When Trouble Arises, What Do You Do?

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Hey Reefers! Thought I'd ask what you do when your tank just doesn't seem right and problems start to happen. Do you do an ICP test, and look for things to dose or remove, or do you do some water changes and see if that fixes the problem? Or maybe just wait it out?
I'm a water change guy myself. If the tank seems off, I do a 40-50% water change and monitor it for a week or so after.

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I try not to do this.....not always good at it but I've gotten better.
Used to be very knee jerk but learned to be more calm and monitor first to see what the tank will do on its own.

 

[blecki]

Panic.

Then cry.

For reef chemistry, can always test and dose or do a water change but 30 gallon water changes just don't have the impact on the new 230 tank that they did on the 75.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I try to stay calm, and resort to Reef2Reef for answers to my issue

 

[jda]

Get all of the basics correct - recalibrate refractometer, make sure that temperature is correct using something mechanical and test for alk.

Then mix up and change a bunch of water.

 

[brandon429]

I have so much fun convincing people to take their entire reef apart and rinse it out and put it back, and then collect those results in long threads. I have to struggle to consider what is a more effective correcting action and though I can find some long threads on alternate means, the results aren't very good usually.

 

[exnisstech]

I gave up on ICP when my first two test I sent out contained samples of RODI from the same container but the test results were drastically difference. All confidence gone after that.
I just test the usual stuff alk, cal, mag, nitrates. I'll check pH but very rarely. I've been lucky recently as most of my stuff is doing good. Usually for me when I have an issue it seems to be one coral when everything else is OK. In that case I may move the piece to a different tank. I've had lps that thrive in one tank and deflate in another even tho parameters and lighting are very similar. I've learned not to freak out when a single piece goes south. Somethings just will not thrive in every tank so I just roll with it.
Everything looking bad gets a large water change. I do small daily water changes otherwise

 

[Mark Goode]

I usually start by using a lot of bad language, then pace around a bit while swearing, I also shout at the dogs to get out of the way and, finally, sit, light up my pipe and try to relax.

Most times the problem then appears solveable (with a little assistance from the good folks on this forum).

 

[fish farmer]

Depends on what the trouble is. One coral looks bad... I'll wait it out. Algae issues, corrective action with WC, CUC, feeding. Lighting starts to fail....wait until the last minute before it dies to upgrade.

 

[Nano_Man]

Large water change when things don’t look good and a bag of carbon to go with it . Then see if things improve. And when I am really concerned I test and see if anything stands out

 

[vetteguy53081]

Have water change ready and test first and react to the given situation