cloud explosion

you can order tests online if your picking up a bundle you should save a couple of bucks to boot. glad to hear notihng died and your tank cleared up.

 

DKH is a good way to test I prefer it myself What brand is it ? Just read a floolw the directions more are really simple and straight foward to use..

 

hey guys, well update.. everybodys doing fine (i think im more stressed than the tank) .. so in the heat of my panic, i bought a cannister filter figuring the more the better in my situation (plus ive been having this problem with constant high nitrates) i had it running for a few hours.. it UNBELIEVABLE!! i cant believe the difference.. first off my tank after the water change looks great.. crystal clear water, no particulate matter at ALL.. i was running a penguin 200 HOB.. when i got the cannister, i packed it with denitrification rocks, three packs of carbon... all my levels are back to normal, including my nitrates.. for the first time they are at 10.. im the biggest geek in the world that im drinking a beer and typing this in celebration to the first time in five months ive seen my no3 levels that low.. not only did my guys survive the great calcium explosion of 2007, but everything is looking and reading great!!! not a single little dude perished from my stupidity (except i got a few more gray hairs).. man, cannister filters are the sh+t!!! i cant believe i went this long without one, if not for anything but the extra media room... anyway, ill take a pic of the new "Clear room" tomorrow and post.. thanks to all you guys for getting me through a hard spot.. i was really freaking out (trying to animate under deadlines thinking your tank is dying at home aint fun) ... i dont care a lick about losing the money, its killing all those little guys that was haunting me all day.. were all fine now!!! now if i can get past my urge to get some harlequin shrimp! God help me!!

oh and also, with the cannister filter i have some added water movement which i believe adds to the o2 exchange which will also help with the no3 problem. do i have that right? i hope im learning here.. man, when you think you have it down you're always learning something new through mistakes.. guess thats how it goes.. had a preacher tell me once, "you cant appreciate the shine of a diamond without that black velvet background"... lots of wisdom there across the board.. okay, going to sleep with some peace.. later guys, thanks again for the help

 

"...now if i can get past my urge to get some harlequin shrimp! God help me!! .."

Get um! --- worth every cent to when you get a chance to see them in your tank - which is not often - :-/

 

LOL omard thats funny.. problem is i have a sandsifting star, and a few small red bali stars that i like.. i could feed them chocolate chips but i dont need the harlequins dining on my balis instead.. i like seeing them little russian red stars cruising about... maybe in another tank.. oh no.. not another one, im going insane!! now i have to set up a refugium with seahorses for my twenty.. try my luck at a 10 gallon clam only tank, and get a harlequin shrimp, star tank... great..

 

Just make a calander that you go by and clean that canister filter regularly or you will start having problems with it. It will be a great additions as long as you keep it clean. You could of got the same thing done with some reactors. Good to hear nothing was lost.8)

 

Here are just a few of the many many links provided by Randy Homes-Farley on his old forum, where he also gives a tremendous number of links to his and other notable authors regarding reef chemistry. IMO, RHF was the best contact I've made in this hobby in the 13 yrs I've been in it.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
Chemistry and the Aquarium
Chemistry and the Aquarium
Calcium and Alkalinity by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

aweome, thanks rayjay!! i need all the info i can grab..

 

those canister's are great but

HI,
those canister filters are great I have two marinelands chugging in my tank they really stir the water, the only down I ve seen is they also will suck the food out before anyone can eat, I usally shut mine done with the sump when feeding for maybe 10 mins I use a single power strip with as GFI ,all the heavy pumps plugged in and shut them down.. This allows that food some time to drift down to the bottom feeders, if I feed phyto a little longer to keep it out of the skimmers in the sumps.
Another little problem is they really load up with carbonate and other stuff, mostly any precip that occurs will be in them.
I put a overflow sponge in one without media to increase water flow, carbon even loads up pretty fast with precip.
I usally rinse weekly so put them near the out side of the tank so you can quick release them . or your gonna be cursing those puppies.
Doug

 

When I add my chemicals some times depending on what im adding it bunches up and is a little cloudy but clears up after 15 min or so. Never lost anything due to this issue. First time I saw it I got my water tested and everything was ok. But your cloudy issue seems a lot worse than mine was