Thinking of changing my forum name to Dave AKA .......

[daves-reef]

Dave AKA The Serial Coral Killer.
Or at least I should updated my signature.

At this point all the SPS that looked like it was going to die ( STN ) has died. And I mean almost all.
Not to mention some LPS too. Hard to kill stuff that I have managed to kill.

I know its all probably related to parameters fluctuating badly.
First ALK then Phosphates. Think I have made every number chasing mistake I can make.

Still trying to find those elusive stable parameters. Test kits still suck too.
Elos ALK kit 50 tests every day some times twice a day. Always between 8 and 8.5.
Switched to new Salifert KH test kit because running low on Elos reagent.
Salifert kit is over 9.5 around 9.8 every time. (Double check with last of elos 8.5)

I picked up a Hanna Phosphorus checker to watch PH too.
The reagent only kits I have tried are useless for me.
We will see how this works out. Its my first experience with a checker.

Besides chasing numbers I have been changing too many things at once too.
Adjusting flow. Adding CA reactor messing with GFO etc.

And now another change scheduled for delivery tomorrow.
Having thought about it for a long time. After 8 years with the same ......
It's time to change ... Hope this helps and not hurts stability.

I need more frags to try now too.
Thank goodness for softies. If they start dying. I'm done FOWLR for me.

 

[this is me]

Dave,
Keep you chin up. You have identified the issues as you know it and that's half of the battle. The other half is just keep going at it. The key is to be consistent and change things slowly if needed.
As a note, I don't think the alk is causing any issue. Keeping ALK at 8-10dKH is the safest range. Even with the kit to kit variation, you're alk will be 7-12dKH which is Okay. GFO, however, is pretty dangerous especially the high capacity stuff from BRS. It's very strong and will strip all the mineral in the water very fast if you use to much of it. I see my corals react every time I change out the GFO.
Have you fully checked for pest? Healthy corals tend to deal with changes better.

 

[this is me]

Also, another observation from my tank is that I put too much GFO and the ALK is higher than 9, I can also see LPS and SPS react to it in a negatively way. Closed up LPS and less polyp extension on the sps.

 

[daves-reef]

Also, another observation from my tank is that I put too much GFO and the ALK is higher than 9, I can also see LPS and SPS react to it in a negatively way. Closed up LPS and less polyp extension on the sps.

Thats exactly what happened. Even worse when it comes to SPS but those were just the ones that were hanging on.
First mistake was chasing PO-4 as too low. Both from LFS and Triton LABs test said Phosphate too low at undetectable so I cut back and removed GFO I was running.
At that time salifert test kit showed undetectable. Then I finally made a trip to LFS to have them test water and check my numbers.
My kit still shows no PO-4. Corals looking bad and some start having algae growth on them. Low and behold my phosphates are high .1 or more I forget.
So I added GFO back and BAM that really started to kill stuff. LPS too this time. Even lost heads on Hammer I had for years.
Thought that was indestructible.

 

[freakit]

I had the same problems with gfo. Removing it from the system was the best thing I did. Algae scrubber took its place along with chaeto growing like crazy.

 

[daves-reef]

I got plenty of algae growth. In and out of the display .
I have a ball of Cheato and green grape growing in my refugium thats half size of 20 gallon tank. I also have a separate tank. What was suppose to become a frag tank.
But since I am the serial coral killer not much need for a frag tank so I have a couple of different red Algea, blue scroll, and others on egg crate under blue and red LED growing in that tank.

Algae I can grow.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
"Ah-ee-ah-ee-ah, wah wah wah"

Its stony coral that wither and dies in my presence.

 

[dannyp02908]

i agre with the others that your issue is with GFO

 

[daves-reef]

Yeah once I get my 25 reagent refill packs for the hanna checker in. I plan on slowly removing GFO by checking levels daily or every other day to make sure I don't have another phosphate spike.
Then if phosphates start to rise I can maybe start something else other than GFO to bring them in check.

Maybe
Red Sea NO3O4-X Biological Nitrate and Phosphate Reducer
Or a similar product. just started looking at that option.

Or maybe try vodka or vinegar dosing.
Then again that would just be another change to blame for problems.

 

[reefstarter]

Dave call me , 781-367-1103

 

[freakit]

You're complicating things. Get back to the basics. Pull the gfo. Do some large water changes. You stripped the water of nutrients/dropped nutrients too fast and shocked the corals. Then one thing at a time choose what you want to add for nutrient control. You can only feed what your tank and nutrient control methods can handle.

The simpler the better. Keep it simple!

 

[CrypticLifeStyle]

I had issue's when i was chasing the numbers. I stopped at the end of last summer, haven't tested my water for anything other then SG, and haven't had a problem yet. Keeping it simple, and basic has been good to me. Same way i run my planted tanks. Le the tank find it's own balance over time, and just address issue's when they come about, the key is being observant, at least for me.

 

[JasonandSarah]

How much flow are you putting into your Gfo reactor? I've been using gfo for a couple years and only notice bad things when I remove it. Some people say to allow it to slowly tumble but that grinds it up and releases fines into your tank. I got it so the gfo just barely moves inside. As long as every piece of gfo moves it shouldn't bind together.

 

[mvallee]

yup I have a graveyard of coral skeletons in my sump from chasing numbers and changing stuff too fast too, just letting things ride a bit more now and things are looking better.

 

[daves-reef]

yup I have a graveyard of coral skeletons in my sump

I know the feeling my sump collection has been growing for years.
On the plus side it makes good rock rubble doesn't it

 

[daves-reef]

How much flow are you putting into your Gfo reactor? .

I stopped using the GFO in a BRS reactor several months ago. I just could not keep it from clogging.
For last 6 months or so I was running it in large self seal media bag in high flow area of my sump.

It was the removal mesh bag in first place and then reintroduction with some new GFO that did me in this time. Double mistake.
Chasing PO-4 first because it was tested as undetectable and then again because it was too high.

Getting water ready for another 20 gallon water change now.
plus I have a Hanna Phosphorus checker that I am waiting on extra reagent packs.
Believing the Salifert PO-4 test was my first number chasing mistake.
Hope that the Hanna will be a little more reliable.

Planning slowly getting rid of GFO and maybe use some other control for PO-4.
Not sure just yet. Either way I defiantly need to adjust my method of use.