Desperate Here - Losing Control of My Tank

[jonboyb]

My tank has been unbelievably stable and beautiful for almost a year now (28 gallon JBJ with RO/DI ATO, cooled, upgraded skimmer, the works). (2) 266 gph return pumps with (2) Koralia 1's and a Koralia Nano in the display. Over the past month it has gradually gotten out of control and I'm in desperation mode here. If I don't figure this out, I'm going to lose it and I have ALOT of high end stuff in there. I've already lost probably $500 of high end zoas, but ironically EVERYTHING else (SPS, LPS, and softies) seems perfectly happy.

In the past month, I bet I've spent hundreds in buying additional test kits becuase I couldn't believe how bad my tank looked even though all testing showed WONDERFUL results.

pH-8.4
SG-1.026
CA-425
MG-1300+
Alk-8-9 dKh
Alk-3.5 +/- meq
PO-0 (and confirmed with another members low range tester)
Amm-0
NitrIte-0
NitrAte-0-10 depending on test kit (And I've used API,ELOS,Tetra, and Salifert)

I've been doing multiple PWC's up to weekly 35+% changes and it continues to get worse. I'm running carbon and a PO reactor as a last effort. The whole dang tank is "fuzzy" but it's not like algae at all. I religously blow my rock off but I could do it daily at this point and it's a complete snowstorm when I do it now like my tank is loaded with sediments.

At this point more so than advice, I'm looking for a resident expert to PAY to come take a look, run some test, and give me some ideas. Like I said I'm desperate here and almost ready to just let it go. My other tanks are great, but this one has something off and I'm lost.

I live in Cumming and will pay whatever for an experienced reefer to play doctor for a while and diagnose this. Literally, you're about to see a grown man cry here

 

[oil_fan]

I'm far from being a resident expert but I would say a pic is worth a million words. Can you post a pic or 2 and then maybe you can get some suggestions.

 

[sailfish]

IF it is just zoas and palys have you looked here.

http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384">http://www.coralpedia.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=384</a>

Have you changed salt? Did you recently add new zoas or palys then this started?

Joe

 

[elfloyd]

What about the params of your RO/DI?

 

[jennm]

Zoa pox? Sundial snals? Sounds like something unique to zoanthids.

What do the zoas "do" when they perish?

Jenn

 

[hn1]

Sorry to hear this Jon. I'm a newb so I probably can't help with advice, but if you need any manual labor just give me a call. I'm in the neighborhood.

 

[jonboyb]

My RO/DI tests out zero as far as amm/nitrites/nitrates/phosphates but has very low alk and high pH (like 9.0). Replaced the filters recently with no change in parameters.

I haven't added anythign to this tank in many months prior to the mess, and the zoa frags I moved to another tank recovered fine. They are overtaken by the "fuzziness" and stop opening. I haven't really lost any yet, but they do not open anymore. They have not melted away, but I wouldn't call them alive either.

I spent countless hours at night with a flashlight hunting predators but all that ever showed were collanista snails and asterina stars. I had a huge amount of asterinas (I have another thread about that) that started hitting my coraline growth so I added a pair of Harlequins and they took care of those quick. No signs of pox.

It's lights out right now but I'll take some pictures tomorrow. Very, very sad after seeing this tank perform sooooo well for almost a year.

 

[jonboyb]

Oh, and tank temp is 80. Been using SeaChem Reef Salt since day 1.

 

[cooper]

are you checking your ro/di for TDS?

 

[hn1]

jonboyb;370902 wrote: My RO/DI tests out zero as far as amm/nitrites/nitrates/phosphates but has very low alk and high pH (like 9.0). Replaced the filters recently with no change in parameters.

I haven't added anythign to this tank in many months prior to the mess, and the zoa frags I moved to another tank recovered fine. They are overtaken by the "fuzziness" and stop opening. I haven't really lost any yet, but they do not open anymore. They have not melted away, but I wouldn't call them alive either.

