Losing my Chalice corals - Help!

[Leadfooted]

Whoa yes raise that CA! Like I said, my Hollywood’s a huge indicator for CA, it’ll recover just fine but keep it a tick high around 440-460

 

[Leadfooted]

Forgot to mention, I personally use Reef Complete to keep my CA levels up. I have to trim mine about every 3 months.

 

[Saltyreef]

Crazy that your levels got so low using RSCP.... what salinity do you mix your water at and what are you using to measure salinity? Hopefully a calibrated refracto insteas of a swing arm hydrometer. At a given salinity, your Mag alk and cal should fall into line behind your salinity target.

 

[Saltyreef]

I auto dose two part and hand dose mag. My cal stays pretty stable in the higher range above 425. Heres mine the size of a dinner plate.
Beautiful pics @Leadfooted

 

[Leadfooted]

I auto dose two part and hand dose mag. My cal stays pretty stable in the higher range above 425. Heres mine the size of a dinner plate.
Beautiful pics @Leadfooted

Diggin that Cyp for contrast next to the Hollywood!

 

[Leadfooted]

Crazy that your levels got so low using RSCP.... what salinity do you mix your water at and what are you using to measure salinity? Hopefully a calibrated refracto insteas of a swing arm hydrometer. At a given salinity, your Mag alk and cal should fall into line behind your salinity target.

This is why testing is so important

 

[Saltyreef]

Agreed. I mean i could see low macros at a given salinity of 1.026 due to consumption. But running a system at 1.022 and an overnight drop from 1.022 to 1.020, somethings not calibrated on his or his LFS's salinity gauge.
Explains low macros from the get go too.

 

[Drew in Texas]

I'm thinking the reason for the ammonia spike might be that 2 of my CUC shrimp disappeared recently, and they were pretty good size. I suspect the snails, emeralds and the sand sifting starfish probably got most of them, but the decomp of the rest may be contributing. Got a few more crabs and shrimp while at the lfs this morning. If the ammonia doesn't start coming down, we'll do another 20% water change on the weekend.

I'll be slowly dosing calcium and mag through the weekend.

 

[Drew in Texas]

Salty/Lead...

We test at least weekly, most often every other day. Salinity is done with a calibrated refractometer, pH with a calibrated electronic meter and we use Hanna testing equipment for everything we can. Being a chemical engineer, I well understand testing frequency, proper equipment necessity and using a standard method of testing. I have good quality equipment, and it's well taken care of. No worries there. I trust my own equipment far more than I do the lfs equipment and am always a bit leery of the API testing solutions. Sometimes I bring home industrial testing equipment to do the high end testing that I can't afford to buy.

For reasons I can't quite understand, my tank has stabilized at 1.020 for Na. I can add salt to the fuge; it'll creep up over a couple of days then drop back down. I can't remember the last time it went under .020. I've never been a numbers chaser though. In a biologically active environment, the environment seeks to stabilize. I understand the need for nutrients (adding when necessary) and to carefully watch the 'bad' chemicals (ammonia for instance) for indications something is going on. By and large, my system is pretty rock solid. Parameters wiggle so little they're not really relevant.

Got aberrancy going on here, that's why I reached out. Lots of really smart, experienced folks on this blog. I want to do everything I can to save the stunner.

 

[bryanfuel]

Salty/Lead...

We test at least weekly, most often every other day. Salinity is done with a calibrated refractometer, pH with a calibrated electronic meter and we use Hanna testing equipment for everything we can. Being a chemical engineer, I well understand testing frequency, proper equipment necessity and using a standard method of testing. I have good quality equipment, and it's well taken care of. No worries there. I trust my own equipment far more than I do the lfs equipment and am always a bit leery of the API testing solutions. Sometimes I bring home industrial testing equipment to do the high end testing that I can't afford to buy.

