Hello!! I've got a problem

[woodman]

From Woodman to all reefers.

I'm trying to figure out just how this site works.

I am a contractor, age 44, and I am just beginning my second reef tank I had one that was beautiful four or five years ago, until the tank burst one night.
That was an eye opener.

This time I cannot seem to get corals to grow. They start dying almost as soon as they hit the tank. It is a 120 gallon tank, and I do have happy fish. excellent water tests. the best metal halide light bulbs, and no ammonia. I have been using sea water from a little way away from Mystic Seaport in CT.

I have been washing the filters in my washing machine using no detergent and very hot water but I cannot help but wonder if perhaps there is still a trace of detergent somehow getting into the filters when they are washed. It's our family washing machine.

Does anyone have any ideas about the cause of my coral problem?

This is from Woodman, very frustrated.

[Reefland]

Hi woodman, Welcome to Reefland.com!

First can you tell us a bit about your water parameters? Specifically, and just for starters, I am interested in Salinity, Temperature and pH. As far as using collected water, since you have no way of ensuring "problems" aren't being introduced, I think you would be better off using synthetic salt and making your own. It's not difficult nor expensive and for the peace of mind, the task and cost is worth it.

[marxsman]

The other thing you might want to check is the copper content in your tap water. there could be trace amounts left in your filters. There could have been some metal introduced to the tank by accident.

I wash everthing for my tanks with filtered RO water no taps.

[naser]

best thing i ever did was invest in a DI filter system for my tanks top off and water changes. i know when my filters are getting bad. plus im not sure what filters your washing but ive found to not use any filtration other then a skimmer works for me. i never have to worry about weird bacteria building up in the filter.