Help - my cleaner crew is dead

[tstag]

 

[tstag]

Photos above. I’m in the dirty stage that comes after the tank cycles. So please don’t judge me on it!

 

[arking_mark]

Photos above. I’m in the dirty stage that comes after the tank cycles. So please don’t judge me on it!

Like I said, you have plenty of PO4 and NO3. It's being soaked up by the Algae.

 

[tstag]

So would most people do a big water change?

 

[arking_mark]

So would most people do a big water change?

Nothing good happens quickly in a tank.

A 20% water change is fine and can help for particular situations.

If you are just having algae issues, less inport (food) and more output (refuge, mechanical and biological filtration). A CUC is great for keeping surfaces clean.

 

[tstag]

Nothing good happens quickly in a tank.

A 20% water change is fine and can help for particular situations.

If you are just having algae issues, less inport (food) and more output (refuge, mechanical and biological filtration). A CUC is great for keeping surfaces clean.

Given my low nitrates I worry that a really big water change is a bad idea. But maybe a 20% might be ok?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Just to confirm again.... you had inverts in your tank prior to the new cuc additions that also died. This would rule out acclimation issues.

 

[tstag]

Just to confirm again.... you had inverts in your tank prior to the new cuc additions that also died. This would rule out acclimation issues.

Just to clarify, I thought all the snails were dead. All of them including the ones that have been in for a while are just very lethargic. I’m going to try testing the alkaline next.

One thing that has changed in the tank is that coraline algae seems to have suddenly taken hold. I’d been dosing with Red Seas Coraline algae for a while but nothing seemed to come of it. All of a sudden it’s there and so now I’m wondering if the alkaline plunged...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just to clarify, I thought all the snails were dead. All of them including the ones that have been in for a while are just very lethargic. I’m going to try testing the alkaline next.

One thing that has changed in the tank is that coraline algae seems to have suddenly taken hold. I’d been dosing with Red Seas Coraline algae for a while but nothing seemed to come of it. All of a sudden it’s there and so now I’m wondering if the alkaline plunged...

If youre pouring this coraline stuff frequently to try and speed the process, your calcium and possibly alk has skyrocketed.
You will need to test or have it tested to confirm.

 

[arking_mark]

Given my low nitrates I worry that a really big water change is a bad idea. But maybe a 20% might be ok?

You don't have low Nitrates. Your algae proves that. Even if you had low Nitrates, that doesn't impact CUC.

 

[tstag]

If youre pouring this coraline stuff frequently to try and speed the process, your calcium and possibly alk has skyrocketed.
You will need to test or have it tested to confirm.

More I think about this I’m wondering if it’s done just this. It’s happened so quickly I’m a bit surprised. I’ll let you know what I find

 

[tstag]

ah ha! Magnesium is reading 2000 ppm, so very high, Alkalinity is 15.4 and calcium is very low (so low it barely registers). What causes that? If it’s low salinity I’m really confused. I have a hanna digital salinity stick and that tells me salinity is 1.024. I’m wondering if it’s faulty? I’m really careful when mixing salt so wondering if it’s really that. Can it be something else?

 

[lafarrow]

I believe most target 8-12 alk so that high for most. Your magnesium is also high, again for most. While most bash the API tests I think most would say this testing schedule and these parameters are smart targets.

 

[tstag]

I believe most target 8-12 alk so that high for most. Your magnesium is also high, again for most. While most bash the API tests I think most would say this testing schedule and these parameters are smart targets.

Thing is I’m not really sure what to do at this point. I’ve been using Red Sea For the salt and note it has a high alkalinity that when independently tested comes out at 14? I was planning to switch to something with a much lower alkalinity in the 8-10 range. I think this has convinced me. Should I now go for a 50% water change spread over 2 days? And use the new salt? Will that help my high magnesium issue and low calcium problem?

 

[kenchilada]

Try Red Sea blue bucket? Should mix around 8 alkalinity. Yes water changes will correct parameters. I’d take it slow and do 25% changes until it gets where you want it.

Stop running pellets and magic potions, slow down and get the basics right.

 

[lafarrow]

two ways to lower numbers - consumption, dilution. If a number is so high it’s causing issues you gotta dilute. If not you can let it come down by stuff (bacteria/algae/corals/fish/inverts/etc) consuming it. consumption takes time and is not always practical but nothing good happens fast. I just lost a peppermint shrimp. No idea why. Numbers are all good. Everything else made it. Acclimation issue, water quality issue, livestock issue, shipping issue. Not sure right now. It’s a hobby that strives for control but doesn’t really understand control (at least cause and effect) of control.
I have Medusa worms. I’m not freaking out and will see what eats them. Life always finds a way and we give some stuff ideal conditions. Some undesirable stuff will likely find those conditions ideal as well.

I think the difference between your tank water and the shipping water was way to different for the animals. You get on a plane in Hawaii and off in Moosejaw without time to get a coat you are gonna have a bad day.

 

[arking_mark]

ah ha! Magnesium is reading 2000 ppm, so very high, Alkalinity is 15.4 and calcium is very low (so low it barely registers). What causes that? If it’s low salinity I’m really confused. I have a hanna digital salinity stick and that tells me salinity is 1.024. I’m wondering if it’s faulty? I’m really careful when mixing salt so wondering if it’s really that. Can it be something else?

A couple of thoughts here. You either have gotten your tank out of balance through additives or dosing or your testing is not accurate.

If all you have ever done is water changes for the tank, then I would suspect testing. If otherwise, you need to slowly get your parameters back to normal.

All salt mixes are fine and can support a tank whether they use elevated parameters or not.

I would recommend 3 x 20% water changes over the next 3 weeks.

I would also recommend going to your LFS to get your parameters checked.

A word of warning. If you quickly change your parameters, even out of sync ones, it could have a negative impact on your tank inhabitants.

 

[tstag]

A couple of thoughts here. You either have gotten your tank out of balance through additives or dosing or your testing is not accurate.

If all you have ever done is water changes for the tank, then I would suspect testing. If otherwise, you need to slowly get your parameters back to normal.

All salt mixes are fine and can support a tank whether they use elevated parameters or not.

I would recommend 3 x 20% water changes over the next 3 weeks.

I would also recommend going to your LFS to get your parameters checked.

A word of warning. If you quickly change your parameters, even out of sync ones, it could have a negative impact on your tank inhabitants.

This is exactly what I had in mind to try, thanks.

I’m never doing dry rocks again or bio pellets route again. Dry Rocks sent me down the additive route and it’s driving me crazy. Bio Pellets are too dang effective

 

[Mutton Biryani]

This is exactly what I had in mind to try, thanks.

I’m never doing dry rocks again or bio pellets route again. Dry Rocks sent me down the additive route and it’s driving me crazy. Bio Pellets are too dang effective

I struggled with similar invert and coral loss for a year and went through a crazy number of tests. Ended up sending an ICP and saw that my system had copper in it. There was a brass valve on the overflow and before the UV sterilizer.

I had similar problems of high alk, low pH and other parameters that were slightly off. I chased and corrected them for a week.

If I were you, I'd buy a copper test and check it. If it's even slightly positive, that's what's killing your inverts.
You can then check you system to see if theres any copper - screws, stray penny, brass valves etc.

Hope you find out the solution

 

[tstag]

I’m pretty confident it’s not copper because all the valves and tubes are plastic. Everything else is off the shelf. If something had creapt in I’d be really surprised. That said I’ll try to see if our young kids there’s something in