Dying tank!!!!
Hi guys,
<whassup buttercup?>
I have a 155/gal bow front mini reef that has been up and running for about 4yrs.  I run 6 96watt power compacts, two of which are blue. Berlin skimmer, sump filter with live rock, UV sterilizer, and I use a Kent Maxima RO/DI for all water that goes into the tank.  
<you didn't ask my opinion on it, but... the UV is doing more harm than good here. I assure you that it is weak at best under most applications for disease control (needs a bare bottomed system, heavy carbon/ozone water clarity, polished prefiltered water, etc to have a prayer of working). It IS however, probably killing a lot of good plankton for your corals>
Chemistry as
of yesterday:
PH:  7.9-8.0
Alk:  4
<Hmmm... that pH is scary low for a daytime reading (no doubt drops much lower at night)... And... is that ALK in meq/L? If so, very fine. If not (in dKH): frightening>
Ammonia:  0
Phosphates:  1.0
<Doh! Algae farm... even more evidence of how poor Berlin skimmers can be. Do consider if you are getting dark daily skimmate every day here. If not, may I suggest a better skimmer>
Nitrite:  0.22mg/L
Nitrate:  10mg/L
Ca:  480mg/L
<too high to almost even be believable. Are you sure of the accuracy of the test here? Over 450 you run the risk of a crystalline precipitation of carbonates. Very unlikely to stay safely for long near 500 ppm. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Anthony%20pics/understanding_calcium_and_alk.htm >
Salinity 1.024-1.025
We do 25% water changes 1/wk.  
<awesome!>
Residents include:  Sail fin Tang, Mandarin, Xmas wrasse, 6 Line wrasse, Fairy wrasse, Yellow Coris wrasse, 8 clown gobies about ½ inch each, Percula clown, yellow spotted watchman goby.  All fish are less than 2 inches.  
<except the tang, I assume... all fine while the tang behaves>
Clean up crew consists of about 150 hermit crabs,
<Doh! and not so live sand for their activities <G>>
1 emerald crab and 20 turbo snails.  I feed the tank two cubes of frozen Mysis/day and Spectra Vital 1/wk.  
<cool>
The tank has been thriving up until about a week ago.  I mean it really looked incredible. Now, my frogs spawn and hammer corals won’t open at all. They’re slimming or disintegrating.  I’ve already completely lost two frog spawn heads.  Mushrooms looked shriveled, polyps won’t open up either.  Brain corals, trumpets, and plate corals seem to be fine.  I also noticed a bit of red slime algae on the sand.
<it looks to me like you may be having a pH and alkalinity issue... perhaps mitigated by high calcium dosing. I'm guessing that you use liquid calcium instead of dry (Kalkwasser). If so, you are having a common experience that the mfg conveniently forget to mention: Calcium Chloride impart chloride ions that accumulate in time. After a year for most people (on monthly water change schedules) or longer for those with more frequent/larger water changes (dilution of chlorides) the buildup causes depressed alkalinity and can even crash a tank (causing a precip/snowstorm). The key here is dilution and target chemistry of pH 8.5 by day, 8.3 at night (never lower!), 8-12 dKH ALK and 350-425ppm Calcium>
On 11/4/02 we added two 175watt metal halides and started to leave the lights on longer.  Previously we only had the lights on for 10
hours/day.
<more than 10 hours metal halide light can be dangerous. But don't back off abruptly either. Shorten by 15 minutes daily until you reach 9-10 hours>
Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!!!!!  We’re desperate! Thanx for your help! Kristie
<best regards, Anthony>

