wow, that was fast

[treesprite]

Monday night I discovered that I had a nitrate spike up to about 20ppm (API kit); I don't test that often, but my tank suddenly became overrun with cyano and gha. (I had a new school of fish most of which ended up going through the plumbing and dying, and I had forgotten to dose Biodigest for I don't know how long, so I think that's what all happened).

 

I could not do anything until Wednesday night, which was to try making up some VSV and using that for the first time... no time for a water change. So Wed. and Thurs nights I dosed 1ml into my system of about 120g, plus 1 ml Friday morning. I did not want to put Biodigest dose in until after a water change, so I held off on it.

 

By Friday evening around 10pm, before I did a water change, the nitrate was already down to about 10ppm.

 

Around 10:00pm I did a 25% water change. I then added the 4th 1ml dose of VSV, plus the Biodigest finally.

 

A couple hours after that, I checked again and the nitrate measured only about 5ppm. Never before have I been able to get nitrate to drop that fast. I will test again tomorrow.

 

I guess I am sold on VSV now. I am almost out of Biodigest, so perhaps I will put off buying any and go with this VSV for a longer trial.

 

I used a formula of 10ml of 80 proof vodka + 5ml vinegar + 1tsp granulated sugar.

[smallreef]

HHRRMMM interesting.... keep us apprised of the levels.. Id also like to know if you are checking your Alk and Mg too?? I have heard that just vodka dosing affects those 2 others things and wondering if the VSV dosing will do the same?

[Coral Hind]

Please keep us updated on how the long term test goes.

[treesprite]

This is baffling. Two nitrate tests both showing lower nitrate yesterday.... I just now checked it and it is off the chart high ......

 

Crud! I must be a freaking idiot. I just realized that when I was messing around in the tank earlier I put my hand in the tank without remembering to wash off the itch stuff I had ised for my hammer stings.

 

What an idiot!

 

REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS!!!!!

 

Now what do I do?????

[treesprite]

Just tested phosphate - that is still reading zero, thank goodness!

 

Put some carbon in the sump.

 

I don't have any water made because I used it up Friday. At this point I think I'm better off using tap water than waiting for the RODI to fill up. I guess tomorrow I will be going to buy some more salt, since I'll probably be doing a couple more huge water changes.

 

I'm, really pissed. I was very happy with the quick progress I made and look what happened :(

[treesprite]

I was up until 6:30 am, worked all day on about 4.5 hours of sleep and just got home 2 hrs ago. I've been making water since I got home. During the night I took the 16g offline and changed about 70% of its water, and put some corals, my clowns, and my dragonets in there (could not catch tang, purple ff, and one of my shrimp). Set up a 10g and put some corals in there. I hope the anemone doesn't get sick and die.

 

I took the refugium offline and will do that water change last. The tank+sump is about 95-100g of water. I can't change less than 50% of it - I want to change 70% of it, but there isn't enough salt and as it is I am waiting on the RODI and mixing the salt in as the container fills up. Going to be up all night again.

[hbh]

I have salt for you. Come see me. :-)

[treesprite]

It took me a couple days, but I went from about 60ppm back down to only 5ppm. I changed 70% of the water in stages in 2 days by taking components offline one at a time until they were all done. Now I can get back on track.

[treesprite]

I didn't test for a couple days, until a couple minutes ago. Nitrate now undetectable using the same API kit as all the other tests. I haven't tested my other params yet to make sure nothing got thrown off.