Emergency Water Change

[doctor_random]

MR Folk -

Is there any way to make "emergency" salt water for a big water change?

I only have about 3 gal of salt water currently made up for a water change, I can only produce 75 gal of RO/DI a day (of which I currently have none, due to needs of a QT'ed Coral Beauty undergoing a hyposaline holiday.)

The story:

I just discovered that my Aplysia (sea hare) was dead, hidden under a LR shelf. The shrimp were going to town...My GBTA had (atypically) been moving about for the past few days, which I think is a tip-off that the sea hare might have been on his way out for a few days.

I have a 120 gal reef tank, specs can be found on Wingo's site.

Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite all zero, pH, kH, calcium, mag, iodine all stable.

All the other inverts, coral, fish look/act fine.

Do you think I need an emergency water change? If so, how much?

Thanks!

 

[KathyC]

If your ammonia is zero and you have been keeping up with your water changes and general husbandry, I wouldn't worry about doing an emergency water change. But I'd start making water anyway and bump up your next scheduled change just for more peace of mind.

Sorry about your Sea Hare

 

[mray]

Don't sea hares release toxins when they die? If you are running carbon though, you should be fine.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Don't worry about the sea hare releasing toxin. Even if ruptured, usually it cause very little issue unless the slim are covering the flesh of the corals.

No emergency water change is needed-just do the 3G water change for peace of mind. However, you may consider new carbon because there may be something causing the black coating on the right hand side of the tank looking from the dan which has been like a week or two already.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I would say the sea hare is sick(not dead) for couple days, because 2 days ago, he is in the middle of the tank but not moving much. I think it's the SG changes that caused his health or (he may also have bad allergy-just a distraction)
The nassarius just starting to work on him when I was last there, so it must have died somewhat this morning or afternoon.

 

[doctor_random]

Thanks. Did 3 gal water change, changed carbon, changed filter socks. We'll see...

 

[mray]

Did you remove the dead sea hare?

 

[doctor_random]

:tub: Yeah, and I put him in the bath so my sons will get a surprise tom'w morning.

Just kidding :splitspin

 

[bad coffee]

if you ever need to make a bunch of water quickly, you can always bypass your RO stage of your filter. Take what would be the Input of the RO housing and replug it to your DI. Seal up the input of the RO so it doesn't dry out.

turn the water on and make cleaned water fast! You want to be making around a gallon a minute. Any faster and the DI can't keep up. If you have a TDS meter, you can turn up the flow as long as you're getting 0TDS.

When you're done making the emergency change, replug the RO the way it was before you started.

B

 

[mray]

What bad coffee said would get you clean water quick but avoid it if possible. It will exhaust your DI resin FAST.