Turtle's Deep Blue Sea

Brew12 · Apr 11, 2018

Robin Haselden said:
NO3 was low last time I checked. It was around 1ppm. PO4 is usually always .08ppm. That shouldn't STN corals tho with the amount I feed.

I sent off a Triton test I won from BRS back in October. I think the sample was collected in November... it came back with extremely high Nickel, Molybdenum, Vanadium and Tin. I've been searching for the source ever since.

I've completely changed out rocks, replaced both DI cartridges, pulled every bit of equipment out of the tank and inspected it. Removed all the marine pure and added polyfilter and cuprisorb. I can't find anything.

Next step is another ICP test. I went with ATI this time as they include a RODI sample vial. From those results we'll determine our course of action.

Nickle, Molybdenum, Vanadium and Tin would be fairly common in both stainless steel and in magnets. I would think if you had a magnet failing that badly you would notice it either swelling or being mushy. Same thing if it were the rotor on a pump.

I'm hoping that it is all the changes you have been making to your tank by constantly moving things around and changing bio load. Once you let things stabilize for a month without changes hopefully things will respond better.

Of course, I say this as I've spent the last hour programming in new lighting profiles, new dosing profiles, changed my reactor discharge location, and am adding new coral tomorrow.

I should take my own advice some times....

SashimiTurtle · Apr 11, 2018

Brew12 said:
Nickle, Molybdenum, Vanadium and Tin would be fairly common in both stainless steel and in magnets. I would think if you had a magnet failing that badly you would notice it either swelling or being mushy. Same thing if it were the rotor on a pump.

I'm hoping that it is all the changes you have been making to your tank by constantly moving things around and changing bio load. Once you let things stabilize for a month without changes hopefully things will respond better.

Of course, I say this as I've spent the last hour programming in new lighting profiles, new dosing profiles, changed my reactor discharge location, and am adding new coral tomorrow.

I should take my own advice some times....

I hope you're right too, and the metal problem is behind us. I sure would like to actually grow some nice corals in this tank. I have spotted some that I would really love to have, but not buying anything for a while because everything keeps dying.

TSA Candlelight Stag, ORA Red Planet, PC Rainbow, Tubs Stellata, different color digis and caps, more acans of all colors...

SashimiTurtle · Apr 11, 2018

Took this early this morning when I got home from nightshift. Hiding out behind the dragon soul favia, that isn't doing so hot... He was awake and looking at me, but just sitting there relaxing.

siggy · Apr 12, 2018

How are you dealing with alk, that rock has to be using some, I use kalk in my topoff. A few weeks ago my atk stoped topping off then started and dumped 1.5 gallons, alk spike burnt the tips of 5 frags

SashimiTurtle · Apr 12, 2018

siggy said:
How are you dealing with alk, that rock has to be using some, I use kalk in my topoff. A few weeks ago my atk stoped topping off then started and dumped 1.5 gallons, alk spike burnt the tips of 5 frags

Havent tested in a little while but last test showed no consumption in two weeks. I tried using 1/2tsp per gallon in my top off a while ago and it just spiked my alk up so I dumped it and I'm using straight RODI. I just got home, give me a minute and I'll test again.

SashimiTurtle · Apr 12, 2018

On March 11th my alk was 8.6dKH, March 28th is was 8.7dKH and just now it was 8.8dKH. I haven't dosed anything to boost alk, calcium or magnesium in that time. I've done maybe 2 water changes...?

SashimiTurtle · Apr 12, 2018

Calcium is 400ppm, well the Hanna said 399ppm exactly. It was 393 on the 31st and 437 on the 11th.

siggy · Apr 12, 2018

Not sure what to make of that. I think you are using Hanna for alk? that rock has a lot of coraline it has to be using some. My tank is in the 9-10 and sps and coraline are happy , but I have heavy nutrients and lighting
Is coraline growing on the glass or power heads thats how i can tell if alk is available.

SashimiTurtle · Apr 12, 2018

siggy said:
Not sure what to make of that. I think you are using Hanna for alk? that rock has a lot of coraline it has to be using some. My tank is in the 9-10 and sps and coraline are happy , but I have heavy nutrients and lighting
Is coraline growing on the glass or power heads thats how i can tell if alk is available.

I'm pretty sure that might possibly be some of that pre colored rock. I have absolutely 0 coraline growth on the glass, overflow, powerheads... I swear there's still metal in the tank. I had coraline growth in my 75g and my nano within 2 months.

I've decided after we get the ICP results, if the RODI comes back with metals I'm probably going to a 3 stage DI with separate cation and anion resins and a final mixed bed polish. If that doesn't fix the metals, I guess I'm stuck buying water... or blowing up the Lugoff Elgin water treatment plant.

If the RODI comes back normal but the tank has metals, I'm going to completely empty the tank and go over everything with a fine tooth comb. Fish and rock in a rubbermade with a heater and power head, pull the sand and sift thru it, completely disassemble every pump and powerhead...

If the ICP comes back clear, I give up on corals.

Brew12 · Apr 12, 2018

Robin Haselden said:
On March 11th my alk was 8.6dKH, March 28th is was 8.7dKH and just now it was 8.8dKH. I haven't dosed anything to boost alk, calcium or magnesium in that time. I've done maybe 2 water changes...?

What salt are you using?

vegamedic · Apr 12, 2018

Robin Haselden said:
On March 11th my alk was 8.6dKH, March 28th is was 8.7dKH and just now it was 8.8dKH. I haven't dosed anything to boost alk, calcium or magnesium in that time. I've done maybe 2 water changes...?

test freshly mixed saltwater and the dates you did both water changes and we can work out your tank demand. it isn't unheard of for salts to mix at 10+ dKH and if you have relatively low demand 0.2 dKH increase after 2 water changes over a 17 day period really isn't that nuts

siggy · Apr 12, 2018

there is something to be said about Live sand and Live rock and weekly water changes. I am a noob tree times over and I always had a reef in 30 days. ....Have You tried a Priest!