Messed up salinity and I am in trouble. What did I do wrong?

[Chelymay]

Sorry for the long post.

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

I have been having issues with my corals. They seemed to be doing fine then I did a water change on Saturday and then boom everything looked terrible. On Sunday I went to my LFS and they tested my water, my salinity dipped from the usual 1.025 to 1.021- I was using a hydrometer and have since learned that they are VERY inaccurate so I bought a refractometer.

They said the other parameters looked great. So I was told to go home and bring my salinity back up slowly. Did that in 2 water changes and over the week that followed watched in horror as my beautiful corals begin to die because of me.

As I said almost immediately after the salinity dip my corals started to fall apart. I had two happy hammers, one had just split, the split one is now falling apart while the other is hanging in there. My xenia disintegrated, zoas closed up and are receding from the rock, green button closed up and looks fleshy, toadstool and kenya tree falling apart and turning to mush. My green star polyps are stressed but are out and my mushrooms shrank a bit but are alive.

All of my fish are fine. Thankfully

I lost all of my snails, one shrimp and my urchin but my remaining shrimp, conch and a hermit crabs are still alive. What? Why? How?

I had some KoralRecovery on hand so I added that for a few days until I could get to my LFS (it’s an hour+ away)

One week later I again go to my LFS where they tested my water and said it all looked good and my salinity is back to 1.025 but I said my corals are still looking pretty bad and what can I do to help them?

I showed some pictures to my LFS guy and he said it looked like my corals had a bacterial infection and to dip them in Seachem Reef Dip which I did yesterday for 30 minutes in tank water, gave them a quick rinse in tank water and back home to the tank they went.
One of the other guys that works there said I should be dosing iodine so I bought a Red Sea tester kit and the iodine+ supplement. He also pointed out that I have cyano and I then bought Ultra Life Red Slime remover which is what he used and it worked. Haven’t been able to bring myself to put anything in the tank. I’m afraid now.

I tested it today and it was .09 which is high. Is it too high? Is it my salt mix (Instant Ocean)? I read it could be Nori but I only give that to my blenny twice a week and it is a tiny 2” piece.

I usually have carbon and Chemipure in my media basket but removed it when I put the KoralRecovery in but I put the carbon back in yesterday with a tiny water change because I needed a couple gallons of tank water to do the dip and rinse.

What could be causing it to be high and I am guessing that I should not be adding iodine at this point.

I am fairly new to saltwater, less than a year but have been a freshwater aquarists for a decade. I figured I could learn salt since I understand how a biological system works. Stability is key. Don’t chase numbers, small corrections and patience!!!

I am doubting all my decisions now, all I do is read and read and read some more. My head is going to explode.

There are literally a million posts and videos on “how to start a reef tank in one day” out there and they can’t all be right.

I got the all in one jbj 45 and now I wish I had a place to put all the stuff I should have to keep my system stable. All I have is a media basket and some filter socks and some bio pellets. Oh and two small power heads.

Definitely going to upgrade like soon.

What am I doing wrong? Bring it on, I want to learn and will welcome the criticism.

Maybe a compliment sandwich if you will
You know, this is good but this is bad but this is good.

Thanks you guys in advance, you always come through here on reef2reef!!

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

The first 5 pics are a couple of days after the salinity issue and the last 2 are from today, the day after the coral dip.

 

[Doctorgori]

Stuff happens, all been there, you’ll be cool..
do nothing right now, Iodine is probably far down the list of priorities... honestly I’ve never bothered to worry but I won’t argue either...

The dip in salinity caused all params like alk to dip, likely upsetting the more sensitive critters. Alk swings are never good.
Your other params seem OK,
....maybe, and i mean maybe gently back that temp down to 77F for a while if you see bacterial type issues, won’t hurt

 

[MelodiB]

Sorry for the long post.

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

I have been having issues with my corals. They seemed to be doing fine then I did a water change on Saturday and then boom everything looked terrible. On Sunday I went to my LFS and they tested my water, my salinity dipped from the usual 1.025 to 1.021- I was using a hydrometer and have since learned that they are VERY inaccurate so I bought a refractometer.

