what is happening to everything..pics of star & open brain

[mantisman51]

I was having a problem keeping my ph up-7.8 was right where it stayed. I posted on here and someone, I can't remember who, said that I needed better oxygen exchange on the surface of the water and I should get a HOB type filter that will keep the surface "broken". I thought it was crazy, but was desperate to quit killing coral and tried it with a 350 gph Skilter. My ph, with just basic water changes, stays at 8.2-8.3, now. Some old-timers will probably say "bunk", but it works. If I were in your place, I would definitely get something to break the surface of the water column for better oxygen exchange. Powerheads suck at this because to stir the surface of the water enough, you'll have salt build up pretty bad.

 

[ophiura]

Take about a gallon of water in a jug or bucket. Put an airstone and aerate it for several hours. If the pH increases, you have a gas exchange issue.
This is caused by not enough surface aggitation, or having glass tops or similar that don't allow natural off gas of CO2 in the system.
However, pH is also caused by imbalance of alkalinity and calcium (at the basic level). This is why no pH reading is really the whole picture as a one off reading. First you need both readings (after lights on all day and after lights off all night) and then you need the alkalinity and calcium readings.
If you have a CO2 problem, for example, adding a bunch of buffer will not help and may, in fact, cause significant issues. NEVER add pH buffer to a tank without knowing your alk and calcium, as there is more to pH than just an additive.
I have no issues with salt creep using power heads, personally. You don't need the equivalent of a wave breaking up there, you just need movement on the water surface that breaks it a bit...not bubbles or anything.

 

[ophiura]

BTW, if you do not have a refractometer, and you see no change after adding more salt using your hydrometer....I would be wary of doing anything else. Rapid changes in specific gravity are never good, and if you are not having success at measuring it, that could be a real problem too. I, personally, would just top off with your "normal" saltwater mix and not try to make it higher at this time. After a couple of days, you should see it slowly increasing.

 

[tax lady]

Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3101235
I was having a problem keeping my ph up-7.8 was right where it stayed. I posted on here and someone, I can't remember who, said that I needed better oxygen exchange on the surface of the water and I should get a HOB type filter that will keep the surface "broken". I thought it was crazy, but was desperate to quit killing coral and tried it with a 350 gph Skilter. My ph, with just basic water changes, stays at 8.2-8.3, now. Some old-timers will probably say "bunk", but it works. If I were in your place, I would definitely get something to break the surface of the water column for better oxygen exchange. Powerheads suck at this because to stir the surface of the water enough, you'll have salt build up pretty bad.
Do you know where I could put another filter on a closed 23 gal aquapod? If so tell me so I can do it. And also suggest what to buy for such a nano tank.
thanks,

 

[mantisman51]

Well, Ophiura says a powerhead would work, so I would think a small powerhead would work in a small tank better than an HOB filter. But, I have seen Aquapods "customized" with small HOB's. The guy I buy most of my coral from in Tucson has 3 set up with mini-HOB's. But, ophiura is more of an expert than I. You might try the powerhead first.

 

[tax lady]

Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3101289
Take about a gallon of water in a jug or bucket. Put an airstone and aerate it for several hours. If the pH increases, you have a gas exchange issue.
This is caused by not enough surface aggitation, or having glass tops or similar that don't allow natural off gas of CO2 in the system.
However, pH is also caused by imbalance of alkalinity and calcium (at the basic level). This is why no pH reading is really the whole picture as a one off reading. First you need both readings (after lights on all day and after lights off all night) and then you need the alkalinity and calcium readings.
If you have a CO2 problem, for example, adding a bunch of buffer will not help and may, in fact, cause significant issues. NEVER add pH buffer to a tank without knowing your alk and calcium, as there is more to pH than just an additive.
I have no issues with salt creep using power heads, personally. You don't need the equivalent of a wave breaking up there, you just need movement on the water surface that breaks it a bit...not bubbles or anything.
as i told Mantisman, I don't know where I could put another filter in a closed system like my 24 gal aquapod.
Also in telling my params above, I could not get my alk, dont know how to do the test correctly
Ordered a refratormeter today. Also will try the plain water w/ aerator and let you know.
Is there anything else I can do, let me know about what to do about another filter or just an aerator. Do I just put an airstone in a new jug of water and add to the tank then test the ph, or what? Tell me exactly.
Thanks for all your help...you are leading me in the right direction. I am just learning all this.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/3101809
Well, Ophiura says a powerhead would work, so I would think a small powerhead would work in a small tank better than an HOB filter. But, I have seen Aquapods "customized" with small HOB's. The guy I buy most of my coral from in Tucson has 3 set up with mini-HOB's. But, ophiura is more of an expert than I. You might try the powerhead first.
You misunderstand me. I'm not saying a HOB WON"T work...I'm just saying that powerheads do not need to cause big salt creep issues. So whatever you do to get water moving at the surface is good...however, the water should also be circulated near the bottom of the tank in this situation too. Oftentimes most of our circulation is limited to the upper part of the tank.

 

[tax lady]

Spoke to my lfs and he said that I have lots of flow in there. Forget how many gal per hr, etc. I had bought the tank from his girlfriend and he is familiar with it.

 

[mr.clownfish]

there not dieing from high flow..