I used to think I had this figured out.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

I started my 125 about 4 months ago with all my rock from my 75, new sand, and some new dry rock. My 75 was crashing from undetermined situations. It's impossible for me to keep any sps, my cyphastrea are dying, euphyllia won't fully extend, chalice is losing flesh, and other lps could look better. However, my scolys, clam, and anemones are fine. Most corals looked good after the transition only to get worse. I did have some up and down numbers for a bit, but I got them steady the last couple weeks.
Alk 8.7 hanna
Phos .02 hanna
Nitrate 5 red sea
Cal 440 api
Mag 1320 salifert
Salinity .026

I had a heavy cyano issue that had passed over the last couple weeks. I know tanks need to mature, but since I used the same sump, most rock, and other equipment from my 75, I figured I'd be good as far as that goes. Every day is up or down. Fish are fine so I'm kinda ruling out a contaminant. Any advice?

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

This used to be my 75. It's pretty saddening.

Flippers4pups · Oct 25, 2018

What's your source water?

don_chuwish · Oct 25, 2018

Nitrate seems a little low - how often do you test and how consistent is it? How about light? Maybe too strong?

TheHarold · Oct 25, 2018

You can always send in an ATI test that will tell you absolutely everything about your tanks water and your source water.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Here's the tank now

Cory · Oct 25, 2018

Ive seen a corelation between tanks with cyano and dying corals lately. Id suggest an icp test so you can determine a cause. Have you checked all your equipment for rusting and or frayed cables? Do you have any stray volatage? Whats your potassium?

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

don_chuwish said:
Nitrate seems a little low - how often do you test and how consistent is it? How about light? Maybe too strong?

2 ai primes and a ATI 6 bulb sunpower. It's pretty high off the water too.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Cory said:
Ive seen a corelation between tanks with cyano and dying corals lately. Id suggest an icp test so you can determine a cause. Have you checked all your equipment for rusting and or frayed cables? Do you have any stray volatage? Whats your potassium?

No idea on pot. I have not checked the equipment or voltage.

Flippers4pups · Oct 25, 2018

Do you use RO/DI water?

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Flippers4pups said:
Do you use RO/DI water?

Brs 5 stage with the dual membranes.

Cory · Oct 25, 2018

Docdiggy said:
No idea on pot. I have not checked the equipment or voltage.

Well this is the time to check and double check everything. Id suggest getting a different alk kit too. Hanna is okay but i just dont trust it much.

A few suggestions are to make a diy salinity standard and a diy alkalinity standard. Randy holmes farley has some diy articles.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Here's how bad my cyano was.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Cory said:
Well this is the time to check and double check everything. Id suggest getting a different alk kit too. Hanna is okay but i just dont trust it much.

A few suggestions are to make a diy salinity standard and a diy alkalinity standard. Randy holmes farley has some diy articles.

I have 2 hanna alk testers and they read pretty close. I did try a salifert alk kit and it was about 1 dkh higher than hanna. I calibrate my refractometer with calibration fluid. I also had a lfs use their Milwaukee digital tester which said .027. There's always a bit of margin error.

Cory · Oct 25, 2018

If it were me id remove that sand and see how it goes. Maybe put in new sand. Ime cyano only grows in dead organically accumulated areas. It always grows on my chaeto. Right where its full of organics rotting.

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Cory said:
If it were me id remove that sand and see how it goes. Maybe put in new sand. Ime cyano only grows in dead organically accumulated areas. It always grows on my chaeto. Right where its full of organics rotting.

The cyano is basically gone. I dosed nitrates to get them to register on my test. Some time later the cyano died. I believe there's a correlation with cyano and no nutrients.

Cory · Oct 25, 2018

Docdiggy said:
The cyano is basically gone. I dosed nitrates to get them to register on my test. Some time later the cyano died. I believe there's a correlation with cyano and no nutrients.

Well if you believe its low nutrients then maybe thats the problem? Id get an icp test too just to be certain there is not some elevated metals. What have you done different since the crash? Changed salt brands or something?

Docdiggy · Oct 25, 2018

Well, I kinda started this tank in an odd way. I was randomly filling it over a few months with new sw and water change water. After I finally got it running I tested some stuff. Cal was only at 280. It took about a half gallon of the brs calcium to get it in the 400s. Alk went low too. I've really dialed it in over the last month, but it has great days and ugly days. I was wondering if all that cyano dying off could have done something. It took over a month to really go away. I've noticed that most corals don't have the feeding response they used to. I've been using original IO for some time now. I run dosers so I'm not worried about salt with low levels. I'm going to bring a volt meter home tomorrow to check voltage and I'm gonna try out the icp test. Is there any test that's the best? I noticed there are a few to choose from.