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

[Victoria M]

another thing i forgot to mention, another reason I got rid of the mixing station was the saltwater barrel (even after cleaning it out) smelled like cat pee. Thats the best way I can describe it. And the tank water smelled like it as well. So I thought maybe ammonia was somehow getting into the tank. But i've read other posts of users making the same statement with no ill effects. Still got rid of the mixing station anyway as a precaution. Again i went back to my white food safe buckets.

That cat pee thing happens in my brute too. But no ammonia. I think I am going to get another 40 gallon water container to replace the brute.

 

[Crabs McJones]

That cat pee thing happens in my brute too. But no ammonia. I think I am going to get another 40 gallon water container to replace the brute.

Thank goodness i'm not the only one! Does it make your tank smell like it too? or just the mixing barrel?

 

[Victoria M]

Thank goodness i'm not the only one! Does it make your tank smell like it too? or just the mixing barrel?

Just the barrel when the lid is on.

 

[jgvergo]

Wow, it's humbling when one of our experts runs into a situation like this. You've helped many of us. I hope we can replay the favor. Are you running a UV?

 

[Daniel92481]

Best of luck Crabs! Reading all of these responses really freaks me out! There are so many unexplained variables out there that are detrimental to our reef tanks.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

You got a link, charlie?

I don’t but I bet @TX_Punisher will chime in with it.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Wow, it's humbling when one of our experts runs into a situation like this. You've helped many of us. I hope we can replay the favor. Are you running a UV?

Not running UV

 

[Peace River]

Pruit?

I think this should read: "Purit" as in Purit Media from Brightwell

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I wish I had something to tell ya, but I am stumped. Even after reading the salt thread a 100 times, this thread over and over, I have no clue. I just hope all gets straightened out. Outside of maybe running a polyfilter and some carbon, I can think of nothing. The salt change is not really a concern to me, as I have done this numerous times on full SPS tanks and it only irritated things a bit. I know every tank is different, so that needs to be taken with a grain of salt (no pun intended). The poly filter will change color for metals if they are there and it catches them. The carbon will not hurt, so is worth a shot. Either way, praying for you and the tank, I have had huge crashes before for unknown reason years ago, and I can say from experience, it is stressful. Hoping this does not happen at all.

 

[Mical]

Hang in there Crabs old friend. As others mentioned I'ld start w/carbon. I'ld also stop all the water changes. Go back to the basics - test your temp, SG and alk, cal & mag. We're all keeping our fingers crossed it's something simple and reversible.

 

[Silent]

Do you have a cat? Lol

 

[Crabs McJones]

Do you have a cat? Lol

I cannot express my feelings towards cats on here. This is a family friendly forum ;Hilarious;Hilarious

 

[Gareth elliott]

Sorry your issues hasnt improved with the salt changes crabs. If the icp comes back clean, Another direction to look would be biological. Slight changes can have markedly drastic effects on microscopic life population densities and diversities. Even beneficial species at certain densities can become pathogenic. Perhaps trying to skew the populations to a more harmonious balance with bacteria additions could help; and adding some dr. Tims, bacter7, probidio etc could help.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I haven’t read through this yet but maybe try double checking against others kits for every element and salinity. May have already been said.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

You got a link, charlie?

 

[Waynerock]

Pruit?

Purit! Sorry my IPhone wants to spell it Differently

 

[Backreefing]

Hello Crabs I hope your problems are solved quickly. This thread is moving fast but at the beginning you did a few big water changes. I do know from experience that big water changes back to back will definitely make the fish and animals sick.
Also a icp test will come back ok because of all the water changes.
Maybe calming down and let it hum along for awhile .
Good luck buddy

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I have a refugium with cheato filled with pods, lit by a kessil H380 running 8 hours at night. I do weekly water changes of 10%

So your chaeto is growing like crazy? How often do you harvest it?

 

[TX_Punisher]

Basically. Except I paid $44 for my big blue Pentek filter housing. The mount usually doesn’t come with it so you may have to order that separately for $7-$11. The filter itself is the expensive part. For the end caps you should be able to bush down that 1” inlet/outlet from a good plumbing supply and adapt a John guest 1/2” fitting for 1/2” RO line.

 

[Crabs McJones]

So your chaeto is growing like crazy? How often do you harvest it?

I wouldn't say like crazy, but I can see it getting bigger. I haven't harvested in a while