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So.....I have a tread on the large tank forum called Need help with 500 gallon system.
This is my third reef and it is a 400 gallon display with a 100 gallon sump and all the bells and toys: Apex with all the add ons, large calcium reactor, large GFO and Carbon actors, chiller, UV light, T5 lights, Halides, and LEDs. Its a pretty fun setup and had a large room dedicated to runnning it.
The trouble is, I couldn't keep anything alive (at least not the sPs that I have been hoping for). Seriously...I's been very frustrating. I had several folks out who are in the business and have spoken with other experts on the phone, and have posted to this group and RC. I have spent at least two grand on corals that just die in a few days.
I was getting very close to tearing it all down and starting over. I was pretty convinced I had some sort of contaminants in my system. I even sent water off to one of those testing companies. 13 tests...all was perfect.
a few weeks ago i started having some brown algae on my rocks and glass so i ordered some Mexican Turb snails over the net. They arrived and the next day they were dead. Hmmm...maybe shipping?
So I went to Pure Reef and bought a large one...next day...dead. Now it has my attention.
Back to Pure Reef and bought for more. Next day, one is dead...the other three are looking like they wished they were. Anyway, I called and talked with Jorge and he suggested I bring the live ones back to him and bring some water for testing.
He looks puzzled as he tests;
Nitrates zero
pH 8.3
KH 7
I also had just tested at home:
Ca 425
Mg 1200
temp 78
then.....he puts a drop of water on his refractometer, "there's your problem!!". "What?" " You have no salt in your system. Your SG is 1.016!!!"
It turns out I have had faulty conductivity probe on my Apex and I mistakely calibrated my hydrometer with the solution used to calibrate the apex probe (I missed that fine print).
It takes a BUNCH of salt to raise SG from 1.016 to 1.026 in 500 gallons of water!
So a couple retrospective observations (aide from the obvious)
the little crabs and critters were probably doing well in my system since they come from tidal pools and are used to swings in temp and salinity.
the fish did "ok" nice they were acclimated slowly and can handle that low salinity.
the Mexican Turbo snail just went into shock (i think they come from deeper water). Incidentally the one I brought back to George he put into a QT and they are climbing allover the glass. He sent me home with two new one and they are climbing about my tank (now with the SG corrected.
Had I broken the system down...I would have had the exact same issue and not have known it.
I don't think I was skimming as well with that low of an SG ( not sure about that one)
I always had trouble getting the Mg level up...now it is through the roof with the SG corrected. I'alike to understand that correlation.
Three cheers to George and Pure Reef!!!
So, that's my Snail Tale.
I'll leave it to you guys to come up with the motto of the story...
Michael
This is my third reef and it is a 400 gallon display with a 100 gallon sump and all the bells and toys: Apex with all the add ons, large calcium reactor, large GFO and Carbon actors, chiller, UV light, T5 lights, Halides, and LEDs. Its a pretty fun setup and had a large room dedicated to runnning it.
The trouble is, I couldn't keep anything alive (at least not the sPs that I have been hoping for). Seriously...I's been very frustrating. I had several folks out who are in the business and have spoken with other experts on the phone, and have posted to this group and RC. I have spent at least two grand on corals that just die in a few days.
I was getting very close to tearing it all down and starting over. I was pretty convinced I had some sort of contaminants in my system. I even sent water off to one of those testing companies. 13 tests...all was perfect.
a few weeks ago i started having some brown algae on my rocks and glass so i ordered some Mexican Turb snails over the net. They arrived and the next day they were dead. Hmmm...maybe shipping?
So I went to Pure Reef and bought a large one...next day...dead. Now it has my attention.
Back to Pure Reef and bought for more. Next day, one is dead...the other three are looking like they wished they were. Anyway, I called and talked with Jorge and he suggested I bring the live ones back to him and bring some water for testing.
He looks puzzled as he tests;
Nitrates zero
pH 8.3
KH 7
I also had just tested at home:
Ca 425
Mg 1200
temp 78
then.....he puts a drop of water on his refractometer, "there's your problem!!". "What?" " You have no salt in your system. Your SG is 1.016!!!"
It turns out I have had faulty conductivity probe on my Apex and I mistakely calibrated my hydrometer with the solution used to calibrate the apex probe (I missed that fine print).
It takes a BUNCH of salt to raise SG from 1.016 to 1.026 in 500 gallons of water!
So a couple retrospective observations (aide from the obvious)
the little crabs and critters were probably doing well in my system since they come from tidal pools and are used to swings in temp and salinity.
the fish did "ok" nice they were acclimated slowly and can handle that low salinity.
the Mexican Turbo snail just went into shock (i think they come from deeper water). Incidentally the one I brought back to George he put into a QT and they are climbing allover the glass. He sent me home with two new one and they are climbing about my tank (now with the SG corrected.
Had I broken the system down...I would have had the exact same issue and not have known it.
I don't think I was skimming as well with that low of an SG ( not sure about that one)
I always had trouble getting the Mg level up...now it is through the roof with the SG corrected. I'alike to understand that correlation.
Three cheers to George and Pure Reef!!!
So, that's my Snail Tale.
I'll leave it to you guys to come up with the motto of the story...
Michael
