gradth Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I had a pretty susbstantial algae bloom over the last couple days. I had a pretty bad cyno problem that seemed to go away after a day in the dark. Was clear for about a week then it boomed again. I checked my water and to my surprise Amonia 0 Nitrite 0 ph 8.2 Nitrates 40ppm Never had them that high before. I lost a neon headed sleeper goby. Just disapeared. without moving stuff around i couldnt find him. So im hoping maybe thats what did it. So anyway, I did about a 15% water change. I checked my calcium and alk. And this is where I got confused. Calcium came out at 605mg/L I thought that was odd since I have never got it above 400. I checked it again and it was right about 590. Is High calcium a bad thing? i know I did the test right. My alk came out 4mEq/L which to my understanding is normal. I have not added any calcium supplement in over a month(mostly cause I have not checked it ) Anyway, High calcium bad? Good? Should a wait a couple days after the water change and just check it all again? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Gotta have more info. What salt are you using? Do you use ro/di water? what is your magnesium level? How long has your system been set up? Test the calcium in your water change water before you add it to your system to see what it the level is. Which test kit and how old is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Gotta have more info. What salt are you using? Do you use ro/di water? what is your magnesium level? How long has your system been set up? Test the calcium in your water change water before you add it to your system to see what it the level is. Which test kit and how old is it? salt= instant ocean Ro/di water from Seahorse in PDX Mag level? dont know, didnt get a kit for that. system has been up for about 5 months. Instant ocean calcium test kit, 2 months old maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Brandy Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 your calcium level should be something like 400-450. How often do you do water changes? What is your pos levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 your calcium level should be something like 400-450. How often do you do water changes? What is your pos levels? Well do to my algae issues I have been having I have been doing about 5-10% every week or so. I had not done one in about 2 weeks until today. Not sure what POS level is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanmike01 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Phosphate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 ahh, no test for that either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Brandy Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Yep Phosphates. You have algae because you could be feeding your tank to much. Or you may not have enough flow in your tank to water moving. Do you have a sand bed? Cleanup crew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 No one needs a test for phosphates. I have one and it always reads zero, even if there is a phosphate problem. The problem with phosphate tests is that it doesn't test for all phosphates. Just know that you have phosphates with everything you add to your tank and that algae love it. So if you have algae as a nutrient export, you will be fine. If not, get a phosphate "reactor". Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrgreenthumb Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 No one needs a test for phosphates. I have one and it always reads zero' date=' even if there is a phosphate problem. The problem with phosphate tests is that it doesn't test for all phosphates. Just know that you have phosphates with everything you add to your tank and that algae love it. So if you have algae as a nutrient export, you will be fine. If not, get a phosphate "reactor". Just my opinion.[/quote'] I completely disagree with not testing for phosphates. Phosphates are an unwanted nutrient, and you would have no way of knowing when your phosphate remover stopped working if you never tested for them. Also, it is possible to have more phosphates than algae can export, and it would be good to know if you had traceable phosphates in your water column. How can you treat something if you don't know its there, or how much is there?? ALWAYS TEST FOR PHOSPHATES!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My point was not clear. I have never seen anything on a phosphate test myself. Every other test I have seen the good and the bad, but not a phosphate test. Even when I was having pest algae problems. Even when phosphates are a problem they can be used up before they are tested for. The best test can say zero and you can still have a phosphate problem. So in my experience, you should know where phosphates come from and know how to remove them, but I, myself, have not found need to test for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180Bob Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I test for phosphates every day. I look in my tank and look for algae. If I see algae, I know I have phosphates. I also use a test kit now and then. It never shows much, but it makes me feel better and it would tell me if I have a HUGH phosphate problem. The issue with the test kits that are available to aquarists is that they only test for the inorganic ortho-phosphates. The problem is that in our tanks most of the phostphates are bound up in organic compounds that the test kits don't measure. I've seen test methods to measure the organic phosphates, but they involve things like boiling sulphuric acid, so I have stuck with the watch the algae method mostly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hmmmm, boiling sulphuric acid or watching algae? I'm with you Bob. Do you think maybe we're getting old and losing our edge? EXTREME REEFING!! next on Fox! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
defigart Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 EXTREME REEFING!! next on Fox! (nutty)(laugh) Hillarious Andy. I can imagine it already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadReefer Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I guess I test for phosphates daily also, by watching for algae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 well my nitrates are down to about 20ppm. I am having a algae bllom like bad though. Green stuff this time. I clean the glass on the front and about 8 hours later again its filming up. My fish all seem fine, but my BTA is all balled up and tiny like its hiding. ALso the water seems murky. My bicolor blenny and my percs seem to have a dusting of film on them. I had marine velvet once before in a previous tank and I know that a film appears, but they also got sick and died within a couple of days. All my fish are acting normal and eat and seem to be happy. I really dont want to go through that again, that was heartbreaking. But its almost like the fish are dirty because the water seems dirty. Anyway, not sure what to do. Just ride it out and keep an eye on it. Should I do another water change?(did one yesterday) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradth Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Ugh, well it was marine velvet. Turns out the ember blenny I had is the most likely canidate for bringing it into my tank. After about a 2 week quarantine I moved him over because he was not eating. About a week later he died(from what I thought was not eating). now a week later my bicolor blenny bit the dust, and a clown goby. I got all my fish out and into a hospital tank. My hippo seems really healthy and no signs. My percs had the film, but seem to be taking to the copper already. My other clown goby might pull through. Amazingly my pair of firefish have managed to come through the second bout of oodinium without a mark. So my tank is going through its second 1 month no fish cycle in 6 months. This is really fustrating. One question, I have 2 damsels that hang out down in my sump/refugium. they show no signs at all. should I get them out also? Anyway, this will be some down time to try and plan the new tank I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowman Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Bummer dude. I feel for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I would take the water out and invest in a good "really good" RO/DI unit this way you know the quality of water going into your tank, they are expensive but they worth it in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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