Elegance and One of the open brains not looking good

When you get a chance buy a RO/DI unit. I did after I decided to go reef and my corals love me for it.

Federal water standards say that nitrates at 40ppm are the upper limit and phosphates at 4.0ppm are the upper limits. We want to aim for an upper limit of nitrate at 10ppm and phosphate .05ppm.

 

So my spiny oyster was wide open this morning and wouldn't close up so I'm assuming he's dead or about to be so I pulled him out and put him in a container with tank water till the water change to see if he may close up. I've had him for almost 5 months and I'm feeling really bummed about him not possibly making it.

My nitrates are still off the hook and i'm stressing out. I've done an equivalent of about 75% of the tanks water changed this past week. I have water preparing now and I'm going to buy some more.

Lately I've used walmart drinking water to do water changes and have done about 50% of the change with it since. Is the drinking water ok or gallon distilled water? Is the ro/di water at walmart that water machine that you need to bring empty gallons to fill?

 

I knew that spiny oyster was to blame. Those type of filter feeders need constant feeding. They are a really cool invert none the less.

Good thing is now you know where the problem is and you can fix it.

 

Okay. I definitely want one and wish I had it a long time ago but that's great info. Thanks!!!

 

I just go to either the Wal-Mart up in that shopping plaza and get Distilled or I go to Kroger and get Distilled. It has always worked for me, I've heard that the drinking water is still bad for your tank. Just go with distilled because it has always worked for me.

I always wondered about there machines but the thing is, they could never change their filters so your water might not be filtered at all.

Do you go to school at WVU?

 

Yea, I'll try that instead of the drinking water. I had another buddy tell me to stay away from their machines because of the filters never being changed.

Yea, I'm an art student but I'm also a jersey transplant. Been living here for a few years now. You a student?

 

I was going to try the machine one time, but it said the last time it was maintenanced was in 2007 I think.

 

Exactly I would never put that stuff in my tank lol

Yeah forensic student here.

 

Okay, so i'm still testing high in the nitrates but the rest is coming down slightly. I did another small water change today and I'm hoping to see something better tomorrow. Regardless of what I read tomorrow, i'll still be doing another one tomorrow or monday. I'll keep you guys posted and see if it was the oyster. I'm still sad he's gone but things happen.

 

It's definitely the nitrates.

Explain what your filter system is like.