Jaw Dropper Acro

therman · Feb 21, 2015

I would suggest re-testing everything with new test kits, and checking every electrical device one by one with a grounded multimeter in a bucket of saltwater for stray voltage. Also check your DI with a new/different TDS meter. When I had crazy unexplainable issues these were what I arrived at as the likely culprits, but I still can't say for certain. Also new pH probes if you use them.

After a while my mind wandered into far fetched hypotheses like a leaching MP10, but I think that is extremely unlikely. More probable is a knowable issue that you have tested has given you bad info.

Good luck, I think many of us who have done this for a long time have been in the same situation. It sucks...

-Tim

Keithcorals · Feb 21, 2015

All test have been done with at least two kits and by Triton
All equipment other than the light and mp 10s is new
All RO filters are changed and new Tds meter on 6 stage RO unite with catalytic carbon and two stage DI resin

I've been over it more times than I can remember and couldn't find anything wrong other than the high potasium that could be to blame. But I'll probably never know for sure. It happens from time to time I've had good luck for years and have never lost this much before but I'm not giving up or giving in its just an unfortunate part of reef keeping that I'd like to think isn't likely to happen again for a long time. I'm also now running two SPS systems so if this was to happen again Id have backups in a separate system.

conchreef · Feb 21, 2015

jduck said:
It's pretty obvious when the magnet swells up and splits.

You can see the magnets on my mp40s wetside. I have two mp10 that I only use in my sump and for swaps When I did clean them I never realy checked them. I will take a picture of the one on my mp40 that got grinded up and replaced.

Keithcorals · Feb 21, 2015

Thanks for the kind words guys I'm going to work hard to get this back to a growout thread with pics that aren't so sad

Diesel · Feb 21, 2015

Keithcorals I had exactly the same thing happening last year April.
Corals weren't encrusting anymore, no PE and from the center out of the coral color loss.
I lost also close to 80% of my SPS, though the softies and LPS were fine.
I did all, large WC, tested with new test kits, checked my pumps, cleaned my sump, replaced all my ZEOvit amenities and trace bottles, checked for pest by dipping a lot of corals, send my water in to a lab only thing that was on a elevated level was copper but not that high to be worried.
After talking to Mike Paletta, Adam (BC), Brad (reefnjunkie) and Scott (UC) I decided to bread down and start all over again.
So I did, good thing was I had two fragtanks going each 5'x2' and could move all my corals in there for what was still alive.
Long story short my tank is now doing better than before.
I thought that I found the source but as of today I still have no idea what happen.
This is one of my wet sides but according to Ecotech the magnet doesn't contain copper.
I have been talking to Ecotech and this is what they told me,

quote) "Copper is not used on the wet side of the pump. I would be happy to look into this for you, but you may want to continue your search. The plastics are ABS an the magnets are Neodymium."

The wet side was only 4 months old.
Ecotech replaced the wet side with no problem.

I'm glad all is going in the right direction for you too.

Keithcorals · Feb 21, 2015

Diesel thanks for info and posting the pics. If that's what MPs look like when they go bad I am sure mine are fine I give them a veniger bath every couple of months and take them apart to do so.

Diesel · Feb 21, 2015

Keithcorals said:
@Diesel thanks for info and posting the pics. If that's what MPs look like when they go bad I am sure mine are fine I give them a veniger bath every couple of months and take them apart to do so.

I used to had 5 mp40 and for all I had an extra wet side, so much easier to take of the dirty after a week or three and popup a clean side.
Yes I soaked them in vinegar and took them apart, this just blew my mind.
But as we all know this hobby can be full of surprises for the most part on the good side but we all have our bad experiences too.
IMO, you just shake your head and pick it back up again, a bad inning doesn't make it a bad game yet!

Keithcorals · Feb 21, 2015

I agree I'm at the stuff happens stage. Trying to look forward to the new setup and what I'll be able to grow in the future.

dankreef · Feb 21, 2015

Right on Keith :tea:

VIPReef · Feb 24, 2015

You checked for Chloramines? A while back was going thru some losses at the store until I changed to ro/di filters that can remove it.

