Somethings wrong with my tank. HELP!

[ChefZilla]

Ok... A few weeks ago i did a water change on my tank. Used the same water i have been using, Same salt as well... Before (when i was vodka dosing) my tank was doing great. My numbers were dead on across the board.. nitrates 0 phosphate 0 calcium 460 kh ..cant remember kh. Well today i checked it again (did another water change yesterday) And nitrates are still 0. phosphates are at 1 calcium is same, and the kh, 161.1. Pretty decent numbers... But now some of my corals are HATING it! Im wondering if the place where i get the water their filter is bad or??? Its affecting everything from zoas to sps. Zoas are changing/losing color. Some sps isnt having full polyp extension. And now im getting red slime in one corner of my tank (theres plenty of flow there, return is right there) and hair algae on a rock next to it. Ohh and i have lost 3 shrimp 1 6 line wrasse and 1 lawnmower blenny since i stopped the vodka dosing (i stepped it down SLOWLYYY, 1 1/2 months to end it, been almost 2 months since last vodka dose) I know that the vodka was a carbon source and kept away the hair algae and red slime. I still dose Vitamin C though. Heres a few pics of what the corals used to look like..and what they look like now..
Before
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMGP2771.jpg
Now.
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0532.jpg
Before..
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0153.jpg
now..
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0531.jpg
Before (not a great pic)
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0473.jpg
Now..
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0530.jpg
These used to be orange and red...now they are dull red and brown
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad342/ChefZilla77/IMAG0533.jpg
What else should i be testing for? I put some phosphate remover in a bag and its in the back...Anything else i can do?? :worried:

[KimP]

Are you running carbon? Just a thought in case some unknown was in the water. What about temp and ph?

[KimP]

Losing all those fish might have an effect on the water too. What about ammonia?

[ChefZilla]

I have carbon in the back...But maybe i need to change it. i run chemipure and i havnt changed it in 2 months (i usually change it after 3 months) Temp is 76-78 and ph 8.2 Ammonia?? whats that?? J/k.. 0 ammonia

[funkejj]

You said your phosphates are 1? That seems really high, the only time I have any sps issues in my tank is when PO4 is above .05. Phosphates would also explain the algae increase as well.

[ChefZilla]

Yeah...thats what im thinking as well.... What i need to do is check the water i use to see if theres phosphates in there. There wasnt any before when i checked it. And if there is, time to find a new supplier :-/

[g.junge]

do you have a refuigium? i would try adding some macro algae, Chaeto is what i have in my tank and i barely have any algae growing anywhere in the tank

[ChefZilla]

Im running chaeto and have mangroves as well.. I have 0 nitrates

[HighlandReefer]

I would run GFO to reduce your phosphate. It will become depleted quickly at the level you are at. YOu will most likely need to replace the GFO once every three days (no more than a week) until your phosphate drops below 0.03 ppm. ;)

You may want to cut back on feeding as well. If your DOC gets to high it will cause problems and overfeeding can cause this. GAC is good to reduce this. Too much Vit C can cause this too. ;)

[ChefZilla]

I was thinking of getting GFO or just getting chemipure elite bags and put them in the sump. (i have a 40 gallon clear4life) soo not much room in the back "sump" Im setting up a new 130 gallon with 60 gallon sump here in the next week or so and transfer everything over. And im dosing 1/6th of a teaspoon a day of vitamin c. I have been using api test kits... I want to get salifert but how hard are they to manage? I had a stroke and only have 1 working hand.

[HighlandReefer]

HIgh phosphate levels will negatively effect coral which will mean they need less food during that period that phosphate is high. I would stop dosing the vit. C for a period of time until things get back to normal. :)

[bertoni]

Chemi-Pure Elite might be fairly expensive for this purpose, but it'll work. Neither GFO nor the Chemi-Pure will be all that efficient in a bag in the sump. I'd try to use a canister filter or reactor with GFO, personally.

[ChefZilla]

I don't have A canister filter or a reactor. Soo I'm stuck on that. I was going to get a reactor when I set up my larger tank. I would but there's no room for it. Anyone have know where to get a "cheap" reactor?

