help please !!!

[sharkbite]

I have a 75 gallon setup which seems to be taking a turn for the worst. All my corals have been closed for a couple of days now and wont open up. The only thing i did different was i added a calcium reactor. I tested my water results were.
nit -0
phs -0
sal - 1.024
cal - 400
alk - 11 dkh
ph - 8.2
I did about a 20 gallon water change on saturday but still looking bad. Could it be from adding the reactor ? Someone help with suggestions dont want to lose corals. thanks all

 

[duke62]

what test kits are you using to test these parmaters.were your cal and alk in check for awhile before adding calcium reactor or did you use the reactor to get your alk and calcium in check.what is your mag at

 

[NYreefNoob]

alk is a little to the high side. and what is your magnesium ?

 

[sharkbite]

I used API and sailfert. I have to get mag test tomorrow I ran out. Calcium was alittle low before reactor but I was dosing with brightwell calicon.


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[duke62]

from what ive read you need to have all 3 off these elements in check for a couple of weeks before adding a calcium reactor.that is why i have not added a reactor to my setup yet.im still working on them being stable before i purchase one.you need to check your mag.cont use api might as well stick your tongue in the water and guess what everything is.especially for your phosphate

 

[sharkbite]

Ok do u think I should turn the reactor off and try to stable the parameters.


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[sharkbite]

Also what tests are good


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[pdnyc69]

salifert

 

[duke62]

salifert id the ones i use.i think the other brand is elos someone can say if thats it i never used it but heard good things.and get a hanna phosphate low range.they will run u a pretty penny but worth it if you want true readings .about shutting the cal reactor down im still reading up on them maybe someone with expierence can advise you to shut it down or not

 

[sharkbite]

Ok thanks for your help.


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[clownlover]

what was ur alkalinity b4 the reactor was put on

 

[h2o]

Get new test kits i use all elos kits and the new ones are very easy to use, drop the alk to 9 get mg tested bump it to 1350 -1400 then after that bump your calcium to 420-450 your sal is a bit low bump it to .25 -.26 make sure all kits are good and your refractometer calibrated before u start making adjustments. oh and im dosing 2 part b ionic never had a problem keeping the cal,alk,mg in range

 

[sharkbite]

My alk was the same before the reactor. I turned off the co2 until I can get the tank stable I still have water going through the reactor right now but no co2. Think that's ok.


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[sharkbite]

Ok so I brought a new test kit from red sea pro. My po4 is 0.08. And alk is 11.5. I have to check mag later only had time for these two so far. I shut the co2 down and asked local fish store if that's ok the told me that it was. So I'm going to do another water change cause I think co2 got into tank.


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[clownlover]

if u r using a korallin ca reactor , it has a failsafe to keep co2 out of the tank ( if hooked up the recommended way)

 

[sharkbite]

I followed the directions from the web site. So I was assuming that I hooked it up right. That's the only thing that I can think that would have caused this problem.


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[clownlover]

well i think it would be easy to find out, test ur ph. excess co2 acidifies saltwater if im not mistaken.

 

[InfernoST]

well i think it would be easy to find out, test ur ph. excess co2 acidifies saltwater if im not mistaken.

It definitely would affect his PH but according to his first post it was at 8.2, so I doubt that is a problem.

 

[sharkbite]

Yeah my ph at it's lowest is 8.0 at night.


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[sharkbite]

Well came home and found my clam was dead. :-( My corals are still closed and afraid I'm going to start losing more any advice would be great.


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