Just a thought.

-Logzor · Feb 24, 2015

Rusting magnets will cause STN or even RTN in extreme cases. I chased STN for over a year and I eventually found that the impeller on my skimmer had a cracked magnet that was rusting. Once I fixed that the STN stopped.

dendroman · Feb 24, 2015

Tanks

Hey Keith sorry for your loses but i think you are on the right track now, the idea of two tanks is a good one this is what i have been doing for years and has always paid off, when one system goes wrong you have a backup system, hang in there and Good Luck

Keithcorals · Feb 24, 2015

Thanks I'm hanging in there and am starting to see some good signs that things may be getting better now. I run 2 stages of catalytic carbon in my RO unit and it was replaced not long ago so I shouldn't have any Chloramine. I've replaced all pumps and equipment other than my mp 10s and they have no visable corrosion so I don't belive it was related to my equipment. I still think the most likey possibility at this point was the high level of potassium. Maybe some day when I have some free time I'll setup a small tank and see if I recreate the potasium level I was at if I get the same bad results but I don't seem to end up with a lot of free time so for now I'm considering it a plausible theory.

Pirates.Reef · Feb 24, 2015

Keith sorry to hear your problem but if you don't mind how much light were you giving the jawdropper

Keithcorals · Feb 24, 2015

It was in around 350 par for around 8 hours and 200par for 2hours before and after the 8

reef80 · Feb 24, 2015

Sorry to hear keith...I had the same problem last year and lost all sps over the coarse of two months. I couldn't figure it out at all. I finally took the tank offline and took it apart. I took a less than 6 month use coralife turbo twist uv apart and found out that one of the stainless steal reflectors had completely corrode. It gave me a piece of mind knowing that may of been the culprit. I started all new everything thus year because the old set up was too depressing. The corrison looks similar to the mp 40 above. now iam thinking twice about my mp 40s. Paid some much for possible of that happening...Hope you find the problem...

KoleTang · Feb 25, 2015

Keithcorals Here are some tanks intentionally being dosed with high potassium. Maybe there will be some helpful information in the RC thread.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ge...acropora-acro-eating-flatworms-treatment.html

Keithcorals · Feb 25, 2015

KoleTang said:
Keithcorals Here are some tanks intentionally being dosed with high potassium. Maybe there will be some helpful information in the RC thread.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/ge...acropora-acro-eating-flatworms-treatment.html

That thread makes me think a little more that the high potasium could have been the problem. And I found a few post on other forums posted by people also thinking high potasium caused burnt tips and stn/rtn. It's not something I can say for sure was the problem but there are others that have come to the same conclusion so I think it's worth looking into further. I will not be running my potasium above natural seawater levels anytime soon that's for sure.

MattL22 · Mar 5, 2015

Sorry to hear the jd looks like it can make a come back good luck look foward to seeing it color back up !

Did u send the water u where having issues with to triton any results? Just a thought could ur bacteria balance been thrown outta wack by something ? No alk swings that u could see?

Keithcorals · Mar 6, 2015

MattL22 said:
Sorry to hear the jd looks like it can make a come back good luck look foward to seeing it color back up !

Did u send the water u where having issues with to triton any results? Just a thought could ur bacteria balance been thrown outta wack by something ? No alk swings that u could see?

A water sample was sent to Triton and the only thing that was way off was my potasium at 500 from where it was a little over a month before at 400. The only thing I can blame the jump on was a few water changes with tropic marin pro(maybe a bad bucket I do t really know). My Salifert potasium test got the same result so I'm sure it really was that high. I did have an ALk swing and that's what I was thinking the problem was until it continued to get worse for almost 2 months. It's very unlikely that the bacteria bed was the problem. I test phosphate and nitrate regularly and always get very low readings if I get any reading at all. Also tested ammonia a few times always with a reading of zero.