death live rock!

kurcoba · 12/02/2008, 10:54 PM

Ok I 've had running my 50 g reef tank for almost 7 months i have about 70 pounds of live rock
live sand 3 fishes and a few corals and some snails everything ok until I did water change
2 days ago (15 g) by now a few death snails i death coral I checked levels and nitrate about
10ppm ammonia 0 ph 8.4 but nitrite a little high and the salt level a little over 1.023 ,a guy from my local fish store told me "the live rock is death" i was in shock

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') he said that's way the nitrite level is high"
i didn't believed and went looking for a second opinion and i was told that maybe the salt level that is high is causing the death snails the guy tested the water and said everything seems
ok just lower the salt level and the nitrite the live rock is good.
anyone has been thru this?
how can i tell if the live rock is death?
thanx

nikon187 · 12/02/2008, 11:21 PM

dead rock is completly white. 1.023 is not too high, in fact i would bring it up tp 1.025-1.026 ( natural seawater) Is this your first water change in 7mths? If so then the sudden change in water quality may have killed your snails and coral.In your tank you should be changing 20% of your water monthly if not biweekly. Nitrite is also toxic to fish and corals

D_Hood87 · 12/02/2008, 11:29 PM

i would say your salt level is fine no problems there. i have had my salt level get low and my corals started to suffer. i havent been in to reefs but a couple of years but everything i have read or heard has been not to let your salt get below 1.022 if you have corals if you have a FOWLR tank its ok to let it get down around 1.020 but i wouldnt recomend lowering your level. but i would try to lower the nitrate and nitrite. doing water changes should lower them, try another 15gal and you should see some good change. you might have to do several changes over the next week or so. just keep testing and if you need anymore help post it here or PM me

divewsharks · 12/03/2008, 02:26 AM

as mentioned for a reef tank, you will want to have a slightly higher salinity level 1.025-1.026; your nitrites should be undetectable (0). what is the temp of your tank?

12/02/2008, 10:54 PM	#1
kurcoba Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Tracy, Ca Posts: 69	death live rock! Ok I 've had running my 50 g reef tank for almost 7 months i have about 70 pounds of live rock live sand 3 fishes and a few corals and some snails everything ok until I did water change 2 days ago (15 g) by now a few death snails i death coral I checked levels and nitrate about 10ppm ammonia 0 ph 8.4 but nitrite a little high and the salt level a little over 1.023 ,a guy from my local fish store told me "the live rock is death" i was in shock javascript:smilie('') he said that's way the nitrite level is high" i didn't believed and went looking for a second opinion and i was told that maybe the salt level that is high is causing the death snails the guy tested the water and said everything seems ok just lower the salt level and the nitrite the live rock is good. anyone has been thru this? how can i tell if the live rock is death? thanx

12/02/2008, 11:21 PM	#2
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	dead rock is completly white. 1.023 is not too high, in fact i would bring it up tp 1.025-1.026 ( natural seawater) Is this your first water change in 7mths? If so then the sudden change in water quality may have killed your snails and coral.In your tank you should be changing 20% of your water monthly if not biweekly. Nitrite is also toxic to fish and corals __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

12/02/2008, 11:29 PM	#3
D_Hood87 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 323	i would say your salt level is fine no problems there. i have had my salt level get low and my corals started to suffer. i havent been in to reefs but a couple of years but everything i have read or heard has been not to let your salt get below 1.022 if you have corals if you have a FOWLR tank its ok to let it get down around 1.020 but i wouldnt recomend lowering your level. but i would try to lower the nitrate and nitrite. doing water changes should lower them, try another 15gal and you should see some good change. you might have to do several changes over the next week or so. just keep testing and if you need anymore help post it here or PM me __________________ DONALD Current Tank Info: 160gal REBUILD....GOING SPS ALL THE WAY!!!

12/03/2008, 02:26 AM	#4
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	as mentioned for a reef tank, you will want to have a slightly higher salinity level 1.025-1.026; your nitrites should be undetectable (0). what is the temp of your tank?