HELP !!!! I think I'm in trouble....

[Simon1]

I have just started a 30gal. long reef tank. My pH has been low from the begining. My LFS sold me a buffer that would "take care of the problem". Anyway I've used 75 % of the buffer and still have a low pH, but my KH is 13 to 14 ! Heres where things get really ugly... The LFS sold me 15 lbs of primo LR(at $10/lb uncured) saying "this will help to create a stable enviorment. Everything that I've read discourages using uncured LR. So now my pH is around 7.9 and my Amonia is 4ppm. Needless to say it seems like I was scammed, and I want to save the LR is possible. Any suggestions on raising my pH (and keeping it there) and resolving the Amonia problem would be great. Thanks in advance! :?:

 

[hillbilly]

Your live rock will have to cure first before it will
ever stablize! I suggest you go to the libary or
check out the Reefs.org archives and learn about
live rock and tank cycling. You will find you need to
do water changes until the rock cures.

 

[Simon1]

Thanks for your advice, but I do have some literature on reef keeping. I know that there will be a huge die off of organisms that will increase amonia and drop pH. I guess what I'm most concerned about is the whole low pH thing.

 

[Simon1]

Sorry, I guess that I sounded like a jerk with that reply. My books do not tell me how to cure the LR. I just don't want to kill the LR in the process of trying to cure it. I am very worried about my Ph, and have been from the start. I just think that my LFS gave me bad advice, and now I'm in a panic trying to correct it.

:lol:

 

[hillbilly]

Just do water changes at least every other day
and run your skimmer if you have one. There is
no avoiding some die off. Not everything on your
rock will die though. After it cures, life will start to grow out of it. Don't worry about the PH now, it's
still dying off and curing. Keep a couple of powerheads
in the tank also. Don't give up! Curing LR can take a
while sometimes.

 

[ChrisRD]

You've gotten some good advice from hillbilly...

Also, IMO a pH of 7.9 is no big deal. It's lower than natural sea water levels, but there are plenty of successful tanks that run in that range.

For now focus on keeping up with the skimming and water changes to control your ammonia levels and let the rock cure...

 

[Simon1]

Thanks for the help guys. I do have a protien skimmer of sorts. If a Red Sea Prisim counts. I'm in a bind because my tank isnt drilled so I cant have the fabled sump. I've been into fresh water for seven years, and have had books on reef tanks for several years now. So I'm not a total newb when it comes to water chemistry and the like. From what I've read, large amounts of live rock, and heavy skimming can produce satisfactory results. Berlin system ... right ? Thanks again, and I'm sure I'll have more boring questions in the near future.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't listen to all the hype. The newer Prisms are servicable skimmers for a hang on and it's better than nothing (well better than a SeaClown at least). 7.9 is not the end of the world - once your rock is done curing work on raising it up past 8.0 but a steady 7.9 would be better than one that fluctuates up and down IMO.

 

[Anonymous]

Since no one else has mentioned it, you need to find a new LFS if at all possible. Uncured rock at $10/lb is robbery. I don't know Denver at all, but being a major metro area surely you can find a better place. More than likely someone around here can direct you to a better shop.

 

[Eryl Flynn]

$10 a pound uncured? I got cured for about $6 and I live in Colorado also. Check out Marine Showcase off of Revere and Arapahoe, website is www.marineshowcase.com after them try Fish Gallery on Dayton, just south of Arapahoe. Website for them is http://www.fish-gallery.com/

I have seen 3 others, one is Neptune off c-470 and University, was not impressed at all. There is one near the Southwest Plaza mall, east on Bowles on the left heading east. And another on Oxford at Santa Fe just south of the tire place.

Marine Showcase so far has the best people, and there stock is not bad. They do tend to sell alot of their good stuff fast, but will order any thing you want that they have a source for. Peter is a good guy, a bit old school so don't be hurt if he tells you some thing you hear differently here, he just learned and does it differently than many now a days, the other guys I forget their names but one is in his 20s and has a goatee. Smart guy and will tell you things more like you hear online. They remember us regulars and give me some good deals here and there.

Live rock cured there is no more than $8/lb and lower on some of the not so fancy looking kinds. Prices are not about average to above, but they are a good quality store and I prefer that over the lower cost elsewhere.

 

[PeeJ]

man ..that is a lot...i get my rock for 3.99 a pound. guess it pays to live close to the ocean

 

[Dubge]

I live near the ocean but most places are still 6-8 bucks/lb But then again I live near the COLD ocean Cheapest I have seen it around here (well in NH) was 4.50/lb

Ray

 

[hdtran]

You can run a sump without a drilled tank. You just need a siphon overflow box.

You can build your own siphon overflow, or purchase one. CPR makes one (though many folks say that it, umm, sucks). Lifereef also makes one.

 

[Simon1]

Ok, I think I'm getting things back on track. However, my ammonia was at 8ppm b4 I did my first water change. Does this mean that I've killed my LR ? I'm seeing the white patches that my LFS told me about (they told me to remove these patches as best I can...any suggestions?). The coralline algae looks to be fading, but still looks as though it could pull through. Oh BTW thanks for the suggestions for the LFS here in Denver, you where not impressed with the store I have been visiting.

THANKS EVERYONE

 

[Anonymous]

You don't kill the live rock, you kill the organisms. If no one else has suggested this before (yes, I'm admitting to only perusing the previous posts), then I strongly suggest you purchase a couple of plastic trash cans with lids and black plastic bags as liners. Use those to mix up water to keep up with daily water changes for the live rock. The point of buying uncured is so that YOU can ensure you preserve as much life as possible while that life that hasn't survived shipping stress is cleared off.

A really good book that covers this subject is "The Natural Marine Aquarium-Reef Invertebrates".