They said the other parameters looked great. So I was told to go home and bring my salinity back up slowly. Did that in 2 water changes and over the week that followed watched in horror as my beautiful corals begin to die because of me.

As I said almost immediately after the salinity dip my corals started to fall apart. I had two happy hammers, one had just split, the split one is now falling apart while the other is hanging in there. My xenia disintegrated, zoas closed up and are receding from the rock, green button closed up and looks fleshy, toadstool and kenya tree falling apart and turning to mush. My green star polyps are stressed but are out and my mushrooms shrank a bit but are alive.

All of my fish are fine. Thankfully

I lost all of my snails, one shrimp and my urchin but my remaining shrimp, conch and a hermit crabs are still alive. What? Why? How?

I had some KoralRecovery on hand so I added that for a few days until I could get to my LFS (it’s an hour+ away)

One week later I again go to my LFS where they tested my water and said it all looked good and my salinity is back to 1.025 but I said my corals are still looking pretty bad and what can I do to help them?

I showed some pictures to my LFS guy and he said it looked like my corals had a bacterial infection and to dip them in Seachem Reef Dip which I did yesterday for 30 minutes in tank water, gave them a quick rinse in tank water and back home to the tank they went.
One of the other guys that works there said I should be dosing iodine so I bought a Red Sea tester kit and the iodine+ supplement. He also pointed out that I have cyano and I then bought Ultra Life Red Slime remover which is what he used and it worked. Haven’t been able to bring myself to put anything in the tank. I’m afraid now.

I tested it today and it was .09 which is high. Is it too high? Is it my salt mix (Instant Ocean)? I read it could be Nori but I only give that to my blenny twice a week and it is a tiny 2” piece.

I usually have carbon and Chemipure in my media basket but removed it when I put the KoralRecovery in but I put the carbon back in yesterday with a tiny water change because I needed a couple gallons of tank water to do the dip and rinse.

What could be causing it to be high and I am guessing that I should not be adding iodine at this point.

I am fairly new to saltwater, less than a year but have been a freshwater aquarists for a decade. I figured I could learn salt since I understand how a biological system works. Stability is key. Don’t chase numbers, small corrections and patience!!!

I am doubting all my decisions now, all I do is read and read and read some more. My head is going to explode.

There are literally a million posts and videos on “how to start a reef tank in one day” out there and they can’t all be right.

I got the all in one jbj 45 and now I wish I had a place to put all the stuff I should have to keep my system stable. All I have is a media basket and some filter socks and some bio pellets. Oh and two small power heads.

Definitely going to upgrade like soon.

What am I doing wrong? Bring it on, I want to learn and will welcome the criticism.

Maybe a compliment sandwich if you will
You know, this is good but this is bad but this is good.

Thanks you guys in advance, you always come through here on reef2reef!!

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

The first 5 pics are a couple of days after the salinity issue and the last 2 are from today, the day after the coral dip.

All I can say is I feel your pain. Same here. Struggling right now with multiple issues and feeling like I did something wrong, etc. Can only do your best.

 

[redeyejedi]

Ive used a hydrometer for 4 years with no issues.

 

[Chelymay]

Ive used a hydrometer for 4 years with no issues.

I didn’t rinse mine after each use and would shake the pointer loose so it would float freely. I think that may have had something to do with the inaccuracy.

 

[redeyejedi]

I didn’t rinse mine after each use and would shake the pointer loose so it would float freely. I think that may have had something to do with the inaccuracy.

Makes sense. I also find that testing 3 times with them helps to judge the final result.

 

[Chelymay]

All I can say is I feel your pain. Same here. Struggling right now with multiple issues and feeling like I did something wrong, etc. Can only do your best.

I want so much to be able to fix the problem, I know a lot of people say that reefing is easy but I don’t think it is. There is little room for error and when I make a mistake it hurts. Everything in the tank is counting on me to stay alive.
There are so many beautiful tanks out there but I always wonder realistically how long does it take to get to that “my amazing tank” status.

