What’s wrong here?

piranhaman00 · Dec 22, 2020

Didnt read but peppermeint shrimp are my go to a wholes.

MTsquared · Dec 22, 2020

So upon zeroing my Milwaukee unit with RODI and getting a 1.000 reading I put some water from the tank on and got a 1.022 reading. I did recently (prior to testing) hear the ATO going. That was about 20-30min prior to testing.

DED65 · Dec 22, 2020

I calibrate my Milwaukee with their solutions. I zero with their steam distilled water, then test with their 1.025 solution. Mine always reads 1.027. I have read other comments with this issue. I adjust accordingly and double check with my Hanna tester.

Crashnt24 · Dec 22, 2020

Glad you found the zeroing issue. As Randy also suggested, I would get a ICP test done. Never know if there is a contamination source hidden in the tank somewhere.

Me personally had ICP tests showing high tin and other contaminants. I couldn't find the source for 6 months so I was forced to do weekly 50% water changes. Then one day it mysteriously appeared, my pistol shrimp must've unburied it I think. Now my sps are finally taking off.

A single ICP test is definently with the high price

Dr. Jim · Dec 22, 2020

MTsquared said:
So upon zeroing my Milwaukee unit with RODI and getting a 1.000 reading I put some water from the tank on and got a 1.022 reading. I did recently (prior to testing) hear the ATO going. That was about 20-30min prior to testing.

That's a good start but you still have to use a calibration solution with the Milwaukee to see if it is "off". Your 1.022 may actually turn out to be 1.020. Either reading could easily be the cause of your coral problem.

Dr. Jim · Dec 22, 2020

Crashnt24 said:
Glad you found the zeroing issue. As Randy also suggested, I would get a ICP test done. Never know if there is a contamination source hidden in the tank somewhere.

Me personally had ICP tests showing high tin and other contaminants. I couldn't find the source for 6 months so I was forced to do weekly 50% water changes. Then one day it mysteriously appeared, my pistol shrimp must've unburied it I think. Now my sps are finally taking off.

A single ICP test is definently with the high price

What did the shrimp unbury? What other metals (if any) were elevated besides tin? Thanks.

Crashnt24 · Dec 22, 2020

Dr. Jim said:
What did the shrimp unbury? What other metals (if any) were elevated besides tin? Thanks.

It was a metal ribbon from Christmas decorations. It originally has a thick purple powdery paint with glitter infused in it. The metal was in the outer edges to allow it to be "shaped". Well after 10 months in the tank, all the paint was gone and 90% of the metal was dissolved. I started losing a couple sps colonies in February and most of my LPS was retracted. It was then that I started icp testing and performing large water changes. I stopped losing colonies but my corals weren't growing. After I removed the ribbon, my corals are growing again and everything is looking great.

Just goes to show that even if parameters and stability are great, there can always be another variable affecting coral.

Oh, and I can look up the other contaminants when I get home, I don't remember off the top of my head. Just the tin because that was the highest.

brmreefer · Dec 22, 2020

I noticed something else with the provided parameters. The way I read your temp (77-79F) says you have quite a swing in my opinion. Is there anyway to reduce that daily temp change to get more stability?

Just a thought.

Dr. Jim · Dec 22, 2020

Crashnt24 said:
It was a metal ribbon from Christmas decorations. It originally has a thick purple powdery paint with glitter infused in it. The metal was in the outer edges to allow it to be "shaped". Well after 10 months in the tank, all the paint was gone and 90% of the metal was dissolved. I started losing a couple sps colonies in February and most of my LPS was retracted. It was then that I started icp testing and performing large water changes. I stopped losing colonies but my corals weren't growing. After I removed the ribbon, my corals are growing again and everything is looking great.

Just goes to show that even if parameters and stability are great, there can always be another variable affecting coral.

Oh, and I can look up the other contaminants when I get home, I don't remember off the top of my head. Just the tin because that was the highest.

I was interested to see if other metals were elevated to support or refute the idea that "if tin is the only metal elevated, then it is most likely coming from plastics or glass (rather than a corroding metal)". Thanks for helping!

MTsquared · Dec 22, 2020

brmreefer said:
I noticed something else with the provided parameters. The way I read your temp (77-79F) says you have quite a swing in my opinion. Is there anyway to reduce that daily temp change to get more stability?

