All For Reef Overdose.

[mrow1997]

Yesterday, I think I screwed up big time. I started configuring my new apex DOS and left it set into the on setting. It came to find out that I got to it about an hour or two later and found it dumped approximately 700ml in over the course of that time. My typical daily dose is 50ml. Has anyone here run into this problem? What did you do to fix it?

Further background,
I checked everything yesterday. Alkalinity was 14.1, Calcium was 300, and Mag was at 1140.
It has been 24 hours since this occurred. Alkalinity today is undetectable on a Salifert test; my guess is between 16 and 17, as it was just about to turn color when it hit the 0.0 mark on the syringe.

I have already started serial water changes. I plan to be testing daily until everything is back within control. Vodka dosing is something I am leaning against as it just adds too many variables.

Thankfully, I don't have anything too extravagant, but I do have some massively large colonies that I have been working on for 18 months now that I'd hate to lose.

Thank you to @BiGGiePauls33 for your help so far in this. Thank you also to OSA for going over things with me as well today to provide additional input.

 

[TPhan]

How come your calcium and mag is so low after the overdosed?

 

[mrow1997]

How come your calcium and mag is so low after the overdosed?

I’m wondering the same. Likely given timing it hadn’t fully spread through the tank yet. Everything was doing well until this point. I’m beginning to notice some of my stuff getting upset already.

 

[PSU4ME]

You’re doing the right thing as in water changes. I’d keep testing though, 12 hours apart to see if the params are still riding given the way AFR works

 

[mrow1997]

You’re doing the right thing as in water changes. I’d keep testing though, 12 hours apart to see if the params are still riding given the way AFR

Can you elaborate?

 

[dz6t]

Do you use a Trident to direct the dosing or your dosing pumps stuck on?

 

[mrow1997]

Do you use a Trident to direct the dosing or your dosing pumps stuck on?

I left it in the “on” setting on accident. My trident isn’t operating yet as I’m waiting on a sample like to come in.

 

[mrow1997]

Update:
Just retested the water. Alk is 13.4, Cal is 380, Mg 1200.

Most of the coral looks good. Most of my LPS looks decent with an exception of 1 really angry Duncan polyp.
As for SPS my chalice looks like it is on the verge of completely being destroyed but that’s the only one thus far.

Posting this for any interested, will likely keep posting until resolved in case anyone else runs into this mess in the future and wants a reference.

I have done 2 days of 25% water changes to this point.

 

[TPhan]

Update:
Just retested the water. Alk is 13.4, Cal is 380, Mg 1200.

Most of the coral looks good. Most of my LPS looks decent with an exception of 1 really angry Duncan polyp.
As for SPS my chalice looks like it is on the verge of completely being destroyed but that’s the only one thus far.

Posting this for any interested, will likely keep posting until resolved in case anyone else runs into this mess in the future and wants a reference.

I have done 2 days of 25% water changes to this point.

Thats some what of good news. I dont know how big your total water volume is and how much water u had on hand at the time. If able I would have done bigger water changes to dilute the excess faster. I think this would be the exception where making a big rapid change will benefit more.

 

[mrow1997]

Thats some what of good news. I dont know how big your total water volume is and how much water u had on hand at the time. If able I would have done bigger water changes to dilute the excess faster. I think this would be the exception where making a big rapid change will

I’m thinking I do one more smaller change today. More like 10%. Given that in theory it would bring me down to the 13s which is where it’s been recently.

The tank lives decently high at baseline (around 10-12), lately before this mess it was creeping up into the 13s. I’m not the best person for water testing (hence why I am getting into automation).

Thinking I start letting alkalinity gradually taper down and consider utilizing something that won’t have my alkalinity sky high at baseline. Any suggestions on what to dose @TPhan? Do I just go with straight up 2 part?

 

[JohnK]

I would use only the Ca part of any 2 part until the alk drops to where you want it. Then resume AFR or both parts of 2 part.

 

[TPhan]

I’m thinking I do one more smaller change today. More like 10%. Given that in theory it would bring me down to the 13s which is where it’s been recently.

The tank lives decently high at baseline (around 10-12), lately before this mess it was creeping up into the 13s. I’m not the best person for water testing (hence why I am getting into automation).

