How close to death is my derasa?

[Exoristos]

So this happened in a matter of 8 hours yesterday. The photo I took is from this morning. The clam still seems to be responsive at some point and my water parameters are on point except calcium which it was way higher then what is supposed to be. Also 2-3 days ago I had a pH issue for some reason so I dosed my tank a bit to bring it up to the normal levels. Other than that no major changes in temperature except that it ranges between 77F-79F depending when my AC stops for a rest.

Here she is :(
http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o654/Geo_Nicolaides/20130531_085904_zps8f3e7e41.jpg (http://s1336.photobucket.com/user/Geo_Nicolaides/media/20130531_085904_zps8f3e7e41.jpg.html)

[AquaTDV]

Sorry about your loss.. If it was mine I'd pull it from the tank.

[Exoristos]

Any suggestions on how I can do it better next time?

[ca1ore]

Looks already dead to me - how long did you have it for?

[Kyle918]

Detail? Such as parameters? Over what period of time did you increase the ph? What did you dose? Did you test after to see what you dosed the right amount? How long have you had it?

[Exoristos]

I had it for a week. The pH went down to 8.0 so I dosed it enough to go up to 8.2 in one night (I didn't think that the difference was huge so I did it all at once, probably a huge mistake) Rest of the parameters are nitrates <20, nitrites =0, ammonia=0, ph = 8.2, calcium 3 times normal cause I was dosing oyster feast every day to jump start my tank cause I had close to 0 calcium in it before (a couple of drops a day), temp 78F.

[Exoristos]

Also I am using aquaticlife T5 fluorescence lights which I think is time to change the bulbs cause I have it for 7 months now. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Also my corals are not doing well at all. I have a candy cane, colt, and a leather and all of them are not looking so good... I am reading stuff and trying to do everything by the book, weekly water changes and stuff but things keep on dying on me. On another note, my fishes seem to be doing great so... i'm kind of in the dark here...

[Breadman03]

One thing, don't chase pH.

How big was the clam? Small clams (under 3 inches) have some special needs.

Are you using RODI water?

CA is 3 times normal-what was the actual measurement?

How is your flow? Any dead spots?

Take things slow. Make only one change at a time and observe/record the results.

Also, you could turn your lights off for 3 days and keep the tank in darkness with no problems. Your livestock experiences the same thing when a hurricane passes the reef (or so the Internets said).

Even though your bulbs should be replaced, I think it is quite unlikely that they caused the death.

I don't know, but is it possible to kill a clam with too much light that quickly?

[Exoristos]

The clam was about 4-5" and I'm afraid I don't know what RODI water is.

My sg also was up a bit 1.026 due to evaporation but I fixed and now is down to 1.024

The CA was at 31 based on what my LFS said when they tested it.

The flow is moderate, I have my intake blowing water on one side and a power head (marineland 500GPH crossing it on the other side (like an 'X', my tank is a 24x24 45g cube so I don't know if I actually have a dead spot. should I consider a second power head?).

Based on what I read online clams like light so I don't know if you can actually kill it with it...

[ca1ore]

Definitely don't 'chase' pH. Tanks will normally cycle between 7.9-8.0 at night versus 8.2-8.3 during the day - at least mine does. RODI is reverse osmosis/deionized - basically a way to ensure that the water you are using for your salt mix is free of anything that might cause you problems. Also, a SG of 1.026 isn't likely to cause any problems, I run my tank routinely at that level. Not sure about your calcium level - normal for a reef tank is in the 400 range, should ask your LFS again.

Although clams are generally considered to be relatively easy to keep, they can also be quite sensitive. Perhaps you just were unlucky and got a clam that was about ready to expire regardless of what you did. That the rest of your corals look bad is a cause for concern though.

[Exoristos]

Most of the times I buy my water from my LFS just to ensure that I use good water for my tank probably that is why I did not know what RODI is. I will definitely ask them again about the CA, is there a possibility that 31 meant 3100???? And if that is the case how bad that is considering the range should be around 400-500???

[ca1ore]

Don't really know as I have never heard of a calcium level of 3100. Would think the water would be solid at that point.

What have you changed on your tank recently - we've all done something foolish at some point so perhaps that is a place to look?

[Exoristos]

Well I bought a new fish tank to begin with but I transferred everything from my old one to the new one (water, LR,) just got new live sand.

