I'm new, and i need help fast so i won't bore you with stuff you don't need...
55 Gallon Bullet Proof Reef Setup Pper GARF website
Setup
~60 lbs Carib Sea Seafloor Special Grade Reef sade on top of a plenum.
4 maxijet 1200 on a CoraLife Aqualight Control Center for wave making
1 of the powerheads is currently connected to the lift tube on the plenum to make the plenum function as an undergravel filter ( per GARF instruction)
1 55 Gallon order of Reef Janitors per GARF (~40 various snail and ~40 hermit crabs)
16 lbs. of Garf Grunge (crushed coral,big chunks of rocks, and lots of good bacteria)
2 lbs of Garf Grunge Plus
2 - 150 Watt heaters
IceCap 660 VHO ballast running 2 40 Watt URI 50/50 Bulbs and 2 110 Watt URI Actinic Bulbs
Age, Activites, and Supplements
Tank has been setup for 2 Weeks.
On Day 1 i added the GARF Grunge, Grunge+, and Reef Janitors
I used Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Proper pH 8.2 to buffer the water.
Week 1 i added 1 tablespoon of Reef Builder to each gallon of makeup water
At the end of week 1 i had to redose the tank with Proper pH because the pH had dropped to 7.8 or 8.0 depending on which test i was using.
Week 2 i added 1 tablespoon of Reef Advantage Calcuim to each gallon of makeup water
Yesterday the pH was 7.8 again
Finally got the order of Reef Complete and Reef Calcium in so i dosed two tablespoons of each of those. I did not use anymore buffer since i didn't want to shock the tank inhabitants..
This morning the pH was 8.6!!!!
I usaually add about a gallon of makeup water every morning.
Stats
Temperature: solid 77 day and night
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite:0ppm
Nitrate:0ppm
pH: VARIES BETWEEN 7.8 and 8.6!!!
The Bullet Proof Reef supplement schedule is as follows:
Qty Description
2 Tablespoon Reef Plus twice a week
2 Tablespoon Reef Complete twice a week
2 Tablespoon Reef Calcium twice a week
1 Tablespoon Reef Advantage Calcium added to each gallon of makeup water during the 2nd and 4th weeks of the month.
1 Tablespoon Reef Builder added to each gallon of makeup water during the 3rd week of each month.
What is happening with my pH??? Every time i use the buffer it gets it right at 8.2, but then the buffering capacity just goes right out.....
Someone please help me. I emailed GARF twice, got no response. I called yesterday and started speaking with someone, and they told me to call back on the other line (the non-order line), so i did and no one answered so i left a message. No one has called back i'm about to have to go out of town and i am afraid that i'm about to loose a bunch of great hermit crabs and snails. When i first got everything they were so active and would roam everywhere, now no one seems to be moving and all the cerith snails have buried themselves in the sand, the astraea snails wont go more than an inch high on the glass.
Any help would be appreciated. I'll even take calls on my cell phone. I'm desperate!!!
Chris
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