Urgh seriously.
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Fin
Professional Procrastinator
And keeping SPS.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
So my lfs shop is saying the drastic change in salinity is probably what threw it off. They did a water test and all parameters back to normal including salinity. Here are some pics of the rapid tissue loss and wow it was very rapid took less than 24 hours.
My hours drive me crazy lol and I need to do something different I don’t wanna lose my tank. Too many close calls for me and I prefer to have no close calls.
So my lfs shop is saying the drastic change in salinity is probably what threw it off. They did a water test and all parameters back to normal including salinity. Here are some pics of the rapid tissue loss and wow it was very rapid took less than 24 hours.
My hours drive me crazy lol and I need to do something different I don’t wanna lose my tank. Too many close calls for me and I prefer to have no close calls.
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
Hello,
So my lfs shop is saying the drastic change in salinity is probably what threw it off. They did a water test and all parameters back to normal including salinity. Here are some pics of the rapid tissue loss and wow it was very rapid took less than 24 hours.
My hours drive me crazy lol and I need to do something different I don’t wanna lose my tank. Too many close calls for me and I prefer to have no close calls.
Wow. That was FAST.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Yeah in less than 24 hours I lost three sps, do to high salinity. So far all fish are fine rest of the coral are doing okay, but you never know with sps. The lps and softies should do okay. I’m super super sad that it wiped out my Oregon tort. Not sure where to get another one of them.
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
Ouch. That is a tough one to lose and from what I read they grow quite slowly. Let us hope the losses are finished
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I'm really sorry for your losses. That is rough. I don't think that adding the salt water was the problem. In the short term, this would not have raised your salinity, it would have lowered it. As your system evaporated salinity would have climbed. The fresh mixed salt water would have been at a lower concentration than your tank. When your dad added that 5 gallons, it would have lowered salinity slightly, but not as much as if he had added RODI.
Hope that makes sense.
I would strongly encourage you to look into an ATO system. In my opinion, the salinity swing caused by 5g of evaporation followed by adding 5 gallons of RODI would be hard on a system.
Benny Morosco
Active Member
Now thats a new one... I don't even know what to say.. hope it all works out!
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
Well I tested my water again and parameters seem to be on, and so far just the one main sps is totally toast. The other two I’m not sure about, one has rtl but it’s going very slow and not sure once it starts if it will stop. Most tell me that once it has started, it’s a on it’s way out. I’m very very very sad about my Oregon tort. Even finding them online is not super easy. Luckily most of the corals that are having issues were ones from my lfs. All my super expensive ones managed to make it well except my Oregon tort. (It was purchased from the local fish store and they charged me a pretty dollar for it).
@Brew12 so what happened is my sump was low do to evap and the tank was already at .25. Then my dad topped my sump off with pre made salt mix which was at .25 already and used five gallons. So when I came home the salinity was at .30. I then drained ten gallons and added straight ro water to bring the salt content back down.
After my lfs went through all my water parameters they said they strongly believe the mass increase in salt is what caused the sps to go through rapid tissue loss. I’m not quite sure what else would cause it. All the even more sensitive sps are fine (well so far). So it makes little sense to me.
However along with water changes I am using this now also has anyone used it and had luck with it? It’s the Red Sea no3 and no4 controller etc. any info would be great since their directions are vague at best.
Oh and watching back to the future for the first time, lol interesting movie
Well I tested my water again and parameters seem to be on, and so far just the one main sps is totally toast. The other two I’m not sure about, one has rtl but it’s going very slow and not sure once it starts if it will stop. Most tell me that once it has started, it’s a on it’s way out. I’m very very very sad about my Oregon tort. Even finding them online is not super easy. Luckily most of the corals that are having issues were ones from my lfs. All my super expensive ones managed to make it well except my Oregon tort. (It was purchased from the local fish store and they charged me a pretty dollar for it).
@Brew12 so what happened is my sump was low do to evap and the tank was already at .25. Then my dad topped my sump off with pre made salt mix which was at .25 already and used five gallons. So when I came home the salinity was at .30. I then drained ten gallons and added straight ro water to bring the salt content back down.
After my lfs went through all my water parameters they said they strongly believe the mass increase in salt is what caused the sps to go through rapid tissue loss. I’m not quite sure what else would cause it. All the even more sensitive sps are fine (well so far). So it makes little sense to me.
However along with water changes I am using this now also has anyone used it and had luck with it? It’s the Red Sea no3 and no4 controller etc. any info would be great since their directions are vague at best.
Oh and watching back to the future for the first time, lol interesting movie
I agree with Brew. The proportion of salt to water is really what we are measuring. So regardless of the gallons, .25+.25=.25. And so in a not so precise way at all, if your tank was low 5 gallons, say 240 gallons at .28 + 5 gallons at .25 will net you something lower like .27. He would have added a lower concentration of salt to the higher concentration in the tank.
And my tank is smaller at 200 gallons but in my experience it usually takes extremes to effect tank parameters that quickly.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
I’m definitely open to ideas and suggestions, it’s the only parameter that was off. Any other reasons why the three sps would do this? I tested everything, and they have been consistent. The only other thing that was low or changed was alk. It was an 8 that morning when I tested it and afterwards it was at a 6. But I tested the water and had to make sure because I wasn’t sure I was going to be home. Luckily I was or it could have been worse for me. Honestly I’m at a total loss as to why or what happened if it wasn’t the addition of salt water driving the salinity up.
Oh and the year 1955 just looks so fun and wow things were cheap back then. The style people dress if the movie is time correct is soooo neat.
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Fin
Professional Procrastinator
Honestly, I personally wouldn't start adding additives or making any changes, other than letting the system stabilize from the up and down of the salinity. An ATO would make your life a lot easier and keep the tank from going through these swings in salinity.