For reasons I can't quite understand, my tank has stabilized at 1.020 for Na. I can add salt to the fuge; it'll creep up over a couple of days then drop back down. I can't remember the last time it went under .020. I've never been a numbers chaser though. In a biologically active environment, the environment seeks to stabilize. I understand the need for nutrients (adding when necessary) and to carefully watch the 'bad' chemicals (ammonia for instance) for indications something is going on. By and large, my system is pretty rock solid. Parameters wiggle so little they're not really relevant.

Got aberrancy going on here, that's why I reached out. Lots of really smart, experienced folks on this blog. I want to do everything I can to save the stunner.

Do you add straight salt to the fuge? You should really raise salinity through water changes if you need to adjust. And salinity should never really go down unless you are adding freshwater to the tank. Do you measure the salinity of the new salt water before the water change?

 

[GregDaKeg]

Ahhhh, I think you found your problem with that ca! Which is weird since you’re using black bucket. Do you notice any precipitated calc build up near the top of the tank. Either way I would start dosing calc.

I notice calc buildup at the top of my tank. What does that indicate?

 

[Saltyreef]

I dont believe you have any ammonia as stated already. Your LFS likely is using an api test kit which are widely known for a .25ppm false positive when testing for ammonia. You shouldnt be registering any ammonia even if you have a death or two. The systems bio filter and algae should be able to easily consume any ammonia before it comes up as free ammonia on a test kit.

 

[Saltyreef]

You shouldnt dose mag until you test for it. Who knows what your mag is at and if its already too high, dosing would put you further down the rabbit hole.
In any and all cases....you should be focusing on water changes to balance out your macros, salt mix will do its own thing to your macros without dosing. You can perform these daily at 10% with a slightly elevated salt mix salinity at say 1.027 so it will help since your salinity is too low. You need to really focus on increasing salinity right now....this is the reason for low macros....
*end thread*

 

[vetteguy53081]

Salinity is way low and may be the chief cause. Moderate flow and light as well as Occasional target feeding (roids) and CA /Mag at normal levels
Salt at 1.025-1.026

 

[sde1500]

Yea something is definitely up with water changes or testing. Salinity should be 1.025/6 and be basically pegged there. If it drifts down, there is a problem because it wouldn't do that on it's own. Do you use an ATO? Are you finding you need to top off a lot? Could be a leak, if you are adamant that your testing is accurate.

 

[Drew in Texas]

Forgot to mention, I personally use Reef Complete to keep my CA levels up. I have to trim mine about every 3 months.

That is GORGEOUS!

 

[Drew in Texas]

12/6/2019 - Got the salinity up to 1

Do you add straight salt to the fuge? You should really raise salinity through water changes if you need to adjust. And salinity should never really go down unless you are adding freshwater to the tank. Do you measure the salinity of the new salt water before the water change?

Do you add straight salt to the fuge? You should really raise salinity through water changes if you need to adjust. And salinity should never really go down unless you are adding freshwater to the tank. Do you measure the salinity of the new salt water before the water change?

We've done a 50% water change over the past 2 weeks. Usually measures 1.025 and yes, it's always measured. Have no way to know if there's enough saly in it otherwise.

.025... we'll see how long it stays there. Dosed Ca yesterday and will again tonight.

We've also turned down the intensity of the lights just a tad to see if that helps.

 

[Drew in Texas]

12/6, 1500hrs: Have another piece of the puzzle - a pretty big one I'm betting. Turns out my wife has been topping off the return basin with RO (about 2.5 gal) every 2-3 of days. I'm betting that's whats bringing down the levels and probably wreaking all this havoc. God bless her for keeping up with it. My company has me in Alaska, and she's stepping up big time but kind of learning on the fly.

Anyone know (fairly precisely) how much black bucket salt to put in 5 gal of RO to get it to 1.025? I'd like her to be able to mix them fresh as she needs them.

 

[Drew in Texas]

BTW - it occurred to me to ask her based on input from y'all. Again, you guys rock. I very much appreciate you.

 

[sde1500]

Get an ATO. Or at the very least, draw a mark on your sump where you want the water level, and top off to that level and that level only every day.