Calcium overdose!!!

[Sahin]

Yesterday I was out for a long while.

 

When I got back I saw that my colt coral was retracted and floppy which is not usual.

 

This morning it looks like its going to die...

 

I quickly did tests etc;

Ammonia; 0

Nitrite; 0

Nitrates; 15

pH; 8.1

Calcium; OFF the scale...too much.

 

I think my little bro messed around in my room with my neighbours kids! :mad:

 

A lock is going up on my bedroom door!

 

I looked at the Calcium bottle and it looks like there is a fair amount missing!

 

All the other corals seem alright. I did a small water change anyway.

 

I moved the colt coral near to the powerhead for greater water flow and slightly more light. It seems only a little better...

 

Is there anything else I can do?

 

What are the symptons of calcium overdose? Will my other corals be alright? Or will my tank crash?

[Satchmo]

Isn't this the second time your bro messed with your tank? I think a beating may be in order.

[Kapelakin]

I'd just stick with a few more small water changes until you can get calcium readings and/or things start perking up.

 

Calcium should precipitate out of solution at about 500 ppm, making it impossible to OD. I'm guessing that the problem is more in the quick chemistry change in the tank, and with any other chemicals that are in your calcium supplement.

 

I agree, your brother needs to be whacked with a mackeral or something.

[Sahin]

Yup, 2nd time! :mad:

Both times he's done it while I am away, and with the help of some other little buggers.

 

He's not allowed to watch TV for one week (he loves the Simpsons and Tweenies) and he's been banished to his him for the whole weekend.

--That'll teach him.

 

The tank is looking alright. The colt coral I am not sure, it might be alright, might not. I guess this shows which is the weakest coral in the tank.

[Sahin]

Whacked with a mackeral!

I really imagined this in my head and burst out laughing!

[Nishant3789]

what do you mean u thought this all up in ure head? yea i agreee a beating is in order

"give him the cane! the cane! the cane!"

how old is he?

nishant

[Sahin]

Yeah, I just imagine my little bro being wacked with a large fish...hehehe I thought it was quite funny.

 

Little bro is only 6

I am 25

Big age differance.

 

Anyway, I think I am going to loose my first coral. :mad:

[rhinoivory]

Thats it, you people are no fun, why not a stunned mullet, a rubber chicken or a cat? Thats where the funs at!

 

Sahin, soz to hear about this man! I hope d best for your coral!!! Kids will always be kids, dont be too harsh, my 5 year old cuz wiped out a betta tank with laundry detergent!!

 

Don

[tinyreef]

i'm assuming that your calcium supplement is calcium chloride and that's why it's not precipitating like kapelakin mentioned. you might want to try some buffering product (bicarbonate ingredient) to help force the calcium to precipitate out. you mentioned a 8.1 pH anyway.

 

i wouldn't go crazy though, just follow the mfg. suggestions to start. also that would be my second choice, first is always water change in such a drastic circumstance. if you do go the buffer way keep an eye on your salinity (action = reaction). good luck and think about venomous tank inhabitants.

[Korbin]

I would make him eat the coral he killed.

[Sahin]

rhinoivory: laundry deterget... hehehehe sorry, not funny, but sounds funny.

 

Was the little one attempting to clean the tank?

[Sahin]

The corals dead

 

I forgot to mention, I took it out earlier and removed it from its rock, threw the coral away.

 

My first ever coral death

£30 it cost me.

[jay2k2]

Originally posted by Satchmo

Isn't this the second time your bro messed with your tank?  I think a beating may be in order.

 

i agree

make sure there are lots of purple nirples and noogies!

[jay2k2]

Originally posted by Sahin

Yeah, I just imagine my little bro being wacked with a large fish...hehehe I thought it was quite funny.

 

Little bro is only 6

I am 25  

Big age differance.

 

Anyway, I think I am going to loose my first coral. :mad:

 

cough *accident* cough

excuse me i have something in my throat!

[tinyreef]

that's a friggin shame! i'm sorry...for your brother's impending misfortune at your hands! that'll teach that little whippersnapper!

[Kapelakin]

Originally posted by rhinoivory

Thats it, you people are no fun, why not a stunned mullet, a rubber chicken or a cat? Thats where the funs at!

 

 

Did I say mackerel? I meant a mulleted rubber mackerel.

 

Sahin, didn't you say you have a teenage brother too? I think that's the one I was thinking of. Old enough to know better...

[Ich]

:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[HuBu]

heres an idea. get liquid CO2 or any type of CO2. add it into the tank. it would bond with the Ca in the tank forming white powder CaCO3. a reverse of what people might have added into the their tank. although this might raise the pH somewhat.

[jay2k2]

£30 is like 70 bucks CANADIAN WHOLY sh!t! i can get corals for 20 bucks CANADAIN! which is about £8.50 eheheh!

[rhinoivory]

Nah man, I dont think he knew what he was doing, hes done this before, I had this nice little set up goin, and what does he do? He feeds the fish cookies, hahahahahahaha, at least their last meal was a feast, plenty of left overs minds you, a helluve pain trying to get it out the filters and the substrate!

 

He possibly got the idea because he sees me adding chems, tried to sopy me or something....

[Sahin]

I have 4 brothers, me oldest at 25, then 24, 19, sister 18, bro 15, and then the little bugger aged 6.

 

See last time I left the 15 year old bro in charge as he helps me with the tank alot.

But of course he was having fun out with his friends that week I was away and the little one got his chance to mess around my tank with my little cousins that came to visit.

 

Corals are very expensive here.

Most corals start at £25 and go up to £70 for the nicer coloured or rarer ones.

 

Most large clams ie 4-5inches are about £75

 

The only cheap corals are leather corals; £15 and most anemones for some reason are quite cheap over here at £15-25

 

My plate coral cost me £30, candy coral cost me £29...

 

Oh well, the rest of the tank seems fine today.

 

All corals have opened up fine today.

So things are looking good.

 

I also attribute the death of that coral due to weakness already present in the coral.

 

The coral had a tear on one side probabaly when it was detached from a larger bunch or rock. I should have checked more thoroughly before buying. Next time I aint going with friends who are crazy about football...I bought the coral during the world cup and my friend drove me to pet store....

 

Anyway, enough rambling.

[rhinoivory]

LOL, World Cup fever, causing worl wide destruction since...............? fill me in

 

From where do your corals come from Sahin? As in, where are they farmed or collected? My cuz, who lives in the south of Italy has a massive 200 custom set-up and has gotten most of his corals from the medditeranean.

[Sahin]

Most of the corals that are sold in the UK are wild collected. There are now coral farms being setup, with one already present in Kent.

 

Most of the LFS in London get thier stock from STM. So prices generally are high.

 

I try to get frags whenever I can.

[rhinoivory]

Ahh, i thought so, I would have imagined coral prices would be high. I wouldnt imagine GB would have the best climate for corals.

[tinyreef]

i thought corals weere expensive here! hang the little rugrat! make him clean the skimmer!

 

my tank is SO off-limits to everyone! :mad: my brother, who's been keeping FW for close to thirty years and raised seahorses way back in '83 doesn't mess with it.