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ATO failed...


siskiou

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in my 120G! Both switches didn't work.

SG went from 1.026/7ish to 1.025.

Top off has Kalk, so pH was at 8.44 this morning (normally 8.15 in the am).

 

I've taken out all the extra water, and have some saltier than usual water mixing up right now.

 

Any recommendations on how to proceed?

Should I do a large waterchange, replacing with the saltier water now, or give it a little extra time to mix?

 

Should I bring down the pH some with vinegar or soda water, since it will go up with the lights on?

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Relax. I don't think that is a huge change. Let everything reach equilibrium. It could make it worse to try to change it back. The pH will normalize, the salinity will be fine. I run my tank at 1.024-5, and things do just fine. pH 0f 8.44 is a little high, but it is within "OK" range. If you try to add too much acid, it will shift the other way and then think of the change that you will be forcing your animals to deal with then.

 

dsoz

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Thanks!

 

I'm just po'd at the recent equipment failures!

And the 120G was doing so well! I hope this won't start a round of cyano, or something else!

Stability is the key, in my opinion. So far, fish and corals look happy enough, but sometimes the reaction comes a few days later.

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Thanks!

 

I'm just po'd at the recent equipment failures!

And the 120G was doing so well! I hope this won't start a round of cyano, or something else!

Stability is the key, in my opinion. So far, fish and corals look happy enough, but sometimes the reaction comes a few days later.

 

I think you will be just fine :D

Not enough of a change to really harm anything or send things too far out of wack.

 

Garrett

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Imagine a salinty drop from 1.026 to 1.012... then add a temperature drop from 78.2 to 64.5... Then imagine what the PH level was at.

 

Even with those drastic numbers, alot of corals survived! Fish nearly all survived and only the most sensitive of inverts parished. Even the dreaded Sea Apple lived and did well after things stabalized and returned to normal.

 

I was without power for 3 days and my ATO unit failed. I will likely never use an ATO on a larger system again. I will always have some way of keeping at leas powerheads going and and will soon buy a generator for the heaters and main circulation.

 

I think your animals should all be fine. I would imagine that you will not see one problem and likely not even a simple algae bloom. You were proactive enough to not let things slip into the danger zone so I think you have some good tank karhma going on right now (laugh)

 

 

Garrett

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Would you believe I had mine on a timer until recently' date=' but one of the little pins fell out and got lost, and I hadn't replaced the timer yet![/quote']

 

oh man that sucks! what are the odds that it happens after you lost a pin..(scratch) well im glad you caught it in time before it did flood though..but next time make sure your timers ready :)

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Imagine a salinty drop from 1.026 to 1.012... then add a temperature drop from 78.2 to 64.5... Then imagine what the PH level was at.

 

Compared to *that*, I have nothing to complain about!(scary)

 

You were proactive enough to not let things slip into the danger zone so I think you have some good tank karhma going on right now (laugh)

 

I'd say it's lucky that I don't sleep in on the weekend, and that I look under the stand first thing in the morning!

A half hour later, and I'd still be mopping up the floor!DOH!

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After a soak in vinegar, the ATO switches are working again.

 

I'll definitely do a combination of ATO, timer and limiting the reservoir (it's currently refilling automatically as it empties, so supply is unlimited) from now on.

 

I also think I have to add another baffle to my sump, to keep the water level stable for the skimmer (which seems to be really sensitive to water level).

 

Is there an easy way to add one without emptying the sump?

It's an acrylic one.

 

Edited to add: I just read the article about pressure locking baffles at wetwebmedia and will probably give this a try! Has anyone here used this idea?

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