Hi - It has been a long time since I have logged in, my apologies. While I have been focused on starting a new hydroponics farm my tank was a bit neglected. Since this past summer, I noticed that a few of my colonies began to slowly die off. Recall, I am the guy who was attempting full on Triton Method. I posted briefly about this and my minimal water changes over the past couple of years. You all have provided great feedback/advice, so thank you. I have done several large water changes since August, but yet things continue to go downhill. With starting my business, I continued to grow frustrated as my time was limited and couldn't focus on the tank like it needed to be. I sent away an ICP and N-DOC test to Triton recently and all elements were almost perfectly in-line. I do recall Dong mentioning about coral warfare and the need for water changes, so I continued with water changes, with no positive results. Simultaneously I watched my ALK rise from the low 8's to 11 over the course of 2 months. I decided to stop dosing figuring all of my corals where now not consuming anything and what they were consuming, was being replenished by my water changes.
Here is the interesting part, as I was doing a water change yesterday, I hit one of the SPS and cut my finger. When I went to put my hand back in the tank, it felt like I was getting burned. I immediately thought it was the salt water doing its thing and cleaning out my scrape. But then it hit me, this was much more than a salt water sting. I believe I was getting shocked from something leaking electric in the tank. Somewhat doubtful, I put my other hand in the tank and did not feel anything. Nevertheless, I checked my pumps and heaters and all seamed fine. Then I remembered I put an old powerhead in my refugium to help with the cheato circulation and checked that. Sure enough, that pump was not functioning. I took it out and put it in a bucket off water and tested for electric with a meter and sure enough it was causing a problem! I somewhat find it hard to believe that I felt a shock only because of an open scrape... Maybe voltage was low enough that it could not penetrate layers of skin??? Not too sure.
Anyway, thought I would share this with everyone. Not sure if this is leading to my coral problems, but hopeful this is and things can now begin to recover....
Here is the interesting part, as I was doing a water change yesterday, I hit one of the SPS and cut my finger. When I went to put my hand back in the tank, it felt like I was getting burned. I immediately thought it was the salt water doing its thing and cleaning out my scrape. But then it hit me, this was much more than a salt water sting. I believe I was getting shocked from something leaking electric in the tank. Somewhat doubtful, I put my other hand in the tank and did not feel anything. Nevertheless, I checked my pumps and heaters and all seamed fine. Then I remembered I put an old powerhead in my refugium to help with the cheato circulation and checked that. Sure enough, that pump was not functioning. I took it out and put it in a bucket off water and tested for electric with a meter and sure enough it was causing a problem! I somewhat find it hard to believe that I felt a shock only because of an open scrape... Maybe voltage was low enough that it could not penetrate layers of skin??? Not too sure.
Anyway, thought I would share this with everyone. Not sure if this is leading to my coral problems, but hopeful this is and things can now begin to recover....