My acros are acting like they are starved, but....

[Pennywise the Clown]

He started the same time - what I understand - but it is not as easy as that - Alk, light and nutrients are coworkers in this equation. The absolute numbers of a single parameter are not necessarily the reason as they work together.

An other question - we have all concentrate on a deficiency problem but it may be the opposite. I know one compound that can cause algae free windows. How do your shrimps, hermits and snails do?

Sincerely Lasse

I am beginning to question whether copper is the issue.
The company that I get my water from guarantees 0 TDS and a lot of UK reefers use it, There are fill stations dotted around the country.
I have been looking at ICP test results and have found about 10. 7 of them came back perfect, 1 had high silicates and the other 2 came back with high'ish levels of copper.
About 3 months ago I lost my BTA, it just went from being nice and healthy to slowly deteriorating. That would have been a couple of months after I started using the water. My shrimps, although alive and looking okay, now hide all day. They were always very active and have been for 18 months.

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

I can’t get access to the actual values on eddies for some reason. What do your whites max out at now?

They max out at 45 at the moment, that is in acclimation mode. I thing once acclimation is done they max out at 60. Which I know is very high these days.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

They max out at 45 at the moment, that is in acclimation mode. I thing once acclimation is done they max out at 60. Which I know is very high these days.

Got it. Did you go from whites at 30 to 45 now in a short period of time?

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

Got it. Did you go from whites at 30 to 45 now in a short period of time?

No, over a few weeks.
Maybe (probably) the change in lighting hasn't helped but the issues started before the lighting change.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

From what i see in your photos, it looks like bite marks on your sps.

 

[rkny26]

I was going to point to low mg but yours is reading 1400. When was that number from? I had similar issue once and it was low mg for me.

 

[Lasse]

I am beginning to question whether copper is the issue.
The company that I get my water from guarantees 0 TDS and a lot of UK reefers use it, There are fill stations dotted around the country.
I have been looking at ICP test results and have found about 10. 7 of them came back perfect, 1 had high silicates and the other 2 came back with high'ish levels of copper.
About 3 months ago I lost my BTA, it just went from being nice and healthy to slowly deteriorating. That would have been a couple of months after I started using the water. My shrimps, although alive and looking okay, now hide all day. They were always very active and have been for 18 months.

We do not have these chains here in Sweden but a lot of windows cleaner companies use RO water that they produce by themselves. When its produced - it is very important that the water from the RO/DI unit not pass any copper pipes. Copper pipes after the RO/DI unit is a big No No. RO/DI water is very "aggressive" because of no ions in it. Try to check with your supplier if there is any copper in the system from the producing unit. In the UK you can´t role out lead either but I do not think that the pipes your supplier use are so old that they consist of lead.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[BlennyKravitz]

Check your salinity. Mine had dropped to 1.022 but my other parameters such as alkalinity were fine.

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

Check your salinity. Mine had dropped to 1.022 but my other parameters such as alkalinity were fine.

Interesting you might say this.
I use a recently calibrated Hanna Digital salinity checker and get a consistent 1.025.

But yesterday I decided to visit my LFS and go back to getting RO and salt water from them. I never had any issues with corals at all during this time. The shop say their water is 1.024 but my Hanna measures 1.022.
So either the shop doesn't know what they mix their water to or my Hanna is reading low. And a quick search comes up with a lot of people with a Hanna reading 0.002 low.

 

[Lasse]

Do you use any "balling method - incl Core7 and other similar methods ?

look at the graph below - it is my salinity since a change of 10 l saltwater with 10 liters RO water 24/2. A smaller change (2,5 l) 18/3 and 10 L yesterday. The Balling concept increase the salinity. You need to switch some tank water with equal volume of RODI water now and then. My total water volume is around 310 l. However a slow rise of the salinity over time is normal no problems. But if you come close to 40 psu - it could be a problem IMO

​

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

I just dose 2 part daily and that is pretty much it.
I have definitely seen a lot more problems since I started mixing my own saltwater. Up until then I had never lost a coral and the 3 acros I first introduced, a Garf and a couple of Millies, did great.
I bought my Hanna at the same time I started mixing saltwater and I remember having to very slowly raise my salinity.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I can’t ever trust anyone’s water. I have seen local shops around here sell 0 tds water that was reading 50+ tds. If I make it at home I know my tds is 0.

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

I can’t ever trust anyone’s water. I have seen local shops around here sell 0 tds water that was reading 50+ tds. If I make it at home I know my tds is 0.

I know exactly what you mean.
Where I was getting my water from had a TDS meter attached and it always showed 0.
My display hasn't really done very well since using it, hence the nagging doubt about copper.
I really do need a rodi unit, and when I'm back to work I will get one.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Interesting you might say this.
I use a recently calibrated Hanna Digital salinity checker and get a consistent 1.025.

But yesterday I decided to visit my LFS and go back to getting RO and salt water from them. I never had any issues with corals at all during this time. The shop say their water is 1.024 but my Hanna measures 1.022.
So either the shop doesn't know what they mix their water to or my Hanna is reading low. And a quick search comes up with a lot of people with a Hanna reading 0.002 low.

That Hanna salinity checker is a point of sale
It’s basically a $100 thermometer

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

That Hanna salinity checker is a point of sale
It’s basically a $100 thermometer

I am beginning to think you are right.
Problem is that my Red Sea refractometer is even worse. The two scales don't line up. 1.026 lines up with 33 so I have no idea which one to calibrate to.

 

[Mikeltee]

Any changes in the lighting? Get rid of all that junk except your skimmer and all your problems will go away.

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

Any changes in the lighting? Get rid of all that junk except your skimmer and all your problems will go away.

I've got to be honest, my big weakness when it comes to reefing is messing with light schedules on my Hydras.
I have now set my schedule and I will leave it alone and let my corals have some consistency.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I am beginning to think you are right.
Problem is that my Red Sea refractometer is even worse. The two scales don't line up. 1.026 lines up with 33 so I have no idea which one to calibrate to.

I would trust the digital one. Mine isn’t a Hanna but it’s the same thing basically. I get consistent readings from mine everytime. Just gotta be careful with them and not let them get knocked around or dropped, cat knocked the old one over and it wouldn’t read right after. I still double and triple check with as many different methods as I can every few months but as long as your method is consistent I don’t think any hobby grade method is going to be much better than another.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I am beginning to think you are right.
Problem is that my Red Sea refractometer is even worse. The two scales don't line up. 1.026 lines up with 33 so I have no idea which one to calibrate to.

I have 2 refractometers, the Hanna and now an apex and the Hanna is the most inconsistent and inaccurate. I just recalibrated my apex probe, my Hanna and 2 refractometers. 1.026 with refractometers, 35.4-35.8 on the apex and 1.022 with the Hanna. point of sale

 

[Pennywise the Clown]

I have 2 refractometers, the Hanna and now an apex and the Hanna is the most inconsistent and inaccurate. I just recalibrated my apex probe, my Hanna and 2 refractometers. 1.026 with refractometers, 35.4-35.8 on the apex and 1.022 with the Hanna. point of sale

Wow. 1.022 is miles out.
That would potentially put you in the 1.030 bracket if using solely.
IF my lfs is right and their salt water is mixed to 1.024, that would put my Hanna 0.002 out.
I'm thinking of lowering my display to 1.024 using my Hanna. If it is out by 0.002 then happ7 days, if it is accurate then 1.024 shouldn't cause any problems.