CA and DKH will not rise no matter what

[blazin'reefer]

Hydrometers are more trustable than refractometers, regardless of the condition of your refractometer.
I doubt your refractometer can be used at all at this point, it depends on optical measurement and it's more than likely to affect the results.

ok guess its time for a new meter and hydrometer too, apparently somehow my really old float hydrometer is reading 1.002 with regular ro water so i have been just making the water change water at like 1.027 with it until i get a new refractometer and or hydrometer.

Get a new refractometer and solution. I wouldn’t trust that one. They are inexpensive although I honestly prefer the expensive VeeGee lab grade one.

I would not leave the tank like that but my cats would mess with bins too. Lol

Your cats sound like my cats.

I'll order a new one asap, i also saw digital meters that measure like 5 or 10 things in one that apparently measure salinity too, i wonder how accurate they would be. Im gonna take a look at them all before i make up my mind which to get.

The cats are definitely a pain to deal with haha, they even jump up on the canopy too which makes me wonder if that is what cracked the tank.

 

[blazin'reefer]

sorry for the late replies and not posting test results like i said, but after i sent my message about the tank not leaking my luck continued and i went and looked at the tank and it was all of a sudden leaking from a completely different spot, not even from the crack. I emptied everything into bins and locked the cats downstairs.

I tested the tank i had downstairs and it held water for 12 hours with no leaks so i moved everything into it for now. It does have a couple chips in one corner and also a couple air bubbles in the silicone that i resealed on another corner. Also a ton of scratches on it that i hope are only scratches and none are cracks. I will post some pictures of the chips and air bubbles on here in the next couple days to see if people think they compromise the tank in anyway. The 2 corals that were already in a bad way have now become near death during the whole move aswell unfortunately. The anemone crawled all over and is now posted up right under my red plating coral aswell.

It also basically destroyed my stand and i had to completely modify it so it was still able to hold the weight.

 

[blazin'reefer]

A little bit of good news, i saved the light that was knocked in the tank by the cat with an ro soak and then iso scrubbing the solder points on the board after. I got lucky there.

 

[blazin'reefer]

Here are the chips and air bubbles and also the damaged corals in the non leaking tank from downstairs. I am unable to feed the favia that broke off the rock and got smashed up because the lemon damsel steals the food, i may move it and possibly the galaxea to the 3 gallon aio tank so i am able to feed them, even though the lights are bad on it. Is this a good or bad idea? also if anyone knows about the chips and air bubble please let me know. i only took a picture of the large air bubble but there is an area with some smaller bubbles too.

 

[blazin'reefer]

I was also thinking about putting either silicone or clear epoxy onto the chips so that they dont spread into cracks. If this isnt a good idea and i should just get a new tank then let me know, just dont really want to waste money and to have to transfer everything again unless its needed.

 

[DanyL]

apparently somehow my really old float hydrometer is reading 1.002 with regular ro water

It does sound way off, but you should use calibration liquid regardless.
RO water can have a skew, and is not 100% accurate.

i also saw digital meters that measure like 5 or 10 things in one that apparently measure salinity too, i wonder how accurate they would be

They usually excel on some parameters, but inaccurate on the others.
I would get a dedicated, high quality Hydrometer/Spectrometer instead.

I am unable to feed the favia

Your corals are stressed, I wouldn't try to feed them in the coming week or so because it may stress them further.

also if anyone knows about the chips and air bubble please let me know. i only took a picture of the large air bubble but there is an area with some smaller bubbles too.

It's really hard to tell.
I think you should go with your own intuition here, especially given your unfortunate late experience.

I was also thinking about putting either silicone or clear epoxy onto the chips so that they dont spread into cracks

I don't know the exact properties of epoxy and silicon.
They may expand during the curing process, and this could potentially do more harm than good.

 

[blazin'reefer]

It does sound way off, but you should use calibration liquid regardless.
RO water can have a skew, and is not 100% accurate.

They usually excel on some parameters, but inaccurate on the others.
I would get a dedicated, high quality Hydrometer/Spectrometer instead.

Your corals are stressed, I wouldn't try to feed them in the coming week or so because it may stress them further.

It's really hard to tell.
I think you should go with your own intuition here, especially given your unfortunate late experience.

I don't know the exact properties of epoxy and silicon.
They may expand during the curing process, and this could potentially do more harm than good.

Im assuming you meant it does not sound way off? I believe when i first got it that it was closer to 1.000 with ro and tap water but i guess if they can have a skew that could be the reason. I am still using it to raise my salt levels slowly with water changes since it said the tank was only at 1.020-1.022 .

That is what i was wondering, I'll just get a new hydrometer/refractometer and calibration solution first then. Might still try a 10 in 1 eventually once i have an accurate way to check that it is reading right, just because of how easy pressing a button is.

Alright, wont try to feed them for a while then. Wasn't sure if it would help or harm when they are this stressed.

I'll also keep an eye open for a used tank that thats a good price and use this one until then maybe if i dont just get a brand new one. I did have it up with water for almost a year without issue before i ended up getting the tank that is leaking now and i believe this one was chipped then too so im hoping it should hold for a while atleast.

Guess maybe I should do some more research into epoxying glass and if it expands during cure before i try that. I was just watching a video on youtube where a person fixed a chip in a freshwater tank with the windshield repair epoxy and the tank was also full during repair i believe, so maybe just contacting a company that makes windshield repair epoxy to check forsure would be my best bet on that.

I appreciate all the advice once again.

 

[DanyL]

Im assuming you meant it does not sound way off?

Yup, exactly

I believe when i first got it that it was closer to 1.000 with ro and tap water but i guess if they can have a skew that could be the reason.