I spent countless hours at night with a flashlight hunting predators but all that ever showed were collanista snails and asterina stars. I had a huge amount of asterinas (I have another thread about that) that started hitting my coraline growth so I added a pair of Harlequins and they took care of those quick. No signs of pox.

It's lights out right now but I'll take some pictures tomorrow. Very, very sad after seeing this tank perform sooooo well for almost a year.

The pH of your RO is 9?! By definition, RO/DI is going to have a low pH because of low dh & kh. The TDS question is a good one I think. Or I could be missing something entirely....

 

[drnecropolis]

It's pointless to check fresh made water for pH... It will never read properly

 

[cr500_af]

DrNecropolis;370919 wrote: It's pointless to check fresh made water for pH... It will never read properly

Yep... my RO/DI water is 0 TDS and for grins I checked the pH... only
10.1. I don't think pH on "pure" water reads anywhere near correct.

 

[ralph atl]

from what you are posting, I would say you have a Zoa problem, not a tank problem.

 

[smoothie]

mysterybox;370981 wrote: from what you are posting, I would say you have a Zoa problem, not a tank problem.

Check at night to see if there is anything crawling on them or feeding on them.

 

[jennm]

Do you use carbon?

RO should have a pH of 7 - neither acid nor alkaline, but neutral - because it's been stripped of anything that could alter pH.

If they appear "fuzzy" there could be a pathogen going on. Have you tried a disinfectant dip?

Jenn

 

[jonboyb]

The fuzz is everywhere, not just zoas. I wish I hadn't mentioned it hurting the zoas because this post has transgressed into a "zoa problem" thread. Let me assure you, this is a tankwide issue, not just zoas. The zoas and palys are affected by the mess when it reaches them, but they are not spawing the stuff. Like I stated earlier in the post, I've spent countless hours at night looking for predators. Any colonies on rock small enough to pull out of the tank and treat have been dipped in lugols and I even did some Furan2 treatments on one colony that had some spots (but not like pox). It was more like sediment stuck to them.

My RO/DI is 0 TDS and several of us in this area have checked our RO/DI for pH and it's ALWAYS 9-10. I don't know where the 7 figure came from, but around Cumming it's not going to happen.

 

[jennm]

Pictures of the stuff would really be helpful here.

You didn't answer my carbon question... are you using carbon or any other organic adsorbtion/absorption material?

Jenn

 

[jeep9783]

Sorry to here this man...I remember when I placed an order for a large amount of SPS for my display (over $500) and within three days watched almost every single one of them rtn...Very painful

 

[tokejr]

jonboyb;371054 wrote: The fuzz is everywhere, not just zoas. I wish I hadn't mentioned it hurting the zoas because this post has transgressed into a "zoa problem" thread. Let me assure you, this is a tankwide issue, not just zoas. The zoas and palys are affected by the mess when it reaches them, but they are not spawing the stuff. Like I stated earlier in the post, I've spent countless hours at night looking for predators. Any colonies on rock small enough to pull out of the tank and treat have been dipped in lugols and I even did some Furan2 treatments on one colony that had some spots (but not like pox). It was more like sediment stuck to them.

My RO/DI is 0 TDS and several of us in this area have checked our RO/DI for pH and it's ALWAYS 9-10. I don't know where the 7 figure came from, but around Cumming it's not going to happen.

Jon, have you considered vodka dosing? It sounds like you have organics in your tank that your filter just can't get out. I understand that the vodka dosing clumps the dissolved organics so the skimmer can get it out.

I think you've tried everything else with this tank, and don't think the vodka dosing can hurt. I think ARC member mysterybox uses vodka dosing.

 

[jonboyb]

<p style="text-align:left">Jenn:

<p style="text-align:left">Running a small bag of Purgien and a bag of carbon right now just in case. Still have my PO reactor running becasue I just can't believe the stuff isn't phospate related. Had a buddy still at GaTech take a sample for me and do a real PO test and it came back .004.

<p style="text-align:left">As far as dosing vodka, I've considered it but really don't see the need with my nitrates staying so low and non existent PO.

Headed to work right now so pics will be up this afternoon.