Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
Love it! Just love it!
Need advice !! Ready to give up
- Thread starter James M
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Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
We thought you were....lol.
You said you were going to run carbon and do water changes to remove built up copper and tds you said youre using filtered water now to top off. Did i miss anything?
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
If you suspect copper in your system, obtaining a test kit for copper. If it reads that you have copper in the system, everything in the tank will have some absorbed into it. Sand, rock... Etc. Unfortunately the rock and sand will have to be replaced. It will leach out and effect your inverts and coral.
TDS is best handled at your water source. A good RO/DI unit properly maintained will provide good clean source water. Along with heavy metals, tap can contain disinfectants such as chlorine and chloramine's. Carbon blocks and DI resin can effectively remove them.
TDS is best handled at your water source. A good RO/DI unit properly maintained will provide good clean source water. Along with heavy metals, tap can contain disinfectants such as chlorine and chloramine's. Carbon blocks and DI resin can effectively remove them.
Captain Quint
Plank Owner of the Orca
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OP
OP
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Oh I haven’t been home since Friday morning...I’m guessing it looks the same as Thursday.
Assuming I have copper in my tank wouldn’t all the inverts/coral die instantly because there intolerant of copper ?
Assuming I have copper in my tank wouldn’t all the inverts/coral die instantly because there intolerant of copper ?
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Depends if it's there or not and how much. Very small amounts wouldn't kill right away. It will over time stunt growth and shorten life span.
Inverts same.
If you suspect copper, test for it.
Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
Nothing compared to the entitled elitists in the bay area coral and fish groups on facebook! A little disagreement over the interwebz never hurt no one.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Nothing compared to the entitled elitists in the bay area coral and fish groups on facebook! A little disagreement over the interwebz never hurt no one.
Can we stay on track, please. Thank you!
OP
OP
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Every long thread has a argument..lol
Might as well test for it and @Katrina71 is going to ship out a RO/DI unit for free
. Begged her to let me pay
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Every long thread has a argument..lol
Might as well test for it and @Katrina71 is going to ship out a RO/DI unit for free
She's something else! Such a sweetheart!
Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
This is not entirely true about needing to replace the rock and sand. Desposits in rock and sand, glass, silicone etc....are deposited copper which is different than free floating particles. Very small amounts may leach out but this is so minimal that it would be able to be removed. And thats pending how much copper has been desposited. Ive seen people use heavily treated substrate in a reef take care of leaching by running carbon.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
We will have to agree to disagree, respectfully.
Saltyreef
I'm not your dad...
I like that, ill use it more often.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
If needed. @James M, hang in there and get your water tested for copper to set your mind at ease. Once you have you most gracious gift from @Katrina71 and have it set up and running, you'll know which direction to go.
Patience is a true virtue in this hobby and we have all been there at sometime. Pulling for you! Hang in there!
OP
OP
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Always great to see a tank starting to turn around
As far as comments and opinions, I think it's helpful to try and be as precise in one's explanation as possible. When I hear someone say '0' PO4, I have to question what type of test kit they are using since detection ranges vary. Besides the fact that all our hobbyist grade test kits do not measure organic phosphate (they only measure PO4, aka 'inorganic' or 'orthophosphate'), '0' typically does not mean 'no phosphate' and many of our corals can thrive at quite low levels when all other parameters are within accepted ranges. On some pristine oceanic reefs, one can find PO4 levels down to 0.007 mg/l, but the organic phosphate contained in the prey items captured by the corals would contribute to a more substantial total phosphate level.
In an attempt to determine the total phosphate level for my small 'unfiltered' mature reef tank, I sent a water sample to Triton a few years ago to measure both organic and inorganic phosphate . PO4 was 0.015 mg/l (Triton recommended value was 0.018 mg/l) and P (total phosphate) was at 4.84 ug/l (Triton recommended value 6.00 ug/l). All my corals were doing quite well at these 'lower' level and I was not interested in possibly driving even more growth with higher phosphate levels in a 12g aquarium, so no action on my part was necessary.
Corals do have difficulty with a very rapid decrease in phosphate levels. This is where we get in trouble, mostly, with GFO usage, IMO. If however PO4 levels are reduced slowly, corals will have time to adjust and if provided with a suitable quantity of organic phosphate (regular feedings), they can thrive.
Happy reefing
As far as comments and opinions, I think it's helpful to try and be as precise in one's explanation as possible. When I hear someone say '0' PO4, I have to question what type of test kit they are using since detection ranges vary. Besides the fact that all our hobbyist grade test kits do not measure organic phosphate (they only measure PO4, aka 'inorganic' or 'orthophosphate'), '0' typically does not mean 'no phosphate' and many of our corals can thrive at quite low levels when all other parameters are within accepted ranges. On some pristine oceanic reefs, one can find PO4 levels down to 0.007 mg/l, but the organic phosphate contained in the prey items captured by the corals would contribute to a more substantial total phosphate level.
In an attempt to determine the total phosphate level for my small 'unfiltered' mature reef tank, I sent a water sample to Triton a few years ago to measure both organic and inorganic phosphate . PO4 was 0.015 mg/l (Triton recommended value was 0.018 mg/l) and P (total phosphate) was at 4.84 ug/l (Triton recommended value 6.00 ug/l). All my corals were doing quite well at these 'lower' level and I was not interested in possibly driving even more growth with higher phosphate levels in a 12g aquarium, so no action on my part was necessary.
Corals do have difficulty with a very rapid decrease in phosphate levels. This is where we get in trouble, mostly, with GFO usage, IMO. If however PO4 levels are reduced slowly, corals will have time to adjust and if provided with a suitable quantity of organic phosphate (regular feedings), they can thrive.
Happy reefing
