No luck keeping corals alive

[WisReef]

Ok so probably a bad assumption on my part the salinity below is 18.9 and it should be 34-35? Or the apex needs to be 34-35 are these readings on a basis.

If your meter is reading as ppt, then it needs to be closer to 34-35.

Salinity Conversion Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Convert salinity between relative specific gravity (sg), parts-per-thousand (ppt), and units of conductivity (mS/cm).

www.hamzasreef.com

 

[Woodyman]

Ok so probably a bad assumption on my part the salinity below is 18.9 and it should be 34-35? Or the apex needs to be 34-35 are these readings on a basis.

Calibrate both pieces of equipment using a standardized solution of 35ppt seawater first.

 

[TCfishie]

He showed a photo of his apex display showing 24.1ppt...although who knows when it was last calibrated.

I run my skimmer 4 hours a day. If you have zero nitrates, you really don't really need to run it constantly. As other have mentioned, you are starving your corals to death.

A few priorities:

1. Raise you salinity (unless you can confirm it is not that low)
2. Add nutrients to the tank...especially if your alk is 9.
3. Raise your CA.
4. Add more live rock/porous substrate somewhere. You really shouldn't notice a sizable raise in your ammonia with the death of a coral.

Thanks!

 

[BeMoto]

I would be inclined to do smaller water changes if your doing them weekly.

20 gallons water changes in a 60 gallon system is 33%. This isn't helping your nutrient levels.

I shoot for around 20% water change per month unless there a reason to do more.

 

[Woodyman]

Thanks!

Your welcome.

After you verify calibration on your Apex and salinity probe, get an accurate reading on your tank. Then come back here and we can guide how to properly adjust it safely up to the 34-35ppt range.

Why were you running it at 24? Did an LFS recommend that?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Best recourse right now is to take a water sample to a trusted LFS that Does NOT use API test kits and have them test you ammonia-nitrate-phosphate-ph-salinity and see what readings they come with and to compare with yours

 

[TCfishie]

Apex salinity probe is EHHHH... just check it with your refractometer to verify.

But yes it should read 34ish not 24 on the probe

Calibrate both pieces of equipment using a standardized solution of 35ppt seawater first.

Just calibrated the hand held Hanna again, same reading 19.9 and 20.

 

[TCfishie]

Your welcome.

After you verify calibration on your Apex and salinity probe, get an accurate reading on your tank. Then come back here and we can guide how to properly adjust it safely up to the 34-35ppt range.

Why were you running it at 24? Did an LFS recommend that?

My mistake I though 24 on the apex was the same thing as 1.024

 

[TCfishie]

My mistake I though 24 on the apex was the same thing as 1.024

Thanks!

Just calibrated and it’s 20.1

 

[TCfishie]

Is that a typo on your salinity? That is really low as well. That's 1.018sg. Was that supposed to be 34ppt?

 

[TCfishie]

What SpG do you mix it to?

I thought 1.024 but I must be interpreting the results correctly

 

[Woodyman]

Just calibrated and it’s 20.1

So you need to go up 14-15 ppt. If you want to run at 35ppt you will need to slowly increase your salinity over the next several days little by little. No more than 2ppt in a single 24 hour period is usually recommended.

 

[TCfishie]

So you need to go up 14-15 ppt. If you want to run at 35ppt you will need to slowly increase your salinity over the next several days little by little. No more than 2ppt in a single 24 hour period is usually recommended

 

[Woodyman]

I thought 1.024 but I must be interpreting the results correctly

Do you have the apex reading in SpG or ppt?

What about th Hanna? Is it set for ppt or SpG?

It sounds like they are both reading ppt. In which case you need to raise that to 34-35ppt.

 

[Woodyman]

Just calibrated and it’s 20.1

In the calibration fluid did it read 35ppt?

 

[TCfishie]

Should I use a high concentration and use the DOS? What’s the best way to do this?

 

[TCfishie]

In the calibration fluid did it read 35ppt?

Yes it read 35

 

[TCfishie]

Just calibrated and it’s 20.1

Yes 35

 

[Chrisv.]

Please ignore anyone talking about your nitrates and phosphates at this point.

You're basically putting your corals in a freshwater tank. They are not starving.

If people don't understand this, you should be careful about the advice they are giving.

 

[Jeffcb]

System details:

Reefer 250 system is 1 year old.

Ammonia 0.2
calcium 333
alky 9.3
temp 77.8
ph 8.15
salinity 24
ORP 353
copper 0.2
nitrate 0.0
nitrite 0.0

RODI 7 stage, double DI 0.00 TDS


I have ordered Seachem cupisorb which I will run in a reactor. Hopefully that will take care of the copper. Don’t really understand how it got there.

Just had a Devils Hand die, so I am guessing that’s the source of the Ammonia. Just started the carbon reactor after the test.

Other than the Ammonia the water parameters are fairly stable.

I Have tried to add several corals over the last 10 months with little success. I had a toadstool that made it 4 months. Most of the other adds died within a month.

next plan is to add a manifold, algea scrubber and connect the UV.

What am I doing wrong?

Have you done an ICP test. If not that would be my next move.