FML.. I'm near tears! Why?!

Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Messages
2,762
Likes
214
Points
48
Location
Irvine
#21
Agree with Cody on the 1.0 daily alk swing. Way too much for comfort. You may be able to get lucky and get away with it once or twice but keep that up consistently and it's STN and RTN party.

Sorry to hear about the coral since it has sentimental value. I personally use reef crystals and have not had a problem with it on an sps dominant tank (knock on wood)

I usually get the 200g box and test alk on each of the 4 individual bags before I use it. It could have been a bad batch but I kinda ruling that out just because of the alk swing you are experiencing. A doser to keep thing stable would be a great start. Good luck!
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Messages
2,762
Likes
214
Points
48
Location
Irvine
#22
For what it's worth, reef crystals is not more expensive than regular IO if you get it from Chad (Coral Gazers) for $45/200g :)
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Messages
2,762
Likes
214
Points
48
Location
Irvine
#24
Has this been going on for a while or more recently like in the past few days? What's your temp swing like? I'm only asking because of the heat wave we've been getting in socal.
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
4,561
Likes
23
Points
38
Location
Murrieta,Ca.
#25
Temps are steady 78 thanks to AC .. And no, this chasing the alk has been forever.


Sent from my blinged out girly iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Messages
2,762
Likes
214
Points
48
Location
Irvine
#26
Sounds like setting up that dosing pump you're getting will definitely help keep things more stable. Good luck. Hope all the pieces will recover nicely.

Another thing I would add is this. When corals are pissed off or about to go to heaven they like you give one last F U like kamikaze style and release toxin into your system which in turn will lead to other pieces going down with it largely because our tanks are not able to buffer like the ocean with a larger volume. You don't have to run a reactor per se but dropping a bag of carbon in the sump in a higher flow area would not hurt.
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
4,561
Likes
23
Points
38
Location
Murrieta,Ca.
#27
Thanks, yes.. I run a reactor w gfo and carbon. Just is weird.. With the all issues having been constant.. The only new factor is salt change. But I wouldn't think it would be such a delayed reaction still, 6 wks later. Arghhh... Funny how I spaz over a $20 investment.. While I've prob lost close to a grand during all this mess.


Sent from my blinged out girly iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
20,830
Likes
1,005
Points
113
Location
Orange, CA
#29
Sounds like setting up that dosing pump you're getting will definitely help keep things more stable. Good luck. Hope all the pieces will recover nicely.

Another thing I would add is this. When corals are pissed off or about to go to heaven they like you give one last F U like kamikaze style and release toxin into your system which in turn will lead to other pieces going down with it largely because our tanks are not able to buffer like the ocean with a larger volume. You don't have to run a reactor per se but dropping a bag of carbon in the sump in a higher flow area would not hurt.
Last crash I had I experienced this, lots of softies and lps dying simultaneously just caused a chain reaction.
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,339
Likes
174
Points
48
Location
South Bay
#31
This post will probably be ignored but here's my two cents. Something else is at play here. There's no magic variables in different synthetic salt mixes. It's all the same **** though some have slightly higher or lower alk, cal, and mag depending on who they're trying to market to.
There are pros in this hobby who switch to different brands every month or two and have no problems. Unless there is a specific quality control issue with the salt in question in which case you should contact the manufacturer. Sound like people want a silver bullet and are looking for the easy answer. Spend more money! Buy an Auto Doser!
A one point swing will not hurt corals. It just won't. I've manually dosed a 1000 gallon high growth sps system because my boss was too cheap to buy reactors and dosers and I never had any issues. Seriously. This is more like a case of groupthink and lemming mentality with "I do this so you should to" and "I bought this so you should to".
There is no proven science behind phosphate killing corals and you're hobbyist phophate kits are completely inaccurate. There an entire thread on RC about tanks with high Phosphates with beautiful SPS color and growth so there are too many unknown variables involved.
My advice here:
Check your tank for stray voltage
Test all your tank params including nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH.
Test all of the params of the freshwater your using for your synthetic salt water
It doesn't make any sense that your tank constantly consumes Magnesium and that your Mag is too low.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2013
Messages
2,762
Likes
214
Points
48
Location
Irvine
#32
This post will probably be ignored but here's my two cents. Something else is at play here. There's no magic variables in different synthetic salt mixes. It's all the same **** though some have slightly higher or lower alk, cal, and mag depending on who they're trying to market to.
There are pros in this hobby who switch to different brands every month or two and have no problems. Unless there is a specific quality control issue with the salt in question in which case you should contact the manufacturer. Sound like people want a silver bullet and are looking for the easy answer. Spend more money! Buy an Auto Doser!
A one point swing will not hurt corals. It just won't. I've manually dosed a 1000 gallon high growth sps system because my boss was too cheap to buy reactors and dosers and I never had any issues. Seriously. This is more like a case of groupthink and lemming mentality with "I do this so you should to" and "I bought this so you should to".
There is no proven science behind phosphate killing corals and you're hobbyist phophate kits are completely inaccurate. There an entire thread on RC about tanks with high Phosphates with beautiful SPS color and growth so there are too many unknown variables involved.
My advice here:
Check your tank for stray voltage
Test all your tank params including nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and PH.
Test all of the params of the freshwater your using for your synthetic salt water
It doesn't make any sense that your tank constantly consumes Magnesium and that your Mag is too low.

ummmmmmm...does that mean you don't want to buy the dosing pumps I'm selling? so cheap...only $50 dolla!

http://www.socalireefs.com/forums/s...S-Dosing-Pumps-and-Quiet-One-3000-Return-Pump
 
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
476
Likes
57
Points
28
Location
Irvine
#33
if you have a frag tank set up move it to the frag tank. Lower the light intensity and make sure a light current go over it so any slim or decompose meat will flush away. Isolate it from fish and hermit crap so no picking. Have you change your flow in the main tank? Sometime flow do stress and kill corals if they don't get use to it.
 

Tangwich

2
2020 Philanthropist
Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
11,950
Likes
1,090
Points
63
Location
Pasadena
#34
glad your tank was able to bounce back jami...hahahahhahahahaha...good save [MENTION=2928]Tangwich[/MENTION]
 
Last edited:

Zoarder

Member
2020 Philanthropist
Supporter
2020 POTM
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
10,643
Likes
49
Points
48
Location
Los Angeles
#35
if you have a frag tank set up move it to the frag tank. Lower the light intensity and make sure a light current go over it so any slim or decompose meat will flush away. Isolate it from fish and hermit crap so no picking. Have you change your flow in the main tank? Sometime flow do stress and kill corals if they don't get use to it.
This was so last year... her tank is looking awesome.
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Messages
4,561
Likes
23
Points
38
Location
Murrieta,Ca.
#36
lol.. thanks guys :) Ya... that piece was a goner pretty quick :( still miss it tho! lol But have found a few new yummies to console my broken heart since then :) Hate when things tank and you don't know why and can't reverse it :/
 

Latest posts

Top