What a mess I made.......
Hello All,
It's been many months since my last question, partly because all has been quite well, up to my last water change that is.
I have a 75 g. reef. I do water changes about ever 2 weeks changing about 30 gallons each rime. This time, I decided to add a few supplements:
Reef Advantage Calcium
"       "              Magnesium
"       "              Strontium
Reef Builder
Reef Complete (raises calcium)
Seachem Buffer
Reef Plus (vitamins etc)
I can hear you as I type.
<I hope you are hearing 'Holy Cow what was this person thinking! <G> Seriously, most all of us have done something like this at one time or another. Welcome to the club! Learn from this and try to move on.>
At the time, I thought I was doing some good for my inhabitants. I NEVER add sups, and I thought they would appreciate a good dose vitamins and such. Well, maybe this was too much of a good thing? My 2 year old banded coral shrimp died. Great loss for me.
<I am sorry to hear this.>
He was so beautiful and robust. Now, my mushroom corals, which have grown quite large in the past year, (about the span of my palm) have shrunk down to the size of a quarter. They look truly miserable. What can I do to alleviate this mess I made? Another water change? This sounds to be the most logical solution. Please advise this long time beginner.
<Yes, you are right on track. 20% or so for several days would be in order to bring the tank into some semblance of balance. On the supplement subject. With a high quality synthetic salt mix and regular water changes, supplements can be kept to a minimum, if used at all. I would not add ANY chemical supplements unless you are testing for the element you are supplementing. As far as food supplement is concerned, Selcon is an excellent product to soak the food in before feeding. After things come back in line, would you consider 7-10G water changes once a week? Small weekly or twice weekly water changes are more affective than semi-monthly or monthly. Something to think about.
Thank you
<Again, I am sorry for the loss of your shrimp. Try to move past this and continue as you were before as it sounds like your tank was thriving. Don>

Re: What a mess I made.......
Thank you Don for your advice. I began small water changes after I wrote my letter to you. Already, my mushroom corals look wonderful. They are back to their full size! That was incredible fast.
<Yes, the Corallimorph is very hardy.>
I wonder what to do with all my supp.s? Trash them? Well, maybe I'll just keep them in the fridge, and next time I consider using them, I'll make sure I need them!
<Maybe there is a marine society in your area? You might find out if any of them could use the supplements.>
Thank you again,
A loyal follower of Wet Web Media,
Pamela
<You are welcome, again <G> and let us know how this works out for you, Don>

Water quality issues, Coralline receding, snails dying
WWM Crew,
As many others have said, THANK YOU for the fantastic web site!  My wife and I are new to the marine environment, and your website has been extremely helpful.  Also the new Marine invert. book looks amazing from what I have seen from the sample pages.
<Thank you for your kind words>
We are setting up a Oceanic 75 gal. mini reef tank.  The equipment currently in the tank are 2 MaxiJet powerheads,4-65W PC Coralife (2-10000K and 2-actinics),Prizm Pro skimmer, Oceanic w/d sump (bio balls removed - put skimmer in the "old bio area" - the output of the skimmer goes into the refugium with has LS and red Gracilaria growing - reverse photoperiod of about 12 hrs.- which then overflows into the pump area to be returned to the main tank), Eheim power canister filter (with floss and activate carbon in it) and a UV sterilizer (not on) in a separate loop. We currently have about 60 lbs. of LR (LR is Fiji (45%) and Aqua cultured from FL (55%)) and 45 lbs. of LS.  The sand bed (mix of sand and LS) in the main tank is 3" of fine sugar sand (a little medium fine aragonite mixed in).
Inhabitants:
No fish yet (trying to be patient and add slowly)
8 red legged hermit crabs
2 Astrea snails (only surviving snails - question to come soon)
2 peppermint shrimps (controlling the Aiptasia anemones)
2 Aiptasia anemones too large for the peppermint shrimp to eat (have to take care of these soon)
lots of pods
Zoanthids (two "stalks" currently) growing out of the LR
A few feather dusters growing out of the LR At least 3 bristleworms that also came out of the live rock
<Mmm, this is your "missing email" from a few days back...>
The tank is about 7 weeks old.  The tank was cycled with the uncured LR and LS.  For the past 3 weeks our water tests have shown ph 8.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0,and a temp. of 80-82F.  Within the last week we have been testing alkalinity and calcium.  The current results are KH 11 dKH, GH 40+dkh (got tired of dropping reagent - is this possible or do I have a bad test kit?),  and CA of 255.  I know that I need to increase the CA levels.  I have been adding small amounts of Kalkwasser to increase the CA, but from reading your website, I would guess that I am close to a precipitate snowstorm.  Therefore I need to do water change to lower the alkalinity so that I can raise the CA -- Do I understand this correctly?  If so, then when I mix up my water for the water for the water change (RO water aerated for 12hrs, mix in buffer or not (I assume not since I am trying to lower the alk.), mix in Instant ocean salt to the correct spg, and heat to the "match" the tank temp) should I put buffer in the mix?
We added the PC lights about 2 weeks ago (before only ambient lighting and 1 48" NO Coralife flour.).  Over the last week the coralline algae on the LR has been receding (mainly the dark and light purple, and dark and light green algae -- the pink coralline seems to be growing well within the last few days (after we started supplementing the Ca - small spots on the glass, on the dead rock, and a little on the sand).  Is the receding coralline algae due to the water quality issues (low Ca and high Alk.) and/or acclimation to the new lights?  Or is this too much lighting for this tank?  Or some kind of disease?
Also a few days ago we had several snails die during the night (They had been in the tank for about 2 weeks at this point).  2 red footed moon snails (I have read since then that red footed moon snails need a cooler tank (78F max) and will die otherwise - is this true?), 2 other snails of unknown variety (recommended by LFS) (shells conical in shape similar but not markings to Astrea), and 2 Astrea snails.  Could my water quality (high alk. and low Ca) have caused this?  One LFS thought that we might be starving the snails - is this likely?  Or should I be looking for a predator?
<Likely you're suffering from "too much, too soon" here... better to wait a few weeks to months when setting up marine systems, especially with live rock... Do read where I sent you previously and consider your options in attaining a balance in your water chemistry. It is dangerous (and expensive!) to mix various supplements together w/o a thorough working understanding of their interactions. Bob Fenner>
Sorry for writing a book!
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
John

