My tank is dying and I don’t know why!!! I’m frustrated and sad, please help!

[Cassian]

Ok, to all of you that are saying get the sand out, would it be ok for me to go bare bottom for a while? I will order new sand, but I don’t really have the funds to do it right now. Will removing my sand cause too much of a bacteria change?

 

[Cassian]

It may be a cascade of things most likely. The sand should not be magnetic and that may be where it all started so I would get rid of all of that now and do large water changes. The sand is the biggest red flag so far. Get salinity to bang on 35. I would make those changes and give it some time. How stable is your PH ie. swing from day to night?

It usually changes about 1to 0.5 ppm from day to night.

 

[Cassian]

Also, would it do any good to call Caribsea and tell them the sand is magnetic? Or Petco, which is where I ordered it from. Not sure if they would send me a refund or replacement sand.

 

[Paul B]

Also, would it do any good to call Caribsea and tell them the sand is magnetic? Or Petco, which is where I ordered it from. Not sure if they would send me a refund or replacement sand.

No, they would just ignore you or tell you you are nuts.

 

[MY TOUCH OF THE OCEAN]

I just did a post on my battle with cyano. Thats exactly the look of what you have. With the coral they could be suffocating. How is your surface break in the top?

 

[Bxr126]

Be ready for possible algae bloom when you pull all that sand out.

 

[W1ngz]

I don't think you'll get a refund. Being magnetic might be undesirable, but isn't in itself a defect. And if this is supposed to be Hawaiian sand, Hawaii has reefs, and they do pretty good when people aren't raiding them.

 

[Cassian]

I just did a post on my battle with cyano. Thats exactly the look of what you have. With the coral they could be suffocating. How is your surface break in the top?

It’s not covering the corals. It’s only on the sand. What do you mean by surface break?

 

[Cassian]

I don't think you'll get a refund. Being magnetic might be undesirable, but isn't in itself a defect. And if this is supposed to be Hawaiian sand, Hawaii has reefs, and they do pretty good when people aren't raiding them.

That is true

 

[Cassian]

Be ready for possible algae bloom when you pull all that sand out.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[MY TOUCH OF THE OCEAN]

It’s not covering the corals. It’s only on the sand. What do you mean by surface break?

Water agitation on the surface of the tank. If you dont have adequate water break you will drown your reef.

 

[Miller535]

Ok, to all of you that are saying get the sand out, would it be ok for me to go bare bottom for a while? I will order new sand, but I don’t really have the funds to do it right now. Will removing my sand cause too much of a bacteria change?

If possible, put all of your fish, corals, inverts in a holding container. Preferably a HOB filter or airstone and heater. Then take out and store as much water as you can. Meanwhile having as much freshly mixed saltwater as you can. Then dump the sand and all of the remaining water. Then put most of the rock back in your display and turn the heaters and filtration back on. And when it is back to temp, acclimate your inhabitants and put them back in. I did this last year to no ill effect. You just do not want to use any of the water after you have started removing the sand bed. I would also start using GAC right away, as it is good at removing at least some metal that make still be in the water column.

 

[Cassian]

Would it be worth a shot to call my LFS and see if anyone has sand they are wanting to get rid of? Or is it best to get new sand so you know what’s been done to it

 

[MY TOUCH OF THE OCEAN]

Water agitation on the surface of the tank. If you dont have adequate water break you will drown your reef.

Lack of waterflow is Also a large cause of cyano

 

[Cassian]

Water agitation on the surface of the tank. If you dont have adequate water break you will drown your reef.

Ah!! Yes I have a lot of surface agitation. I’ve always heard the water should look like it is boiling

 

[Cassian]

If possible, put all of your fish, corals, inverts in a holding container. Preferably a HOB filter or airstone and heater. Then take out and store as much water as you can. Meanwhile having as much freshly mixed saltwater as you can. Then dump the sand and all of the remaining water. Then put most of the rock back in your display and turn the heaters and filtration back on. And when it is back to temp, acclimate your inhabitants and put them back in. I did this last year to no ill effect. You just do not want to use any of the water after you have started removing the sand bed. I would also start using GAC right away, as it is good at removing at least some metal that make still be in the water column.

Thank you for the advice! I have GAC running right now actually

 

[W1ngz]

Would it be worth a shot to call my LFS and see if anyone has sand they are wanting to get rid of? Or is it best to get new sand so you know what’s been done to it

You don't want other people's problems, you have enough of your own! lol

 

[Miller535]

Thank you for the advice! I have GAC running right now actually

Even after that, I would highly reccomend doing a Triton ICP test as others have said

 

[Cassian]

You don't want other people's problems, you have enough of your own! lol

Lol, I can agree with you on that!

 

[DanConnor]

Do you know what caused the tin to be high?

I don't think corrosion by any lost metal items, that should increase some metals in addition to tin. Probably the new PVC and the livestock tank. These apparently can have that effect- something in the manufacturing process.