Re: Dying tank!!!!
Hi Anthony,
<Cheers, my friend>
Thanx for the info.  
<my pleasure>
The Alk in my tank is 4 meq/l.  
<very well... no higher though please>
I'm having a lot of trouble getting the PH up.  Not sure why.  
<as I described in a previous e-mail, it can easily be from the use of liquid calcium products (imbalance of imparted chloride ions). We had a reader reply after he read your post realizing he had the same situation. You simply need to do several large water changes to resume balance, and then dose simply with Kalkwasser (at night) and baking soda by day. Heavy aeration would be helpful too>
My Berlin skimmer seems to be working fine,
<if that means you get 4-8 oz of coffee color skimmate daily, then I agree that it is working fine indeed. Else, yours is like most of its kind... finicky, inconsistent and unreliable. Too common with such skimmers. Any tank that has fish in it that are fed several times weekly, if not daily, can easily produce a full cup of dark daily skimmate>
however; what type of skimmer do you prefer?  
<Depends on budget and willingness to make adjustments. Good mid shelf skimmers require minor adjustments a few times weekly. Top shelf skimmers require very little adjustments and still produce very consistent skimmate. Euro-reef and Aqua-C get my votes for two of the best>
Also, what's the best salt,
<Instant Ocean for a staple... Tropic Marin for top shelf>
test kits,
<Hach or LaMotte brand>
and additives to use in the tank?  Every LFS recommends something different.  
<the reef fundamentals are Kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide), iodine and some sort of alkalinity booster (baking soda alone is usually fine)>
Let me know what you think. Thanx, Kristie
<My "Book of Coral Propagation" gives over 200 pages to basic reef keeping (husbandry, water quality, etc). A 450 page book. Do look it up on Amazon and beyond to read reviews and see if it might not suit you. Else, you certainly can rely on weekly water changes as a very good stand-by for dilution of bad elements and replacement of trace elements. Best regards, Anthony Calfo>

Dosing with liquid calcium
Anthony,
<cheers, Scott>
I have very similar water parameters to Kristie (low PH, high alkalinity, high calcium), and I HAVE been dosing liquid calcium for 3 years (alternating Coralife Invertebrate Calcium Supplement, SeaChem Reef Calcium, SeaChem Reef Complete) as you guessed in your response to her (attached below). Lately, coralline algae growth has stopped, and green nuisance algae has started to appear.
<yes... a common problem, although your success to reach three years without complications for having used mostly liquid calcium is testimony to your good aquarium husbandry>
Do I need do anything more than switch to Kalkwasser?
<nope... it can be that simple. For a scientific explanation of how this works, chemist Randy-Holmes Farley on Reef central and beyond has explained it in great detail. You will still need to keep an eye on Alk levels and dose carbonates (baking soda) on occasion (possibly). Target 350-425 ppm Ca and 8-12 dKH. Higher than this can be dangerous. Consistency is far more important than unnaturally high levels of either>>
What about the already high levels of calcium? (usually around 650 mg/l with SeaChem test kit).
<I'm not worried about it because I am certain you don't have 650ppm Ca. It is almost impossible, and precariously dangerous if true. I suspect that you are getting a misreading or something in the water is lending to the misreading. Do a large water change (dilution) and test with another kit (try LaMotte or Hach for high end, or Aquarium Systems SeaTest for an affordable kit>
Tank is 75G reef with 30G sump/DSB refugium & weekly 10% changes with RO w/SeaChem Marine Buffer & the now banished liquid calcium.
<the weekly water changes have benefited you here and in so many other ways. Do keep up the good work!>
All fish & corals are healthy. One difference from Kristie's parameters is my salinity which I have always kept at 1.021 at suggestion of LFS. I plan on slowly raising this to 1.023 by topping off with saltwater rather than fresh over the next month or so.
<no worries either way... stay lower (1.018-1.022) for mostly fishes, and higher (1.022-1.026) for corals>
My skimmer is an Aquarium Systems Seaclone which I have always suspected to be mediocre.
<at best...>
Should I replace it?
<absolutely. A good skimmer is one of the single most important pieces of equipment for your marine aquarium. And while Aquarium Systems is a favored company of mine with many fine products... the Seaclone is not one of them! I personally wouldn't take one for free... heehee, Sorry to say>
I have read the Skimmer FAQ's and know which brands you guy's consider good, I just haven't heard your opinions on this model.
<two words: "wheel chuck" Ha! Indeed, my friend... after you have seen and smelled the product that a good skimmer like a Euroreef puts out daily and effortlessly like clockwork, you will be converted too :) And the drastic reduction in time spent algae scraping is pretty sweet as well!>
I just ordered your book through ReadingTrees and hope you will autograph it for me.
<with pleasure my friend! Kind thanks indeed>
Thanks for all that you & the WWM crew are doing to advance our wonderful hobby, Scott
<our great pleasure helping good and empathetic aquarists like yourself. With kind regards, Anthony>

