Dosing Phosguard - alkalinity dropped and torches are angry

[Saltyanimals]

I will not use Phosguard again - whether it was the aluminum it released or the quick drop in phosphates - one of those 2 killed my torches and hammers. Tank is restabilized now using Rowaphos - another thing I am seeing is that these products do drop alk as well.

How quickly didn’t it go downhill? Torches can be finicky and melt for a number of reasons almost without obvious causes. Jelly? Any products used to drop phos too quickly may affect corals. Especially more sensitive ones like SPSs as I’ve done myself taking it too aggressively using plain GFO. Any AL leak likely will take time and usually not evident until much later. I didn’t see it immediately affect any of my coral just shows higher numbers in my ICP.

 

[JayFish4004]

How quickly didn’t it go downhill? Torches can be finicky and melt for a number of reasons almost without obvious causes. Jelly? Any products used to drop phos too quickly may affect corals. Especially more sensitive ones like SPSs as I’ve done myself taking it too aggressively using plain GFO. Any AL leak likely will take time and usually not evident until much later. I didn’t see it immediately affect any of my coral just shows higher numbers in my ICP.

It was pretty dang quick - frogspawn ended up recovering, one of the torches isnt fully dead but not all that great. Definitely killed my green torch and a couple hammers.

If it wasn’t strictly the drop in phos it was definitely the aluminum, although levels were not that high so Im still leaning more towards the drop.

 

[JayFish4004]

How quickly didn’t it go downhill? Torches can be finicky and melt for a number of reasons almost without obvious causes. Jelly? Any products used to drop phos too quickly may affect corals. Especially more sensitive ones like SPSs as I’ve done myself taking it too aggressively using plain GFO. Any AL leak likely will take time and usually not evident until much later. I didn’t see it immediately affect any of my coral just shows higher numbers in my ICP.

Coming back to report on this for anyone interested. Obviously a traumatic experience but made it through. Ended up losing the 3 headed green torch and 3 headed purple torch, along with 2 hammers and 2 acans.

Frogspawn looked grim but ended up recovering, gorgonians unfazed as usual, birdsnest and duncan also relatively unfazed. Thankfully never lost a fish and they’re all still with us today and doing well.

5 months later I now add rowaphos to my tank every 3 weeks, and I have added a couple hammers, a torch, another birdsnest and some monti’s.

The tank will be 2 years old in May.