Sound off: What are you dealing with? Maybe someone can help!

[MnFish1]

"Not sure" should be an option.

I got back an ICP test that showed I had 0 iodine and low boron in my tank.... should I care? I'm not sure. I do 10-15% AWC weekly, so it should be getting replenished, not sure if I should be dosing additionally or not.

0 everything is your goal to a degree. I fyi have 0 iodine - and no symptoms - it means you're in balance - the things using iodine are using it and you're supplying it.

 

[Mike1995]

Lack of any coral growth I don't understand how to improve that

 

[ZsWithTheFishes]

Looking at the picture most of it seems to be coming off the whiter rock.
Is this rock newer?
Was it precycled?
I have had dead rock that has been loaded with nutrients.
That is what it looks like here that the rock maybe leaching nutrients.

MYSTERY SOLVED!

I had a revelation thinking about this reply. I tested the water after getting a new kit, and there were phosphates. Impossible... I had some when cycling some of the dry rock, but it had gone to 0 months ago. Then I had a hunch. I'd ask spouse to top off tank for a couple of days and do a little wc if boredom struck...
"You didn't use tap water, right?"
"Nope, RO!"
"From the old RO unit or the new one?"
"Um, neither. The RO you were stocking up in the new tank."

Below is th RO water I'd been stocking up on, and the 200lb of the same leaching dryrock that had been marinating in it:

Welp I did some wc'ing and lo and behold, the gha is not regrowing 10x when I pick it.

 

[shred5]

MYSTERY SOLVED!

I had a revelation thinking about this reply. I tested the water after getting a new kit, and there were phosphates. Impossible... I had some when cycling some of the dry rock, but it had gone to 0 months ago. Then I had a hunch. I'd ask spouse to top off tank for a couple of days and do a little wc if boredom struck...
"You didn't use tap water, right?"
"Nope, RO!"
"From the old RO unit or the new one?"
"Um, neither. The RO you were stocking up in the new tank."

Below is th RO water I'd been stocking up on, and the 200lb of the same leaching dryrock that had been marinating in it:

Welp I did some wc'ing and lo and behold, the gha is not regrowing 10x when I pick it.

Oops

Well at least you found the issue!

 

[Urbanknight]

ROFL! This is a follow up to my OP of having trouble with my EB 832. True to form, Neptune diagnosed and repaired the problem under warranty. You just have to get a laugh from their response to my last question of " What was the problem?" I was looking for a reply that said something like "a 100 Ohm resistor burned out." The response I got is a classic! "There was an internal component that was replaced. Please let us know if you have any other questions, or need any additional clarification." Recognizing that they have proprietary systems and information, I should have expected a response like this. It's all good. It gave me a heck of a chuckle for the day!

 

[GonçaloS]

I've been dealing with tin in my systems for the past 9 months. 1 month after started the tank I had no tin in the system, according to icp. I only noticed it after 5 months. So from this data I excluded tin contamination from glass or plumbing. After that I went looking for possible sources, namely the refrigerator and maxspect bio balls, I put them on a bucket of NSW with a heater and circulation pump (in the case of the refrigerator it was connected to the bucket and had the heater inside to force heating/refrigeration cycles). Both were tested separately and sent an icp test of each, which came with no tin. I also noticed the heaters I had in the system had some moisture inside so i removed all from the aquarium, and the tin keeps increasing, even with water changes of more than 20% a week. I inspected all my other pumps, namely pump from nyos, vortech vectra and mp40, none of them have visible rust. I've also tested the ro/di water and no signs of tin in it. The NSW i use to do water changes was also tested and no tin. Rock and sand were introduced at the beginning so they can't be the source either. Only thing I haven't tested is bio fil media, but my LFS uses it and never saw tin in their systems. Running out of possible tin sources to look for..

 

[116185]

Do you have any cleaner shrimp? If not get you some. I went through the ick thing when I began In This hobby 3 yrs ago. Got ick, went fallow 80 days. Never got it again. But... in November we bought a home. Moved my 3 yr old 125 gallon mixed reef and within 48 hrs everything in it was dead, have no idea what did it. Since then I started over. I figured if I’m gonna start over I’m starting over right. So I bought the tank I had always wanted. 2 months ago after adding some new fish I got ick once again. Just like you now, I’m thinking screw this fallow period. After all I’ve done been through I’m not waiting another 80 days. I ended up asking a reefer friend that’s been in the hobby for many years and actually has his ow. Aquarium maintenance company and he suggested Scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp. So with nothing to lose I headed out and got 3. Within 30 mins my tang was getting cleaned by the shrimp and within 2 days all his spots were completely gone. It’s been 2 months and this tang or none of my fish have any signs of ick or any other illness. Sry for ramble but hope this helps!

