Hi guys and gals! This is my first post and the question I am sure is fitting for a newbie. I lloked around and couldn't quite find the answers that I was seeking. I have a newly set up aquarium and have a problem (I think). I only have two pieces of live rock in the tank right now purchased from the LFS. These pieces were in their tank and looked great! Anyway, today I come home to find my water a slighly milky color and formerely living stuff, dying left and right off of the rock. I have the skimmer going, the UV going, and the filter going overboard. My current pH has dropped from 8.2 to 7.3 in around 8 hours, My nitrate went from 0-0.3 in the same time frame. KH has dropped from 10 to 8 dH and NH3 is only slightly elevated from 0. Why has the pH become so unstable? How do I keep the formerely happy critters from expiring? Thanks guys and gals for any response! -Alan
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Is this normal???
- Thread starter GotDesl
- Start date
A couple of things:
First: WELCOME TO REEFS.ORG
What type of tank are you planning on this becoming?
What's your salinity?
What's your temp?
As far as Ph, it can have swings that are quite normal. In the morning, if I recall correctly, it can be lower, than raise until the evening. Sounds like your tank is starting a cycle, which is normal for a brand new tank. As far as critters dying, I'm only hoping it was just regular LR, not LR with corals on it (LPS, SPS, etc.).
What type of filtration are you using?
First: WELCOME TO REEFS.ORG
What type of tank are you planning on this becoming?
What's your salinity?
What's your temp?
As far as Ph, it can have swings that are quite normal. In the morning, if I recall correctly, it can be lower, than raise until the evening. Sounds like your tank is starting a cycle, which is normal for a brand new tank. As far as critters dying, I'm only hoping it was just regular LR, not LR with corals on it (LPS, SPS, etc.).
What type of filtration are you using?
Hey, thanks for the welcome and the info so far! My tank has been up for almost a week. Everything was operating as an uncycled aquarium will with perfect pH, salinity, etc. No readings on ammonia, nitrates, etc. The drop in pH is really what freaked me. My sg is 1.022 and is being filtered by 2 Fluval 304s loaded with carbon and ceramics (not the smooth, these are the highly porous). As I stated, there are only 2 large pieces of live rock in the tank at the moment. I was planning on adding more and doing an in tank cure. Should I continue as planned, or wait till this cycles and then cycle the rest? There are no corals on this rock and I am finally not disppointed as I would now have dead corals. It is really gorgeous rock with lots of coraline and organisms. I increased the O2 concentration and it is looking like the organisms are making a turnaround or at least a bit more tollerating of the harsh conditions. I have set up reef aquariums before, but all of them cycled gradually. This thing seems to have started rather explosively. Really weak poulation of bacteria maybe? Beats all I have ever seen. I am open to any and all input. Thanks for everything and I sure hope to become a regular on this site. Lord knows I have been lurking long enough.
On edit: I meant to include an answer to the question of what type tank this will be. I am setting this up as a reef aquarium. I love the corals and anenomes, but a couple of fish are always welcome. I have been diving for several years and would love to set up something that blends elements of some of my favorite memories into something that resembles reality. (High hopes)
On edit: I meant to include an answer to the question of what type tank this will be. I am setting this up as a reef aquarium. I love the corals and anenomes, but a couple of fish are always welcome. I have been diving for several years and would love to set up something that blends elements of some of my favorite memories into something that resembles reality. (High hopes)
Sounds like the LR may have been "uncured", and many of the organisms on it are now dyeing in your tank. That will cause an intense cycle, just keep an eye on it, and keep up with partial water changes. As far as the canister filter, well, you may not like having that on the tank in the future. Is this going to be a fish only with live rock or a true reef tank?
The canisters are on it now and will be upgraded to a wet/dry sump as finances allow. Any suggestions for the best HOT wet/dry sump system? This will be a reef tank and I realize that until that sump is on here, I will be cleaning these filters like crazy.
Hang on tank sump? What size tank is it again? If we're talking something larger than 20 gallons say, get an overflow box and do some basic plumbing... then for the sump... well... I use ye olde 35 gallon rubbermaid tub. Been loving it. Cheap, easy to install... best of all you can stick a lid on it if you need to to keep pet hair and small children out.
J.
J.
Wet/dry filters are useless in the reefkeeping hobby. The wet/dry media part builds up nitrates over time which are harmful to our reef tanks. No point in wasting the money on one of those wet/dry units, when you can spent 5-10$ on a rubbermaid tub (the kind you use to store clothes, computer cables and anything else you don't want other people to see) or a few bucks more on a tank that is smaller than the one you already have.
For hang on overflows, I am using a CPR. So far I like it pretty well, though I am told that siphon can break on these overflow boxes. I think the same can be said for any hang on overflow you use. Just be sure to compensate for that event when designing your sump set up. You can pretty much find everything you'll need for your sump project on marinedepot.com
J.
For hang on overflows, I am using a CPR. So far I like it pretty well, though I am told that siphon can break on these overflow boxes. I think the same can be said for any hang on overflow you use. Just be sure to compensate for that event when designing your sump set up. You can pretty much find everything you'll need for your sump project on marinedepot.com
J.
Well, everything seems to be going well now. pH is on it's way back up finally. The skimmer has started producing pinkish-red skimmate?!? The water is back to odorless and everything seems to be curing as expected. I have 90 more lbs of lr that I am going to place tomorrow. amazingly, what I would think is the only polyp??? on the rock that is already in there is still alive. I would take a picture, but the thing seems to hate the light. As soon as the lights come on, it hides. I am hoping top somehow snag a pic of this thing and get a real id on it. i could be completely off on this one. Thanks everyone for all of the help. I am sure there will be many more adventures with this tank. -Alan
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