Still having problems with chemistry

[cshouston]

I hope your right. Just out of curiosity, if 7 is ok, why do people shoot for 9dkh?

Higher alkalinity can increase growth in corals, and also provide a buffer to prevent it from getting low enough to harm the corals.

 

[Doug Geib]

Yes test kits down. You can't crash a tank that's FOWLR by dropping any of those parameters (within reason). Are you immediately in need of stony corals?

no, not ready for corals yet because of the parameter issues. If I get corals now would they even survive?

 

[Doug Geib]

Higher alkalinity can increase growth in corals, and also provide a buffer to prevent it from getting low enough to harm the corals.

ah, thanks!

 

[cshouston]

no, not ready for corals yet because of the parameter issues. If I get corals now would they even survive?

I think you’d be best starting out with soft corals that are less fragile. The most important thing is tank maturity and stability, though. Just step back and enjoy your tank; give it time.

 

[Doug Geib]

I appreciate everyones help, I really need it!

 

[cshouston]

How old is your tank and what salt are you using? If you’re using BRS 2-part, something tells me you’ve watched their videos and are using Tropic Marin Pro Reef, which would explain your low alkalinity. It’s a very specific salt for specific purpose. If you’re fish only, you can save money and use something more basic. There are also salts that have a higher alkalinity to begin with (Red Sea blue bucket @ 8dkh, for instance).

Pro reef with its 7dkh level is for primarily SPS dominant tanks with very low nutrient levels.

 

[flampton]

no, not ready for corals yet because of the parameter issues. If I get corals now would they even survive?

Well definitely not yet. You need to get that stability. Now I think something went horribly wrong ionically in your tank after all that two party. So I suggest like others that you need to do a massive water change with a good name brand salt.

Then ten percent changes a week for awhile

Then do not dose and do not test those parameters until a month or so at least. And that's just to gain confidence. Then don't test these parameters again until you are ready for hard coral.

 

[Doug Geib]

Well definitely not yet. You need to get that stability. Now I think something went horribly wrong ionically in your tank after all that two party. So I suggest like others that you need to do a massive water change with a good name brand salt.

Then ten percent changes a week for awhile

Then do not dose and do not test those parameters until a month or so at least. And that's just to gain confidence. Then don't test these parameters again until you are ready for hard coral.

Ill give it a try!

 

[Doug Geib]

How old is your tank and what salt are you using? If you’re using BRS 2-part, something tells me you’ve watched their videos and are using Tropic Marin Pro Reef, which would explain your low alkalinity. It’s a very specific salt for specific purpose. If you’re fish only, you can save money and use something more basic. There are also salts that have a higher alkalinity to begin with (Red Sea blue bucket @ 8dkh, for instance).

Pro reef with its 7dkh level is for primarily SPS dominant tanks with very low nutrient levels.

I was using a red sea salt but thought it may be the issue so I switched to red sea coral pro because of the higher levels it produces when mixed.

 

[cshouston]

I was using a red sea salt but thought it may be the issue so I switched to red sea coral pro because of the higher levels it produces when mixed.

Jeez. You definitely shouldn’t be dosing, then. Something definitely did go terribly wrong with the ionic balance. Coral Pro is meant for rapid growth coral frag tanks and not for the inexperienced aquarist or fish-only tanks. It can cause way more problems if it’s not used properly.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I was using a red sea salt but thought it may be the issue so I switched to red sea coral pro because of the higher levels it produces when mixed.

All you need for your fowlr tank is regular instant ocean salt. It's actually the most commonly used salt around, even in large public aquariums. And its cheap!

 

[ADAM]

Im testing with all hanna checkers. The last time I stopped dosing everything crashed and Im talking an alk of below 6. Also, its a 75 gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump, thats all I could fit, and a 20 gallon water change increased the alk form 7.0 to 7.3. Very little difference. It would cost a fortune in water to do a lot of water changes not to mention salt.

1-2 water changes a month would be sufficient for your listed stock in 99% of cases.

If it were me, I think the best bet is to set up a QT to house the live animals for a while (3-6 weeks) and "reboot" the tank. It likely crashed due to the precipitation built up in the sand. Id rinse the sand and recycle the tank.