 

[CoralB]

Sorry for the long post.

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

I have been having issues with my corals. They seemed to be doing fine then I did a water change on Saturday and then boom everything looked terrible. On Sunday I went to my LFS and they tested my water, my salinity dipped from the usual 1.025 to 1.021- I was using a hydrometer and have since learned that they are VERY inaccurate so I bought a refractometer.

They said the other parameters looked great. So I was told to go home and bring my salinity back up slowly. Did that in 2 water changes and over the week that followed watched in horror as my beautiful corals begin to die because of me.

As I said almost immediately after the salinity dip my corals started to fall apart. I had two happy hammers, one had just split, the split one is now falling apart while the other is hanging in there. My xenia disintegrated, zoas closed up and are receding from the rock, green button closed up and looks fleshy, toadstool and kenya tree falling apart and turning to mush. My green star polyps are stressed but are out and my mushrooms shrank a bit but are alive.

All of my fish are fine. Thankfully

I lost all of my snails, one shrimp and my urchin but my remaining shrimp, conch and a hermit crabs are still alive. What? Why? How?

I had some KoralRecovery on hand so I added that for a few days until I could get to my LFS (it’s an hour+ away)

One week later I again go to my LFS where they tested my water and said it all looked good and my salinity is back to 1.025 but I said my corals are still looking pretty bad and what can I do to help them?

I showed some pictures to my LFS guy and he said it looked like my corals had a bacterial infection and to dip them in Seachem Reef Dip which I did yesterday for 30 minutes in tank water, gave them a quick rinse in tank water and back home to the tank they went.
One of the other guys that works there said I should be dosing iodine so I bought a Red Sea tester kit and the iodine+ supplement. He also pointed out that I have cyano and I then bought Ultra Life Red Slime remover which is what he used and it worked. Haven’t been able to bring myself to put anything in the tank. I’m afraid now.

I tested it today and it was .09 which is high. Is it too high? Is it my salt mix (Instant Ocean)? I read it could be Nori but I only give that to my blenny twice a week and it is a tiny 2” piece.

I usually have carbon and Chemipure in my media basket but removed it when I put the KoralRecovery in but I put the carbon back in yesterday with a tiny water change because I needed a couple gallons of tank water to do the dip and rinse.

What could be causing it to be high and I am guessing that I should not be adding iodine at this point.

I am fairly new to saltwater, less than a year but have been a freshwater aquarists for a decade. I figured I could learn salt since I understand how a biological system works. Stability is key. Don’t chase numbers, small corrections and patience!!!

I am doubting all my decisions now, all I do is read and read and read some more. My head is going to explode.

There are literally a million posts and videos on “how to start a reef tank in one day” out there and they can’t all be right.

I got the all in one jbj 45 and now I wish I had a place to put all the stuff I should have to keep my system stable. All I have is a media basket and some filter socks and some bio pellets. Oh and two small power heads.

Definitely going to upgrade like soon.

What am I doing wrong? Bring it on, I want to learn and will welcome the criticism.

Maybe a compliment sandwich if you will
You know, this is good but this is bad but this is good.

Thanks you guys in advance, you always come through here on reef2reef!!

My tank details are:
45 gallon AIO
Temperature: 80
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2
Calcium: 520+ (it’s always been high)
Alkalinity: 9-10
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: .25

The first 5 pics are a couple of days after the salinity issue and the last 2 are from today, the day after the coral dip.

Phosphates should be .03 and nitrates 20

 

[MelodiB]

I want so much to be able to fix the problem, I know a lot of people say that reefing is easy but I don’t think it is. There is little room for error and when I make a mistake it hurts. Everything in the tank is counting on me to stay alive.
There are so many beautiful tanks out there but I always wonder realistically how long does it take to get to that “my amazing tank” status.

