Water changes equals death
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Viking_Reefing
Valuable Member
This.
Low P04 in combination with all swing could cause some problems.
Have you used the same bucket of salt as long as you’ve had problems? Could be some sort of contaminant in your salt mix.
I would send in two ICP tests, one from freshly mixed saltwater and one from your tank...should provide some insight.
Auquanut
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How long have you been doing daily water changes? How many gallons is the system?
If your parameters are remaining fairly stable, I'm just curious why you're suspecting each individual daily one gallon WC as the culprit for the damage to the corals. Sounds more like a cumulative effect. The weakest, most sensitive corals would be the first to be affected. If the water changes were larger AND days or weeks apart, I would definitely see the connection.
Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to wrap my brain around the issue.
I would have a friend or trusted LFS confirm all of your test results (including SG), and if everything checks out, start slowly raising PO4.
Alk is 9.2 as well which is making me think jsvand5 is correct because at 1.026 Brightwell is supposed to mix to 8.5 so I'm going to stop water changes until I get the solution from Amazon on Thursday
The instructions that come with low-cost instruments were in all likelihood written in 5 minutes by one random employee, then shipped off without ever being checked.
I never understand why people put so much faith in the 'instructions' that come with these things, like they were peer-reviewed papers by physicists or something. Its a random piece of throw-away text they included in the box only so they could say "instructions included".
All instruments have to be calibrated, and single point calibrations are best conducted at a level near the target level. Instructions are rarely worth the paper theyre printed on in my experience.
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Pre-coffee rant aside: I wish you all the best of luck in figuring out the issue. I agree with the consensus that double checking salinity (and alkalinity) would be valuable.
I never understand why people put so much faith in the 'instructions' that come with these things, like they were peer-reviewed papers by physicists or something. Its a random piece of throw-away text they included in the box only so they could say "instructions included".
All instruments have to be calibrated, and single point calibrations are best conducted at a level near the target level. Instructions are rarely worth the paper theyre printed on in my experience.
--
Pre-coffee rant aside: I wish you all the best of luck in figuring out the issue. I agree with the consensus that double checking salinity (and alkalinity) would be valuable.
I believe it's going to be the salinity as I stated in my last reply, and thank you
Just returned from my lfs and after double checking my water 1.030 you guys were absolutely correct and I feel like a dope for it being something so simple. I also had mine calibrated while I was there whereas my calibration fluid wont arrive until Thursday and I'd prefer not to pickle the rest of my inhabitants. Thank you guys so much for your help!!
You sure your TDS meter is reading correctly? 32 of of the tap is crazy low.
Edit, glad you figured it out, but you may still want to check into the tds meter
homer1475
Figuring out the hobby one coral at a time.
Why is that crazy low? My incoming TAP is only 19TDS(love living where my water is coming from mountain aquifers), only treated for algae with chlorine, and added fluoride from the town.
bblumberg
Well-Known Member
It is crazy low for San Diego most of the year. My tds when i lived there (admittedly many years ago) usually ranged between 100 and 450 depending on the time of year.
Thespammailaccount
2500 Club Member
Do you match ph and alk?
Thespammailaccount
2500 Club Member
You need phosphates in order to carbon dose
Carbon dosing was the only thing keeping my nitrates in check long term at a steady 5 it wasn't until I stopped that they came up so clearly it's working for nitrates but the question is how to raise po4
Thespammailaccount
2500 Club Member
You can dose. If you run gfo take it offline
If you mean water change wise I keep my tank and my new salt water the same I check it b4 I use it if it needs adjusting I use Kent and PH is 8.3 fairly steady with my skimmer line running to outside air.
Thespammailaccount
2500 Club Member
Then it sounds more than likely a salinity issue since you are noticing it when you change water. I did the same thing on my first tank. Salinity was way off. I have tried the Hanna but the milwaukee salinity checker has been the most accurate and the easiest to read and calibrate. I do however use Hanna to determine temp
Maybe you have a bad bash of salt .. I had a problem like that last month.. every water change I lose a tang and corals look worse every time .. this last for over a few water changes I bought same salt but at different store and in my first water change I noticed the difference.. before all my corals will close right when I add the new water .. now they all open and no fish has die ..
maharsreef
Well-Known Member
But were the Temps the same with TDS 0 water and calibration fluid? That would cause the difference. I calibrate with 0 RO water all the time with no problems.