Sand- bed problem 4/6/04 
Hi there, To the greatest site I have learned a lot throughout last 2 years. 
<Good to hear!> 
I have a 30 gallon reef tank with a 10 gallon sump, hang on protein skimmer and a Skilter filter. the system is about 10 months old and a handful of corals and fish I have all doing fine. Even the psychedelic mandarin. I use Kalkwasser to top of and daily 10 ml additions of b-ionic parts 1 and 2. Once a week I also use Kent marine strontium & molybdenum and Kent marine concentrated iodine. all additives are added according to packaging instructions. 
<Please do be cautious with iodine and Strontium/Molybdenum additions. It is quite easy to overdose in such a small tank. Also, you should be testing for these elements if you are adding. In most cases, regular partial water changes will supply enough of these elements without additional dosing.> 
My problem and question is that the top quarter to half inch of the sand bed keeps getting hard like a rock every now and then. I can break it into pieces but it never goes back to its original state. I am guessing it has to do something with the additives I use. can you please advice on this matter? Best regards Koko 
<I suspect that your additions of Kalkwasser and B-Ionic are driving your pH, Alkalinity and Ca to very high levels. At high levels, calcium carbonate will precipitate onto the sand in your sand bed, solidifying it. If you don't currently test for calcium and alkalinity, you should start. You can then dose your Kalkwasser and B-Ionic according to your tanks needs. Best Regards. Adam>

Alkalinity too high
Dear Bob,
<<JasonC today, greetings.>>
We have a marine reef tank and I've checked ph, phosphates, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, calcium...everything checks out fine....but the alkalinity is reading 4.5. <<In dKH, that's a 12.6, so while on the upper end of practical it isn't really 'that' high.>>
I've done partial water changes, added magnesium, but still cannot control alkalinity. <<I would stop adding anything [Kalkwasser, buffers, calcium, etc.] for a little while, perhaps consider how/why you are adding all this stuff beyond partial water changes.>>
Calcium is at 450 ppm - (dosed with Kalkwasser) PH is at 8.2 Rest checks out to 0 to trace ppm <<Well... with the calcium and alkalinity both towards the higher end of the scale, you are on the precipice of a calcium precipitation event. I would stop with the Kalkwasser for a little while and examine other additives to make sure they aren't also boosting your alkalinity.>>
What are we doing wrong? <<Hard to say without a little more information, like what else you add to the tank and how much, how often. I would also consider the possibility that your test kit is off so testing with another kit can at least be a good sanity check.>> Please advise...
Drex
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Precipitate in new tank: let it snow, let it snow,
made it snow
now I don't know what to do? I have tried searching the site and I cant seem to find what am looking for?
is this water wasted already? can I add anything to make the precipitate dissolve? thanks for your help in advance Francis Perez
<no worries here, my friend. Once the reaction runs its course, the precipitate is insoluble (practically) and harmless. Simply do another water change (25-50% perhaps) to dilute the imbalance and then resume slow additions of calcium (nightly) and buffer (by day) as necessary to reach targeted levels. Aim for 8-12 dKH and 350-425 ppm Ca. Remember...when in doubt, do a water change: "Dilution is the Solution to Pollution!" Best regards, Anthony>

