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

Crabs McJones

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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
 
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Crabs McJones

Crabs McJones

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What are your export methods?
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%
 

ndrwater

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Numbers look good. But, FWIW I just had a bad batch of Hanna reagent. Mine would read Zero.. definitely not possible as I am running a CaRx.
My 1st thought is ALK burn. Red Sea mixes up pretty high. Coming from Fritz (another discussion for another thread) I would say a jump in Alkalinity may be the issue. I know you double checked with Salifert, but nothing is outside the realm of possibility.
Also, depending on your water source, summer months often lead to weird algae outbreaks. I'd also check for choloramines. If your municipality changes from cholorine to choloramines recently, not having the correct carbon blocks could also add to the issue.
Best of luck.. know that you aren't alone.. we have ALL been there at least once.......
 
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Crabs McJones

Crabs McJones

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hmm... can you do 50% WC a few days a part to get all NEW water in? or better yet, a 100% WC?

I know you've been dealing with this in that other thread, so...
It would take me a little bit, but I could try. Ive already done over 125 gallons with the new filters and salt mix. Only done about 15 gallons with the non mixing station though.
 
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Crabs McJones

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Numbers look good. But, FWIW I just had a bad batch of Hanna reagent. Mine would read Zero.. definitely not possible as I am running a CaRx.
My 1st thought is ALK burn. Red Sea mixes up pretty high. Coming from Fritz (another discussion for another thread) I would say a jump in Alkalinity my be the issue. I know you double checked with Salifert, but nothing is outside the realm of possibility.
Also, depending on your water source, summer months often lead to weird algae outbreaks. I'd also check for choloramines. If your municipality changes from cholorine to choloramines recently, not having the correct carbon blocks could also add to the issue.
Best of luck.. know that you aren't alone.. we have ALL been there at least once.......
If it helps i'm using a sediment filter a 5 micron carbon block and a 1 micron carbon block before my dual 75GPD membranes.
 

ndrwater

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If it helps i'm using a sediment filter a 5 micron carbon block and a 1 micron carbon block before my dual 75GPD membranes.
I live in Anaheim and my city water has CRAZY amounts of choloramines.. summer is worse.. I use the BRS Cholor-plus carbon blocks designed for choloramines.. regular carbon blocks, no matter the brand, if not designed for choloramine removal can't do the job.
Just for gitts and shiggles, I'd check with the cheapo dip papers to see what you get. For no other reason than to rule it out..
 
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Crabs McJones

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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 have not as i'm not a big fan of running carbon or gfo or anything like that. But at this point i'm willing to try anything. I just figured with how much water i've been changing whatever could potentially be in the tank would be taken out or depleted to the point of not being an issue.
 

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Oh no! You are the mayor, don't give up! All us noobs look up to you!
I am certainly not qualified to opine but thinking out loud maybe something entering the tank nearby as aerosol? Cleaning agent? Hair spray? Sunscreen? Maybe run some GAC just in case?
 
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Crabs McJones

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I live in Anaheim and my city water has CRAZY amounts of choloramines.. summer is worse.. I use the BRS Cholor-plus carbon blocks designed for choloramines.. regular carbon blocks, no matter the brand, if not designed for choloramine removal can't do the job.
Just for gitts and shiggles, I'd check with the cheapo dip papers to see what you get. For no other reason than to rule it out..
Menards sells home test kits, checks for all kinds of stuff, i think i'll swing in and grab one tonight.
Also to mention, before I did have the RO unit plumbed in after the water softener. I went and plumbed it in before the water softener.
 
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Crabs McJones

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Oh no! You are the mayor, don't give up! All us noobs look up to you!
I am certainly not qualified to opine but thinking out loud maybe something entering the tank nearby as aerosol? Cleaning agent? Hair spray? Sunscreen? Maybe run some GAC just in case?
I go through extreme measures to ensure no aerosols in my house. We don't even burn scented candles.
 

Mhart032

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Numbers look good. But, FWIW I just had a bad batch of Hanna reagent. Mine would read Zero.. definitely not possible as I am running a CaRx.
My 1st thought is ALK burn. Red Sea mixes up pretty high. Coming from Fritz (another discussion for another thread) I would say a jump in Alkalinity may be the issue. I know you double checked with Salifert, but nothing is outside the realm of possibility.
Also, depending on your water source, summer months often lead to weird algae outbreaks. I'd also check for choloramines. If your municipality changes from cholorine to choloramines recently, not having the correct carbon blocks could also add to the issue.
Best of luck.. know that you aren't alone.. we have ALL been there at least once.......

This could very well be, My company transports bulk loads of Sodium Hydroxide ( Bleach) hydrochloric acid and Sodium Hydroxide ( Caustic Soda ) to water treatment and other municipal locations, as the summer cools off they switch due to costs, Bleach is roughly .10 a gallon, but not near as efficient so more product has to be used in the summer months due to costs. mind you all these products are max strengths, for instance the normal over the counter bleach is 3-5% they take 12.5 - 14% ( off spec products) also would be good to remember chloramines / monochloramine contain ammonia as well as chlorine.
 

Jstn

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I live in Anaheim and my city water has CRAZY amounts of choloramines.. summer is worse.. I use the BRS Cholor-plus carbon blocks designed for choloramines.. regular carbon blocks, no matter the brand, if not designed for choloramine removal can't do the job.
Just for gitts and shiggles, I'd check with the cheapo dip papers to see what you get. For no other reason than to rule it out..


I agree with this, I run the same and Minneapolis water is bad, I get 2-3 months out of my carbon chloramine blocks and TDS always says no, you need to test the RO water to waste with the LeMotte strips, I do it weekly. When cyano starts to get annoying its usually a sign my blocks are dead. I run two and move the old #2 to the 1 position and add a new #2 to help get more life out of them.

A little bit of chloramines seems to reek havoc on my tank, despite showing 0 TDS.
 

TheHarold

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if only it wasnt 2 weeks out
i only pray my corals can hold out. nothing is completely dead yet

2 weeks? I use ICP-analysis... send Monday, have results Friday. Much better.
Could try to eliminate some variables by setting up a temporary “quarantine” tank and see how that does.
 

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