Losing it all...how do we stop the madness?

[Brew12]

I don’t think this is the cause of your coral deaths, but it isn’t really a good replacement for kalkwasser IMO. Kalk will supply both the calcium ion and the hydroxide ion that will react with carbon dioxide in the water to supply the carbonate ion as well. The sodium carbonate will only supply the carbonate ion (alkalinity). Again, not a cause of the coral death likely but also not a direct replacement for kalkwasser.

Again sorry. Your corals were very nice!

+1 on this. Although I do suspect that it may be contributing to your coral issues.

Sodium Carbonate is one of the parts of 2-part dosing. Kalkwasser increases both calcium and alkalinity. It will also boost pH will help the tank.

I would do as large a water change as possible and go back to Kalkwasser.

I'm a big fan of matching your salt to your tank parameters. I used to use Reef Crystals but the parameters were too high and I'd get a spike every water change. Regular IO worked better for me. It is now more convenient for me to use Redsea blue bucket and that almost exactly matches my target parameters at 1.026 salinity.

Good luck!

 

[Fiesty]

Hello, I use regualr IO sea salt and I would not change. For me i don't do water changes but in order to adjust my alk and calc I dose 2 part daily which givesx me flexibility in the salt I use. I also run GFO 24/7 as well as carbon. I feed extra heavy so my nitrates don't fall to 0 as well as it gives extra food to the corals. What I recommend for you is to not switch salt brand but honestly swith to 2 part so you have better control of what is being dosed. Also to lower nitrates a little. I use a denitrator that is extreamly efficient...no waterchanges and heavy feedings is what i do lol. ALso what are you using for flow?

In my opinion if u dose Kalk with a dosing pump u jave great control with it as well. I personally dose kalk and 2 part in my tank and has worked well for me.

 

[Dom]

Chin up... many of us have been here.

I've had this happen to me; the tank is thriving, but you start to look for ways to make it even better. In the process, you make changes that have the opposite effect.

I've learned never fix what isn't broken in this hobby.

I've been using IO Reef Crystals for over 10 years without issue. I once switched to Red Sea Coral Pro for a few months and the decline was noticeable. I went back to IO Reef Crystals and through regular water changes only, got back on track.

When I look to boost things like calcium and magnesium, I blend in some Red Sea Pro with my IO Reef Crystal mix.

 

[Softhammer]

Why on earth does everyone mess with things that work around here?! Everyone thinks they’re smarter than the salt producers yet always have catastrophic results. Dude, seriously kalkwasser is 15$ for a years worth. I’ll buy you some. You’re going to cook thousands in corals to save 2$ and pour an unknown in your tank and then blame instant ocean?!

Every time i see a post like this I literally do a water change, my tank has never looked better.. no potions, just RO water and salt mix. DONT REINVENT THE WHEEL.

 

[Blackice615]

Thanks and I use quite a bit. @Dom my goal was to make the tank better at one point in time, which I explained why I switched. I had purchased the Arm and Hammer and Mrs. Wage at the same time about a year ago and finally ran out so figured I'd just use the remaining A&H. That small difference cost me alot as you can see

 

[Softhammer]

Keep it simple man. Seriously. You have never ever read a thread titled “I didn’t mess with anything and my tank looks great!” Ever. There’s a reason.

 

[HB AL]

As others have said, keep it simple and do what's worked well in the past.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Stop using the arm and hammer. The IO isn't the problem. Do some large water changes and run carbon.

+1

 

[Blackice615]

Thank you all for your help, time, and feedback. Will keep you posted on the progress

 

[salty joe]

Good luck.

 

[ccombs]

So sorry that you are going through this, I recently went through a catastrophic issue and it is tough, but I am glad I stuck through it.

Unless there was a reason that you had to switch salt and what you are dosing, I would go back to what was working for you. If the products used before are still readily available and you were happy with the results, stick with what was working.

Now, if you were trying to achieve something different, obviously that is another conversation. Sorry if I missed it earlier, can you give us some insight into why you switched products?

 

[Ferrell]

In my opinion if u dose Kalk with a dosing pump u jave great control with it as well. I personally dose kalk and 2 part in my tank and has worked well for me.

I dose all three as well. Kalk as the main, day and night, and supplement with 2 part

 

[Fiesty]

I dose all three as well. Kalk as the main, day and night, and supplement with 2 part

Yup. Works well. Im new to doing it but now dose full saturation kalk throughout the day (every hour with more volume at night to keep ph up) just under my lowest evaporation level and then also dose 2 part to make up the difference of what corals, etc consume. I have auto top off hooked directly (by float) to line from rodi unit. Auto top off seldom has to compensate for evap. And easy to dial in dosing amounts, compared to kalk in the ato water which would constantly vary. When u can buy a 4 head doser for $80, not sure why i didnt do it this way long time before???

 

[Blackice615]

Good morning all, with today being a new day and a new opportunity, you all have given me hope I can pull the tank back together. RODI is in the making for a water change and going back to what worked for me.

Thank you once again as I was on the verge or giving up and walking away. Looking forward to a hopeful rebound like many of you have experienced and shared.

 

[dwest]

You can’t get out that easy!

 

[Brew12]

Yup. Works well. Im new to doing it but now dose full saturation kalk throughout the day (every hour with more volume at night to keep ph up) just under my lowest evaporation level and then also dose 2 part to make up the difference of what corals, etc consume. I have auto top off hooked directly (by float) to line from rodi unit. Auto top off seldom has to compensate for evap. And easy to dial in dosing amounts, compared to kalk in the ato water which would constantly vary. When u can buy a 4 head doser for $80, not sure why i didnt do it this way long time before???

Agree with this, and it is what I do also. 1400mL of Kalkwasser per day supplemented with 40ml'ish of each 2 part and some magnesium. Works very well.
I should add that those 1400mL are spread out over 70 doses and the 2 part is added over 12 doses.

 

[BryanD]

The first thing you said was you switched something. Unless you've also switched salt, I'd go back to what you were doing before the switch.

 

[BeejReef]

Very sorry to see your losses. Still a great looking tank. No idea if the issues you're having are directly related to the A&H. As others have stated, it is only maintaining your alkalinity, not your calcium. At 360, the internet says you're below the acceptable range. Your corals can not calcify. They may even begin to decalcify and have bits of their skeletons dissolve into the water. Also, most two part solutions rely predominantly on bicarbonate and to a much smaller extent on carbonate to maintain alkalinity. Way over my head, but I notice you're using almost exclusively carbonate. Maybe one of the chemists will chime in.

I believe you'll want to correct your calcium levels to your desired range before switching back to your favored brand of Kalk. Here is a good link. https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry

 

[AquamanE]

Stop using the arm and hammer. The IO isn't the problem. Do some large water changes and run carbon.

I agree with Bounce. And send an ICP now. That might give you an answer of cause. I would guess metals and or the AH. It’s not the same as Kalk as others have stated.

 

[Blackice615]

@dwest it's harder to sell my fish and post equipment than to do a water change and let things start over hopefully.

You guys are absolutely right. I did some additional research and the A&H is carbonate and increases Alk. I remembered the reason why I purchased it last year was due to me having low Alk issues.

As of last week, I successfully raised the calcium levels back to normal with BRS Calcium.