Crab's is about ready to throw in the towel.

[reefwiser]

Way too much changing going on not a great thing. All the water changing will cause corals to stop growing and this will continue for a while till the water is stable again. Panic mode and coral health do not go well together.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Are you able to get any water parameter data from your municipal water supplier? Have they made any changes? Etc.

This is the only thing I can find on my city's website

https://nfdl.org/CMS/files/CCR%20Document2018.pdf

 

[SandJ]

I have not read through all the responses so please forgive me if this has been covered...
How long ago did you move? Could the previous owners have used something in the house, like bombing for bugs or something? Or if it is a brand new house could the off gassing of new materials be causing problems.

 

[TheHarold]

So I’m rather harsh with long-standing tank issues. If a tank isn’t more enjoyable than a pain/stressor, it either needs to be taken down or restarted. You know how to reef, there’s just an unknown variable that is messing with you. If the ICP test doesn’t reveal anything, I would advocate a restart. New sand, new rocks (dry?), etc. Don’t let it just be a continuous drain on you that kills your enjoyment of the hobby.

 

[BayouReefer]

Lizard McJones just doesn’t have the same ring to it! Hang in there buddy!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I have not read through all the responses so please forgive me if this has been covered...
How long ago did you move? Could the previous owners have used something in the house, like bombing for bugs or something? Or if it is a brand new house could the off gassing of new materials be causing problems.

We moved in March 30th, the tank was up and fully operational within a day. The corals and everything was looking amazing up until a few weeks ago. Great color, great growth.

 

[Peace River]

This is the only thing I can find on my city's website

https://nfdl.org/CMS/files/CCR%20Document2018.pdf

I encourage you to call the point of contact listed at the top of the report and ask about changes in chloramine or any other levels.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Hi everyone.
I'm posting this in a last ditch effort to figure out what in the world is going on with my tank. As most of you know I tried switching salts from Fritz to Red Sea Blue Bucket and changed out all my RO/DI filters under suspicion there was contamination or the filters were past exhaustion. I've done well over 125 gallons worth of water changes and I can't seem to get any improvement.
My tri color is stn'ing from the tips, most of my montipora are dying or dead, and now my culture shock is loosing tissue at the tips. I also have cyanobacteria and hair algae taking over.
I have an ICP test coming tomorrow that i'm going to send out, but by the time the results come in everything will likely be dead.
So here's where I'm at.
Salinity is 1.026 (double and triple checked)
Alk has been stable between 8.0 and 8.5 (checked with both salifert and hannah)
Calcium has been between 420-450
Mag 1400
Nitrate is floating around 10
Phosphate is around .05
Nothing has changed in lighting, been running two Hydra 26's on the AB+ schedule with 4 t5's that are only 3 months old.
I've checked every piece of equipment for rusting. Checked stray voltage. Nothing out of the ordinary that I can see.
All RO filters, including membranes, and both DI canisters were changed out prior to the 125 gallon change out. Even before that though I was getting 0 TDS water.
I've pitched my saltwater mixing station and went back to my 6 gallon food grade buckets I used before moving.

I'm at wits end and ready to throw in the towel!
Please talk me out of it Otherwise the 75 is going to be turned into a nice Bearded Dragon enclosure

I haven't read all replies, but would running carbon and replacing it every other day for a week or so maybe help. The cost of carbon should be a lot less than all the corals in your display tank

 

[LARedstickreefer]

A few weeks ago all of my Montiporas just bombed on me. I began my checks and found that my nitrates and phosphate had gone to zero. I tried dosing both, but wound up chasing rabbits. I then dramatically upped my feedings until my nutrients came back up. Now my Montiporas are all back on track. Maybe recheck your nitrates and phosphate?

 

[Retro Reefer]

In addition to a quality carbon I would try running poly filters to help remove any potential contaminates.

 

[NanoDJS]

your running that modified AB+ program that BRS came up with ? how long you been running that ? Also do you dose 2 part ? dont give up I am sure you will figure it out !

 

[Crabs McJones]

your running that modified AB+ program that BRS came up with ? how long you been running that ? Also do you dose 2 part ? dont give up I am sure you will figure it out !

