CUC is slowly fading

[madlynb]

I recently added a cleanup crew to my DT. I did this around 6/23/09. Something is killing my nassarius snails or cerith snails. I have difficulty telling them apart. What information can I provide to you for your assistance in trying to figure out what is causing their deaths?:bowdown::question::frustrat:

 

[winyfrog]

livestock and water parameters.

 

[Hornet]

+1 to winyfrog

And do you have any crabs ;) depending on the type they may be taking them out. The nassarius snails have a little snout like thing that they stick above the sand to sniff around for food while buried. Soon as they smell food they pop up like zombies. They usually stick to the sand and only eat meat/leftover food.

 

[madlynb]

My livestock includes: panther grouper, 3 pajama cardinalfish, Tomini Tang, Blue Hippo tang, turbo snails.
Water parameters as of 7/16: Calcium 500ppm; Nitrate 0.2, Nitrite 0, phosphate 0.03, ammonia 0, salnity 1.038, temp 77, ph 8.2-8.3

 

[winyfrog]

is that a specific gravity reading on your salinity? if so thats your problem.

 

[madlynb]

There is only one emerald crab in the tank. I'm sorry, the snails are astreas but I have also noticed that some of my turbos haven't moved.

 

[ndepratt]

1.038..... ouch.... are you topping off with freshwater or saltwater?

i asked in a previous thread, didn't read back through to see.... but is this a new or used tank?

 

[madlynb]

Is specific gravity the reading you get from a refractometer? Sorry to sound dumb!!

 

[madlynb]

I have had this tank since June 2007 but I recently re-did the sump to the tank. I am topping off with RODI water no salt.

 

[winyfrog]

You need to bring your salt level down 1.023 to 1.025. 38 is way to high.

 

[winyfrog]

Is specific gravity the reading you get from a refractometer? Sorry to sound dumb!!

in your refractometer on one side it will read specific gravity (SG) the other side will read salinity.

 

[Bifferwine]

If 1.038 is true, then that's the culprit.

Why is your salinity so high? Do you check your new water before you do a water change?

 

[daugherty]

wow i am jumping on the bandwagon of you sg being to high. what kind of water do you use for topoffs fresh or salt?

 

[mm2meyer]

she already said she uses RODI (just helpin you out James) Whether she said if it's fresh or salty I do not recall

 

[daugherty]

well i ask because if she is topping off with salt water it is going to raise the sg of the tank. but adding fresh will keep the sg levels the same. salt never evaporates from the water

 

[KidJ57]

If her salt was really that high, wouldn't her fish be showing signs of stress also? Also, if the 1.38 is an improper reading, let's say everything is fine with the salinity; would the grouper be more likely or the emerald crab? I thought grouper's were specifically for more aggressive tanks?

 

[yote]

High salinity issues effect inverts a lot more than fish.The inverts systems just can handle anything outside their normal ranges.
Fish can handle both high and low salinity,as long as the change is slow.

 

[madlynb]

In order to reduce my salinity, should I do a 10 gal wc w/RODI water only? My last TDS reading of my RODI water was 19. Is that also involved in affecting my tank cuz now I am seeing algae growth on back wall of tank, on the rock and sand. I turned off my halide lights. HHEEELLPPP!!!!!

 

[ndepratt]

new tank, you're going to have algae blooms. how long are you leaving your lights on per day?

 

[Bifferwine]

TDS of 19 isn't bad. That's not giving you problems.

The best way to bring the salinity down is gradually. Drastic changes will harm your animals. I think doing a 10% water change with fresh water is the way to go. I'd do that every 2 days or so until your salinity is normal.

And I'm still curious, you didn't answer how your salinity got so high in the first place?