coralline algae turning white, huge ph swings, and calicum off the charts!

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 04:24 PM

Well when my lights turned on today i started to do the basic testing due to the coralline algea turning white. I found that my calicum is not even on the chart i'am talking 600plus range, ph 7.8, all the others factors are sitting at zero. I do not have a alk test kit but i would guess it is way off due to the calicum be so far off. I just done a water change yesterday out of concern and thought that it might help. Nope. Any ideas on what is going on. This is a 24 gallon ap, 150 watt mh, aqua c remora skimmer and a hang o filter. I dont have any idea what is going on but i feel if i don't do something now there is going to be big problems soon. Any other info needed? Help please

dobejazz · 03-25-2007, 05:49 PM

when did the coraline turn white? after the waterchange, was it exposed to air?

Not sure on how to rebalance the calcium and alk but some one will pop in soon

Casey · 03-25-2007, 06:12 PM

Water changes at the normal reading will get it back in check fast
what have you been adding calcium additives wise?

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 06:13 PM

It started turning white a couple days ago. It has not all turned white yet but its slow and sure. This happened before the water change. I have not changed any thing that i do with this tank so that has really got me lost. I do 1 1/2 gallon water changes every friday, i do not dose, and i keep my hands out of my tank as much as possible. Oh nothing in the display area is exposed to air because my evaporation and water change levels happen in the false wall area. ?????????

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 06:16 PM

I was told that i did not need to dose a nano? The water changes were suppose to replinish all that is needed??? Is this correct? I just do water changes. I bought some nano a and b, started dosing and was told to stop.

Casey · 03-25-2007, 06:18 PM

Water changes will not keep calcium in the 450ish range usually
I add calcium to keep mine up in the 400s if yours is off the chart I would say you added to much a & b already.

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 06:52 PM

thanks, the only problem with the a and b thing is it has not been added in 4 months. ?????

Casey · 03-25-2007, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Neal

thanks, the only problem with the a and b thing is it has not been added in 4 months. ?????

Well what else have you been adding calcium does not raise itself
I suspect your test kit if you havent been adding anything else.

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 07:04 PM

No nothing else casey, just water changes. I have not really thought about it being my test kit! Maybe so? I will get another another one and see. But i'am still showing signs of something being off? What about my ph swings? How much of a swing should i see from lights being off to on? ARGHHHHHH!!!! awalys something. Getting frustrated....... seems like the more i try the worse things get.

gman0526 · 03-25-2007, 07:42 PM

You mentioned your ph being @ 7.8 what's the other end of the "swing"? What's your "usual" Ca level?

EMX002 · 03-25-2007, 07:46 PM

well. My tanks only 3 months old. and I have 5 soft corals. 1 yellow tang, 6 chromis and 2 fire shrimp.

I add calcium now and then and you know what Ive only been in TRT for 3 months. Im also getting white spots or small patches on a certain area of my coralline algae.Im not worried about it yet as its very small. Hvaent checked my readings for about 2 days. But my calcium level is above 400.

I was told that I didnt need to add calcium additive for the first 6 months/ year. But it was given to me free. Probabaly a bad idea to add to much.

This thread has cautioned me anyway, if it does come down to calcium.

Casey · 03-25-2007, 07:51 PM

Joel mine can swing from 7.9 to 8.3 sometimes and have no problems with that what type test kits do you use?

Joel Neal · 03-25-2007, 08:02 PM

yea my swing is the same 7.8 to 8.3, the test kit is aquarium pharmaceuticals.

My usual ca levels are 450ish.

crvz · 03-25-2007, 08:03 PM

I cant prove there is any correlation, but when my alkalinity swings (especially if it falls low for a day or so, say below 7 dkh) I get a huge coralline algae die-off (turns white, then becomse covered in diatoms as it "decays", then comes back after a few months). I've been told that the drop in alkalinity doesnt immediately affect the coralline, but the loss of available carbon in the water column will affect the bacteria in the tank, which then may kill off the coralline. I've never taken a college level biology or chemistry class (just a stupid mechanical engineer), so I don't really understand the relationship...

Casey · 03-25-2007, 08:07 PM

Joel get a more reliable test kit like Salifert then tell us what your readings are.