Help is needed with bleaching

[myreef05]

Ok, 125 tank established 2 years. 29 gallon refugium/sump, CSS220 skimmer. 2-36" 8x39w T-5's. Been battling red slime, treated with chemi-clean.
Parameters are:
KH-15
PH-8.5
PO4- .5
ammonia-0
Trates-10
trites--0.3
Ca- 480-500
These readings are after 13 gallon water changes yesterday and today.
Some mushrooms are bleached real bad.
Frogspawn is as well, almost see through with no color.
Dwarf fuzzy not eaten in 7-10 days.
Decided to check temp.- it was 84 I am thinking this is my problem. Any advice? Thanks, Myreef

 

[maxalmon]

Wow, you pH, calcium and dKH are really high, what test kits are you using? What salts? The pH alone could be a problem, get it down to 8.15 or so. Don't use any chemicals, water changes, water changes, water changes....

 

[myreef05]

I was told by the LFS that tested my water last week to bring up the ph, kh and ca. They were
Ph-7.9
Kh- 5
Ca-400
I am using "Hagen" test kit
Thanks for answering.
Oh, ran out out of Oceanic, had to use I.O and then found some Red Sea.

 

[maxalmon]

How did you raise the levels and over what period of time did you make the change?
.
Your LFS was correct in stating the levels needed to be raised, the trick is how you raise the levels.
.
I would say the first thing you need are some Salifert test kits (CA, dKH and pH) My rule is that I DO NOT TRUST anyone else with my water water readings, period.........
.
If things are going downhill fast, do a LARGE water change or move the corals to a friends tank or QT

 

[maxalmon]

IMO these are ideal levels, debatable depending on livestock
Calcium 420
dKh 9-12
pH 8.15-8.20 It will fluctuate to a low of maybe 7.98

 

[myreef05]

Thanks for the replies. I raised the numbers over a 2 week time by adding buffers.
I did not know what was going on with the bleaching corals so i took a sample of water in for them to test. The readings I posted were from my test kits.
I also have what appears to be algea on a monti cap.
I checked temp. this morning and it was at 79-80. I will monitor it all day.

 

[nycbob]

i had a similar problem couple of weeks ago. it was due to my temperature going from 78 to 84. had it drop bk down to 80 and my corals r doing fine now.

 

[reefreak29]

i noticed u used chemiclean did u have detectable nitrites before using this?
because it may have killed off some nitrifing bacteria

 

[myreef05]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
i noticed u used chemiclean did u have detectable nitrites before using this?
because it may have killed off some nitrifing bacteria
I honestly did not check.
I have been able to keep the temp at 80 this entire day so hopefully that is it and will help.

 

[reefreak29]

this is just my opinion but you had a reading of .3 nitrites so u had to of had ammonia the day before. im thinking the chemiclean recycled your tank and the corals bleached because of it. a temp of 84 in my opinion will not do this , my tank last year got to 90 because of a crapy heater and all the corals and fish where fine

 

[puffer32]

i don't think its temp related either, in the summer alot of people have temp swings. I would say its a nitrite issue also.

 

[myreef05]

They were bleached before chemiclean was used. Now my xenia is not fully out either. Temp remained at 80 now for 2 days.
Could my bulbs be bad in the lights? I could have recieved cheap or bad bulbs? They were purchased off the internet at a bidding site. Catalina I believe made the fixture. Again 2-36" units all bulbs have individual reflectors,39w times 8 bulbs each light. #1&3 in each unit are actinics blues and the others are daylights.

 

[reefreak29]

Originally Posted by myreef05
They were bleached before chemiclean was used. Now my xenia is not fully out either. Temp remained at 80 now for 2 days.
Could my bulbs be bad in the lights? I could have recieved cheap or bad bulbs? They were purchased off the internet at a bidding site. Catalina I believe made the fixture. Again 2-36" units all bulbs have individual reflectors,39w times 8 bulbs each light. #1&3 in each unit are actinics blues and the others are daylights.
i suppose thats a pssibility those specific lights last longer then other ones, im just really worried about the trites, xenia doesnt really need all that much light anyhow, i would suggest doing a 25 percent water change today and another the next day

 

[myreef05]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
i suppose thats a pssibility those specific lights last longer then other ones, im just really worried about the trites, xenia doesnt really need all that much light anyhow, i would suggest doing a 25 percent water change today and another the next day
I changed water 2 days in a row. 10% each time. I am out of RO/DI and will have to be a couple of days before I can change again.