Reef Crystals, Red Sea Pro Or bad GFO? Help!

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

Aquaph8 said:
I understand that one cup is reccomended but overly stripping the water column with fresh GFO when it's already pretty low and running high Alk at the same time can cause problems. That's why they're dying from the tips. If it was just something like Alk swing it would normally be from the base. You don't have to be carbon dosing to drive your po4 too low.

I shut it off the GFO untill I know for sure what is going on. Its been off for almost two weeks and things are still bad. But no sps's bleaching no more.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 28, 2015

renato120 said:
So I had to stop dosing CA to see if I could lower the MAG.

What does that mean?
Why would you need to stop dosing calcium to try to lower magnesium?

RSCP does have excessively high magnesium, at 1474 ppm by their own advertisements, for 35 ppt seawater.
I'm not sure how you got over 1600 ppm.

What is your salinity and how are you measuring it?

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
What does that mean?
Why would you need to stop dosing calcium to try to lower magnesium?

RSCP does have excessively high magnesium, at 1474 ppm by their own advertisements, for 35 ppt seawater.
I'm not sure how you got over 1600 ppm.

What is your salinity and how are you measuring it?

When I switched the salt I left the dosers the way it was. Since the red sea salt has more addictives CA, MAG and ALK the calcium went to 500, MAG was of the charts on red sea trst kit. I left the ALK the way it was. I stopped dosing calcium until it dropped to 400. It took a week to lower the CA. MAG now is at 1400. I heard the higher the calcium the higher the MAG will be.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 28, 2015

renato120 said:
When I switched the salt I left the dosers the way it was. Since the red sea salt has more addictives CA, MAG and ALK the calcium went to 500, MAG was of the charts on red sea trst kit. I left the ALK the way it was. I stopped dosing calcium until it dropped to 400. It took a week to lower the CA. MAG now is at 1400. I heard the higher the calcium the higher the MAG will be.

Not true. Dosing calcium has no impact on magnesium levels.

Also, if you measured a drop of 200 ppm magnesium in a short period of time, it was due to testing error (before or after or both). Magnesium depletion is typically 1/10th of the calcium depletion rate, or 0.1 to 2 ppm per day.

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Not true. Dosing calcium has no impact on magnesium levels.

Also, if you measured a drop of 200 ppm magnesium in a short period of time, it was due to testing error (before or after or both). Magnesium depletion is typically 1/10th of the calcium depletion rate, or 0.1 to 2 ppm per day.

I didnt know that calcium has no impact on magnesium. I thought it did

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

What would be the risk if I go back to reef crystal?
Can my corals die? Not that makes any difference now lol

Aquaph8 · Jun 28, 2015

I doubt it has anything to do with the salt mix.

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

If its not salt mix or the GFO then I have no idea... Im just gonna wait everything to die and start over.... Its annoying when you cant find whats going on.
How about my lighting?
Maybe its too much or not enough?
ATI 6x24w its 7 inches from the water

Aquaph8 · Jun 28, 2015

Wouldn't hurt to switch back to RC if you think that could be the issue.

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

Aquaph8 said:
Wouldn't hurt to switch back to RC if you think that could be the issue.

I didnt want to do this but I guess I will. It could be a bad batch of the red sea coral da I doubt that.

dieselkeeper · Jun 28, 2015

How long are you mixing new saltwater before doing a water change?

renato120 · Jun 28, 2015

dieselkeeper said:
How long are you mixing new saltwater before doing a water change?

Sometimes a half day but usually i set it up on a saturday and change on Sunday

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 29, 2015

renato120 said:
I didnt know that calcium has no impact on magnesium. I thought it did

Nope, none at all.

renato120 · Jun 29, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Nope, none at all.

I still dont know what to do here

jsker · Jun 30, 2015

Relax, I was using IO reef crystals and switched to RedSea pro 2 months ago. No problems. I have some IO reef crystals left over and I am mixing the RS and IO to get rid of the IO. There are no issues. When I first switched I went with straight RS with no problem. it is all based on the results that you see and want. I have used RS longer than I have IO and I am more comfortable with RS based on past experience read the box.

renato120 · Jun 30, 2015

jsker said:
Relax, I was using IO reef crystals and switched to RedSea pro 2 months ago. No problems. I have some IO reef crystals left over and I am mixing the RS and IO to get rid of the IO. There are no issues. When I first switched I went with straight RS with no problem. it is all based on the results that you see and want. I have used RS longer than I have IO and I am more comfortable with RS based on past experience read the box.

I took a sample of the water to TWO lfs and they fiund nothing wrong with my water. My corals are still looking bad. For me its either the red sea salt or bad GFO. Some zoas already died.

jsker · Jun 30, 2015

As I stated before I do not think it is your salt, it could have been to much change at on time. Doing more adjustment most likely will do more damage.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 1, 2015

renato120 said:
I still dont know what to do here

I don't either, but I doubt it is the salt.

renato120 · Jul 1, 2015

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I don't either, but I doubt it is the salt.

Got home now! And another small zoos colony dead. Just checked everything again. All parameters is where its supost to be. Rodi water is 0 tds. The light is 7inches from the water. water is crystal clear. Who knows what the problem is lol.

dieselkeeper · Jul 1, 2015

Are you or someone spraying something around the tank?

I know someone that refinished his floors. Just about every thing died within two days. I'm guessing the fumes was ingested into the skimmer.