I'd say your Alk at 6 is the most likely culprit. Why it dropped so low I don't know. You are just keeping up with your alk consumption through water changes right? The other thing I'd keep an eye on is that ammonia. You said barely there but do you remember the reading? Really you want a reading of 0 as ammonia is toxic to coral. My best guess it was a multitude of small things and then the Alk drop pushed it over the edge.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello;
No I dose alk and claicium every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, in which I always test and see where my parameters are. So I dose three times a week and test three times a week. That’s what’s so frustrating is the day before no isssues and that morning no issues. Like I said this happened lighting fast and either has to be the drop in alk or the salinity. I normally run an 8 for alk, and 440 calcium, when I noticed and tested calcium was at 480 and alk was 6 and salinity was at .30. I’m honestly kinda lost, I was hoping the Red Sea would more or less help drop nitrates and some phosphates even though when I tested it was at 20 ppm for nitrates and .25 for phosphates. I have done up to two 40 gallon water changes a week now for almost 6 weeks to drop the nitrates lower and well it’s still not reducing. Filter socks seemed to make it worse so I quite using those.
I have noticed that leaving the tank alone helps the most but there hasn’t been much change if at all. Other than removing the third orbit pro, I haven’t changed anything really.
No I dose alk and claicium every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, in which I always test and see where my parameters are. So I dose three times a week and test three times a week. That’s what’s so frustrating is the day before no isssues and that morning no issues. Like I said this happened lighting fast and either has to be the drop in alk or the salinity. I normally run an 8 for alk, and 440 calcium, when I noticed and tested calcium was at 480 and alk was 6 and salinity was at .30. I’m honestly kinda lost, I was hoping the Red Sea would more or less help drop nitrates and some phosphates even though when I tested it was at 20 ppm for nitrates and .25 for phosphates. I have done up to two 40 gallon water changes a week now for almost 6 weeks to drop the nitrates lower and well it’s still not reducing. Filter socks seemed to make it worse so I quite using those.
I have noticed that leaving the tank alone helps the most but there hasn’t been much change if at all. Other than removing the third orbit pro, I haven’t changed anything really.
Are the three corals that were affected right near the outflow/return into the tank?
According to Randy, if you're replacement salt water has set out for a while your alkalinity will be lower in that water. I don't know why but it seems to be a thing.
If the three affected corals were near the outflow and they took the brunt of the slightly different water that may explain why they were affected more than other more 'sensitive' corals were affected?
Hoping those are the only ones you have issues with.
Sorry to hear about your tank troubles. Hope things settle out soon.
According to Randy, if you're replacement salt water has set out for a while your alkalinity will be lower in that water. I don't know why but it seems to be a thing.
If the three affected corals were near the outflow and they took the brunt of the slightly different water that may explain why they were affected more than other more 'sensitive' corals were affected?
Hoping those are the only ones you have issues with.
Sorry to hear about your tank troubles. Hope things settle out soon.
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
@norfolkgarden hey there and thanks. The one that bleached was right in front of the return lines. It received direct flow from the return pumps. The other two were on the other side of the tank, but not direct flow. The one that died in less than 24 hours probably shielded the others from the blunt on set. The other two on the other side are further down but also more in direct flow of the return lines than others. So many possibilities and will drive me crazy because one may never know.
@norfolkgarden hey there and thanks
. The one that bleached was right in front of the return lines. It received direct flow from the return pumps. The other two were on the other side of the tank, but not direct flow. The one that died in less than 24 hours probably shielded the others from the blunt on set. The other two on the other side are further down but also more in direct flow of the return lines than others. So many possibilities and will drive me crazy because one may never know.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I would feel the increase in salinity during the evaporation process is a more likely cause. Do you normally let it evaporate that much prior to adding RODI water?
I know I keep bringing it up, but an ATO would be invaluable to your system.
This is confusing. Especially since it should have gone up when salinity increased with the evaporation. The drop is puzzling.
OP
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Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Good morning,
@Brew12 no lol I try to avoid that, but sometimes when it’s super hot out even with my ac on 70, it evaps a lot because I have an open top. So generally no, just depends on the day and I am going to look into ato.
This morning however, last night it was crystal clear and this morning the tank was cloudy. It may be from when I turned all my wave makers and returns up to do more flow, which I set back. Everything looked alive, all corals and fish accounted for. Not sure why on the cloudy water. You can still see everything just not clear like normal. I will try and get a pic
@Brew12 no lol I try to avoid that, but sometimes when it’s super hot out even with my ac on 70, it evaps a lot because I have an open top. So generally no, just depends on the day and I am going to look into ato.
This morning however, last night it was crystal clear and this morning the tank was cloudy. It may be from when I turned all my wave makers and returns up to do more flow, which I set back. Everything looked alive, all corals and fish accounted for. Not sure why on the cloudy water. You can still see everything just not clear like normal. I will try and get a pic
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Looks like a possible bacterial bloom. All critters are accounted for?
If I were you, I would invest in dosing pumps along with your ato. My schedule isn't even as bad as yours but after 13 hour days tank maintenance is the last thing I want to do. And consistency is key. I'd also consider looking in to carbon dosing and either ati essentials or triton; water changes are going to suck on your new tank unless you set up a dedicated water changing station. I'm coming up on a year with out a water change and the only issues I have had are from my own goofs.
If I were you, I would invest in dosing pumps along with your ato. My schedule isn't even as bad as yours but after 13 hour days tank maintenance is the last thing I want to do. And consistency is key. I'd also consider looking in to carbon dosing and either ati essentials or triton; water changes are going to suck on your new tank unless you set up a dedicated water changing station. I'm coming up on a year with out a water change and the only issues I have had are from my own goofs.
