Need help with my water Balance

[basestring]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and to keeping a reef tank
I'm doing it now for 3 month and it's not going as it should be
2 days ago I lost my Blue carpet that I bought healthy as far as I know and read
I also lost 2 clown wish, 2 damsels
The rest is doing well.

My PH is way too low 7.6
the last view days I'm trying to play with the calcium and Kh

When I started, the PH was 7.8, Calcium was 240 and KH was 12 dkh.
as you see the Calcium is way to low and the PH is also a bit low.
I don't have a Calcium reactor, but I bought Kent Calcium supply and seawater KH Balance

In the last 3 days I worked the Calcium up to 350, but my KH went up too
and is 14 dkh and my PH dropped to 7.6

Here are all the test result that I can do

PH - 7.6
salinity - 1.023
Temperature - around 25C.
KH - 14 dkh
Calcium - 350
No3 - Around 25
Ammonia -Between 0.02/0.05 ppm(save)
I also Have a Phosphate tester but don't get any results

It's a 500 Liter reef tank
with a skimmer, Cotton filter, 100meter no3 filter tube that drops 1 drop every 3 seconds , and self-made Bio filter with around 10kg white looking round stones with a hole in it. I forgot the name the packing had only Chinese text, can't read Chinese yet!!! and I've a 9w UV lamp

I also dose 2ml vodka daily

Any suggestions?

 

[melosu58]

So I am assuming that you already cycled your tank. One of the ways I have found to keep water parameters in check is to do frequent PWC`s. I would try that and see how that does.

 

[Jnam]

PWCs I agree, using chemicals to adjust water quality is always a give and take, and rarely does it work out long term. The rock you are using with the holes. It isnt Texas holey rock is it? Test it to ensure it is carbonate based. There are some volcanic rocks which look to be carbonate but when tested are not and tend to leech sulfur into the water, easily causing a low PH.

What is a NO3 Filter tube and what is it dropping just wondering...

 

[Jnam]

There are 2 tests I would do on unkown stones. 1st test is using a weak acid (vinegar) if you see or hear it bubbling then it is a carbonate type stone( good). 2nd test is mix 1tbsp (2mL?) of baking soda with distilled or RO/DI water and soak your stones in it. If you see bubbles after a few hours kinda like a stone in a soda then you have a rock that is leeching acids. (bad)

 

[basestring]

Thanks for the replies

I do a 30% water Change every 2 weeks and I use seachem Prime with the new water (About 5ml)

However, I had to move my tank 3 weeks ago, and had to take all the water out. I didn't have enough buckets to keep 500L water so I had a 90% or more water change. This gave me those brown Algie back.

not very happy with that, but It will go away

About the 100meter tube.

it just a thin tube with sulphur in it, If I'm right
the water goes trough the tube very slow and removes all the NO3

I work, If I test the water for NO3, It's around 25
but If I test the water from the Tube, Then it's near 0
but It's very slow.

I'll do the test later with those blocks to see what happens

 

[Jnam]

I thought that would be your description of the tube. I would venture to say that the sulphur you are using to strip the NO3 from the tank could be fowling your water and giving you your PH problems... If Nitrates (NO3) is high try using something liek a refugium to get that out. or PWCs work best. JMO

 

[basestring]

First of all, Many thanks for helping a newbie

to Build a refugium would be a pain in the ***!!!

I totally don't have the space anymore. I already planning to create pipes to an other room for a chiller that I need when it gets summer again

What is a PWC for 500 liter? 30% every 2 weeks as I'm doing right now? or is it to little?

Also I'm using normal tab water with a conditioner (seachem Prime)

 

[Jnam]

Test your tap water for NO3 if its present in your water that will account for its pressence in your aquarium I dont know how the water quality in Beijing is but I would say getting your self a nice Reverse Osmosis/DeIonizer unit would be a great investment. It is much easier to maintian water quality when you start with pure water.

CHeck your water supply and let us know the results.

 

[bavass]

"and I've a 9w UV lamp"

I don't think 9w UV bulb is enough for a 500l reef tank. Is that a mistype? Carpet's need a lot of light.

 

[basestring]

No3 from my tab water is undetectable, color was very Yellow, so 0 or near 0

about the UV light, I was told that a 9W UV light is big enough for a 500L reef tank. and also UV light is a + and not really a need for Reef tank

for my normal light, I have an automatic light system with 3 settings
white Light 2x 150 watt, Blue light and LED (Moon light)
9am till noon has Blue light.
Noon till 8PM has White light (total 300 watt)
8pm till midnight has Blue light again
midnight till 8AM LED

should be enough light in my eyes8O

 

[Bige]

UV I think is a take it or leave it but since you have it, use it. As a mod always says good bacteria don't float around so it will help. Do you have power heads? Are they pointed at top of water? Is your hood closed? I am asking because low 02 can cause low ph. If you have live sand then a ph of 7.6 is as low as it will go. The sand will go into solution and bring ph up(some). Then fall out of soluton. Stay on water changes. If you need to, do a pwc once a week till parmeters stabilize. I would say do more often but 500l is big.

 

[bavass]

9w is plenty with the other lights you have.

 

[basestring]

My hood is open and I'm using crusted coral instead of live sand.
and my power head is pointing around 10 degrees down.
it pointed more down before but my flower pot don't like to much stream.
is it better to point it more up?

how ever my 2 new JPN brown tanks are nipping it and I have to choose between them or my flower pot

I think I'll bring them back to the lfs. They told me that they would be fine with my anemones

sorry bit off topic

 

[CaptainAhab]

Your 500l works out to 130 gallons. At 300 watts of light (you don't say what type MH, CFL, PC, T5's etc) you don't have near enough light for an anemone or most any coral. IMO with that lighting you should stay in the FOWLR inhabitant style.

Bavass: The 9w is for the UV and is enclosed in the UV unit. It does not contribute to the lighting for the tank.

Your sulfur tube is most probably a sulfur denitrator... good thing to have.

The rocks sound like Texas holey rock but could be Figi or carrib rock.

Why are you dosing vodka?

Did you cycle the tank?

If I had to guess it would be that your tank is cycling with the fish in there. The 30% water changes are keeping most everyone alive. The corals and clam won't make it w/ those lights. With crushed coral and tap water you'll have a continuing battle with algae even with the denitrator and and UV.

Just MO

 

[basestring]

Thanks for the info.

My cabinet under the tank has some problems with the wood.
so the company that sold me the aquarium will give me a new one.
so I'll have to take everything out.

I'm thinking to change the crushed coral to live sand (grounded shells)
sorry that I don't know all the names

I'm not sure what kind of light it is. but it's very very bright!!!
it light bulb as it own transformer or something light that.

When I turn on the light, It will slowly get stronger and stronger
the shop told me that this light is good for anemones

I payed about 1500 Chinese yuan for the whole light system (around 220 usd)

I also did a water change (around 100 Liter) I checked the PH again and it dropped to 7.0 and is 7.0 for 2 days

is this dangerous??

My fish is doing well

the rest of the balance is acceptable, only NO3 is very high
that's why I'm dosing Vodka

and Yes my tank is not fully cycled and have lots of fish.
This is because I had to move my tank and had during that time a 90% water change

Water is now cycling for 2 weeks, and did 2 water changes during that time

 

[basestring]

Checked about the light. I have 2 x 150W MH light bulbs