MY tank!! need help please....

[perezmk1982]

okay.. So i have been in the hobby for 6 years and i have to say don't know what is going on with my tank this time.. Parameter are: PH 8.3 salinity; 1024, ammonia .5 cant get it to go away. nitrite 0, nitrate 0, calcium 450.. and my tank is still very but very cloudy and some of my corals are bleaching. What do u think about filter socks??? i change them weekly. I use RO DI water. Some advice please... I have SPS and some LPS.. what am:irked: i doing wrong need help...

 

[thirty5]

How old are the test kits?
What kind of lights?
What is your photo period?
Are you running any type of reactors?

 

[thirty6]

Was thinking carbon reactor

How long has it been cloudy for? I recall someone talking about bristle worm spawning and the tank was cloudy/milky for awhile
Added anything new or changed anything recently?

 

[perezmk1982]

carbon is new i dont have a reactor. My light are also new not even 2 weeks i have t5 and LEds. Test kit may be a little old maybe if that 1 year..

 

[piranhapat]

What is your alk levels? SpS needs stable water par.

 

[piranhapat]

How big is your tank? How many fish? Are you over feeding your fish. Do you have wave makers in tank. Any loss of fish. What is your phosphate? Did you add anything new to tank.

 

[piranhapat]

Last time you did a water change. What brand are you using? Did you add bio pellets? That would cause a bacteria bloom. Need a lot more information on your tank.

 

[Ziggy]

carbon is new i dont have a reactor. My light are also new not even 2 weeks i have t5 and LEds. Test kit may be a little old maybe if that 1 year..

Did you say new light? Did you switch the lights or just new bulbs? If this is new light that explains the bleaching and cloudy water and will lead to death of corals

 

[perezmk1982]

Just new bulbs. i have about 10 fish and a 90 gallon tank. I do water changes every 2wks. alkalinity is 12. The salt i use is instant ocean. I feed every other day. corals 1 a week. no lost of fish just some snails.

 

[petraio]

well 10 fishes are a bit many for 90 gallon unless they are small like damsels size ! and must have a good skimmer as well give your tank a break for adding anything for few weeks ! let this ammonia get your self some bacterial additives like bio-spira FROM INSTANT OCEAN or similar product !!

 

[piranhapat]

Do you reuse your filter socks? If so how are you clean them? Hopeful your not using anything harsh.

 

[Trainwreck]

Gotta get rid of the ammonia dude. Emergency water changes ASAP, keep doing them until ammonia is undetectable...in the meantime grab some prime dechlorinator to temporarily neutralize ammonia and run your skimmer really wet emptying every day, multiple times a day if possible.

 

[Awibrandy]

I wouldn't use any Prime. Yes it will lock up the ammonia, but you will have issues while testing for ammonia.
When did you notice the ammonia spike, or has it always been there? The cloudiness if I recall correctly is an indication of a bacteria bloom which will happen as the ammonia get broken down to nitrites, and finally to nitrates.

With your tank being six years old, and no changes have been made it is difficult to see where this ammonia is coming from. Please double check the results of your test kit.
Could anything have gotten in the tank? What filtration system are you using?

 

[Trainwreck]

I wouldn't use any Prime. Yes it will lock up the ammonia, but you will have issues while testing for ammonia.
When did you notice the ammonia spike, or has it always been there? The cloudiness if I recall correctly is an indication of a bacteria bloom which will happen as the ammonia get broken down to nitrites, and finally to nitrates.

With your tank being six years old, and no changes have been made it is difficult to see where this ammonia is coming from. Please double check the results of your test kit.
Could anything have gotten in the tank? What filtration system are you using?

I do agree that it will deff make accurate testing difficult if not impossible. Should've specified that I meant until the tank "clears up" just to decrease the toxicity. It is very interesting that a problem like this should just suddenly occur on such an established tank.

 

[LowezAkar24]

SimplyZBest2000

okay.. So i have been in the hobby for 6 years and i have to say don't know what is going on with my tank this time.. Parameter are: PH 8.3 salinity; 1024, ammonia .5 cant get it to go away. nitrite 0, nitrate 0, calcium 450.. and my tank is still very but very cloudy and some of my corals are bleaching. What do u think about filter socks??? i change them weekly. I use RO DI water. Some advice please... I have SPS and some LPS.. what am:irked: i doing wrong need help...

Water changes at least once a month? Do you run a reactor with carbon or carbon in media bags dropped into your filtration? Ammonia is usually spiked by over feeding. Also, cloudiness can be caused by a bacteria outbreak in your tank. The solution to that is, "Lights out!"

In addition bro, don't beat yourself up because you been in it for 6years so pat yourself on the back for lasting this long because you are doing something right.