My Mistakes and I Want to Overcome Them

[((FORDTECH))]

Also how old is your alkalinity regent and also when the Cap is left off and it’s subjected to air it goes bad so I generally only have an open for literally 5 to 10 seconds to suck the fluid out and I put the cap on Immediately

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Here’s a very good article that explains ORP in greater detail. A lower ORP isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just one more variable that can yield some insight into how your tank is doing.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.htm

Yes every time I ask this question The person I ask always refers me to some article that I read and always says the same thing. Orp should be between this number and this number usually about 250-400 and that orp does not mean anything anyways. So I always wonder if they make a spec and a sensor to read it then why does everyone say it does not matter? It has to mean something… I’ve read ozone and Uv can raise it. But I’ve never found what naturally makes it low so I can correct it over time without ozone or uv. I’m averaging about 190 and always under 200. My sensor is brand new about 1 month old which makes me mad because I replaced a good sensor that was reading the same as the new one before replaced. Let me also say I have 2 three hundred gallon systems in my house and both systems read about the same. It has to be something with my house I’m thinking but no clue anyways sorry to derail this thread I’ll start my own one day when I wanna hear more about how orp don’t matter

 

[blaxsun]

Yes every time I ask this question The person I ask always refers me to some article that I read and always says the same thing.

It’s not that I’m trying to dodge your question, just that the article that I linked explains it far better than I ever could (and I’m trying not to hijack the OP’s thread). If you can send me a PM with your tank specs and a list of equipment, I’ll do my best to try and help you figure it out.

 

[ninjamyst]

Focus less on equipments and more on stability and keeping things simple.

What issues are you actually having right now?

 

[wildbill001]

This is exactly your problem…… get a good test kit api is junk for nitrate and phosphate There’s got to be 1000 different threads on how bad they are Or I should say in accurate

Thanks for your advice. I found that Hanna offers a Nitrate Tester for $50.00 bucks. Any thoughts?

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Thanks for your advice. I found that Hanna offers a Nitrate Tester for $50.00 bucks. Any thoughts?

Yes 100% get the Hanna but get the hr Nitrate not the URL and then get the URL phosphate only issue with those is the nitrate Regent seems to be out of stock right now but I’m sure they’ll be a ton in a little while when everyone’s caught up

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Are use Nyos nitrate when I have no Hana Regent but I definitely love my hana at the most

 

[wildbill001]

UPDATE: Thanks to all for the help. I think I figured it out!

OK, I spoke to the city water department and found that they try to get our drinking water 7.0 PH and Alk at 3.0. I took my RODI water and water from the fish tank to Petco (I know not not the best place for Reefers but the only place in town to test water) they tested it and found that the RODI water was 7.0 PH and Alk at 3.1. The fish tank water tested at 8.1 PH and 5.5 Alk. I tested the same water with the Hanna and got the same results (Hanna Not Broke). That led me to the salt water in my holding tank. Tested it and as you would expect the same as what was in the tank. Now, a few weeks back I ran short of salt mixture and asked my wife if she would pick up a small bag from Petco (again the only local fish place) for me. I use a small Brut 20 Gal to hold my salt for my mixing station. My wife did as I asked and poured the salt she bought into the 20 Gal container. When I asked her today what salt she purchased she replied "I just told the kid at the pet store "I need salt for my husbands saltwater fish tank" and he hand her a 10 lbs bag of salt they use in there fish only tanks made by the same company but not for a reef tank. So it lacked the elements of Cal, Alk, Mag and other trace elements that my tank needed.

So for several weeks I have been changing the water with regular salt water not the correct salt for reef tanks. That threw off the tank. Throw in an insufficient light that had already caused stress on the coral and the huge alkalinity drop suddenly causing stress on the fish which ultimately resulted in an ick infestation that killed most of the fish.

This explains why the new and surviving fish are doing well but the surviving coral are not.

Lesson learned CHECK YOUR WATER OFTEN!

My Solution:

1. Buy the correct salt and make a fresh batch (check)
2. Raise the Alk to 13.0 in new saltwater mix (check)
3. Set My Apex DOS to change the water at 3 gals a day (21gal a week) in a 50 gal w/sump close to 60gal tank to gradually bring all the elements back in to the correct parameters (check).
4. Yes, you guessed it! Check the water frequently!

I believe that will correct this blunder and have it ready for the new coral and fish I ordered. I will keep you posted and see how this all turns out. Thanks for all your input and help. It is deeply appreciated

 

[wildbill001]

Yes 100% get the Hanna but get the hr Nitrate not the URL and then get the URL phosphate only issue with those is the nitrate Regent seems to be out of stock right now but I’m sure they’ll be a ton in a little while when everyone’s caught up

I already have the Hanna URL phosphate Tester its great but your correct I ran out of the regent.

 

[wildbill001]

I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. I would suggest getting an ICP test for your water. Do you have a LFS near by? If so I’d take your water to them to double check your basic parameters.

