Help with corals! Dying :(

[ChosenZero]

I have no idea what's going on. When I woke up I noticed my pH was at 7 or below, so I added kalwasser and it went back up to 8.3, anyways nitrites at 0 nitrates at 5 phosphates at .5 ammonia at 0

I don't know what's happening

 

[Mele__Reef]

How's your calcium, mag, and alk?

 

[ChosenZero]

Those are the three I couldn't test, and I'm at work for 13 hours, would that most likely be my issue and do you think the kalwasser would help that I just added? I just did a water change like 3-4 days ago and I only use rodi water

 

[dakoop]

How quickly did you raise the PH?

 

[ChosenZero]

This was all happening before I raised the PH, but I would say it happened as soon as I added a little of kalkwasser

 

[Mele__Reef]

Absolutely, my coral were closed for about a week because of low calc,mag,alk. I started top off evaporation with kalkwasser and switched to Red Sea coral pro salt and it made a huge difference. My levels were steady where I needed them to be. Your on the right track with kalkwasser. Depending on the salt your using, you might have to manual dose. What salt are you using now?

 

[Mele__Reef]

Good point @dakoop

 

[ChosenZero]

Last month I started using reef salt yellow box by instant ocean but I bought some hw to try once I run out of the Instant ocean, and today was the first day my zoa's were completely closed off, I ordered a red Sea test kit forever ago and it still has not shown up. So I've been using the API test kit. I will test the alk and ca when I get.home, I don't have a mag test yet

 

[ChosenZero]

Ca: 400 Alk:12 - Salinity 1.026 - I just did a pretty large water change - so hopefully that fixes everything by tomorrow.

 

[ChosenZero]

Hey so I think it was my brass gate valves, how do I fix it from here? Please help, I guess it leaches out into the water?

 

[twilliard]

When you raised PH you more than likely raised Alk
This is a chemistry issue.
How old is the tank?

 

[ChosenZero]

About 8-9 months

 

[ChosenZero]

So yoyre saying the brass has nothing to do with it?

 

[twilliard]

Dont add anything to the water. Let it settle down on its own. Get that alk down to 8 or so.

 

[twilliard]

So yoyre saying the brass has nothing to do with it?

No not at this time.. it is chemistry
If you have an alk of 12 with no No3 or Po4 behind it that is asking for trouble.
Then adding a buffer on top of that compounds the issue.

 

[ChosenZero]

Well I was reading that copper leeches into the tank from the valves, this did start happening after I installed those gate valves, and installed a new protein skimmer.

But I'm pretty sure my Xenia and Zoe's are gonna be die pretty soon.

Your suggestion is to just leave it alone?

Nothing I can do to help?

P.s. I appreciate your help

 

[ChosenZero]

I do have like 5 nitrate and .05 to 1 phosphate

 

[twilliard]

Sure the brass over time will break down. A triton ICP test will show heavy metals if you ever wanted to test for them.
Just remember stability and try not to over correct one issue as it will lead to others.
Those GSP's you have will clearly tell you when there is something wrong with your chemistry

 

[ChosenZero]

Yea it went Xenias -> Zoa -> GSP, this kills me lol

 

[recess62]

Corals close up sometime for no reason we can identify. I think they do it because that is what corals do. I know it is difficult but let your tank settle down.