Just a thought.

I didn’t think that was too much variability in temperature but I could be wrong. Most things I’ve read or seen provide that as the range to target for temperature. What do you have your range at?

MTsquared · Dec 23, 2020

Got some brightwell salinity solution from the LFS. Going to test it out this morning and let you know the results.

brmreefer · Dec 23, 2020

MTsquared said:
I didn’t think that was too much variability in temperature but I could be wrong. Most things I’ve read or seen provide that as the range to target for temperature. What do you have your range at?

I keep mine at 77.0 - 77.7 F. My personal goal is to always maintain a constant with any parameter, and reduce daily swings as much as possible.

My thought is that we always try to acclimate new additions to our systems, but if the system's parameter swings are too aggressive throughout the day, then when can the current inhabitants ever get comfortable and truly adjusted.

Note: I keep my system at the listed temp, but many have kept theirs higher, but with minimal daily swing (which is more important).

MTsquared · Dec 23, 2020

brmreefer said:
I keep mine at 77.0 - 77.7 F. My personal goal is to always maintain a constant with any parameter, and reduce daily swings as much as possible.

My thought is that we always try to acclimate new additions to our systems, but if the system's parameter swings are too aggressive throughout the day, then when can the current inhabitants ever get comfortable and truly adjusted.

Note: I keep my system at the listed temp, but many have kept theirs higher, but with minimal daily swing (which is more important).

Ok thanks good to know

MTsquared · Dec 24, 2020

Here’s an update. Got some Brightwell salinity calibration fluid from LFS which says it is at 1.0264 or 35pt. After zeroing my Milwaukee unit with RODI I put some of the Brightwell solution on and got a reading of 1.027, 35psu, 36pt. The Brightwell is at 1.0264 or 35pt so I need everyone’s expert opinion here - to me it seems pretty close to accurate with a slight variation (.0006 sg). Granted the Milwaukee only reads 3 decimal places. My salinity in the tank is reading 1.024. Just saw another torch that is bailing out in my tank and really trying to figure out what’s going on.

((FORDTECH)) · Dec 24, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
While I'm not a fan of the Milwaukee refractometer, zeroing it with pure fresh water and then, and later checking it with a standard are all you can do.

Is there a digital refractor that you are a fan of? My eyes are getting to bad to read a normal refractor. A digital read out screen is easier for me.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 24, 2020

((FORDTECH)) said:
Is there a digital refractor that you are a fan of? My eyes are getting to bad to read a normal refractor. A digital read out screen is easier for me.

I recommend a conductivity meter over a refractometer.

rmurken · Dec 24, 2020

Second the ICP recommendation. Let’s assume your salinity is 1.024–that’s not optimal but can’t imagine it would account for the impact you’re seeing on your corals.

Separately you might want to consider targeting a .001sg increase in salinity just to improve that piece of it, although probably not going to be a miracle.

Any chance it’s a pest, a fish, or chemical warfare? (Can’t hurt to run GAC in case it’s chem warfare.)

MTsquared · Dec 25, 2020

rmurken said:
Second the ICP recommendation. Let’s assume your salinity is 1.024–that’s not optimal but can’t imagine it would account for the impact you’re seeing on your corals.

Separately you might want to consider targeting a .001sg increase in salinity just to improve that piece of it, although probably not going to be a miracle.

Any chance it’s a pest, a fish, or chemical warfare? (Can’t hurt to run GAC in case it’s chem warfare.)

Yes I’m planning to raise the salinity into the 1.025-.026 range to eliminate that variable. I do agree at that salinity I should be seeing what I’m seeing in the tank.
Woke up this morning and saw I had a toxic splatter hammer that looked fine yesterday and was gone this morning.

MTsquared · Dec 25, 2020

rmurken said:
Second the ICP recommendation. Let’s assume your salinity is 1.024–that’s not optimal but can’t imagine it would account for the impact you’re seeing on your corals.

Separately you might want to consider targeting a .001sg increase in salinity just to improve that piece of it, although probably not going to be a miracle.

Any chance it’s a pest, a fish, or chemical warfare? (Can’t hurt to run GAC in case it’s chem warfare.)

What’s GAC?