NanoTopia Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Hey you. Have you heard of the live Zoo product from alagagen? I was wondering how quickly it would work to color up corals in an ULNS tank like yours. Also, in reading ionic imbalance posts by Christine I was motivated to email Randy Holmes Farley for some tidbits I could share with you and her. Hope he replies. Any word back Kat? 1 Quote Link to comment
Arkayology Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I've been feeding a lot. 2x a day sometimes. But at least one full tank feeding per day. I think turning the skimmer off would help but I was worried how it would influence the ATO. markalot suggested dumping the cup of crap back in the tank. If I could figure out a way to keep the water level consistent in the sump regardless of if the skimmer is on or off I would have the skimmer run 12hours. Why are you so worried about your ATO and the skimmer? Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Why are you so worried about your ATO and the skimmer? cause if the skimmer is off it'll raise the water level. Then it won't top off until if stops below the sensor. Then if it turns back on the water level will drop below the sensor ump in more water in than normal. (If that makes sense) Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I see it quoted that I recommended dumping a skimmer cup back into the tank. Sorry if i said that, I heard of someone doing it to help raise nutrients, but I've never done it. Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 I see it quoted that I recommended dumping a skimmer cup back into the tank. Sorry if i said that, I heard of someone doing it to help raise nutrients, but I've never done it. Ah my bad. Misquoted. Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 cause if the skimmer is off it'll raise the water level. Then it won't top off until if stops below the sensor. Then if it turns back on the water level will drop below the sensor ump in more water in than normal. (If that makes sense) It would even itself out. Think of how much capacity the skimmer body has - usually less than a gallon. The change in salinity in a tank with, say, 75g total water volume between the sump and display (minus rock) would be a small bit over 1% - which is going from 35ppt to 34.65ppt - minuscule at best. When the skimmer is off, that will go back into the sump and the float valve will not activate again because of that. 1 Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 well fine then.... lol 1 Quote Link to comment
Arkayology Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 It would even itself out. Think of how much capacity the skimmer body has - usually less than a gallon. The change in salinity in a tank with, say, 75g total water volume between the sump and display (minus rock) would be a small bit over 1% - which is going from 35ppt to 34.65ppt - minuscule at best. When the skimmer is off, that will go back into the sump and the float valve will not activate again because of that. This is what I was thinking. It wouldn't make much of a difference. well fine then.... lol Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 well fine then.... lol Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 This weekend I'll set up the skimmer to run 12 hours. Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 horay. we can extend the STN list to: green slimer pink mille granulosa gomezi (my four oldest, largest, and favorite colonies) W T F IS GOING ON. seriously considering starting all over again. planning a 10G water change. skimmer is gonna run 12H instead of 24H. fragging the slimer, granulosa and gomezi and moving them to the frag tank.... Quote Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Sorry to hear this news Roger, This is a long shot but how are you testing salinity? Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Sorry to hear this news Roger, This is a long shot but how are you testing salinity? calibrated refractometer. Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Something is in the water. When you did all the plumbing did you use any suspect silicone? Can you get some polyfilter and see if it registers any contaminants? I'm forgetting what I've asked before, but have you checked PAR in the tank? Quote Link to comment
VABumpkin Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I think you should look into dosing some amino acid supplements and trace element complex. To me the corals paling and then dying sounds like a double whammy of low trace elements and nutrients. The fish poop isn't going to be sufficient if the skimmer is pulling it all out before the corals can absorb it. Just a hunch but I think it may solve your problem to skim only for 3 days out of the week for 12 hours and start dosing some nutrient additives and trace elements. Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Something is in the water. When you did all the plumbing did you use any suspect silicone? Can you get some polyfilter and see if it registers any contaminants? I'm forgetting what I've asked before, but have you checked PAR in the tank? again. i doubt its a contaminant. or else everything would be dying. its only my oldest colonies. no par meter. 4 bulbs @ 14" off the tank. i dk par. Quote Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 calibrated refractometer. How are you calibrating it? Can you have LFS check it with a digital refractometer? Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 I think you should look into dosing some amino acid supplements and trace element complex. To me the corals paling and then dying sounds like a double whammy of low trace elements and nutrients. The fish poop isn't going to be sufficient if the skimmer is pulling it all out before the corals can absorb it. Just a hunch but I think it may solve your problem to skim only for 3 days out of the week for 12 hours and start dosing some nutrient additives and trace elements. i've been dosing so much amino acids and coral food. along with sponge power, pohls extra, and coral vitalizer. colors came back a while ago... How are you calibrating it? Can you have LFS check it with a digital refractometer? with the fluid that came with it. i dk about the LFS i could check Quote Link to comment
VABumpkin Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 oh... never mind then. Quote Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 oh... never mind then. thanks for the input though. i'm trying so hard to stay positive. (i can tell my negativity is showing in my posts). everything was getting better. then bam STN. Quote Link to comment
VABumpkin Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 This is very odd. I'm going to read through your thread and see if I can pinpoint any possible causes. I'm really sorry about this Roger. It must be very hard to go be doing everything right and then have the corals crap out on you. Even worse that you can't figure out the cause. The N-R team will not rest until we figure out what's going wrong! 1 Quote Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 with the fluid that came with it. i dk about the LFS i could check What does the bottle say on it? What brand of reflectometer? Is it Auto Temperature Calibrated (ATC)? Roger, I would cross check your salinity with another instrument/technique, just so you can rule that out as a cause. From what you describe happening, it could be a salinity issue. 1 Quote Link to comment
NanoTopia Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Also, If you are running ULNS, 8.0-8.5 dKH can cause STN. Your target should be 7.0 dKH. Quote Link to comment
markalot Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 It may help to simply start writing down everything that an be done, from salinity testing to double checking KH to poly filter for contaminants, etc. Try to organize the chaos since we can all offer a hundrd suggestions but no idea what is really wrong yet. Quote Link to comment
VABumpkin Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Red bugs - did you ever do anything about these? I experienced a horrible and sudden red bug infestation in my reef a few years ago. Even corals that you can't directly see them on will still show stress and possibly lose tissue. I think your feeding is definitely helping the corals to fend off the red bugs but it seems that they're starting to take over. The corals essentially get smothered by them. I'm sure if you looked at the corals at night you would be horrified by the number of red bugs that appear. Quote Link to comment
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