Neptune Aquatics

Tanks not flourishing

musclebenz

Supporting Member
My new tank has been established for 8 months but things are not growing and barely hanging on. My zoo's are not opening and my bubble coral is shrinking. Any suggestions:

I have performed major water changes over the past 4 weeks without any improvement.

Here are my tanks stats:

150 Gallons
Salinity 1.026
Mg 1500pm
Phosphates .03
Alk 10.8 dkh
Calicum 450
 
Temp is 76
Water Source is my own RODI Unit. filter just recently changes.
I have a protein skimmer going
My light source our two strips of LED reef lights. Just recently installed, prior to that High cap T-5 with the same results
The tank has a stand and canopy with plenty of ventilation. Had same setup with my 100 gallon and they were okay i there.
Sump on bottom of tank
Filter sock in sump to clean water from the over flow.
 
How are you testing for the salinity? Someone recently was telling me they were using a refracto and calibrating it to the RO/DI and not a solution. It was way off with the salinity showing in the healthy range but in actuality it was WAY low (1.015? I think). That may your issue....


-Gregory
 
Greg if you look at his parameters it's doubtful his salinity is that off....

Mg 1500pm
Alk 10.8 dkh
Calicum 450
 
GreshamH said:
Greg if you look at his parameters it's doubtful his salinity is that off....

Mg 1500pm
Alk 10.8 dkh
Calicum 450

I'm not experienced enough, yet, to equate ralationships between all the parameters. But that's why I'm here! To learn! :)

-Gregory
 
Think of it this way, if your three major components are inline, your salinity most likely is as well.

Sounds like you need this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
 
musclebenz said:
The tank has a stand and canopy with plenty of ventilation. Had same setup with my 100 gallon and they were okay i there.
Probably not a ventilation issue with good air exchange between tank and room.

But just to be sure, does the room/house have a good supply of fresh air?
 
Voltage? Environmental pollution (got a chemi autoclave in the house any where)? Drop a screw or nut in the tank? Bad batch of salt?

Have you tried Poly-Filters? Extra carbon? Moving the critters to a known stable tank?
 
I was using SeaChem Reef Salt which drove my calicum off the charts, so with your forums recommendations, I brought a few bags of Instant Ocean to get the Calicum back within paramenters. My next steps will be investing in a canister filter and adding carbon and filter media.

What Salt mix do you recommend?
 
How about flow in the tank guys?
Any Vortech or powerheads in the tank for circulation?
What is the GPM of the sump to tank pump?
 
musclebenz said:
I was using SeaChem Reef Salt which drove my calicum off the charts, so with your forums recommendations, I brought a few bags of Instant Ocean to get the Calicum back within paramenters. My next steps will be investing in a canister filter and adding carbon and filter media.

What Salt mix do you recommend?

I'd just get a media reactor. They are easier on carbon, which you don;t want to tumble to hard or it send little bits of GAC into your tank... not a good thing.
 
with a multi meter. Put one probe in the tank and the other to outlet ground.


Another possibility is that your electrolytes are out of balance. What does your Brawndo dosing schedule look like?
 
I have 3 vortech's total. 1 on the left and two on the right. There is a constant flow throughout the tank. The sump pump has a rating of 630 GPH.
 
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