Gahhhhhhhhh

[saltwaternoob]

I had/have a algae growth issue on my sand. I reduced feeding. I reduced the time the lights are on down to 4 hours and I got a Rio 1400 powerhead for my 55 gal. It has been almost 2 weeks and it has cleared up some but not much. All of my water parameters are near perfect. My turbo snails are still dying. I am down to 4 out of 10. My brittle is now acting lethargic and just now he was upside down with his belly facing the lights. I have never seen him do that before so I tried to move him with some tongs and he was super stiff as if dead and he started to move slightly when that happened. I am out of ideas to try and resolve this matter. Has something like this happened to anyone else before?

 

[isistius]

how long have you had the tank? what are the water parameters?

 

[dmjordan]

definately need more info about your tank. water parameters, how long has tank been running, what else is in the tank,, etc..

 

[blcard]

temp seemed to be a big difference on mine, was running about 80 got it down to 77 and most disappeared.
Also, what lights do you have. I had 6500k Metal Halides and switched to 14k and it was a HUGE difference in algae growth.

 

[saltwaternoob]

nitrate 10, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, phosphate .1, kh 10.5, calcium 400, ph 8.2, temp 78, sg 1.025. We use 10,000k and actinics. Tank has been going over 6 months now. My poor brittle, the crabs are pushing him around when they move and he isn't even retracting his arms like normal. He was fine last night. I am more concerned for him then anything else. He is stiff as heck. The hairs on his coin are moving as if doing the wave but that has been normal for him. I just fed every1 and he used little tube feet to bring himself a few pellets but besides that no movement.

 

[coraljunky]

What is your water source?

 

[saltwaternoob]

real ocean water

 

[coraljunky]

Have you ever tested the water straight from the ocean? You have phos probably from the nitrates. How often do you feed and what are your means of filtration?

 

[1journeyman]

How are you testing for salinity?
Sounds like 2 seperate issues to me, or at least could be.
How much flow, gph do you have in tank?

 

[saltwaternoob]

Sorry I should have specified. The real ocean water is a bottled brand from *****. It is prefiltered with 0 phospates. I feed my corals every other day and my fish and bta every 2 days. It was more then this but I cut down alot when the bloom started. we use a wet dry and a venturi skimmer in sump.

 

[saltwaternoob]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
How are you testing for salinity?
Sounds like 2 seperate issues to me, or at least could be.
How much flow, gph do you have in tank?
We use a hydrometer for salinity and we have a 500 gph pump with a 1400 powerhead

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by SaltWaterNoob
We use a hydrometer for salinity and we have a 500 gph pump with a 1400 powerhead
Ok, circulation sounds ok. Make sure you have good flow directly across your sand bed.
Get your water tested at a lfs. Hydrometers are notorious for going bad and giving false readings. A salinity issue could be what is killing your inverts.

 

[saltwaternoob]

I will do that in the am. I am so sad atm. I don't think my brittle is going to make it. I feel liek crying.

 

[saltwaternoob]

which kills inverts? high or low salinity?

 

[coraljunky]

Originally Posted by SaltWaterNoob
which kills inverts? high or low salinity?
Low

 

[1journeyman]

Inverts, especially stars, don't like fluctuations in salinity in either direction.

 

[saltwaternoob]

There has been a constant reading for as long as i can remember. I just bugged him again and noticed 2 things. 1) He has a white spot on his disk that is about 1/8' of an inch long that is new, no idea what it is. 2) He has buried 1/2 of his disk in the sand and a snail was on his legs crossing over and he wasn't affected by it

 

[buckster71]

Hmmm...
Maybe a bad batch of water from *****? If this is something all of a sudden then that might be the problem. I used to work in bottled water. There was a company in that I worked at (I was installing a new packaging machine) that had problems because ammonia got into the water. Got lawsuits from it.
Pockets of stuff get into things that are mass produced. Also that stuff probably has a shelf life...expired?
Definate dos
1) get a refractometer
2) get a refractometer
3) get a refractometer
4) run a battery of tests before you put the water in your tank. Never trust a corporation with your life or the life of your fish.

 

[saltwaternoob]

the lfs oepns in 2 hours. I will see if they have a refractometer. Here is a pic of my lil guy. I hope he pulls thru

he is upside down with his mouth facing up again. his arms are very stiff kind of feels like aluminum foil when i try to move them

 

[saltwaternoob]

Update:
Brittle is still alive with the same symptoms. I had the lfs test my water and it is perfect. Salinity was slightly high (just took care of that). I purchased some garlic drops and a carbon filter in hopes that the garlic will start to cure and the carbon will siphon out any toxins.