Refugium help...

[ski1870]

I have a 120g reef tank with fish, zoa’s and LPS. I recently added a refugium below in the sump. I added media balls, chaeto and a kessil H80. It’s been about 3 weeks and the salinity has dropped to 1.021-22 and phosphates are almost nonexistent, and the chaeto looks to be deteriorating. Is it possible the media balls are removing too many of the nutrients?

 

[thunderdood]

What was the salinity at before? What was the temperature at before and now?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have a 120g reef tank with fish, zoa’s and LPS. I recently added a refugium below in the sump. I added media balls, chaeto and a kessil H80. It’s been about 3 weeks and the salinity has dropped to 1.021-22 and phosphates are almost nonexistent, and the chaeto looks to be deteriorating. Is it possible the media balls are removing too many of the nutrients?

The salinity change is unrelated to anything chaeto or media balls can do.

How are you measuring phosphate?

 

[beaslbob]

the media balls should still create nutrients for the chaeto.

that said I prefer to not run media ball or wet/dry filters.
my .02

 

[ski1870]

I have a 120g reef tank with fish, zoa’s and LPS. I recently added a refugium below in the sump. I added media balls, chaeto and a kessil H80. It’s been about 3 weeks and the salinity has dropped to 1.021-22 and phosphates are almost nonexistent, and the chaeto looks to be deteriorating. Is it possible the media balls are removing too many of the nutrients?

What was the salinity at before? What was the temperature at before and now?

The salinity change is unrelated to anything chaeto or media balls can do.

How are you measuring phosphate?

The reef master test kit. I know algae needs phosphates to grow. It’s not zero. It’s about 1-2 on the color card. The chaeto isn’t a large amount either.

 

[ski1870]

The reef master test kit. I know algae needs phosphates to grow. It’s not zero. It’s about 1-2 on the color card. The chaeto isn’t a large amount either.

Salinity was 1.023-24 steadily. Now I can’t seem to raise it over 22. Temp was 78 and is still 78

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Salinity was 1.023-24 steadily. Now I can’t seem to raise it over 22. Temp was 78 and is still 78

What are you doing that isn't raising salinity?

The usual way is to replace evaporated water with salt water. That cannot fail to raise salinity as high as you want, although it takes time.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

Salinity should only drop by removing skimmer cup water and that should go down pretty slow in a larger system. If you want to raise it, you add top-off water that is higher than what you are shooting for (raise it slowly though). It can’t possibly decrease if you are adding more salt.

 

[ski1870]

What are you doing that isn't raising salinity?

The usual way is to replace evaporated water with salt water. That cannot fail to raise salinity as high as you want, although it takes time.

I was taught evaporation is filled with RO water they an ATO system. Water changes are saltwater.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I was taught evaporation is filled with RO water they an ATO system. Water changes are saltwater.

Correct. Water evaporates, the salt stays behind. If you want to raise your salinity, you add saltwater instead of RODI water and it should rise.

The only way salinity should decrease is when saltwater is removed when dumping a skimmer cup or possibly if water is somehow getting outside the tank (leaks, bubbles, splashes).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was taught evaporation is filled with RO water they an ATO system. Water changes are saltwater.

Yes, certainly. I meant if you were wanting to raise salinity. Topping off with salt water is the best way.

 

[ski1870]

Correct. Water evaporates, the salt stays behind. If you want to raise your salinity, you add saltwater instead of RODI water and it should rise.

The only way salinity should decrease is when saltwater is removed when dumping a skimmer cup or possibly if water is somehow getting outside the tank (leaks, bubbles, splashes).

Right. Thanks. But I’m still not sure why the chaeto is dying and not growing. The phosphates are low. But not zero.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Could be alot of factors. My advice would be to search the forums and read the numerous threads about this.

I'm sure you will stumble onto the what's ailing you.

 

[ski1870]

I empty my skimmer about twice a week so it’s not too full. About 1/3 of the cup each time. But it’s a good size cup. Would that be enough to make the salinity drop?

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

My chaeto did not do much when I first added it and even when it took off and started growing like crazy, there were times that it would not look so great for a while. I have never been able to figure why it goes from good to bad and back.

I’d say get your salinity back up to where you want it and see if that helps.

What were you doing to increase salinity that wasn’t working?

 

[jakeh22]

I just added an h380 to my refugium and had chaeto and other stuff already but this light made my ph shoot from 7.6 to 8.1 in the matter of days and I had zero effect on salinity there is something else going on

 

[ski1870]

Desolve a cup of salt in a filter sock in the drain area. I have a feeling I may have answered my chaeto question.

 

[jakeh22]

Desolve a cup of salt in a filter sock in the drain area. I have a feeling I may have answered my chaeto question.

what are your thoughts?

 

[ski1870]

I think I should be making a bucket of saltwater instead of dissolving it in the sump. Just make the salinity a little higher.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If that was just upstream of the chaeto, it certainly wouldn’t be good for it.