Water Issues

[Purgo25]

Hi All,

I recently bought RO water from a local shop down here in South Bay and used it to top off my saltwater tank from evaporation. Let’s just say it completely screwed my tank.

All my corals closed up/verge of dying, my favorite animal died (fire shrimp) and I am very afraid more is to come. I checked my parameters and my nitrates shot through the roof. I am going to do a water change and get some dinitrate pellets, anything else I can do?

I am so disappointed that a routine action to help my tank could completely screw it up

 

[NanoCrazed]

Have you tested the RO water itself? Surprise that RO would cause such a rapid issue. Even using tap (w/ decholorinator), the impact of issues are pretty slow.

Anything else you might have done differently as of late?

 

[NanoCrazed]

BTW -- have you checked for ammonia? Usually, high nitrates come from breakdown and conversion from ammonia as a starting point. So, potentially, you are experience a mini-cycle of some sort. And it's the ammonia that is taking things out. Usually nitrates won't kill most livestock... some prefer it, in fact.

 

[Coral reefer]

How can you be so sure the nitrates went up after the top off? Did you test right before?
Also, how much did you change the salinity at once?
Maybe try some dechlor like prime