Chloride issues?
Gentlemen,
I have a general question on calcium addition to a reef aquarium.  I am in process of setting up a 70 gallon Berlin style reef, and am very interested in keeping things as simple and self maintaining as possible--to ensure that the enjoyment level is higher than the maintenance level.
<Ahhh! A true conscientious aquarist!>
I am planning on using an AquaC EV-120, a Custom Sea Life 4-96W compact fluorescent system, and was going to use Seachem additives including Reef Complete, Reef Carbonate, and Reef Plus.  After reviewing much of your website--much more to go however, I am now questioning the Seachem products.  
<Excellent products.  You will likely only need calcium and buffer.>
I understand that Kalkwasser or a Calcium reactor are the preferred methods of pH/alkalinity/calcium maintenance.  But. . . Even with the calcium reactor, sometimes you advise using Kalkwasser also.  
<Yes, it's caustic nature sequesters phosphates, supports alk and maintains pH at night.>
For me, the advantage of using a reactor would be to avoid the hassle of the Kalkwasser.
<Yes, a common problem for some.>
I am concerned about the Seachem releasing the free chloride ions that you've mentioned.
<Seachem calcium is Calcium Gluconate, not Calcium Chloride, so no worries.>
Is this something that will eventually build up to intolerable levels even with normal water changes?
<Yes, if you use Calcium Chloride products.>
I do not want to set myself or my tank inhabitants up for failure before I even get started.  Is there a way to control the chlorides to manageable levels?  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.  Thank you for all of your information in your website. Scott
<For a 70 you are right at the break even point for the expense of using a two part calcium and alkalinity supplement. Some of these, like B-ionic, have some of the benefits of Kalk with less hassle.
A calcium reactor will not likely need much if any Kalk supplementation and you could also choose to use another calcium supplement (Seachem) if the reactor doesn't keep your calcium levels where you want. For much more on this topic please check out this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm  It should help.  Craig>

Calcium Reactor
Hi Bob or Anthony, Thanks for the Calcium reactor info. Before I buy, a question on my current practice and what is better. I used to dose Kalkwasser, but I found it time consuming (I will review the archives to help with this!) 
<yes... and I think I excerpted my short and sweet "slurry" method for dosing Kalk from my coral book in the FAQ's as well. Kalk is VERY easy to dose in this manner by following a few simple rules> 
I switched almost two years ago to Tropic Marine Bio-Calcium 1-2 teaspoons/day just sprinkled in my sump, and periodic addition of Kent Superbuffer dKH when required. What is better my current practice or should I go back to Kalk.?? 
< I like Kalk and buffer better. Calcium hydroxide (Kalk) has so many more benefits over other calcium products based on Calcium chloride. For that matter... calcium chloride can really mess with your Ca/ALK dynamic in the long run. Yes... do review archives on this topic and follow up with unanswered questions>
Thanks Larry
<best regards, my friend. Anthony>

Calcium/Alkalinity Dance
Hello again.  I have been having a problem that I hope you can help me with regarding the calcium and alkalinity in my tank.  I have read over all of your FAQ's and articles on the subject, perhaps there is something that I am missing.  My tank:
90 gallon FOWLR-- 25% water change every 2 weeks
3 clown fish; 1 regal tang; 6 small mushrooms; 145 lbs of LR.
pH-- 8.25 to 8.45
Alk. 11 dKH (pretty stable)
cal. 250 ppm
Over the past 6 months I have been dosing Kalk via the slurry method and adding SeaChem Marine Buffer.  This has resulted in excellent coralline growth and other growth on the LR.  I used to add 1 teaspoon of Kalk before lights on every day and alternating: 2 teaspoons of Marine Buffer and 3/4 teaspoons of Kalk at midday (Kalk one day, Marine Buffer the next).  The reason for adding Kalk twice on one day and once on the next day was to not spike the pH too much).  2 months ago my calcium was a stable 340 ppm and my alk. was 11 dKH.  Wanting to slowly bring up my calcium levels (around 400 ppm) I started dosing 1.5 teaspoons of Kalk everyday before lights on and alternating-- 2 teaspoons of marine buffer and 1 teaspoon of Kalk at midday. I slowly increased these levels over a period of 7 weeks (I test weekly for cal. and alk.)  One would think that this would result in increased levels of calcium.  NO!  Now it is lower, 250ppm.  I have not had a snowstorm.  Nothing else has changed in the tank over the last 6 months.  Is my tank suddenly consuming more calcium?  Or is there something possibly wrong. My magnesium is around 1200 ppm, if that helps.  Thanks.
<Well, it seems to me that you've got a pretty good read on what's going on in the tank. It's a real balancing act, as you know, to keep both high alkalinity AND high calcium levels (in fact, down right impossible for most people). I think that this is one of those cases where you'll have to be glad that you have good alkalinity, and accept the calcium where it is. The fact that your coralline is growing so well is a testimony that you're doing something right. If it were me, I would not get overly frustrated about it...Just keep doing what you're doing, monitor the water parameters, and enjoy your tank! Some might disagree with my assessment, but I think that you're fine here. Maybe not the technical answer you might have expected- but it seems to me that you are getting fine results...just not the number you want to see on the test kit...I'd relax...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Calcium deficiency, actually knowledge  11/15/05
Hello there,
I have a problem which doesn't really get answered by anyone. My pH is high, at 8.6 falling at night to 8.4 the KH is 15 and calcium is 280. Ok, I have a calcium supplement but just how much can I administer safely?
<... need to reduce the influences that are elevating the pH, KH... first>
I have done a 9 gallon water change this morning. The tank is 33 gallons, live rock, clown, bi-colour blenny and now just 1 hermit crab. I think, maybe, that I may need extra live rock.
Barbara
<The chemistry that is high pH, KH are contrary/opposed to the use of many calcium bolstering products... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>  