I've been running the AB+ schedule ever since I got the lights which was back in may (I think) And I am dosing BRS 2 Part Soda ash and Calcium carbonate

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay, Zach test your newly made saltwater for it's alkalinity. I found that mine was very high. I run my alkalinity in the DT at 9.3dkh and new saltwater was running at 11dkh. Performing large water changes quickly was adding to my issues by swinging the alkalinity all over.

I now test each batch of new saltwater for alkalinity and adjust it with muriatic acid. Around 1.2 ml of acid per dkh drop to start. Allow it to sit overnight and add a air stone with air pump to the water to raise it's pH before use.

Also consider CO2 concentration in your home. What's your pH in DT and freshly made saltwater?

The advice about chlorine and chloramines is soild, but your DI resin should pick up most of it if your carbon blocks are near exhausted. Test your waste water for total and free chlorine. If it's showing, change your blocks.

Hang in there.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Okay, Zach test your newly made saltwater for it's alkalinity. I found that mine was very high. I run my alkalinity in the DT at 9.3dkh and new saltwater was running at 11dkh. Performing large water changes quickly was adding to my issues by swinging the alkalinity all over.

I now test each batch of new saltwater for alkalinity and adjust it with muriatic acid. Around 1.2 ml of acid per dkh drop to start. Allow it to sit overnight and add a air stone with air pump to the water to raise it's pH before use.

Also consider CO2 concentration in your home. What's your pH in DT and freshly made saltwater?

The advice about chlorine and chloramines is soild, but your DI resin should pick up most of it if your carbon blocks are near exhausted. Test your waste water for total and free chlorine. If it's showing, change your blocks.

Hang in there.

New sediment and carbon filters coming in tomorrow, i'll put them in, mix up a batch of fresh saltwater and report back

 

[mitch91175]

Haven't had a chance to read all recommendations, but I'd say start testing your RO/DI water for chlorine. Some cities have been increasing levels so much you can smell it in the water. Process of elimination at this point. Your parameters are fine, it's something else. If you aren't having dKH swings, I'd point to the water source as the potential cause.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

New sediment and carbon filters coming in tomorrow, i'll put them in, mix up a batch of fresh saltwater and report back

I add 2 drops of prime/gallon to all of my water. Houston definitely uses chloramines, especially after the amount flooding we’ve had. Don’t know if it’s needed but it hasn’t hurt anything.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Just a thought, have you run any carbon yet?

Perhaps there is something in the tank that’s having an ill effect that carbon can remove.

I was thinking the exact same thing. When things have gone wrong for me and everything is testing well then I go insane with carbon. Likely there is some kind of contamination in your water, and I rarely see ICP being able to pick it up. I have not used Fritz salt, however Rico's Reef had the same issue and he was doing water changes with Fritz as well. That might just be a coincidence, or there might be something there. But I would go bananas with carbon and due massive (90%+) water changes with IO salt. As you probably know matching up parameters as close as possible is key with such large water changes. It is a terrible feeling when when you have done everything right but things still decline. Good luck and hope you don't lose too much. I hope you have traded with locals, that always helps with restocking.

 

[SeaDweller]

I would get a chloramine filter. I use this one https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-reverse-osmosis-chloramines-monster.html but that might be overkill for you. I believe Spectrapure has a more "normal" sized one.

thanks for this. just called my water district and they do use chloramines more than free chlorine

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I add 2 drops of prime/gallon to all of my water. Houston definitely uses chloramines, especially after the amount flooding we’ve had. Don’t know if it’s needed but it hasn’t hurt anything.

I don’t have a fancy 10 stage ro/di btw. I use a 12 year old 4 stage that I replace all the filters/membranes as soon as the outgoing TDS reads 1

 

[Dragon52]

You need to stick with it, I don't have all the controllers & dosing stuff that alot of people do & have lost quite a few corals(maybe because of that) but I still try with different ones to see what I can keep & what I can't, I don't buy again. I've only been on this forum a little longer than you but you seem to have more knowledge that others need to help them, including me.