So if LFS salinity is 33 to 34

Yep...it's not s problem. Eventually, it'll start to bring your salinity down over time if you continue to use their water.
 
I'm not using their water..

.. I'm buying coral there. I need to know if it is bad for polyp coral I buy there.
 
I've personally never had a problem with corals coming from different tanks/salinities, and I don't drip acclimate them, only temp acclimate. But some people acclimate their corals like their fish and/or inverts...so if you wanna be on the safe side and acclimate them also, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
I'm trying to figure out what is messed up here. My tests are darn near perfect.. all of them.. and I even test for copper.

However, I'm having trouble getting new corals to open... and I added three snails again two days ago and again have found one dead and the other two are MIA.

My salt is as dead on as I can read the meter. .. .. ????

My best LFS is having a two for one sale this weekend and I afraid to add life forms.. ???

I'm running a skimmer and it is making soup, a GFO and carbon reactors, and my RODI is .000.

HELP
 
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How is your temperature, and what all are you testing for? You may also have to test for stray voltage maybe.
 
How is your temperature, and what all are you testing for? You may also have to test for stray voltage maybe.

temp 78-79 ..rock solid
salinity ... 35 using a refractometer
pH ... 8.2
Phosphates not detectable
Alk .... 11
copper not detectable
nitrite not detectable
nitrate not detectable
ammonia not detectable
Calc.. 500
Mag .. 1350


Stray electricity... huuumm you may have something there.... should add a grounding wire????

EDIT: I just checked with my DVM and there is clearly some kind of voltage. What is usually the way to correct this?
 
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You can correct stray voltage with a stray voltage rod, you'll find them at a good LFS or places like Foster and Smith online

I know you said that you're testing for copper, are you using well water? I recently came to the conclusion that the iron in my well was not only trashing the filters for my RO unit, but making it past the RO unit into my tank. I've had issues keeping corals and have gone through almost every other cause and came back to the well. So I bought a whole new RO/DI setup and hooked up to my municipal water.

In any case, what I am trying to say is that is there any way it could be something you arent currently testing for?
 
Yep...a good titanium grounding probe will usually fix that problem. They aren't really that expensive either. Good luck with everything. :)
 
It could be something I'm not testing for.. I suppose... the list I gave is what I test for and what tests I have.. can you suggest another?..

Today, I'll be near the LSF (it is a good one) so I'll take them a sample of my water.. and ask about a grounding bar.

No not well water... and my RODI is .000
 
Is it just ur snails that r dying? How r ur coral and fish looking?

Fish are doing great!!! Simple flat zoah's doing good...but not really bursting with growth... but coral with polyps don't do well and my most recent from Tuesday (three days ago) aren't opening up for more than a peek (eagle eyes) but are still alive. The ones from last week's purchases are bleaching.

I did the slow drip method... did the dip... have tried several places in the tank and several light settings.

I added a ground wire between a grounded copper pipe and my tank with a titanium rod just as I left to go on some wildlife runs this AM. ...so I don't know the results... there were some fantum voltages and those went away according to my DVM.
 
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A grounding rod is a great idea but I think I would be concerned where the voltage is coming from. Since you have a tester. Turn things off one at a time and find the culprit. Then pull/replace it. After that ya ground the tank. :twocents:
 
A grounding rod is a great idea but I think I would be concerned where the voltage is coming from. Since you have a tester. Turn things off one at a time and find the culprit. Then pull/replace it. After that ya ground the tank. :twocents:

Current .001 ma... it is fantom. With everything unplugged... about the same. Remember salt water maxes an excellent battery. There is no current. ;)

My LFS found the problem.. I 'm on the road, will explain later.
 
testing for a stray volt is pretty easy. grab a meter and start unplugging each piece of equipment you have until you find what is causing the stray. then simply replace it.
 
testing for a stray volt is pretty easy. grab a meter and start unplugging each piece of equipment you have until you find what is causing the stray. then simply replace it.

All... getting a grip on the electrical is NP... I'm a retired machine design engineer... thanks to every one.. seriously... I love ya ALL... but... I have it handled! ...... ;)

..however for the sake of others this is all great stuff... but... stray voltage is a fish only concern.

Just combing your hair or putting on pantie hose generates thousands of volts... it is current that matters. I have none.
 
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Here is where I am:

I went to my favorite LFS.. to qualify this, he has a great store, is an engineer (that counts for me because we can relate well), is having a large sale this weekend and just got in a load of coral yesterday and maybe the day before... they ALREADY pop... the corals are all out and shoring off their colors and extensions.

He keeps his salinity at 33.. and gives that much of the credit to his success. Also, my calcium was way lower than I had tested.. I need to find out why.. he used the same testing kit brand as I.

He says if he runs his salt at 35 his corals get pissed off at him. He runs 33 so he has some buffer room towards 34.

So, I just did an eight gallon change with RODI as the fill back.. after a few minutes of circulation I will do a refractometer test.

That is all I know at this time.. we also talked at length about LED's and electronics.. but I won't bore you with that.
 
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