[OrionN]

oyster feast should not cause elevation in calcium. Do you add any chemical to the tank? Calcium, alkalinity, pH adjuster? trace elements? Anything at all?
What kind of salt mix you you use? or the LFS use to mix salt water? How often do you add top off water? What kind of water do you use to top off. How much water change? Did you get these water from the LFS? Do you check salinity of the water before you change? What do you use to check the salinity? How do you keep temp stability? What is the range of temp of your tank?

What you are telling so far is a a tank that is not doing well due to either chemical imbalance or instability. Adding Kalk too fast or adding bicarb too fast. Too much change in temp or to much too quick change in salinity.... Tank that is not stable so the animal not doing well.

[Exoristos]

OrioN this is what I am doing based on you questions:

Do you add any chemical to the tank? Calcium, alkalinity, pH adjuster? trace elements? Anything at all?
I do not add any CA, alkalinity, trace elements. I did how ever add a pH adjuster 3 days ago. (API Proper ph 8.2)

What salt mix you you use? or the LFS use to mix salt water?
When I do it at home I use Oceanic Natural sea salt mix (which included CA and trace elements), when I buy the water from LFS I don't know what they use.

How often do you add top off water? What kind of water do you use to top off.
I top it off when I see that a couple of gallons have evaporated which is about every 7-10 days. I am using tap water and I am treating the water with API tap water conditioner before I add it to the fish tank.

How much water change?
I do 5 gallons (my fish tank is 45g, do I need to up the amount?) every 7-10 days.

Do you check salinity of the water before you change?
Yes I do. I made a mistake a few months back by changing the water before doing a check and I messed it up so I learnt my lesson. Also my salinity range is between 1.025 to 1.027 (when water evaporates)

What do you use to check the salinity?
I am using a CORALIFE Deep Six hydrometer and I usually check different areas of the tank to ensure consistency of the results. If I feel that I am wrong I take a sample to my LFS and they check it there with better equipment.

How do you keep temp stability?
I am using a submersible heater straight in the tank for heat and I am running the AC of my living room 24/7 if needed during hot days.

What is the range of temp of your tank?
77-79 ish (right now is 80). I am using a coralife digital thermometer for that.

Also, my CA testing last night was close to 800. I changed my T5 HO today and the difference in actinic light in the tank is substantial. (I ran the last pair for around 2500 hours).

I also bought liquid reef by brightwell aqautics today but I have't use it yet. and i added more LR last Sunday from a different LFS.

I am not using a skimmer yet and I am using an API NEXX canister filter that does 160h GPH found here! (http://www.wag.com/fish/p/api-nexx-filter-349554?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_W&utm_term=SRA-024&utm_campaign=GooglePLA&CAWELAID=1527650887&utm_content=pla&ca_sku=SRA-024&ca_gpa=pla&ca_kw={keyword}) (which I hate, but I don't have the cash to upgrade to a sump yet. If someone is selling one just PM btw) and I also have a marineland maxi-jet 400 power head which is rated for 110 GPH. (The circulation pump is rated for 500 GPH, should I convert it to a circulation pump?)

I hope that I gave you enough info for a constructive feedback which I really need right now!

[OrionN]

Don't add anything into the tank, not even pH adjuster.

Almost any salt mix would be Ok just use the same one. Instance Ocean is fine. Get a refractometer. It is much more accurate and not significantly more expensive than a hydrometer.

You cannot wait to top off every week. You got to do it daily. Add 5 gallon of fresh water in a 50 gal system is a 10% change in salinity, too much and most likely the reason your animal is not doing well. Don't add any "conditioner" to the water. You should use RO water to add to the tank daily. If you use tap which is not good, just leave it open for 1 day so that clorine evaborated and then add it into the tank.

I think temp stability is also a problem. I often have to use active cooling when the light turn on (fan blow on the tank with light turn on) to keep it cool during the day and heater at night.

I think there must be some servere chemistry abnormality to get a calcium of 800. I would mix salt water and do water change 50% daily for 4 or 5 days to get the chemistry back to normal. Don't add anything, even water conditioner. There is no need to use water conditioner other than let the clorine evaborate to the air.

DON'T ADD ANY CHEMICAL TO THE TANK the problem is toxicity of trace element. Highly unlikley that your tank is lack of trace elements. Also lack of trace elevent will cause coral not do well over long term, not kill them in short term in trace element toxicity.

Good luck. Keep everything as stable as you can. Even low Ca will not kill coral, just cause them to grow slow while trying to increase Ca by adding things into your tank can kill it quickly.

[10reefman]

Also if you can get a ATO automatic top off to keep up with the evaporation.