unable to keep sps.

[johnnyb]

No its not and the number was stable for a long time. I had the calcium reactor set so it only turned on when ph in the reactor had gotten to be 8.3. A couple people pointed out this was wrong so I read the directions again and realized I had to set the c02 to come on at 6.8 creating a drip with more calcium dripping back in. I am going to shut the reactor off as i believe you are correct that my lps and sps load isnt enough to require the reactor and is now causing the alk to creep up.

 

[jdeb101]

This is almost scary how the issues your telling us are similar to ones I've faced recently. I've had an SPS frag also turn completely white in 24-48 hours, and also some of my other SPS frags have had sections turn completely white with loss of flesh almost seems over night. My setup is quite different and smaller volume than your's but one thing that we have in common that I'm leaning towards more every day is leather in our tanks. I say this because my leather has been somewhat unhappy for a long time now and consistently will shrivel w/o polyp extensions and spawn off little pieces around the tank. I'm sure it must be releasing toxins during this that are pissing off SPS.

 

[johnnyb]

Well in the coming week we should have an answer or close to an answer in that. Once the 55 is up and running they will be moved to it with a lot of charcoal filtration. I will let you know

 

[reefstarter]

I have big leathers in one tank and a full sps system on same water , I see the effects from time to time . I run carbon when I see it but not untill or I feel like it needs it . Like say when a leather don't look good , I keep them pretty well sepperated to avoid any battle for space . I am still leaning toward an alk swing . either way I hope it gets resolved

 

[johnnyb]

Just a quick update for those following along. Completed water changes and added 50 gallon tank to system with 50 gallons of new water. So now since this project has started the total volume of my system has been replaced about 4 times. Added new corals last week and they died in the normal amount of time. Up grading sump this week adding another 40ish gallons of water to system and needed to prevent power outage water over flow. I will be installing t5 lighting over the new 50 gallon tank and trying to add corals to this tank in an effort to see if the lighting is causing this issue. During this water change period my parameters have remained stable. My ammonia went to 0 after a couple changes and i have allowed the alk to drop to 9.2 so far over the last couple weeks. I turned off the calcium reactor as the numbers have been stable with out it. I will update again after this next round of changes is tried.

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks for keeping us posted.

 

[dz6t]

My offer still stands. I will give you several corals and if any of them die, I may be able to get a better idea what you are battling.

 

[johnnyb]

appreciate that and I think I am going to take you up on that after I get this sump and stuff done. Just want to get something else done so I have another chance for success before adding more corals. Watching this stuff die is killing me

 

[delta]

I agree watching stuff die doesn't help the reefing Mojo. We have all been there, but that doesn't make it any easier.

But I am Happy to see things are moving forward for you.

 

[reef87]

appreciate that and I think I am going to take you up on that after I get this sump and stuff done. Just want to get something else done so I have another chance for success before adding more corals. Watching this stuff die is killing me

Hey i am closer to Lowell.
I dont mind cutting you a few sps frags to try .

Sent from my GT-I9192 using Tapatalk

 

[johnnyb]

just another up date as to where i am at with this. was getting ready to move on to the next step but had to go away for 3 days. came home walked in the house and looked at the tank and said oh crap what happened? went running to the basement to find the power had gone out and the siphon hadnt restarted and my 55 gallon tank I just added over flowed. my auto top off kept right on topping off. Judging by the 50 lbs of salt I had to add the last 3 days to get my salinity back up from the 1.012 it went to Id say I lost and topped off about 250 gallons of freshwater to my system. My anemones started coming back and looking ok around 1.019 but This morning I finally got back to 1.026 and the leathers and other soft stuff still wasnt looking great. We will see tonite. I lost only 1 puffer which was very surprising to me...the rest of the fish seem ok. Going to give it a couple days to recuperate before doing anything else. So I would say I have turned over 300% of my water in the last few weeks so water changes shouldnt be an issue to contribute to my coral problem

 

[nemodan]

Sorry to see that happened, but you need to find ways to avoid situations like that one. Stability, if you can not keep it, is an issue for SPS. And that was a huge change in you tank parameters.

I am thinking in the origin of this thread and your ability to keep SPS. I am really happy that you saved, as of today, most of your corals and fish !!!!

 

[reef87]

should just get rid of your top off pump and go with something more reliable.
if you lost power and siphon hadnt restarted. The sump must be very close to being full. so the top off pump should not pump any water to the sump.

 

[johnnyb]

should just get rid of your top off pump and go with something more reliable.
if you lost power and siphon hadnt restarted. The sump must be very close to being full. so the top off pump should not pump any water to the sump.

No what happened was I added a 55 gallon tank to my system it uses the drain from my 180 upstairs to supply water to the tank. My over flow lost suction when the power went out for some reason. when the power went out the drain kept filling the 55 tank and over flowed because the overflow for the 55 lost suction. I havent had time to swap my sump so my sump over flowed the 55 galons and kept replacing water. its my fault for adding the 55 without upgrading the sump to handle the extra 55 gallon tank. I have the new sump just havent put it on the system. So as aresult the 55 kept over flowing while the top off was working perfectly. just the too small sump and the over flow lost suction. I am replacing the over flow and the sump this week.

 

[reefstarter]

So I assume you are using a non drilled 55 and an over the back overflow with siphon tubes ? If so put an aqualifter pump inside the overflow tubes so when power goes out the aqualifter will automaticly prime the siphon . cost about $20

 

[Owen386]

So I assume you are using a non drilled 55 and an over the back overflow with siphon tubes ? If so put an aqualifter pump inside the overflow tubes so when power goes out the aqualifter will automaticly prime the siphon . cost about $20

This is a must when using a siphon overflow, ran one flawlessly for years like this with multiple power outages. Will never go back to one tho, was still always in the back of my mind that it would overflow.

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

 

[delta]

So I assume you are using a non drilled 55 and an over the back overflow with siphon tubes ? If so put an aqualifter pump inside the overflow tubes so when power goes out the aqualifter will automaticly prime the siphon . cost about $20

best 20 bucks you'll spend

But you should really think about a drilled tank, for the long term, since it is in the loop of your whole system.

 

[johnnyb]

I hadnt heard of that pump before I will be getting one this week. I am also going to get a better over flow for this tank.... I dont think the one I got is very good. This tank is only set up as a test for this on going problem with sps. It wont be a permanent part of the system.

 

[reefstarter]

Cot makes good over the back ones

 

[dz6t]

LiveReef overflow is good too.