I went down to let the dogs out and to turn off the actinics in my tank. Noticed that the GBTA didn't look right -- usually the size of cantaloupe, it was now the size of a tangerine. Most of the tentacles looked like thin spaghetti with 4 or 5 that were very fat, about the size of a drinking straw.
Looking further into my tank I saw what I thought were signs of stress. Everything closed up as tightly as could be and long white streamers everywhere. Under actinics, most things are usually fairly open. The rock anemone looked like a ping-pong ball and an umbrella mushroom was inside-out and looked like it contained a cupful of white mush.
I know anemone's need superior water params, so I checked the PH and the salinity. Salinity = normal, but I misused the PH pen and thought I was getting a low reading of 7.4. In a panic, I added reef buffer and kept checking. Still low. But I didn't think you could overdose this stuff, so I added more.
Sure my tank was crashing, I woke Loren. Then I found out I wasn't using the PH pen right and when Loren tested it, it's extremely high. 8.7 - 8.9. BUT -- don't know now if the PH pen has lost calibration since I might have f'd it up. Dip sticks indicate high PH also and alk off the charts.
Now what? I don't know what else to do. I did a partial water change (15 gals from a 55 gal tank).
Some things are opening back up -- rock anenome is about the size of a quarter now and some 'shrooms are looking better. A few zoas re-opened.
I don't know if I should go to sleep on this and hope for the best, or try something else.
Is there a household remedy that can lower PH safely?
:'(
My tank was looking so pretty... now it's a disaster.
