AT A LOSS!!!!!!!!

shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by AquaKnight http:///forum/thread/385231/at-a-loss/60#post_3378484
The salinity in the tank is probably good, but since we're almost out of straws..... You definitely sure your refractometer is still calibrated correctly? I bolded "your" in my original post, as I would still really suggest for Shawn to go test with his. Not saying you're off, but maybe your refracto is.
My reasoning is this, and what, honestly, a lot of suggestions are overlooking. There are still 4 fish in your tank, right? The key to finding out what the problem is with the tank, is finding what in world can this 4 fish live with, that new additions can not. IMHO, something has gradually changed, to the point where new coral additions and fish additions (the flame) are dead within hours. The only thing that I can honestly think of that these 4 fish can tolerate, that, jeez, you say even macro algae died, is salinity being way off.
If there really is heavy metal/chlorine poisoning going on that's killing new additions, I'm trying to figure out how the 4 current inhabitants are still there.
I do have fish in the aquarium, 5 of them, but the power blue has only been the tank for 3 months, and you them. You look at them wrong they will get sick. I can double check the calibration on the refractometer, but you would think if it is off and I used it to mix salt in the 29 gallon and put frags in there and the salt is off then they would die too. Right?
The idea is great! and will look at it tonight for sure. I can take all the suggestions I can get.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Salinity could very well, and most likely be, fine. But like I said, I'm just trying to think of things that doesn't kill those 4/5 fish, not only on their introduction, but long-term either. For example if it was chlorine/chloramine poisoning, I just can't believe those 5 fish are able to live with it.
For explaining the 29gal, maybe it's not reading off, so much as randomly? Tough to say.
I would definitely suggest this, go ahead and try some macro algae again. Use a super-slow drip acclimation, only a drop every 30-45 seconds. At a minimum, if there is heavy metal poisoning, the macro will start to consume it, making life easier for those fish.
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Ok, so here is my game plan for next week. I plan on putting my fish into the 29 Gallon and empty my 125. I will put my rock and sand into buckets of saltwater. I will use a garden hose and fill the tank back up and put bleach in the tank and let run for 24 hours so that the bleach water can run through all the pumps. On the next day I will empty and fill the tank 2 or 3 times to get the bleach water out. At that point I should have enough RO water to fill up the tank, heat up, mix salt, and dose alk, cal, and mag to get everything to here they should be. I will let the tank sit over night, retest and if everything look correct I will move livestock over. If all the livestock does great, then it will be time to buy sand and LR to finish off the system and look forward to the future when I will be able to enjoy a reef tank.
Does all that sound good?
The only thing I hate to do, is move the fish so much. I will have to move them to 29 gallon to clean, then back to the 125, then back to 29 when I go to put sand and rock in and let cycle. The finally back into 125.
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Hello Everyone, Thank you very much for all of your input in the past. I wanted to bring you up to date and I belive I'm still having the same problem. I drained the tank and removed the rock and sand. I cleaned all pumps, skimmers, and replaced filter sock. Filled tank with fresh RO and mixed in salt. I moved livestock over from the small tank and my coral frags aren't opening up. We are on day 3 with no rock, no sand, and new water. I can't figure this out. The only thing I can do from here is to refill tank up till over flows but run tank with all the equipment in the "glass box" and don't use sump and see if that make a difference. I have no more idea's. What do you guys think is causing this to happen?
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
I was speaking to Melev Via facebook, and we are thinking the next step will be to fill the Glass Box without sump and run with power heads, then bring close loop online, then sump system. To see at which put the system fails and the corals start to show effects.
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Hello Everyone, I thought I would take the time to bring everyone up to speed as to where I stand with my coral problem.
I purchased two pieces of coral and placed them into a 10 Gallon tank for a couple of weeks to test if my incoming water was a problem. The coral did great in the little tank so I could rule out the incoming water and salt.
Next I filled up my large system and put pumps and heaters directly into the tank. I wanted to turn on different parts of the system in stages so I can determine the cause.
The coral was placed into the tank without any live rock or sand. It was basically an empty glass box. I ran the system like this for about two weeks without any sign of issues with the coral. I then needed to do a water change in the system, however my DIY water exchange system was plumbed into my close loop, which is fine since it was time to turn on that system and observe the coral.
Once the close loop was online and water change was complete I monitored the coral's health for additional two weeks with no ill effect to them.
It was time to buy a new and proper sump.

Which brings me to today. I bought new 140lb of sand which has been in the system for a week, and the 100lb of Fiji Cured Live Rock will arrive today. As you can see I pretty much started over with the exception of the glass tank, ocean motions, plumbing, and one of my pumps. My Dart pump is new also. After the cycle process has finished I will be adding livestock back to the tank and I hope to update you all. I feel at this point it was the rubber container I was using as a sump. I don't think it was food grade. To bad it took me this long to do this whole project or I wouldn't have lost as many animals as I did.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
I threw my skimmer and fuge away 4 years ago and have successfully kept all manner of coral in my 125g. I run a Fluval 404 and a skilter, but just use the Skilter for filtering and to break up the surface. Until I put an HOB to keep the surface agitated I couldn't keep coral other than shrooms. If all the filtering is under the surface and the top isn't agitated there is something...can't remember...that builds up because the water body can't properly oxygenate.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Hopefully this will solve the issue once and for all. That sump looks good, Shawn did a nice job on it. Definately keep us posted on this. Good luck!
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Haha, you would think so with all the problems I've had with it. I hope with all the work I could finally keep coral.
 
shabbajh

shabbajh

Member
Well the new rock showed up via UPS. The rock were huge, no smell and packaged really well. Here are a few shots of the rock and a shot of the 30 gallon tank holding the coral and fish.


 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Looks good Jerry!!!!! Have to get down and check out the progress. Thanks Corey!!!!! Can't take all the credit....Stole Melev's design and he gave Jerry and I a lot of insight on the design during the process....
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
I'm just wondering when you bought the rubber maid container did you wash it and air it out? new rubbermaids (almost all plastics) do leach plasticines into the water which can be absorbed by your rock. as far as I know they can be toxic to fishes and corals. the newer they are the more plasticines are offgassing. so if you brought it from the store to home and filled it with water that would be my best guess as to cause. I usually leave new totes out side for a couple weeks to off gass any plasticines. you can tell by the smell If you stick your head in the tote and smell plastic (that's the plasticines) its not ready. (thats also what gives new cars the new car smell) the more flexible a plastic is the more plasticines are used in its construction. hard plastics have less. thats what makes those ugly green totes ideal for this sort of stuff. low plasticine content. I have used NON-food grade totes dozens of times even made entire frag grow out systems out of them. they can be used. just have to prepare them correctly, its too bad there was no one who could inform you of this before your tragic set up.
Well hopefully this round goes a lot smoother for you. Best of luck.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Talked to Jerry the other day while out on the road, and it appears things are turning around for him......Everything is doing rather well, since the new sump install and moving everything back to the main DT.....The only thing that appears to not have liked the move is his frogspawn. Hopefully Jerry will chime in and give us a detailed update......
 
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