New Marine help please

[De47h Add3r]

I have a new 45 gal tank with 40 lb araganite (sp) and 20 lb of black hawaiian live sand. I also have about 30 pounds of live rock that I have molded into a nice grotto for hiding spaces. My salinity level is great, but I can't seem to get my pH under control. It keeps dropping below 8 and I don't know how to raise it. I have used baking soda, pH increase chemicals, all to no avail. I thought perhaps I needed more movement in the water so I added a bubbler and saw the pH start to rise but never get above the 8.0 mark. I also have a full spectrum light that is time controlled so that the tank is not always lit up and the fish, if I can ever get the tank fixed, would not have to be like a college junior during rush week mixed with midterms, up all night and stressed out. I have a 3 part filter which has a mechanical and biological filter including an aeration tank, but it seems like the water wasn't getting enough O2 thus the bubbler. Since adding the bubbler I have a remarkable amount of salt buildup on the glass which I fixed with a 15 gallon water switch. I would like to add a pair of maroon clowns, 2 dragonets, a large bubble anemone, a coral beauty, and 2 horseshoe crabs. What do I need to do in order to get this thing up and running? This seems so much more difficult than my 10 gal back in 2004. Please help I am trying to have this set up before my children start homeschooling this summer and I am able to use it as a biology lesson and ecosystem unit. Thank you so much I have heard great things about this community and am glad to be joining.

-Andrew

 

[vetteguy53081]

If this is happening at night and lights out- normal
Can safely drop to 7.6 as long as it comes back up during the day

 

[Jekyl]

More surface agitation, a skimmer, open some windows. All can help raise the Ph. Agree with previous post tho.

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun..
agree ,drop to high 7's at night back to 8 8.3 during peak not a problem,
be sure to check at same time ,every time,as moves up and down all day and night..

 

[PanchoG]

Welcome to R2R, the suggestions given above are very solid. You’ll be fine!

 

[BeardedDragon21]

Also depending on the air source for your pump (indoor vs outdoor) you might be introducing CO2 to the tank lowering the pH by producing carbonic acid... If your wanting extra support you can get an inline CO2 scrubber on your air source either for the bubbler or skimmer to eliminate that acid production

 

[Mical]

How long has your tank been up & running?

 

[davidcalgary29]

How long has your tank been up & running?

+1. And don't even worry about it if your tank is still cycling. I fretted needlessly as my pH seemed to be stuck at 7.6 through my cycle...and then it went right up to 8.1 when it was finished.

 

[mdb_talon]

I would be careful with chemicals to raise the PH. They are all going to be raising alk also and you made no mention of alk level but everytime you adding those chemicals you are increasing it. There is nothing at all wrong with a PH below 8...especially as you only mention wanting to stock fish.

Let the tank stabilize. Aeration and gas exchange is important and may be ehat is depressing your PH so maybe look further that route, but i would avoid the chemicals if the only reason is PH

 

[De47h Add3r]

Thank you so much for all the info, it's great to get some positive reinforcement. My tank has been running almost a month. Is there a way to know when my cycle is complete or where it is in the process?

 

[Mical]

Thank you so much for all the info, it's great to get some positive reinforcement. My tank has been running almost a month. Is there a way to know when my cycle is complete or where it is in the process?

First off, get yourself some good test kits - Red Sea & others are good (please avoid the API kits) Ammonia & nitrate & salinity are your main concerns, later you'll want Alk, Cal & mag if you plan on corals.
Re: your stocking list, be careful when adding livestock not to overload your system - usually after tank cycles maybe a fish a month (maybe two if small) re: anemone - IMO wait at least 6 mos. Patience is the key to success in reefing.

 

[De47h Add3r]

So I have tested all my chemicals, salinity, ph, even calcium and phosphate and everything is within the proper parameters. I added 1 fish and it died in less than 30 minutes of tank time. I have been doing 2 hour drip line acclimations and still have had no luck. last night I was watching my sad empty tank and noticed that some of my live rock has a purple looking growth which I think might be algae. Could that be killing my tank? I have been using the red reef seed product for almost a week now trying to ensure that I have the proper organisms in my biofilter and my nitrogen cycle has been completed. I am so insanely confused why my tank has killed everything I have tried.

 

[Azedenkae]

So I have tested all my chemicals, salinity, ph, even calcium and phosphate and everything is within the proper parameters. I added 1 fish and it died in less than 30 minutes of tank time. I have been doing 2 hour drip line acclimations and still have had no luck. last night I was watching my sad empty tank and noticed that some of my live rock has a purple looking growth which I think might be algae. Could that be killing my tank? I have been using the red reef seed product for almost a week now trying to ensure that I have the proper organisms in my biofilter and my nitrogen cycle has been completed. I am so insanely confused why my tank has killed everything I have tried.

I dunno what the purple-looking growth would be, but I highly doubt it.

Have you measured ammonia?

 

[De47h Add3r]

I have 0 ammonia, no detectable nitrate or nitrite, ph 8.4, temp 82, 300+ calcium (not sure if that matters for a fish tank without corals), fluval pump/filter combo adequate to 90 gallons, 45 gal tank, 1.025 salinity, 40 pounds live crushed coral, 20 pounds live rock

 

[Azedenkae]

I have 0 ammonia, no detectable nitrate or nitrite, ph 8.4, temp 82, 300+ calcium (not sure if that matters for a fish tank without corals), fluval pump/filter combo adequate to 90 gallons, 45 gal tank, 1.025 salinity, 40 pounds live crushed coral, 20 pounds live rock

Okay that's not it either probably. I don't know enough about the Red Sea seeding product you are using, so don't know if it is safe to use with fish or whatever.

So yeah, beats me. Sorry.

 

[CanuckReefer]

So I have tested all my chemicals, salinity, ph, even calcium and phosphate and everything is within the proper parameters. I added 1 fish and it died in less than 30 minutes of tank time. I have been doing 2 hour drip line acclimations and still have had no luck. last night I was watching my sad empty tank and noticed that some of my live rock has a purple looking growth which I think might be algae. Could that be killing my tank? I have been using the red reef seed product for almost a week now trying to ensure that I have the proper organisms in my biofilter and my nitrogen cycle has been completed. I am so insanely confused why my tank has killed everything I have tried.

Welcome to the reef! What type of fish was it that you added? Could the purple growths be coraline algae? That's a good thing if so. Or it seems more like a hairy or slime appearance? Pics would be awesome if you could attach a few. Agree with much of the advice you've recieved thus far.

 

[De47h Add3r]

Okay that's not it either probably. I don't know enough about the Red Sea seeding product you are using, so don't know if it is safe to use with fish or whatever.

So yeah, beats me. Sorry.

I was wrong it is aquavitro, it is a product that just adds the denitrifying bacteria to the tank environment. It is a similar product to the ATM colony line

 

[De47h Add3r]

I finally found my problem, water was not oxygenated enough. Fixed that issue and now my lawnmower blenny and clownfish are doing great, thanks for all the help