Can you give us some more information on your fish. How long were they in the tank before they died? Did you quarantine them? How did you acclimate them?

If both corals and fish are dying it makes me think there is a water quality issue.

Thanks, you were on the same line of thinking as I and I did just what you suggested. Please read my latest post. I think it will answer your question on the fish.

 

[X-37B]

I use IO regular in my tank. That is not your issue. Its alk is 11.5 and I reduce it to the level I run-7.5.
I would not run a tank at 13alk.
I run close to NSW alk 7 ca 420 mag 1350.

Mixing salt with di water that has a supposed alk level of 3 can not result in a salt makeup of 5.5 alk.

My guess is that your testing is off in some way.

Also always have a second method of testing all parameters.
Salifert for alk is what I use.

Also get your SG up to 35 or 1.0265 again NSW levels.

I would not make any adjustments until you have a true handle on your parameters.

Also Petco is a very poor source for your reef testing needs.

 

[blaxsun]

My Solution:

1. Buy the correct salt and make a fresh batch (check)

And to ensure happy life happy wife - best to pickup the salt yourself.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

UPDATE: Thanks to all for the help. I think I figured it out!

OK, I spoke to the city water department and found that they try to get our drinking water 7.0 PH and Alk at 3.0. I took my RODI water and water from the fish tank to Petco (I know not not the best place for Reefers but the only place in town to test water) they tested it and found that the RODI water was 7.0 PH and Alk at 3.1. The fish tank water tested at 8.1 PH and 5.5 Alk. I tested the same water with the Hanna and got the same results (Hanna Not Broke). That led me to the salt water in my holding tank. Tested it and as you would expect the same as what was in the tank. Now, a few weeks back I ran short of salt mixture and asked my wife if she would pick up a small bag from Petco (again the only local fish place) for me. I use a small Brut 20 Gal to hold my salt for my mixing station. My wife did as I asked and poured the salt she bought into the 20 Gal container. When I asked her today what salt she purchased she replied "I just told the kid at the pet store "I need salt for my husbands saltwater fish tank" and he hand her a 10 lbs bag of salt they use in there fish only tanks made by the same company but not for a reef tank. So it lacked the elements of Cal, Alk, Mag and other trace elements that my tank needed.

So for several weeks I have been changing the water with regular salt water not the correct salt for reef tanks. That threw off the tank. Throw in an insufficient light that had already caused stress on the coral and the huge alkalinity drop suddenly causing stress on the fish which ultimately resulted in an ick infestation that killed most of the fish.

This explains why the new and surviving fish are doing well but the surviving coral are not.

Lesson learned CHECK YOUR WATER OFTEN!

My Solution:

1. Buy the correct salt and make a fresh batch (check)
2. Raise the Alk to 13.0 in new saltwater mix (check)
3. Set My Apex DOS to change the water at 3 gals a day (21gal a week) in a 50 gal w/sump close to 60gal tank to gradually bring all the elements back in to the correct parameters (check).
4. Yes, you guessed it! Check the water frequently!

I believe that will correct this blunder and have it ready for the new coral and fish I ordered. I will keep you posted and see how this all turns out. Thanks for all your input and help. It is deeply appreciated

I think any salt you get even if just for fish will mix up way higher then 5.5 dkh. I would suggest to check your salinity with a properly calibrated salt checker

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Ok now I see you posted salt at 33.5 that is low and who knows if it’s correctly measured could be even lower. You need to bring salt up to 35

 

[wildbill001]

I notice you said his oxygen is to low as you see his orp reading. Was wondering if you have any clue as how to raise it because I have same issue 190 orp on average

Please realize I am the guy with the tank problem. But I did notice that when I started the 3 Gal a day water change my ORP went from 290 to 319 with-in hours. A water change never hurts anything so its worth a shot.

 

[wildbill001]

Ok now I see you posted salt at 33.5 that is low and who knows if it’s correctly measured could be even lower. You need to bring salt up to 35

I noticed that also and brought it up when I mixed the new batch of saltwater forgot to mention that in my previous post. It should level out in a few days to 35/1.026. Great catch!

 

[Jubei2006]

This is what I used to test the Phosphates and Nitrates. I agree the color coding on this test kit can be difficult to read. Do you have a recomendation on a kit. I purchased this kit when I first started. I use the Hanna test Kits for the Alk, Cal and Phosphate ULR. But it looking like the Hanna Checker for Alk may be bad.

I use the reef test from red sea (calcium, alkalinity magnesium). Good refractometer with calibration solution, and hanna checkers for phospate and nitrate. I also use reef crystals for my salt mix and have to dose alkalinity because it DOES NOT mix to what it says. My alkalinity is in the low 7s with no supplementation, even after water changes. Reef crystals claims something like 12 alkalinity when mixed to 1.026. Might also want to increase to 35 to 36 ppt on salinity (1.025 to 1.026) for corals.