For sure. Like you, I've done the freshwater for a long time and this is way more complicated, expensive, time consuming, and heartbreaking

 

[Doctorgori]

consider a Hanna digital salinity probe ($60)
I’ve found staying tight on the salinity to be a big value especially when you add up all the benefits of tight Alk, Calcium, et. NTM, mixing saltwater, water changes, and acclimation of livestock.

just saying the sheer number of times you will need to know your salinity. is actually a lot over the life of a tank,

...and of course we realize all the expense of “must have s” equipment is frustrating, but investment in that Hanna digital is like a remote: dang near mandatory

 

[Chelymay]

Stuff happens, all been there, you’ll be cool..
do nothing right now, Iodine is probably far down the list of priorities... honestly I’ve never bothered to worry but I won’t argue either...

The dip in salinity caused all params like alk to dip, likely upsetting the more sensitive critters. Alk swings are never good.
Your other params seem OK,
....maybe, and i mean maybe gently back that temp down to 77F for a while if you see bacterial type issues, won’t hurt

I didn’t know that temperature could help protect against bacterial issues. I was told to keep it on the warm side to protect against parasites.
I hate them both but I am willing to give it a shot. Slow and steady to 78 maybe 77.
Do you know if keeping it cooler helps with cyano and hair algae? That would be win!!!
I hate that stuff too.

 

[eagerreefer]

How quickly did you do the 2 water changes and raise the salinity back to normal?

 

[Chelymay]

consider a Hanna digital salinity probe ($60)
I’ve found staying tight on the salinity to be a big value especially when you add up all the benefits of tight Alk, Calcium, et. NTM, mixing saltwater, water changes, and acclimation of livestock.

just saying the sheer number of times you will need to know your salinity. is actually a lot over the life of a tank,

...and of course we realize all the expense of “must have s” equipment is frustrating, but investment in that Hanna digital is like a remote: dang near mandatory

I am at the point where I am going to throw down on a Apex controller with all the probes and whistles

 

[Chelymay]

How quickly did you do the 2 water changes and raise the salinity back to normal?

I did the math and realized I needed to add 4 cups of salt so I did 5 gallons with 2 cups then waited 48 and did it again.

 

[Chelymay]

Phosphates should be .03 and nitrates 20

So less phosphate and more nitrates. Should I be using phosphate remover and feeding more. I feed once a day with a variety of frozen, flake and pellets.
I used phosguard in my freshwater tanks.

 

[Doctorgori]

I’ve successfully acclimated a lot of livestock; OTOH I’ve also killed a few....
If you gotta err, like in a emergency, I’d do so on going down in salinity, not up.
But take even that with a grain of salt as livestock’s sensitivity to salinity changes is pretty variable.

 

[eagerreefer]

I did the math and realized I needed to add 4 cups of salt so I did 5 gallons with 2 cups then waited 48 and did it again.

In my opinion this was a bit quick and possibly the cause of further stress. In the future you could try topping off with saltwater instead of RODI and let evaporation gently raise the salinity for you. None of your corals look like they are irrecoverable, just give them time to bounce back. I agree with the other poster that now is probably not the time to be making any element changes such as iodine dosing.

 

[Doctorgori]

So less phosphate and more nitrates. Should I be using phosphate remover and feeding more. I feed once a day with a variety of frozen, flake and pellets.
I used phosguard in my freshwater tanks.

Phosphates should be .03 and nitrates 20

yup, ....they got low range nitrate test kits just in case yours isn’t

 

[boacvh]

To be honest I would say you nailed it when you said stability is key. Right now your salinity got out of balance. Which likely got your alk out of balance. No worries, has happened to pretty much everyone at some point. But, since then, you are having a reaction to every change. i.e. quick water changes, seachem reef dip, koral recovery, dose iodine, ultra life red slime, chemipure, more water changes, worrying about Nitrates and phosphates, etc.

My advice? get your salinity and alk stable and be patient. Take it one step at a time. Salinity #1. Alk #2. Then take on the rest slowly. Everything else on your list is a very distant second priority IMO.
(and I would stop listening to the LFS, that's just me)

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I forgot to unplug my ATO While doing a water change. Dumped all this water into my sump, realized it when I heard the ATO pump rattling. I put my main pump on 100% bypass, and added Reef Crystals to my Filter Sock. No harm done, and I replaced the filter soak after.