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improdigal 
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 Topic: Corals not looking so good...
Posted: October 29 2004 at 5:32pm |
Out of nowhere, my softies look kinda unhappy. In particular, my xenia, pom-pom, colt coral, nephia, LTA, and mushrooms are all kinda shriveled. My Frog spawn and rock anenomes looks happy as can be.
I just added a good 30 pounds of LBTR, but everything looks reasonable across the board to me. Any thoughts?
dKH 8.15
Calcium 380
Alkalinity 2.9 meg/L
PH 8.15
Phosphate 2.5 mg/L (not sure the optimal range for this)
Ammonia <.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <10 mg/L
Iodine .03
The LBTR I added is showing some tan algae or Bacteria growth on it already, but I figured that was normal after about a week, right?.
Edited by improdigal
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Patrick
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reptoreef
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Posted: October 29 2004 at 7:06pm |
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The less phosphates the better... get em down.
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www.captivereefing.com
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improdigal
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Posted: October 29 2004 at 9:18pm |
How? Haven't seen anything on the shelf for that 
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Patrick
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Connie
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 4:54am |
Pat they make a sponge that you put in a bag and run through high water flow. You can also do the stand by.. water change.. I have some of this sponge left. It is pretty spendy and now I have R/O I will never use it again.. Its yours if you want to stop by & pick it up... Im collecting zoos hint hint 
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I have flying monkeys and I'm not afraid to use them.
180 gallon money pit that I love.....
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 7:02am |
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What was the phosphate reading in the tank before adding the LBTR?
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 7:12am |
The corals started to look just a little 'off' before I put in the rock. Prior to that everything was looking perfect, so I hadn't tested anything in a while. So I don't have a prior reading.
Sorry I missed you the other day Mark, my Cell is broken and I'm waiting for a replacement. Would you be in the area anytime soon to come and take a look at the tank with me and help me figure out what's going on?
I forgot to mention previously that I tested my PH a couple days ago and it was low, so I raised it .5/day for 2 days prior to my last reading. I had assumed it was the PH that was the problem, but now it's perfect and they were looking the same or worse.
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Patrick
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Skyetone
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 7:50am |
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hey pat.... What about your lights? Try running them for less time. Everyone is kinda warning me about what I want to do. Maybe you are burning them....
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I will just give my warning that your system will flood, bulbs will burn out, and things will take continuous maintenance... get over it.
Magna
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:11am |
hmm...ok, here is my light schedule too:
6am-9:30am - Actinics (Sunrise)
9am-7pm - MH (daylight)
6:30-10pm - Actinics (Sunset)
10pm-5am - Moonlights
My Refugium lights alternate the daylight, so they run from 7pm-9am (14 hours)
Lights consist of:
-2 6' VHO Actinics
-3 250W MH (14" above water level) 20K bulbs
-4 led Moonlights (very dim)
-Home Depot PC on Refugium (Can't remember wattage)
Come to think of it, they do tend to look worse towards the evening.
Edited by improdigal
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Patrick
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:46am |
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Okay. What may have changed within the last 2-4 weeks?
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 8:49am |
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I switched my Calcium dosing method a few weeks back. Used to use Kent Calcium, Iodine, and Strontium/morbid...whatever. Then I started using Red Sea Calcium+3 which has all of the above in one.
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Patrick
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 1:06pm |
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Did you gradually reduce the dosage on the Kent product and gradually increase the Red Sea product?
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 1:18pm |
NOPE, maybe that was my mistake, it was the same 'amount' of calcium, iodian etc, so I guess I figured chemicals are chemicals and just switched over. Note I wasn't dosing daily, more like weekly.
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Patrick
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 2:51pm |
Your phosphates are off the charts. You could use a phosphate remover like phosban/rowaphos to help get them down. I use a phosban reactor that you are welcome to come check out. However, you really need to figure out what made them go so high. How many fish do you have and how much do you feed them? I also have half a canister of phosguard that I stopped using because I read that since it is alumina based it could leach aluminum into your aquarium, but you were welcome to have it for free.
HTH, Cody
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 3:00pm |
What is a Phosphate reactor and how does that work.
I avoid using odd chemicals in the tank as well, so I'll probably have to pass on the phosguard, unless anyone here can vouch for it.
As for how it got there? Not sure. Only have around 10 small-medium sized fish, 20 some small frags just starting to grow. 200+lbs of LR.
What causes Phosphates to go up normally?
I've noticed my Calerpa dying lately, which is normal whenever it runs out of dinner, but it was turning brown rather than dissolving to a clear yellow. Rest of my Macro is fine.
Edited by improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 3:15pm |
A phosphate reactor just takes the phosban and makes it fluidized. So a phosban reactor is really a fluidized bed reactor. They're 29.99 at customaquatic.com where I got mine.
Phosphates could go up by excess food, tap water, additives, or maybe even your live rock.
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improdigal
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 3:21pm |
hmmm.....excess additives, as in dosing additives???
I normally feed by fish once/day, but make it Flakes in morning and cubes in the afternoon a couple times/week.
So the Phosphate reactor still involves using the phosban then? Is it a "can't do one without the other" situation.
No tap water, my tank tops off with 6 stage RO/DI filter.
Mark, would LBTR cause the PHosphates to go up? I have my own pressure washer, so I was able to take the time to REALLY clean then. Not enough?
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 3:35pm |
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Anything you add to your tank you take the risk of adding phosphates. As for dosing additives I would highly doubt that they would contain phosphates, unless they were a no name brand, then I would think twice about it. When were talking about a few ppm it is easy for them to go up or even for the test kit to read accurately.
Edited by cpearce....
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jfinch
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 10:18pm |
I'm sorry that you heard that and that you believed it...
A differing point of view: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2003/chem.htm
Edited by jfinch
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 10:36pm |
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Sorry Jon, I wrote this long, terribly boring post, went away and came back to delete it because it just didn't seem right and then found out why. Thanks.
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jfinch
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Posted: October 30 2004 at 11:07pm |
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Why did you delete your post? I'm not even sure I agree with RHF regarding activated alumina...
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