Death is everywhere

Ichthus · 12-13-2002, 10:06 AM

i tested my water a week ago and my calcium levels were at 700+. i did a 15g water change and tested last night and it was at 705. any reason why they are staying the same? my button polyp, yellow and orange sun polyp, torch and a blue tang have all died in last 2 weeks. actually, i think that my xenia might be dead too. it is not its normal perky self. nitrite/trate =0, ammonia=0, ph=7.3.

how much water should i evacuate without doing damage to ecosystem. should i do 1/2 water change tonight? is that too much?

Junkzoo · 12-13-2002, 10:16 AM

Hmmm, first thing i would do is try another test kit, or have someone near you ,,,(fellow reefer, LFS) test your water also.
seen enough times where test kits get "stupid"or WAY off on readings. a water change would never be a bad idea.just make sure your Calc levels are what the test says it is b4 you do some more work to the water,,,what's your Kh/Alk levels? if your Calcium is that high , your Alk oughta be low,,, what brand test kit? how old?keep in mind ,some test kits can sit on a LFS's shelf for a while, then backwards to the wholesaler,then the maker,you get the point.

Doug1 · 12-13-2002, 10:17 AM

Sorry to hear about your losses

What test kits are you using to measure calcium and pH? 700 is awfullly high calcium, it should be precipitating out, but if the pH is really 7.3 it will affect calcium levels as well as alkalinity, and most likely be the cause underlying the coral deaths

Low pH is associated with build up of CO 2 from respitation and acids produced during break down of waste. Inadequate surface movement hampering air gas exchange can exacerbate it
If its truly that low, I would do a series of 15 gal water changes using new SW thats mixed at least 24 hrs . Look into having your test verified and try to figure out the cause of the low pH. You may need to use a buffer or a 2 part calc/buffer after getting parameters back in line, HTH

Ichthus · 12-13-2002, 10:26 AM

whoops....my bad there. I mean my ph is 8.2. sorry. it's in normal range. I want to say the calcium kit is sealife? i tested my tap water last night and it was 75 on calcium. i tested my RO water and it was 30. i wil go to the lfs and have them test the water. i have not been testing for kh/alk. i will pick up a kit tonight.

Ok...now don't yell at me okay? But um....well....I uh....I guess there is no way to say this but to just blurt it out. I have been using tap water for my tank.

I have been since May '02 and haven't had any probs, so I really don't think that is the problem. Just don't call Fish Protective Services on me.

Ichthus · 12-13-2002, 10:32 AM

I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Saltwater Liquid Master Test Kit for amm, nitrate, nitrite, ph.

I use SeaTest for calcium. I did notice that I had to shake up the bottle as it appeared to have settled as there were particle sin the bottle.

Doug1 · 12-13-2002, 10:44 AM

OK thanks for correctin pH and being forthright on the tap water. Unfortunatly it may contain trace amounts of any number of things that sensitive inverts cant tolerate

You really need an RO/DI

Jeremy1973 · 12-13-2002, 07:47 PM

*taps his foot* now David...we talked about using the tap water. heh heh Sorry to hear about the losses bro.