salinity

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/22/2007, 10:46 AM

I have a quick question. I have a friend who has a reef tank and he recently started losing a few coral.......I asked him to check his SG and he informed me that it was at 1.021 and that a guy from an aqaurium company came to check the tank and did a water change on it a few days ago. I am pretty positive that that salinity it extremely low?! Am I right to assume this? He doesnt seem to think its THAT bad.....but I told him he needs to call the company and have them do something about this..These were coral that have been thriving fine for over one year each. The only corals he lost were all leathers. Any ideas or input?

kau_cinta_ku · 10/22/2007, 10:52 AM

what was his sg. before the waterchange? how big of tank and how big of waterchange?

Aquarist007 · 10/22/2007, 11:01 AM

does he have access to a refractometer-----I would suggest purchasing one--very accurate and easy to use. I could not do my water changes without it !

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/22/2007, 11:20 AM

i believe its a 120 gallons and his normal sg is around 1.026. only 20-30 gallons of water were changed he said. no refractometer....but the reading is the same w/three different hydrometers....i went and looked for myself.

kau_cinta_ku · 10/22/2007, 11:22 AM

well going from 1.026 to 1.021 is a big jump in a short time but i doubt it would kill leathers. you sure they just arn't closed up and stressed, getting ready to shed?

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/22/2007, 11:34 AM

dont know a whole lot about coral ....so Not sure...but he has a yellow leather that is completely dead...melted away and all. the others are two toadstools that are turning grey and black.....and are hanging and sagging downward. He says he has never seen them like this.

kau_cinta_ku · 10/22/2007, 11:36 AM

nope that is not a good sign.

Percula9 · 10/22/2007, 12:01 PM

Corals can't osmoregulate like fish, so changes in salinity have a profound affect on corals. I would have your friend switch to a different maintenance company. They are obviously responsible for this. They sent out somebody who doesn't know what there doing. Leathers are lagoon corals and need high salinity 1.025-.027. I have know doubt the rapid reduction in salinity caused the problem.

chatyak · 10/22/2007, 12:27 PM

Too much of a salinity change in such short period of time = bad for all esp. coral.

loosecannon · 10/22/2007, 02:17 PM

Test for Nitrite,Nitrate,Ammonia, Phosphate Ph,Temperature, Kh, Dkh! the tests will tell you whats going on.

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/23/2007, 10:22 AM

before the "crash" ...
ammonia-0
nitrite-0
nitrate-10
phosphate-0
alk- 250
calcium- 400
is it just me or do those seem fine?

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/23/2007, 10:22 AM

the temp is a stable 78-79

loosecannon · 10/23/2007, 10:35 AM

Those do seem fine!

Aquarist007 · 10/23/2007, 11:40 AM

most LFS keep their salinity on the low side--some as low as .018--no one has given be a "satisfactory" answer as to why.
If the salinity went down gradually then it would not make much of a difference----higher levels are actually more to worry about.
Just use .026 water for the next few top ups instead of r/0 water and the this will bring the level gradually up to .026

ReefiN MonsteR · 10/23/2007, 12:53 PM

he already did a water change to fix the salinity issue. My concern for him is the fact that this aquarium company screwed him over and they are saying there isnt anything they can do. Because his nitrates are now at 20 and there was slight ammonia showing. (.025) but when he told me that i said....."well yea the levels are slightly higher.......because three leathers have died.....2 of which were XXL toadstools.!" so of course there would be a small spike in ammonia and such. right???? this just boggles me because its a well known and respected aquarium company and LFS in one.....and I have relied on there help for the past two years. I just dont know what this guy can do for some kind of compensation?! Thanks for the help everyone!

10/22/2007, 10:46 AM	#1
ReefiN MonsteR Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 81	salinity I have a quick question. I have a friend who has a reef tank and he recently started losing a few coral.......I asked him to check his SG and he informed me that it was at 1.021 and that a guy from an aqaurium company came to check the tank and did a water change on it a few days ago. I am pretty positive that that salinity it extremely low?! Am I right to assume this? He doesnt seem to think its THAT bad.....but I told him he needs to call the company and have them do something about this..These were coral that have been thriving fine for over one year each. The only corals he lost were all leathers. Any ideas or input?

10/22/2007, 11:01 AM	#3
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	does he have access to a refractometer-----I would suggest purchasing one--very accurate and easy to use. I could not do my water changes without it ! __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

10/22/2007, 12:27 PM	#9
chatyak Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,090	Too much of a salinity change in such short period of time = bad for all esp. coral. __________________ Fishville

10/22/2007, 02:17 PM	#10
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Test for Nitrite,Nitrate,Ammonia, Phosphate Ph,Temperature, Kh, Dkh! the tests will tell you whats going on. __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

10/23/2007, 10:35 AM	#13
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Those do seem fine! __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

10/22/2007, 10:52 AM	#2
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	what was his sg. before the waterchange? how big of tank and how big of waterchange?

10/22/2007, 11:20 AM	#4
ReefiN MonsteR Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 81	i believe its a 120 gallons and his normal sg is around 1.026. only 20-30 gallons of water were changed he said. no refractometer....but the reading is the same w/three different hydrometers....i went and looked for myself.

10/22/2007, 11:22 AM	#5
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	well going from 1.026 to 1.021 is a big jump in a short time but i doubt it would kill leathers. you sure they just arn't closed up and stressed, getting ready to shed?

10/22/2007, 11:34 AM	#6
ReefiN MonsteR Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 81	dont know a whole lot about coral ....so Not sure...but he has a yellow leather that is completely dead...melted away and all. the others are two toadstools that are turning grey and black.....and are hanging and sagging downward. He says he has never seen them like this.

10/22/2007, 11:36 AM	#7
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	nope that is not a good sign.

10/22/2007, 12:01 PM	#8
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	Corals can't osmoregulate like fish, so changes in salinity have a profound affect on corals. I would have your friend switch to a different maintenance company. They are obviously responsible for this. They sent out somebody who doesn't know what there doing. Leathers are lagoon corals and need high salinity 1.025-.027. I have know doubt the rapid reduction in salinity caused the problem.

10/23/2007, 10:22 AM	#11
ReefiN MonsteR Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 81	before the "crash" ... ammonia-0 nitrite-0 nitrate-10 phosphate-0 alk- 250 calcium- 400 is it just me or do those seem fine?

10/23/2007, 11:40 AM	#14
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	most LFS keep their salinity on the low side--some as low as .018--no one has given be a "satisfactory" answer as to why. If the salinity went down gradually then it would not make much of a difference----higher levels are actually more to worry about. Just use .026 water for the next few top ups instead of r/0 water and the this will bring the level gradually up to .026 __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

10/23/2007, 12:53 PM	#15
ReefiN MonsteR Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Kennesaw, GA Posts: 81	he already did a water change to fix the salinity issue. My concern for him is the fact that this aquarium company screwed him over and they are saying there isnt anything they can do. Because his nitrates are now at 20 and there was slight ammonia showing. (.025) but when he told me that i said....."well yea the levels are slightly higher.......because three leathers have died.....2 of which were XXL toadstools.!" so of course there would be a small spike in ammonia and such. right???? this just boggles me because its a well known and respected aquarium company and LFS in one.....and I have relied on there help for the past two years. I just dont know what this guy can do for some kind of compensation?! Thanks for the help everyone!