I do actually have a couple cleaner shrimp in the tank. I have never seen them cleaning a fish to this point tho. So far the UV I got seems to be keeping the numbers down so the fish have a chance. And DIK what the heck happened but this past weekend GHA is gone! Numbers were always good. I never understood why it was so bad to begin with. Only changes I made with defusers to my radions and the yellow tang. But its gone. So I cant complain right now. By the time I get home from work today Im sure something will happen to change that!

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

This most awesome saltwater and reef aquariums is one of ups and downs, highs and lows! One day you're fired up about your pristine pink covered rocks in a box and the next you see a speck of green and the doubt begins to grow along with the algae!

This hobby is not perfect as we all know and it's going to keep you guessing a lot of times but I for one think it helps to just "get it out there" sometimes! Let someone know what's going on, spill the beans and sound off! Who knows maybe someone will help you over the hump!

So what are you currently going through?

image via @Broadfield for inspiration!

Only thing I'm going through is I use a fish feeder to feed foods like Reef roids and in three days it gets clogged up.

 

[Texas Reefer]

I have some sort of slime algae in my sump. It is only in the section with the chaeto and overflow from display. It's on the back wall mostly and the bottom. I suck it out and bam it's back. Wondering if it is associated with why my water has a slightly yellow tint to it. Nitrates read zero on API and phosphate is hard to read with a seachem test.

Carbon will take the yellow out.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I've been dealing with tin in my systems for the past 9 months. 1 month after started the tank I had no tin in the system, according to icp. I only noticed it after 5 months. So from this data I excluded tin contamination from glass or plumbing. After that I went looking for possible sources, namely the refrigerator and maxspect bio balls, I put them on a bucket of NSW with a heater and circulation pump (in the case of the refrigerator it was connected to the bucket and had the heater inside to force heating/refrigeration cycles). Both were tested separately and sent an icp test of each, which came with no tin. I also noticed the heaters I had in the system had some moisture inside so i removed all from the aquarium, and the tin keeps increasing, even with water changes of more than 20% a week. I inspected all my other pumps, namely pump from nyos, vortech vectra and mp40, none of them have visible rust. I've also tested the ro/di water and no signs of tin in it. The NSW i use to do water changes was also tested and no tin. Rock and sand were introduced at the beginning so they can't be the source either. Only thing I haven't tested is bio fil media, but my LFS uses it and never saw tin in their systems. Running out of possible tin sources to look for..

Maybe foods being used, I had ICP test came back with high levels iodine, it was the foods I fed

 

[Texas Reefer]

I think these are some form of diatom that feed off silicates and phosphate. I didn’t know my RO/DI filters were due for replacing and I did a couple water changes with 4-7 TDS RO water. Nitrates are 0, phosphate is 0.144 ppm. Was successfully coming down using my mini reactor with rowaphos in it but then spiked again when I started feeding the coral once or twice a week. I think if I can bring my phosphates down I’ll be able to starve it out but my corals look incredible and are noticeably growing, and everything has been stable so I don’t want to make any abrupt changes here. Have also had trouble getting a positive ID on whatever it is. Debating letting it take its course. Looks ugly but isn’t hurting anything. I just want to get my phosphates down without upsetting anything. Ordered new RO/DI filters, hoping a few water changes with silicate free water will help too. Appreciate any advice!

Would an urchin eat it?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

"Not sure" should be an option.

I got back an ICP test that showed I had 0 iodine and low boron in my tank.... should I care? I'm not sure. I do 10-15% AWC weekly, so it should be getting replenished, not sure if I should be dosing additionally or not.

I sent out ICP test and came back high on iodine. From the foods fed.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

So I can't seem to lower my phosphates. I have changed out my rock, due to cycle never finished. I have only been feeding frozen every two days to help. But nothing seems to work.

Maybe lathium chloride , works wonders safe on corals/fish

 

[LilElroyJetson]

Would an urchin eat it?

Minus a couple tiny patches it’s all gone! With the help of a couple great folks on here, added about 15 additional snails and a lawnmower blenny and they made short work of everything!

 

[GonçaloS]

Maybe foods being used, I had ICP test came back with high levels iodine, it was the foods I fed

Never thought on that hypothesis, but it seems very strange that food is introducing tin in the system, specially in such a big amount. Recently I had 40 ppm of tin (icp checked), and I made a lot of WC during 2 weeks. According to my calculations, if I had 40 ppm on the start of the WC period, I should've ended up with 8 ppm. The ICP came back with 30 ppm, so there's a big source of tin. But I'll investigate the food hypothesis!

 

[reelredfisah]

Tank up and running since 2014. Just live rock right now getting tank going again long story was without lights for alomst 6 months. No corals or fish in the tank. Chato growing well in refugium. Had a ton Of vermited snails picked most of them out. Moved some rocks around. Removed dead corals and all was going well. Restarted dual BRS reactor with GFO and Carbon. Now I have a bad GHA problem. Of course test showed nothing before this broke out so not sure where it came from.

Not like I am overfeeding since I am not feeding at all. Maybe now that it has light again? I have turned those down as well just in case. Auto water change is setup doing 2 gallons per day.