[tmz]

Personally I would: check the ammonia, stop the vitamin C ; it's a carbon source and closely resembles sugar which can be problematic for corals, run gfo to get the PO4 down,freshen the granulated activated carbon, run a some poly filter or cuprisorb just in case a metal came in with the water, skim heavily and do a series of 15% water changes.

What's the salinity btw?

[ChefZilla]

I meant I have no room for it right now. In my present tank.

[ChefZilla]

I keep my salinity at 1.023 . Temp is between 76-78.

[ChefZilla]

SSee I'm kinda stuck about using the pokyfilter. I heard you have to "force" water thru it for it to be effective. I have a hang on back filter I can put the polyfilter in it and run it that way?

[ChefZilla]

And just checked the ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, All are at 0. phosphate at 1 (grrrr) Ph 8.2 Calcium 460, kh 161.1. I have a copper test kit, Im going to check that tomorrow and see if i can find the color chart for the API test kit. I checked copper 3 weeks ago and was zero (before anything in the tank went south, Just periodically checking) Anyone have the copper color chart? I usually test and if its clear as water im fine. But ya never know :-/

[GlenG]

I recently switched all my test kits to Saliferts for accuracy and simplicity. If you are able to titrate one handed with a small syringe, I highly recommend them.

[tmz]

SSee I'm kinda stuck about using the pokyfilter. I heard you have to "force" water thru it for it to be effective. I have a hang on back filter I can put the polyfilter in it and run it that way?

Yes;just cut a piece to fit. I like thr two little fishes reactor for gfo.

Anyone have know where to get a "cheap" reactor?

I like the Two Little Fishes reactor for gfo. It goes for about 50$ and then you need a power head ( a samll maxi jet to run it).

I keep my salinity at 1.023

That is on the very low side for a reef tank,imo. The average for seawater is 1.0264.

[tmz]

Some other notes:

Free copper at minute ppb can do damage and are not detectable at that level with hobby grade kits.

For granulated organic carbon 1/2 cup per 50 gallons changed one a month works well.

I agree Chemipure elite will help . It contains some gac, some gfo and some di resing. The resin is useless in a slatwater tank but you pay for it. Separate bags of carbon and gfo should work just as well.

1/6 tsp of vitamin C equals abut 2ml of vodka or 16ml of vinegar in terms of organic carbon dosed. Without a good skimmer and gac , organics could be building up fueling bacterial blooms or interfering with corals.

[ChefZilla]

Ok... I have the polyfilter, now I just need to find that hob filter. I was looking at brs and they have a dual reactor (carbon and gfo) at a reasonable price. I'm going to order that and the carbon and gfo. Or I can look at vivid but they are $. Also, I'm going to raise my salinity up to 1.026, I was wondering how fast I should raise it? Do it in days or weeks? Thank you all for your help.

[bertoni]

I would raise the pH over a week or so.

[tmz]

Also, I'm going to raise my salinity up to 1.026, I was wondering how fast I should raise it? Do it in days or weeks? Thank you all for your help. I'd limit the rise to .001 per day max. Adding saltwater for top of is an easy way to do it slowly.

[ChefZilla]

Ok... Well i got new water from the store i usually get it at. Tested it for phosphates on my api tester...was ranging between 2-5!! Needless to say i found my source. Did another test on my tank cause the phosphate sponge has been in there for 2 days. Its .25!! Wayyyy better that 1. Also bought a TDS meter as well... Water was at 37. My house RO water tested in at 10. Im going to change out the sponge tomorrow and add new. :-)

[bertoni]

That's a lot of phosphate! I'm surprised, or at least disappointed, at that measurement.

[ChefZilla]

Yeah me too.... Tomorrow im heading to the water store and taking my testers (phosphate and tds meter) and show them. HOPEFULLY that will spurn them into changing out their filters. Otherwise im heading to another store. A new store just opened up soo im going to test their water and if its good, Im going with them. Still cheap at 25 cents a gallon :-).. i was paying $1 for a 7 gallon container