How long would you wait?

[Awibrandy]

Hi folks, how long would you wait before starting to add corals once the tank's pars have been stabilized? I am very anxious to start adding the corals I lost.

I lost just about every coral in my tank due to a crash. I have gotten the numbers near to where they should be.

5/30/2012
Mag 1335 ppm
Alk 11.5 dkh
Cal 355 ppm
PH 8.0 - 8.1
Sal 1.25

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

What are your nitrite and nitrates levels looking like that and ammonia too?

 

[Awibrandy]

What are your nitrite and nitrates levels looking like that and ammonia too?

Hi Angelo, didn't post them because they are all at 0.

The crash was due to extremely high alk, and very low cal.;(

 

[nanoreefer22]

Awilda, I'd wait til cal was sitting at 400-420 and alk down to 9-9.5dkh. I think that's a pretty safe range, I don't like my alk higher than 9.5dkh.

 

[Awibrandy]

Awilda, I'd wait til cal was sitting at 400-420 and alk down to 9-9.5dkh. I think that's a pretty safe range, I don't like my alk higher than 9.5dkh.

Thanks Kris!! Getting cal up to 400-420 will more then likely be tonight as I am doing another water change in a few minutes. The alk is a bit more difficult as IO mixes at 13 dkh.

Question still stands: How long after reaching ideal pars should one wait before adding animals? More specifically SPS............

 

[nanoreefer22]

I would wait til you've been in your "safe range" for about 2-3 weeks. If IO is mixing that high I would change salts. There's no way to bring it down unless you stop doing water changes, let alk drop and manually dose Cal to bring it up.

 

[rbtwo4]

id play it even more safe and wait a month. awilda when did this crash happen? and do u know why?

 

[nanoreefer22]

id play it even more safe and wait a month. awilda when did this crash happen? and do u know why?

From Awilda...The crash was due to extremely high alk, and very low cal.;(

 

[duke62]

Awilda your alk is a bit high/ i would really get it down to 8.5 and cal in the 400 range. change salts if its mixing that high. i would also invest in a cal reactor if you want a stable cal/alk and you will never worry about dosing again . but if you want to add corals and not concerned with all that just be 100 percent sure your ammonia levels are zero since the crash wasnt to long ago

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks guys!!! I really do appreciate all the help!:grouphug:

Just finished doing a water change. I will test all the pars in a few, and post them.

Rob, the crash happened somewhere between the beginning, and middle of May. The whole sordid details are in my tank thread. You can click on the link at the bottom of any of my post.

James, there are so many things I have to worry about, and read so many post/thread on issues with cal reactors I'd rather not get one. At least for now...

 

[Awibrandy]

About an hour after a water change with IO

PH 8.0
Temp 77.7
Salinity 1.25
Ammonia 0
Trites 0
Trates 0
Mag 1320 ppm
Alk 12.5 dkh
Cal 380 ppm
P04 .13 ppm

Not going to do a water change for a week, and test before & after. In the mean time I will continue to dose cal & mag.

 

[dubs]

U lost the elegance too damn that thing was sexy that was my favorite piece in ur tank damn that really sucks I lost mine also I had lta went for walk and killed it

 

[KathyC]

Better to wait for the parameters to stabilize before adding anything else. A 3 to 4 week wait should tell you if the are stable on a tank of your size.

 

[Awibrandy]

U lost the elegance too damn that thing was sexy that was my favorite piece in ur tank damn that really sucks I lost mine also I had lta went for walk and killed it

Yup, it's gone!:sad2: I had it for over 4 years, and now it's gone.;( The saddest part is that I will never find another like it.

 

[Wolverine57]

Hey Awilda sorry to hear about your crash....anyway wait just a little more. Once you start putting some corals in your tank...remember little by littlle..don't spend your husband entire check....LOL Have a nice weekend!

 

[skene]

oh no!
sorry to hear about it...
when you are back up and running.. LMK.

 

[rbtwo4]

From Awilda...The crash was due to extremely high alk, and very low cal.;(

I should've rephrased t and say "how that got so high?"

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks Johnny!

Thank you skene!

I should've rephrased t and say "how that got so high?"

Rob, the sordid details are in my "Tank Thread", which can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of any of my posts.
It all began when I was trying to figure out how much to dose on a daily basis because weekly water changes were no longer sufficient. I was having a difficult time with that. Every time I got one par in order another would dip, then the PH started dipping. At 1 point the PH dropped to 7.5, and I panicked. I then dosed Baking Soda forgetting that it would also raise the alkalinity. After that I got busy with the outdoor chores, and neglected to continue with the water changes, and dosing. By the time I noticed some of the corals not doing well, and got busy with testing; the alk was outrageously high, Mag & cal way low, as well as the PH. Within a day or so all SPS began RTN.

Things are much better now!!! As of yesterday evening the pars are as follow:
Mag 1365 ppm
Alk 10.5 dkh
Cal 400 ppm
Corals left are doing really good!!

 

[rbtwo4]

i was kinda driving and reading this at same time so now that im home ill check out link