Re: calcium deficiency  11/15/05
Many thanks. I have, in the last couple of days, been adding Red Sea Calcium +3. I am getting some positive results but will sit down and absorb page you pointed out to me.
Thanks for the prompt reply.
Barbara
<Ahh, you will see that akin to "adding an acid to a base", folks are precipitating the intended supplement in these sorts of high alkaline, hard water situations... easy to fix once you understand the underlying concepts. Cheers, Bob Fenner> 

Re: calcium deficiency   11/15/05
Thanks again. One more little (big) problem - my RO water has a PH of 8.9(!)
<... unusual... I would aerate it for an hour and re-check>
could I beg a moment of your time to precisely what I must do? ( I am a newbie at this- ) Your site is terrific- I just wish I had the excuse to sit reading for hours!
Barbara
<Do what I do, make one up. Bob Fenner> 

Re: calcium deficiency... RO storage  11/16/05
Hi Bob, Great, it worked. Thanks. But one more question to bore you with:- Can I store the RO water in its collection bucket for a few days prior to use/aeration, or should it be freshly RO ed?
<Better by far to store, aerate>
The pH in the tank has come down to 8.4 but the calcium is going no further up nor the KH down.
<Takes time... go slow my friend>
I am going to do a 10 gall water change with correct pH and Sea Chem salt. Am I right in so doing?
<Look into another brand of salt... Perhaps an Instant Ocean product>
and if so, how soon before another (how big) change?
<Another week or two>
Sorry to pester you but am getting such conflicting advice from the store.
Thanks for your time
Barbara
<Seek to understand, demand the underlying logic, science of such (including my) "advice", stances... Important in the extreme to understand "what we're about"... before setting on a path... This is one of the most important "things" I know re this universe. Bob Fenner>

