pH bouncing up and down

[Phoenix-cry]

Okay so I set up a stunning Fluval saltwater tank with a heavy light mod, the works. I have 6 pounds of live rock, soft corals and until this morning a very small clown fish.

 

The clownfish was dead this morning and half the zoos are closed up. This is due to a pH divebomb. Now, is the big question: is it the low gas exchange in the Fluval that may have caused this? Is it true that even if you get the lighting right that Fluvals still can't be a reef tank?

 

I did a waterchange of about 50% four days ago and I buffered the new water to a pH of 8.2 before adding it as well as heated it to 80 degrees.

 

A friend just gave me a 12 gallon nanocube...I'm thinking of just switching over....but I LOVE my Fluval so much, but if it is going to crash at the slightest touch I think I should just move to 12 gallons.

[Brillig]

I don't claim to know anything about this, but there is a Fluval Edge thread on the forum (search), and I think it includes people who keep corals.

[gabe_j]

got any more stats on the tank exact numbers, age, supplements if any, new additions, lighting? also why did you do such a big wc?

[Phoenix-cry]

The big water change was a result of going away for a week and a half and coming home to a tank in trouble (my friend did a water change and the salt was through the roof). I've heard of people who do such a large water change on a regular basis for a nano.

 

Other stats: 80 degrees, no nitrates, no nitrites, no ammonia, lights one 18 watt 50/50 CF, one 9 watt 10,000 K, moonlight. Tank has been running a few months.

 

 

 

Oh, I also use 'Fuel' as a sup.

[gabe_j]

ouch.. how high was the salt? it could have been if the salt was really high and you took 1/2 the water out and replaced it with "normal" water you went from hypersalinity to hyposalinity waaay too fast shocking your sysem, and thats why stuff started dying. if i'm not mistaken salinity can affect ph. also are you checking your salinity/ph before or after heating. i couldn't tell you why from a chemistry stand point but i know its not good man. also are you sure there wasn't just a bubble stuck to your hydrometer? its happened to be before that needle shot straight up, and before i added a crapload of ro/di i rinsed my hydrometer again and checked it 3 or 4 more times. and it finally read accurately. are you making it a point of rinseing your hydrometer several times in fresh water after testing. salt dried on your equipment can also have an affect on your test giving you false highs.

[Phoenix-cry]

I've been careful with my hydrometer, but I'll give it another test to make sure it's okay! I test the salt before and after heating.

[Mitch619]

Get rid of the fluval. I have the same tank and it didn't crash, but I kept having to "mod" it one way or another. The fluval edge is awesome but not as a reed tank.

[Phoenix-cry]

Mitch, yeah, I think I'm going to just switch over to the 12 gallon nano cube and make the fluval freshwater again....as nature intended. Sigh.

[ajmckay]

I think the fluval is designed for FW, but at the same time I don't see why you couldn't start a reef with it... What's your ALK at? Why did you buffer your water to 8.2 ? What was it initially at? I would try and figure out the source of the problem before giving up altogether. Is the salt mix you're using fresh? What is your water source?

 

You may have to modify it such that the top is left off of the tank, or at least open at the top.

[Phoenix-cry]

I use RO water and the mix was bought just a month ago. I don't want to mod it so that the top is left off cause that defeats the purpose of an Edge. It is most certainly designed for freshwater and I knew it was going to be a tough mod, but I thought that the light would be the hardest part. I buffered it cause it was around 7 (don't know why the salt mix didn't raise it). I really want my coral to florish and it was...but I also don't want to be home bound cause my tank can't live without me for ten days.

[nibor]

I buffered it cause it was around 7 (don't know why the salt mix didn't raise it).

 

Something smells fishy here. Verify your testing.

 

Regardless of aeration related pH problems, any reputable salt mix should not mix this low.

What test kit are you using and which salt.

[Pickle010]

I've heard of people who do such a large water change on a regular basis for a nano.

 

This is true when people take the time to match the paramiters of the old water with the new water - mainly salinity and temperature. If the parameters are the same you could technically change 100% of the water.

 

HOWEVER - if your salinity was high - and you replaced the water with salinity that was much lower you probably shocked the system and triggered some of the problems.

 

You may very well have a PH issue but I don't think it is what killed your livestock.

 

When I lower salinty in a tank I do it gradually over days being careful not to let it sway more then a point a day.

 

This is true for almost any parameter you might test for. High calcium - no problem -water changes, over time will correct it.

 

Doing anything fast in a reef tank is bad news.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I buffered it cause it was around 7 (don't know why the salt mix didn't raise it).

 

 

How old is this tank? What test kit are you using?