I noticed this after it was too late. About 3 weeks ago I noticed some corals loosing flesh (procillipora first) then my caps to follow. I noticed the ph was low 7.8 or so and shortly after a nitrate spike occurred (80 ppm-120 ppm). I did a large WC 50% and that got me down to about 20 ppm after the night was over. That was 2-3 weeks ago, since then the nitrate keeps trying to raise (20ppm) so I have had to follow up with multiple WC again. I seem to get down to about 15 ppm and thats about as good as I can do. My hunch was something died, but only thing I cant find is a lettuce nudi. nitrate was 20 last night did a 50 gallon WC (33%) and I am right back up to 20 ppm again. Since the house is locked tight I know the oxygen levels are lower than usual in the house so I ran my skimmer airline outside, this helped a little, but still seems to be low, so Tonight I shut down the cal reactor to help. All levels other than nitrate look OK. Cal 460 DKH 9.0 mag 1350 ph 8.1 (just shut off cal reactor and 6pm) Other things to mention is I changed salt about a month ago. from IO to OP but I dont think its related. Ro water tests fine and no issues there, tested multiple times. You think that if my water filter TDS was high I would get no nitrates then some to follow day later? Maybe I need to test TDS in my water, but nitrates are zero? My first hunch was a dead fish but all accounted for, my second was ph drop causing die off causing nitrate hike, but nitrates keep coming back. my third hunch is possibly RO water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 You have a 'fuge right? Could something in there be trapped and rotting away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 You know, come to think of it, I will clean the cheato... I am running prodibio and the cheato is dying off... I will do that right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Hope that works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 well wasn't very dirty, but I will have to do another 33% WC so, I may vacuum the whole sump, only place its dirty is between the baffles.. fun place to try and get to.. need some 30" long 1" round hardline... doh, how do other clean those out? I have 1.5" between the baffle plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I do the turkey baster blast to blow out the few dead spots in my sump. i try to do it every few weeks and at least get the stuff into my tank where the cleaners can eat it. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 Sump cleaned... thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Nyles, I am fighting the same thing right now. I am going to use a small powerhead and blow off and under my rock to look for dead spots and clean out the detritus. I am also going to put my remote DSB back online. I took it out about 2 months ago and have been having problems ever since. I have almost lost all my SPS due to the nitrate spike. Live and learn... Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 Funny thing is we are using the same salt.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=937563 I am going to get some new salt and do a large WC tonight, maybe part of the problem.. maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palani Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Nyles, I know Dan has the same problem with his sps in his tank and he is also using OP. Something about super high boron that's fing things up. Just to let you know. I'll agree, time to change salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Have you tested the nitrate level of fresh salt mix? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 yes "0" nitrate. I did a very large water change last night with red sea pro salt.... A few corals only have a hint of color, mostly white, I guess I can only hope for the best. I am reading everywhere that alot of people had the same problems with OP salt.. So I hope this fixes the problem, well see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 Update, My nano is showing the same problems now as well, I didnt think about it at first but it has the exact same problem. I will do a 50% WC on it as well tomorrow and it should recover with no problems, Im finding its mostly the SPS corals that are affected, and my clams are not happy with it either. Salt is only speculation at this time, but for simplicity reasons I hope thats whats wrong. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I did have another customer that had a bucket of Seachem that he was experiencing the same kind of problems. He picked up a bucket of Red Sea Coral Pro and has done a couple of water changes with it and things are stabilizing nicely. Hopefully you two will have the same results once you get a couple of water changes into it and things will turn around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palani Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 [language filter], and I just changed to the Seachem Reef Salt. I guess I'll be going back to Reef Crystals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Stick with reef crystals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanF Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 The last batch of Seachem Reef Salt that we recieved also had Magnesium levels down around 900. Reef Crystals has been testing good on this last batch we recieved. My personal favorite is still Red Sea Coral Pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 Have not been home in a number of days, I will probably be home tonight to check out tank, I'm not all that enthusiastic to look in there, but I will try and post back if there is any improvements or sustainability yet. I was at upscales and seen a colony I wanted and just couldn't bare to pick it up knowing my tank was in the condition its in..... so... I went home empty handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 That cot they setup at Shakers working out good for you eh? (laugh) j/k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 I did a Boron test on a fresh batch of Ocean Pure salt yesterday and the level was 5.0. That is .5 above natural sea water. So the "high boron" thing is not the answer. That's not to say that there isn't something else in the mix that coulc be causing it. I have been using Ocean pure pro for about 6 months and I think I am going to go back to the Tropic Marin. I just don't like the way things are growing in my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 I don't think it was salt, maybe a buffering problem with salt? but I dont think so, OK tested this morning, ph was about 7.5!! maybe lower.... So I turned on the tank lights early, shut down the cal reactor, opened some doors to air out the room (but skimmer air comes from outside), and changed the refugium lights on 24 hours to help buffer the ph/oxygen. after a short time ph went up to 8.0 I turned on the cal reactor the other day and I think it tipped it lower, now that ph is back up Im firing it back up, I think I may want to change out my refugium light as well. So it continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 I think I will also get a controller very soon as well, since I am not around often enough lately to really be here to observe what is happening, I test when I can but thats it. An online controller that will give me status of the tank no matter where I am is probably going to help. Well see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael7979 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 .5 in ph is a big swing. Even if that takes 24 hours to go up/down .5!! Definatly something to worry about! Running refugium 24/7 should help! But that still doesn't answer the question as to what made this start happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nyles Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 Well that I cant answer, it started when I changed salt, but that doesnt mean it was the salt, the weather changed to, so who knows, the ph test is a cheesy test kit, I need something better, trying to get a probe but cant make up my mind to get monitor or full controller system. We had a stagnant air advisory for the last 3 days to, dunno if that had an effect, prepping for a water change later today, the corals dont look to terrible, at least I dont see much progression in in losses, I just dosed some coral boster before the water change in hopes to boost the corals strength (prodibio reef booster) salt has been mixing since this morning. What a PITA.... all inverts are doing great, so I dunno how accurate testing is.. corals seem to be more effected than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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