Yellow Eye Kole, mixing cnidarians, calcium/magnesium admonition/advice  11/15/05
Hi Bob,
<Carrie>
This is just a personal thank you for your help since I have started a reef/fish tank. You do not need to post this on wet web if you don't like anything I have written as far as discovering new things if you don't agree with them.
<Mmm, we post all>
First, thanks for the good advice about the Anthias! (3 squam. in a 150 gallon.... sparse populating of females per your suggestions).  Turns out they are the blue-eyed not lyre tail. I hope the blue eyes are hardy......I know you receive a TON of mail and this may not jog your memory!  I have a unique question about the yellow eye Kole tang. I had a blond Naso (traded for a chiller with a guy who needed a big one) and I like my Kole BUT, I wanted to do kelp all in my system.....like a self contained system, and I know they eat the stuff off of rocks with their little scrubby mouths, but will they go after kelp? 
<Many types, yes>
I know the Ulva growing on my live rock is doomed, but as long as he doesn't touch the actual upwards growing kelp, I will keep him.  What do you think oh wise one!?
<Mmmm, have got my hand up, blocking the Stooges poke!>
Okay, switching tracks and you may even opt to put this paragraph in another subject of wet web. My EX-boss who starves fish to death and recommends the dumbest fish combos in the world and then says "I've been doing this for 20 years, has starved our dragon wrasses to death (I was only there 2 x's a week).
<... hard to do... but can be>
Told me I could take home a red donut 
<Ahh, the coral I take it>
<<Not the other type, I hope!>>
because I told him if he "puts it in the back" he will neglect it to death. So I have a 1/2 flesh donut, I have fed Mysis, daphnia too, any other suggestions?
<Many... posted... Mussid Feeding...>
I read the strontium/Moly. helps with the attachment to the skeleton. Kent's says every 4 days.....well in a healthy
specimen, yes, but could a cap a day (in a 60 gallon which would probably be more like 50 ACTUAL gallons.. recommended dosage is 1 cap every 4 days per 50 gallons) help it along faster, or is it possible to OD?
<Is>
What are your suggestions on nursing it back?
<A bit of iodide/ate (Lugol's) in the food, once to the water weekly... Same with a vitamin/appetite stimulant prep.>
Grab a cup of coffee, we aren't done yet!  Here is another odd situation... I cannot for the LIFE of me keep the star polyps. I narrowed it down and suspect that iodine seems to make the one where I worked retract. That is the only thing I can think of. I have a small rock of green and they have been inside since Thursday,... it is Monday today. Any suggestions?
<Water change, Polyfilter, activated carbon...>
It is mid level with 6500 Kelvin, 500 watts (fixture from Home Depot, all you wet Webbers who want corals and don't
want to add a chiller and MHs!.....This item is $39.00 uses 65 W. of power and emits 500 watts from Lights of America! Over 90 lumens....do not get the lower wattage, the lumens are not high enough, and NO you cannot use their bulbs in any other fixture but lights of America) Enjoy your new corals with a cheap set up!) We found our Gonioporas (I don't have one the store does.... even after I tell my ex-boss NOT to order them) liked it, our leathers preferred it over the MH! And MAN if you have a Pagoda Cup....it will LOVE you for those lights! Go figure! Anyhow, the star polyps..... what is the deal?
<Likely allelopathy, not iodine>
Seems my colt coral frag and my Kenya tree frag are not happy either. Must be a commonality I am not getting. I seem to have better success with the "hard" to take care of corals!
<Cnidarian incompatibility...>
Here is another cut paste paragraph.. Thanks for being so kind. My time is of the essence... as is yours... I do not have a picture, sorry BUT the Florida live rock I have, embedded here and there are what looks like a mini Goniopora (flowerpot) BUT not the long flowers, instead brown fuzzy extensions when "open", make them look like fuzz balls. They are embedded 1/2 way in the rock, about the size of a little crazy ball. They are alive and doing well.....just wondered if those are moon polyps. I know, I shouldn't even ask you w/out a pic, but I figured since they were on most of the rocks, it would seem familiar to you.
<Not w/o an image>
By the way, the feather starfish I accidentally acquired back in June is still alive and doing great!!!! He loves daphnia, Cyclop-eeze and Kent Zooplex. You don't have to put this paragraph on wet web, I would NOT endorse them to anyone unless they are crazy like me. He did lose a lot of arms in the beginning, but only one in the past month. I have talked to other owners of them and they said as long as they are in a reef, then they should be fine.. make sure you FEED the reef though..... not the notion of once a week or you will kill them. 
<Agreed>
One more thing...really!  My green zoanthids went brown and pulled in their tentacles after their last move....long story. (connection with the other sofites??
<Maybe>
But they were fine even when I couldn't keep the star polyps) They are alive, but not that cool green...would the Stron./Moly help them or is it another time will tell? 
<The latter>
I will be happy to share my findings with you.  OH great tip!!!! TO SAVE YOU MONEY!!!!!! Get a hairy mushroom.... when they shrink up a little like 1/4 to 1/3, add calcium and watch them open again.. really saves me money on calcium testing! ALSO, DO NOT PUT IN CALCIUM UNLESS YOU TEST YOUR MAGNESIUM!!!!
<Ah, yes>
(that was for the folks reading this, not you Bob!)  GREAT recipe...... 1 "2 quart" 1/2 gallon size of Epsom Salts to 1 gallon of distilled water.... there is your magnesium! Only like 1 1/2 teasp. per 40 gallons! That upped my calcium by like 100 pts! So when the hairy mush is looking small, add the magnesium first! (remember, magnesium makes calcium available wet Webbers) If that doesn't work THEN add calcium. And at that point test your calcium!
Thanks Bob and I really do appreciate your patience and time!!
<<Whew.. take a breath, girl!>>
Carrie :)
<Thank you. Bob Fenner>