Thinking I start letting alkalinity gradually taper down and consider utilizing something that won’t have my alkalinity sky high at baseline. Any suggestions on what to dose @TPhan? Do I just go with straight up 2 part?

Good move lowering your alk baseline, this will give u more room for error. I manually dose BRS alk, calcium and mag powder mix. I manually test weekly and dose calcium and mag as needed. For alk I figured out what my consumption is and manually dose on certain days. I dont have any experience with anything else.

 

[mrow1997]

I would use only the Ca part of any 2 part until the alk drops to where you want it. Then resume AFR or both parts of 2 part.

Would you advise I start doing that now given increasing calcium might help bring alkalinity back into check…

I’ve just been dosing all for reef this entire time and I’ve consistently had high alk.
Maybe I should just go with a 2 part from this point on?

 

[JohnK]

Daily consumption of both will keep happening.

I suggest adding just the Ca part of two part to maintain/keep up with consumption. The (currently high) alk will also be being consumed, and will come down naturally if you don’t add any more.

Adding a lot of Ca in a high ph environment will cause precipitation (“snowstorm”) which will rapidly drop Ca and alk as they will literally be sticking together and falling out of solution. I would not want to encourage that sort of rapid change.

Rapid correcting is often more of a stressor than levels being off a bit and slowing correcting naturally. Just add Ca only, and things should settle to where you want them, then go back to regular maintenance dosing of AFR or two part.

If you like using AFR, but find that it leads to alk steadily being a bit higher - you can just use a little less AFR, plus a small amount of a Ca only to maintain the ratio you prefer.

Good luck. “Nothing good happens fast in a feef tank”

 

[mrow1997]

Daily consumption of both will keep happening.

I suggest adding just the Ca part of two part to maintain/keep up with consumption. The (currently high) alk will also be being consumed, and will come down naturally if you don’t add any more.

Adding a lot of Ca in a high ph environment will cause precipitation (“snowstorm”) which will rapidly drop Ca and alk as they will literally be sticking together and falling out of solution. I would not want to encourage that sort of rapid change.

Rapid correcting is often more of a stressor than levels being off a bit and slowing correcting naturally. Just add Ca only, and things should settle to where you want them, then go back to regular maintenance dosing of AFR or two part.

If you like using AFR, but find that it leads to alk steadily being a bit higher - you can just use a little less AFR, plus a small amount of a Ca only to maintain the ratio you prefer.

Good luck. “Nothing good happens fast in a feef tank”

Perfect way to end that. Thank you for your help!

 

[mrow1997]

Update.
Alk is 12.5. Started dosing straight Calcium for the time being at half the recommended dose. Hopefully it can steadily go back down to a more appropriate range.

Can’t wait to get my dos and trident up and running so I can get things where they should be.

It’s been a long, stressful and flat out scary week…
Will continue to update.

 

[JohnK]

“Half the recommended dose”?

What product, and what directions?

I ask because I would always go by test numbers, not instructions on the bottle (those instructions are just guesswork unless they say “add X amount to raise Ca Y ppm/gallon”).

“Reef chemistry calculator” will tell you how much of most common additives it will take to make whatever change you need. (Enter system gallons, current level, target level, and type of additive- and it will tell you how much to add, and if there are any cautions to be aware of)

 

[mrow1997]

“Half the recommended dose”?

What product, and what directions?

I ask because I would always go by test numbers, not instructions on the bottle (those instructions are just guesswork unless they say “add X amount to raise Ca Y ppm/gallon”).

“Reef chemistry calculator” will tell you how much of most common additives it will take to make whatever change you need. (Enter system gallons, current level, target level, and type of additive- and it will tell you how much to add, and if there are any cautions to be aware of)

It’s Seachem Fusion. It was what I had on hand. I’ll have to look at the bottle

 

[JohnK]

Test, give it a day and test again. Use the difference to figure out a starting point for your daily dose. You can select Seachem Fusion from the drop down menu.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[mrow1997]

Thank you, @JohnK , I will definitely utilize this as a resource going forward.

UPDATE:
Alk 11
Cal 450
Mag 1170
Nitrate 2.5

I have not done any water changes since Thursday (approx 96 hours ago). I'm planning to wait it out slowly, as my nitrate has dropped considerably.

My chalice still looks terrible, but that is the only coral that has had any issues thus far, so I might be looking for more at some point.