Hardening substrate
Hello WWM crew! Not sure who I'll get, but I know you all know your stuff.  My set up is as follows: 90 gal. reef tank, with 70 gal refugium w/ 18" x 48" plenum. and 50 gal sump.  Mostly SPS and LPS corals and a couple anemones.  
<good heavens... please split this group up soon if you want any of the to see 5 years old let alone ten. A lot of chemical aggression with this garden reef (soup) of drastically different corals. Please resist mixing LPS, SPS and especially anemones (species tank) unnaturally>
150 lbs of LR and about 100 lbs Live sand. My skimmer is an AquaC EV 400. Total system water is about 180gallons.  The question I have is over the last couple of months I have noticed something leaching out of the water and covering the pumps impellers and heaters of the sump, but don't notice it on anything else  It is a white cement like substance that can only be scraped off glass by a razor blade.  
<calcium carbonate?>
Also the substrate in my plenum is starting to "crust over" or "cement" together.  
<ahhh... yes. Spiking your pH with supplements too much or too fast. Either fast running Kalkwasser or excessive/unshaken (shake vigorously every time) 2-part mixes. Do water changes to dilute and temper your dosing protocol>
Nothing visible in the substrate but when you run your fingers through it, it comes up in giant clumps 1" to 1.5" thick.  Any ideas?  I use a couple of additives. EVS B-Ionic 2 part alk/cal,  EVS Iodine, Kent Marine Strontium, and EVS activated carbon.  
<all sounds fine... I really like ESV products>
I do 5-10% water change each week with RODI water & Instant Ocean.  
<larger water changes needed here especially as long as you have such a wild mix of corals and no application of ozone. Approach 25% weekly for ideal>
Also am thinking about added a calcium reactor.  
<quite convenient>
Is the Knop C a good choice and big enough for my tank?  
<hmm... that depends. What is your daily demand for calcium? ppm? I use a Knop reactor myself and love it. Others favor different brands>
Looking forward to the new book.  Keep up the great work! Be chatting, Brad Stefanko
<thanks kindly! Anthony>

Any suggestions?
I started adding supplements to my tank about 4 months ago. At first everything was opening up and looking excellent. Now, everything still looks ok but my very large octopus coral and elegance coral have been closing up on a daily basis. (I've had both corals for many years) The octopus coral has 4 large stalks and they seem to take turns closing up. These are the supplements I've been adding and the amounts in a 75 gal tank, with live rock. Nitrate, etc. levels are fine and I do regular water changes.
Red Sea Vita 5 ml. 1 time per week
Red Sea Green 5 ml. 1 time per week
Kent Marine Tech-M 12 ml. 1 time per week
Kent Marine Tech-I 6 ml. 1 time per week
Kent Marine Strontium & Molybdenum 6.5 ml. 1 time per week
Kent Marine Essential Elements 6.5 ml. every other week 
These are all per instructions if you don't have test kits to test levels.
Any suggestions what might be going on?
<Well, you might have an accumulation problem, but not too likely with what you list, given that you're also doing regular partial water changes. I would definitely invest in at least a calcium and alkalinity test kits here. If these two corals continue to look bad (no problem if they're regularly opening/closing), I would effect larger water changes (like 20-25% weekly) and add a unit of activated carbon to your filter flow path. Do you feed your corals? You might try soaking their meaty foods in a vitamin preparation prior to offering. Bob Fenner>

Messed up tank
Hi Bob,
Merry Christmas!
I need help with my 60G reef acrylic tank .. I was stupid enough to dump too much buffer (water Kent buffer) into it last week and half of the front glass is now coated with "white stuff".
<Yeeikes!>
I tried scrapping it off with my credit card and with the cleaning pads but still there is a lot of "white stuff" left. Good thing is I am actually moving this weekend so I would get a chance to give it a good clean. Do you know of any good way to get the "white stuff" off?
<Not w/o emptying the tank... gently wiping with dilute acid (like vinegar, acetic) on a sponge, or better, swishing successive washes of it (white is better) onto the panels... Or letting time go by... it will wear off... Don't scrape! Bob Fenner>
Thanks again!
Brian