Unless you have corals uptaking the minerals there is no need to dose them. As an analogy think of the tank as your fridge; you keep adding food but no one ever takes the food out. Once overpacked (unneeded dosing) and although you stop adding food (dosing) the food still goes bad (tank crash) because it is overpacked.

 

[ADAM]

I actually got a C02 monitor and when the room is closed up and Im in it, it can reach 1000. While its still nice out I do open the door and it frops to 400+. But, I have 2 other tanks in the same room and Co2 doesnt seem to bother them. So I dont think C02 is the issue but I dont know why the PH doesnt go up with the scrubber and air intake on the skimmer being fed from outdoors. Just another frustrating mystery.

The "water" in the tank is oversaturated with chemicals/minerals and they are likely limiting the pH. Hence why the typical pH raising strategies aren't making a big impact.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The "water" in the tank is oversaturated with chemicals/minerals and they are likely limiting the pH. Hence why the typical pH raising strategies aren't making a big impact.

I don't understand what you are claiming with respect to pH. What oversaturated chemicals are limiting a pH rise?

 

[Doug Geib]

Thanks again for all the help! Ive started draining the tank and sump. Once drained Ill wash the sand with RODI water. What about the rock, should it be removed and cleaned.
There is some what looks to be brown algae growth on the rock so Ill remove it if I can get it out.
Also, I already have some coral pro RODI water mixed, about 20 gallons. Can I use that up and than switch to reef crystals? Is it ok to mix salt? The reason I say reef crystals is because I was using it previously and still have some left over I could use.
Thanks!

 

[cshouston]

Thanks again for all the help! Ive started draining the tank and sump. Once drained Ill wash the sand with RODI water. What about the rock, should it be removed and cleaned.
There is some what looks to be brown algae growth on the rock so Ill remove it if I can get it out.
Also, I already have some coral pro RODI water mixed, about 20 gallons. Can I use that up and than switch to reef crystals? Is it ok to mix salt? The reason I say reef crystals is because I was using it previously and still have some left over I could use.
Thanks!

Be careful with doing too large of a water change. You don’t want to hurt your livestock. You’re better off doing smaller 20% water changes with a new salt that’s meant for fish only tanks, like instant ocean, over time. Perhaps once every other day. Eventually, you’ll be at the new parameters and cause less stress. No need to scrub your rocks. It’s probably just diatoms, and part of the natural progression of the tank. The sand may release the bound carbonate over time though, so rinsing or replacing it may be wise.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sit back and enjoy your tank. If you are changing water as much and as frequently as you are, No need to add anything.
Your essentials right now are salinity , temperature, Ph (to a degree) and ammonia/nitrate.

Temp range 77-79
Salinity 1.024-1.025
ph 7.9-8.3 ( if its stable- Thats good. . . Leave it stable)

 

[Doug Geib]

Be careful with doing too large of a water change. You don’t want to hurt your livestock. You’re better off doing smaller 20% water changes with a new salt that’s meant for fish only tanks, like instant ocean, over time. Perhaps once every other day. Eventually, you’ll be at the new parameters and cause less stress. No need to scrub your rocks. It’s probably just diatoms, and part of the natural progression of the tank. The sand may release the bound carbonate over time though, so rinsing or replacing it may be wise.

Thanks! I actually did move my livestock into my QT tanks so they arent a problem. I keep those tanks going and have had no issues with those, strange I know.
As for the sand, I do plan on putting corals in at some point so does that change the plan for the type of salt?

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Thanks! I actually did move my livestock into my QT tanks so they arent a problem. I keep those tanks going and have had no issues with those, strange I know.
As for the sand, I do plan on putting corals in at some point so does that change the plan for the type of salt?

You can use whatever salt you want but since you already have the hang of dosing and testing you could easily get away with regular instant ocean. But in the mean time it will be fine to use up the salt you have. If it was me I'd mix the 2 types you have

 

[Doug Geib]

You can use whatever salt you want but since you already have the hang of dosing and testing you could easily get away with regular instant ocean. But in the mean time it will be fine to use up the salt you have. If it was me I'd mix the 2 types you have

Thanks!