Skimmer went Nuts

[speedstar]

death continues lost 2 more today, added an active carbon chamber to perhaps pull out what could be causing this. Also did a couple more gallon WC.

[ReeferRob]

Are all your fish accounted for?

[jojo22]

WOW dude, have you done a complete water test, if there is ANYTHING you don't have a test for I would get a sample to an LFS that can do a one time test cheap and have it ALL done.

[speedstar]

WOW dude, have you done a complete water test, if there is ANYTHING you don't have a test for I would get a sample to an LFS that can do a one time test cheap and have it ALL done.

have done the complete palette.

Copper
Silicon
Mg
Nitrate
Nitrite
Ammonia
Alk
Ca
PO4

nothing out of ordinary.

[ReeferRob]

No shizzy Rio pumps or anything leaking oil in there right?

[speedstar]

No shizzy Rio pumps or anything leaking oil in there right?

Checked the heaters and pumps. Gave it the old hand in the water while standing on bare cement also to just be sure

[Tom@HaslettMI]

My skimmer was acting similarly not too long ago. It ended up being coralline and Ca buildup inside the body. A long vinegar soak took care of the problem.

As for your coral issues... if you dialed back the skimmer as much as it sounds like, then you're probably not removing the four days worth of skimmate (plus all the new nastiness from recent deaths) and that may be what's affecting your coral. I would bring skimmer back to its original setting and use an air hose siphon to continually empty the collection cup (but don't leave it unattended). The skimmer may pull a few liters of water but it should eventually settle down. This scenario assumes that the skimmer is functioning properly and that there is an abundance of organic materials for it to remove. If the skimmer is not functioning properly then cleaning or replacing faulty parts will need to be done before attempting this.

Another thought... temperature swings? You listed quite a few water parameters but perhaps you didn't check temp. I'm sure you did but I just wanted to make sure.

Good luck and I'm sorry for your losses.

Tom

[speedstar]

Thanks for the thoughts, just checked the reefkeeper 77.9~78.4 is the only temp swing. Also verified the digital with a good old drop in.

I was bale to bring the skimmer back up fully sunday late afternoon. Set it up to skim wet, have now had to empty collection cup twice. Hopefully things are getting caught up.

Things do look better this evening, a few torts look kinda rough still, but all in all it looks healthier not great but better. Crossing fingers as i had to frag a milli also hope it survives and the torts start to polyp out again.

Wierd thing is my pink lemonades all three and also shades of fall seem unaffected through this whole event.

My skimmer was acting similarly not too long ago. It ended up being coralline and Ca buildup inside the body. A long vinegar soak took care of the problem.

As for your coral issues... if you dialed back the skimmer as much as it sounds like, then you're probably not removing the four days worth of skimmate (plus all the new nastiness from recent deaths) and that may be what's affecting your coral. I would bring skimmer back to its original setting and use an air hose siphon to continually empty the collection cup (but don't leave it unattended). The skimmer may pull a few liters of water but it should eventually settle down. This scenario assumes that the skimmer is functioning properly and that there is an abundance of organic materials for it to remove. If the skimmer is not functioning properly then cleaning or replacing faulty parts will need to be done before attempting this.

Another thought... temperature swings? You listed quite a few water parameters but perhaps you didn't check temp. I'm sure you did but I just wanted to make sure.

Good luck and I'm sorry for your losses.

Tom