[jhai]

So I made another mistake listening to my LFS.... I have always used R/O water, mixed in natural sea salts, heated to the right temp and proceed to do a water change.

My Alkalinity has sky rocketed and my pH and Calcium has dropped to very low levels. The LFS stated that the R/O was the problem as it strips the water of every nutrient and to use tap water instead. They neglected to tell me to use a de-chlorine agent.

I have a 12-gallon nano so there is not much room for errors, I quickly realised what had happened after referencing my books and proceeded to do two, 2-gallon water changed over a six day period. I noticed last night that the corals were starting to look white and not their normal vibrant colours. I immediately switched back to R/O water and did a further two, 2-gallon changes within 3 hours to try to dilute the chlorine.

Is there anything else I should do?

[wozza]

add some de chlorinenator to your tank that way any chlorine in your tank will be neautrilisied.

sorry for the bad spelling ive had a few beers.

[jhai]

Thanks, however I have been warned not to do that as adding dechlor direclty to the tank could harm the animals! Are you sure about this?

[wozza]

while i have not done this my self on my marine tank becuase i use R/O water, i have done this on my freashwater tanks with no adverse affects.

I dont forsee any problems with adding it to you marine tank, maybe you could dilute it in a liter of tank water and then add it slowly to your tank, i think this would be safe.
it is certianly what i would do in your position.

hope this helps, james

[Clay12340]

Be sure to check that your dechlorinator also eliminates chloramines. Chlorine will not linger all that long, but chloramines won't evaporate out.

I have no idea how marine animals react to dechlorinators, but the only dechlorinator related death I've ever heard of was a John Hopkins Shark and it involved a mistake and a considerable overdose. I've used dechlorinators in my freshwater tanks before and seem to have suffered no ill effects.