Worst week so far on my 75g tank :-(

[G8trBait16]

Well as the title says, it has been the worst week so far, since I have had my 75 G SPS dominated tank up and running (1 year). Started getting cyano and brown algae on my sand/rocks. Been doing Weekly water changes of about 12g using Aquaforest reef salt. Trying to bring down phosphates and nitrates. Well Everything was looking good on Friday and Saturday. Tested the tank before I left to go see my grandfather in the hospital, so left the tank in the hands of my fiancée to just watch and make sure no kids go near the tank (our 2 daughters were having a sleep over at our house on sat night). Well I get back on Tuesday morning and look at the tank and 7 corals (PC Rainbow from Battle corals, my Garf Bonsai mini colony, a strawberry shortcake, 2 Red planets, 2 green slimmer mini colonies) had RTN'd or stn'd. I tested the water right away and the Alk was at 12 dkh

Before I left on Sat morning the parameters are below:
Alk: 7.2
Cal: 440
Mg: 1350
Nitrates: 2ppm
Po4: .04

Tested on Tuesday morning:
Alk: 12 dkh
Cal: over 700
mg: 2200
Nitrates: 10ppm
Po4: .10

I immediately started making water to do a large 30G water change. While that was being made, I checked the doser which I figured was the only way everything get so out a whack. Well I am on the AF system. So I user Component 1+, 2+, 3+ which before I left my BM doser was dosing 50ml over a 24 hour period (about 3.33ml an hour). Well I looked at the programming and the doser was set to dose 400ml. Well that was the culprit. I did a 30g water change yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, going to do another 3og water change when I get home today from work. Saw my fiancée yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, told her what happened or what the cause was. I think she was getting ready for me to yell or get mad, but all I could get out was tears.

This morning I woke up to my Walt Disney and Orange passion dying, so as fast as I could I fragged them in hopes to save them. So it hasn't been a great week. Fiancée bought me another 32g brute, so my rodi unit could make more water.

So yea extremely frustrated, to say the least, but nothing I can do about what happened, just have to try to get things back to normal. It will take some time, but wanted to see what is the best way to go about getting things back to normal. Do I continue to do large water changes? If so for how long? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the rant, but thanks for letting me vent.

 

[helen ann]

Sorry, unable to offer any advice but sure someone smarter than me will.

Just wanted to say sorry about your corals especially the WD!!!

 

[bubbaque]

Do you believe your doser malfunctioned or you believe your grand daughters played with it? If it malfunctioned, I would hate for it to happen to you again.

Bulk reef supply just had a similar issue on their 160 and made a video on what they did to get it back in balance. Might be worth a watch.

 

[tonto95]

Keep the pieces in the tank, maybe parts of them will survive. Don't give up.

 

[Brew12]

Well as the title says, it has been the worst week so far, since I have had my 75 G SPS dominated tank up and running (1 year). Started getting cyano and brown algae on my sand/rocks. Been doing Weekly water changes of about 12g using Aquaforest reef salt. Trying to bring down phosphates and nitrates. Well Everything was looking good on Friday and Saturday. Tested the tank before I left to go see my grandfather in the hospital, so left the tank in the hands of my fiancée to just watch and make sure no kids go near the tank (our 2 daughters were having a sleep over at our house on sat night). Well I get back on Tuesday morning and look at the tank and 7 corals (PC Rainbow from Battle corals, my Garf Bonsai mini colony, a strawberry shortcake, 2 Red planets, 2 green slimmer mini colonies) had RTN'd or stn'd. I tested the water right away and the Alk was at 12 dkh

Before I left on Sat morning the parameters are below:
Alk: 7.2
Cal: 440
Mg: 1350
Nitrates: 2ppm
Po4: .04

Tested on Tuesday morning:
Alk: 12 dkh
Cal: over 700
mg: 2200
Nitrates: 10ppm
Po4: .10

I immediately started making water to do a large 30G water change. While that was being made, I checked the doser which I figured was the only way everything get so out a whack. Well I am on the AF system. So I user Component 1+, 2+, 3+ which before I left my BM doser was dosing 50ml over a 24 hour period (about 3.33ml an hour). Well I looked at the programming and the doser was set to dose 400ml. Well that was the culprit. I did a 30g water change yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, going to do another 3og water change when I get home today from work. Saw my fiancée yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, told her what happened or what the cause was. I think she was getting ready for me to yell or get mad, but all I could get out was tears.

This morning I woke up to my Walt Disney and Orange passion dying, so as fast as I could I fragged them in hopes to save them. So it hasn't been a great week. Fiancée bought me another 32g brute, so my rodi unit could make more water.

So yea extremely frustrated, to say the least, but nothing I can do about what happened, just have to try to get things back to normal. It will take some time, but wanted to see what is the best way to go about getting things back to normal. Do I continue to do large water changes? If so for how long? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the rant, but thanks for letting me vent.

I'm so sorry you are going through this!

Can I suggest posting a request in the reef chemistry section? I'm pretty sure that Randy would tell you to just let the Alk drop on its own at this point but there may be something else involved different in your case.

 

[helen ann]

I'm so sorry you are going through this!

Can I suggest posting a request in the reef chemistry section? I'm pretty sure that Randy would tell you to just let the Alk drop on its own at this point but there may be something else involved different in your case.

maybe a #mod can move the thread for you.