Not all Hydrometers are made equal so I've heard, it could also be a temperature difference.

That is what i was wondering, I'll just get a new hydrometer/refractometer and calibration solution first then

I would first get a reference solution and test your current Hydrometer, if it works as it supposed then no need to purchase a new one, and maybe it'll be worth to invest in a new refractometer which you'll calibrate according to the validated Hydrometer.

I'll also keep an eye open for a used tank that thats a good price and use this one until then

Sounds like a good plan!

so maybe just contacting a company that makes windshield repair epoxy to check forsure would be my best bet on that.

You also need to make sure the ingredients are reef safe.

 

[blazin'reefer]

Yup, exactly

Not all Hydrometers are made equal so I've heard, it could also be a temperature difference.

I would first get a reference solution and test your current Hydrometer, if it works as it supposed then no need to purchase a new one, and maybe it'll be worth to invest in a new refractometer which you'll calibrate according to the validated Hydrometer.

Sounds like a good plan!

You also need to make sure the ingredients are reef safe.

alright haha no worries. Yeah the one i have is just like a basic cheap glass one. I didnt realize temperature affected hydrometers too, thought that was only refractometers for some reason but thats good to know.

Will do, ill take a look for a salinity calibration solution if its not too expensive and check what it is reading before i grab a new hydrometer as the first thing to get then.

ok sounds good.

For the possible epoxy repair it would only be on the edge of the 1 panel of glass on the outside of the tank i believe, is it still necessary for it to be reef safe if its not actually inside the tank and being exposed to water?

 

[blazin'reefer]

I think i am part cursed at this point. The stand i reinforced after the damage is now seperating on one of the corners so it looks like i am going to have to build a diy stand aswell now in the next week before it has a possible collapse. 1 thing i am happy about is i have been noticing these things before complete failure occurs so far, atleast that is something i guess.

 

[DanyL]

For the possible epoxy repair it would only be on the edge of the 1 panel of glass on the outside of the tank i believe, is it still necessary for it to be reef safe if its not actually inside the tank and being exposed to water?

Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to be extra safe with anything that is near by your tank if you can.

my luck continues lol i think i am part cursed at this point. The stand i reinforced after the damage is now seperating on one of the corners

"If it’s your first time bungee jumping, you’d be VERY unlucky to have something go wrong during your jump.
According to Best Health Degrees, the estimated death ratio is 1 to 500,000 jumps."
Don't go out bungee jumping anytime soon lol

1 thing i am happy about is i have been noticing these things before complete failure occurs so far, atleast that is something i guess.

In most cases there are prior signs that indicate something wrong is about to happen.
Most of these horror stories of collapsed tanks had them, and could've been prevented if people were more cautious and regularly inspected their tanks and equipment.
So it's a good thing you are aware of the signs and proactive about it to prevent any further damage.

 

[blazin'reefer]

Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to be extra safe with anything that is near by your tank if you can.


"If it’s your first time bungee jumping, you’d be VERY unlucky to have something go wrong during your jump.
According to Best Health Degrees, the estimated death ratio is 1 to 500,000 jumps."
Don't go out bungee jumping anytime soon lol


In most cases there are prior signs that indicate something wrong is about to happen.
Most of these horror stories of collapsed tanks had them, and could've been prevented if people were more cautious and regularly inspected their tanks and equipment.
So it's a good thing you are aware of the signs and proactive about it to prevent any further damage.

I see what you are saying, probably better to prevent adding anymore possible chances of contamination. I will also ask about the ingredients to see if there is anything really bad in it.

I have no plans for bungee jumping currently haha. Its also winter here right now so i shouldnt have to worry about being struck by lightning either for atleast a few more months lol.

I have read so many of those horror stories about tanks collapsing and seen videos on youtube of tanks on security cameras violently exploding seemingly from nowhere that i have always tried to pay as much attention as possible to the structural integridy of the tank and stand at the very least. After everything over the last week i am sure i will be even a bit more paranoid about that in the future aswell so i guess thats good. I just got to hope that the stand holds until the new one is built and the tank holds till i do repair and then eventually replace it.

 

[blazin'reefer]

So i have finally got my calcium and alk up a bit by raising the salinity and dosing 2 part, its sitting at ca-380-400 and alk- 7-8. The no3 is still at 40ppm and the po4 still under .1 (still using api right now) salinity at 1.025, temp around 79 if my thermometer is right.

I have noticed my hollywood stunner chalice start either receding tissue or possibly being stung from the frogspawn under it that i need to move, im not sure which. Do i need to frag pieces off to try to save it or will it heal? i had one before that started to die and when i fragged it my whole tank died pretty much last time. Could have been unrelated though. I also do have keyhole limpets though i havent seen them on it. It has slightly spread over the last few days. Here is a picture of it from 3-5 days ago and then today. It does seem that nearly all my corals that are struggling are having the same issue of receding from the edges slowly.

there is 3-5 days ago.

there is today.

Still havent got to building the stand yet as im trying to pick the best one.

 

[blazin'reefer]

it has spread even further today on the stunner chalice. i looked at the coral and it looked like it had something on the tissue on the eye nearest the dying edge plus algae growing on it, i tried brushing it off gently with a toothbrush and now the one eye isnt green at all and is a lighter pale colored in that one spot as if i brushed the eye off of it and it is likely going to spread there now too it looks like.

I tested my ca/dkh today and the ca was at 380 and dkh at 9. I added a bit more calcium and didn't add any alk hoping it would raise calcium to 400ish and drop the alk closer back to 8.

 

[blazin'reefer]

Here is the coral today after i tried to brush it off lightly.