28gal parameters help

[TanknTang]

Hey guys, I have a 28gal Biocube thats been up and running for a year now, I have 2 clowns and 1 skunk cleaner shrimp. I had added some cuc and two frags to start getting into reefing, had them acclimated correctly with allowing 3 hours drip and they were fine for 4 days. My new zoas and candy cane were doing so well and yesterday I noticed after work my cuc were no longer moving (except one is alive), and noticed my zoa is retracted and closed up. I had already done my weekly water change (5gal) with red reef salt mix and so I checked my parameters this morning asap with API

Before (disaster)
Calcium- 500ppm
KH-10dkH
PO4-.50ppm
NO3- 20ppm
NO2-.25ppm
Ammonia-.25ppm
pH-7.4

I did another 5 gal water change right away and removed all the dead inverts, cleaned all the filters included my protein skimmer (took it apart completely), and just now tested again..

After
Salinity- 1.025
Calcium-480ppm
Carbonate-14dkH
PO4-.25ppm
pH-8.0
Ammonia NH3-.25ppm
NO2- 0ppm
NO3-20ppm

Should I do another 5gal water change? My test kit is API I may take some water to my LFS to compare my numbers I dont want my new frags to die. Clowns, and my skunk seem okay but dont wanna make them uncomfortable.. im guessing the cuc dying spiked the parameters.

 

[sfin52]

Hey guys, I have a 28gal Biocube thats been up and running for a year now, I have 2 clowns and 1 skunk cleaner shrimp. I had added some cuc and two frags to start getting into reefing, had them acclimated correctly with allowing 3 hours drip and they were fine for 4 days. My new zoas and candy cane were doing so well and yesterday I noticed after work my cuc were no longer moving (except one is alive), and noticed my zoa is retracted and closed up. I had already done my weekly water change (5gal) with red reef salt mix and so I checked my parameters this morning asap with API

Before (disaster)
Calcium- 500ppm
KH-10dkH
PO4-.50ppm
NO3- 20ppm
NO2-.25ppm
Ammonia-.25ppm
pH-7.4

I did another 5 gal water change right away and removed all the dead inverts, cleaned all the filters included my protein skimmer (took it apart completely), and just now tested again..

After
Salinity- 1.025
Calcium-480ppm
Carbonate-14dkH
PO4-.25ppm
pH-8.0
Ammonia NH3-.25ppm
NO2- 0ppm
NO3-20ppm

Should I do another 5gal water change? My test kit is API I may take some water to my LFS to compare my numbers I dont want my new frags to die. Clowns, and my skunk seem okay but dont wanna make them uncomfortable.. im guessing the cuc dying spiked the parameters.

I Doubt you raised you alk to 14. What salt are you using?
Api usually shows .25 ammonia in salt water tanks.
Nitrates are good at 20.
Phospahte is a little high at .25. Watch the feeding and change media often.

You may want to get better tests. Salfert is a decent one a resonable price. Api works well for calcium.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I would also continue to test with a more reliable test kit. Call your lfs first. They may also use the “cheaper” api. And continue water changes. Adding a cuc and 2 coral frags under normal circumstances shouldn’t have cause this alone. It wouldn’t have taken much in a 28 gallon (actual gallons?) tank to throw things off. Could any external pollutants enter the tank? Bug spray, carpet cleaner, the maid?lysol, windex etc. presently I help maintain 100s of tanks a year (I love retirement) and external toxins and pollutants are a thing. Protein Skimmers are notorious for adding to the problem as you can imagine. Give it some serious thought for a few minutes. Remember in any good mystery “It’s always the butler”. Good luck. Following.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Are you using API for the phosphate test? If yes, just toss it, its no good. We usually keep our phosphate around .1, but the API test goes from 0 to .25. you need a good test kit that can read the numbers in between 0 and .25

Otherwise the parameters look somewhat fine to me, nothing I see that will cause all inverts to die. I would suggest to put up a pic of you tank, so we can see what's actually going on.

 

[TanknTang]

I went to the LFS and he said they use a spinning wheel test? Unsure what brand that is but his stats were completely different than mine, his also said my salinity was 1.029.. so im guessing my refractor meter was the cause? I ended up doing 10 gal water change after going to the lfs and he recommended using seed as if my tank was new again.. I am saving up for some hanna checkers they been the absolute goal the whole time, but I bought a new refractor meter online to double check mine etc.. I also was reading about frag food etc.. maybe it was my fault I was spot feeding my new frags 2x in one week to maybe encourage them maybe the food crashed the tank.. my wife is notorious for spraying air freshener but I didnt see her recently. Im going to take another sample to lfs to see if anything improved with his test kit since its only $6 to check. His results were..

 

[TanknTang]

Salt 1.029
Ca 527
Kh 9.35
Mg 1498
Ph 7.8
Nh4 0.0
NO2 0.2
NO3 59
PO4 0.5

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Salt 1.029
Ca 527
Kh 9.35
Mg 1498
Ph 7.8
Nh4 0.0
NO2 0.2
NO3 59
PO4 0.5

I do not know if those values are accurate, but if there is 0.2 ppm nitrite (which is fine), then the nitrate is likely reading false high due to nitrite interference.

Salinity is high, if accurate, and lowering it will drop the calcium and magnesium to more normal values.

 

[TanknTang]

I do not know if those values are accurate, but if there is 0.2 ppm nitrite (which is fine), then the nitrate is likely reading false high due to nitrite interference.

Salinity is high, if accurate, and lowering it will drop the calcium and magnesium to more normal values.

I just left the lfs now I did the 10 gallon water change and added seed yesterday and today, recalibrated my refractor and they gave me these results:

pH7.7
Ammo 0
Nitrate .1
Nitrate 48
Phos .4
Ca 451
Mg 1361
Alk 9.5
Salt 1.026

He told me to do another water change.. Im just not understanding I know I am still new but I replaced 100% of the water within these last couple water changes its only 25gal if that. I dont know why my pH is still low and my zoa is not happy still looks like hes dying. Making me so sad I just wanna help him. Im going to continue adding seed per label instructions which is 1tsp for 7 days. Should I do another 10gal or 5 gal on a 28gal biocube? Thanks for the help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would not keep doing water changes since only nitrate and phosphate are high and its not a big deal. Water changes are not the best way to deal with nutrients anyway.