 

[Wiz]

Wow. That's horrible. So sry. After one large water change your levels should be in "acceptable" Range. I would take it slow. You don't want to shock your system any worse. Keep doing water changes but slowly. Until parameters are back in line. At least you found the reason. I would work on how the dose got turned up. I don't use doses for exactly that reason. it's really hard but slow is better if you are under 12dkh and 600 calc. Sounds like some sweet pieces. Again so sry. But hang in there. that's my opinion

 

[jsker]

I would let the system ride and turn off 1+3+ for a couple of days and let the Ca, MG get absorbed. I had a die of corals and there were many factors of me playing with the system. I also had high Po4's and used Phosphate Rx to bring the Po4's down (lanthanum chloride) there is also ATM agent green the some members overseas use that works well. It going to take a couple of weeks before the tank settles back down.

FYI since mixing my own 1+2+3+ I am down to dosing 1+3+ 4 times a day for a total of 40ml and also dosing 2+ 4 times a day total of 30ml until i get my alk down to 8 ish steady. I noticed that mixing my own I am doing less.

 

[G8trBait16]

I was just told by our oldest daughter (9) that her friend was in the cabinet "looking" at the stuff under there and that might have been the cause, bc they had gotten into an argument that night. Kids will be kids, but that kid won't be allowed over for a very long time, especially if I am not there, lol. @jsker I turned off the doser, but I have cyano all over my rocks now and on the sand bed. @Wiz so you think I should just do a few smaller water changes (10g) until things get back to acceptable ranges. I know everyone has gone through something bad with their tanks and it really stinks that this had to happen, at one point I was honestly thinking about shutting down the system, but decided that things happen and all you can do is keep chugging along. Take the bad with the good or live and learn from past mistakes. I really do appreciate the help and I will let everyone know if anything has changed when I get home from work today.

 

[nitro]

Sorry bro, hang in there

 

[Wiz]

Yeah, I keep my alk at 10. And calcium at 450. You can be pretty high without damage. Changing fast is the bad part. You had to in order to hit acceptable levels. Now tune them slowly. Should work out better than a lot of large water changes. you are an understanding man. Fiance and kids. it will work out. And yes we all have them happen. Good luck

 

[jsker]

I was just told by our oldest daughter (9) that her friend was in the cabinet "looking" at the stuff under there and that might have been the cause, bc they had gotten into an argument that night. Kids will be kids, but that kid won't be allowed over for a very long time, especially if I am not there, lol. @jsker I turned off the doser, but I have cyano all over my rocks now and on the sand bed. @Wiz so you think I should just do a few smaller water changes (10g) until things get back to acceptable ranges. I know everyone has gone through something bad with their tanks and it really stinks that this had to happen, at one point I was honestly thinking about shutting down the system, but decided that things happen and all you can do is keep chugging along. Take the bad with the good or live and learn from past mistakes. I really do appreciate the help and I will let everyone know if anything has changed when I get home from work today.

I like @Wiz thinking, smaller is better. In the past few weeks I have not been wanting to look at my mess but things are looking better. I am thinking by the end of December my system should be look good again with the growth that I was have back in the end of September.

I am pulling for you. Question: call Chris, he is really good about this kind stuff and I am pulling for your tank recovery

 

[Salty1962]

Hang in there, your tank will recover and you'll be wiser and have more success in the future from your experience!

 

[G8trBait16]

Well I haven't had much doser on at all since this happened, had 3 more corals die when I was at work today. Just tested the water and nothing seems terribly wrong anymore.
Alk: 7.2 dkh
Po4: .04
Mg: 1530
Cal: 390
Nitrate: .75-1ppm
So now I'm thinking could something else be in the water or bulbs be bad. could run carbon in my reactor and also buy 8 new t5 bulbs (current bulbs are only 2-3 months old). I am at a loss of words bc i have no idea what could be going on to still be making acro's stn and rtn.

 

[adestafi]

Your corals probably dont like the sudden changes.

 

[bubbaque]

Corals are probably still reacting from the alk going from 7 up to 12 and now back down to 7 all in just over a day.

 

[Brew12]

Well I haven't had much doser on at all since this happened, had 3 more corals die when I was at work today. Just tested the water and nothing seems terribly wrong anymore.
Alk: 7.2 dkh
Po4: .04
Mg: 1530
Cal: 390
Nitrate: .75-1ppm
So now I'm thinking could something else be in the water or bulbs be bad. could run carbon in my reactor and also buy 8 new t5 bulbs (current bulbs are only 2-3 months old). I am at a loss of words bc i have no idea what could be going on to still be making acro's stn and rtn.

Unfortunately, I've read that some corals don't show any symptoms for several days after an alk event. I would guess that this is just a delayed reaction and that you just need to work through it. Sorry man!

 

[Drs2140]

Sorry to hear the bad news, keep your head up!

 

[Ortho281]

Sorry to hear this! I had a similar issue when my doser failed and starting only dosing alk. The best thing to do like already said, is small water changes to slowly bring levels back to an acceptable range. Large water changes IMO only shocks the already stressed corals more! Good luck with the recovery!

 

[G8trBait16]

Thanks y'all, I figured in this hobby/job, nothing great happens over night. It is all about stability, just living and learning and hopefully this won't happen again. As upset as I am, this just allows more of an open canvas for different acros.