reef trouble

[michael81]

ok, I've had my saltwater tank set up for about three years. About six months ago i decided to go reef after talking to a guy at my local pet shop. Needless to say I wasn't warned about many problems that could accure and now everytime i go in there with a problem its buy this buy that. So i was unprepaired and should have done some research. Anyways i have a somewhat successful reef tank but i want i tank i can be proud of and show pics of and all that good stuff. So anyways i have some basic questions such as: What is alkalinity and can it be to high to low and what is to high and to low? What is hardness and how does it affect my fish and corals? Does anyone have any suggestions on what types of suppliments i should be adding? is my protien skimmer anygood (octopus). Im asking alot but im trying to undo some of the havoc that i have caused in my tank. Also, I had a rather large toadstool that is kinda falling apart and going limp, it is still feeding but not sure what to do with it.( I have another toadstool that is doing fine) I also have some xenias that are also still feeding but it looks like the base of them is roting and is kinda falling apart and i lost a bubble anemone but my clown was pretty ruff with it so i dont know what to do ive done a 50% water change and added reef essential suppliments. ph is 8.2, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, ammonia 0, alkalinity about 300, and the water is very hard not sure about the calcium

[romsoccer12]

calcium is a very important suppliment
you should research each coral and see what suppliments they need
when a toadstool moves it leaves frags behind. move your xenias around and they could get better slowly
nitrate should be 0-10 20 is to high
also, RO water is very important to be putting in, not tap water
how big is your tank??

[sabalough]

For info on calcium / alk look for help in the chemistery forum.

Your nitrate is too high.

lots of large waterchanges are stressfull. Are you using water changes to try to controll nitrate? The most common ways to manage nitrate are to use a fuge, sand bed,or reactor, and to controll nutrient inputs.

1. how often/ how mutch do you feed?
2. explane your filteration setup.
3. how big is your tank? what type of lighting? bioload?
4. how much warer flow?
5. how much live rock, sand
6. Do you have a fuge?

[Aquarist007]

If your nitrate is 20 after a 50 per cent water change then it was probably way higher then that-----fish can tolerate high nitrate levels invertebrates--which includes corals and anenome can't.

this should be your first priority----I would do another 30 per cent water change right away to bring the levels down even more.
That will give you time to address why the nitrates are high.
If you take time to answer sabolough's questions in the post above it will help us to help you.

The second issue is your reefs parameters.
salinity 1.026
calcium 400 ppm
alkalinity 8-11 dKh
magnesium 1300 ppm
and nitrates and ammonia all zero
ph 8.2
If you haven't already done so then you need to purchase test kits for calcium and magnesium( you reported you have one for the others), take the measurements and report the levels back here and we can go from this point forward.

I am really leaning towards setting you up on a two part dosing system here which will give you a lot of water chemistry stability with about 1 min work a day

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=262

[michael81]

Yeah, i knew the nitrates were high and that is why i did the big water change, i was going to do another fifty percent but i will only do a thirty percent if that will be less stressful on the fish. i moved the xenia around to a different spot to see if it gets better. The weird thing is i have another anemone that is thriving. I do not have a fuge, cant afford it now i have a canister but i clean it weekly (which is a pain) I have a hob protien skimmer (octopus) and four powerheads to move the water around. Its a 55 gallon, and i have two 48" t5 for lights. About 30-35lbs live rock and 40lbs live sand. I feed every other day and the fish eat everything. I use RO water from my local pet shop. I would make my own fuge but i cant afford the pumps that i would need. I do have the calcium tests just couldnt find it my kid seems to enjoy hiding things from me so hopefully i can find it today and give you a number on the calium in the tank. My salinity is about 1.022. Well i think i answered all the questions thanks so much for helping im trying to do all that yall say cause i want my tank to do well and get over this setback, once again thank you so much! If you have anymore questions let me know and i will answer them as soon as possible.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by michael81
Yeah, i knew the nitrates were high and that is why i did the big water change, i was going to do another fifty percent but i will only do a thirty percent if that will be less stressful on the fish. i moved the xenia around to a different spot to see if it gets better. The weird thing is i have another anemone that is thriving. I do not have a fuge, cant afford it now i have a canister but i clean it weekly (which is a pain) I have a hob protien skimmer (octopus) and four powerheads to move the water around. Its a 55 gallon, and i have two 48" t5 for lights. About 30-35lbs live rock and 40lbs live sand. I feed every other day and the fish eat everything. I use RO water from my local pet shop. I would make my own fuge but i cant afford the pumps that i would need. I do have the calcium tests just couldnt find it my kid seems to enjoy hiding things from me so hopefully i can find it today and give you a number on the calium in the tank. My salinity is about 1.022. Well i think i answered all the questions thanks so much for helping im trying to do all that yall say cause i want my tank to do well and get over this setback, once again thank you so much! If you have anymore questions let me know and i will answer them as soon as possible.

you need to raise that salinity level up to 1.026. Just use salt water in your top ups for awhile and that will gradually bring it up.

Anemones need very stable water conditions---this is why most don't recommend keeping them for a year. Once you get your chemistry stabilized they will do much better.

We all have minor set backs--I applaud you for checking here---that is a great step towards success

[Sk8r]

From my tanksitter rmanual:
The Tank Care Manual

A) step one, check the temperature: s/b about 80, give or take a degree.
B) listen to make sure the fan is running in the canopy. In the remote chance it isn't, we have a power out and you will need to check a number of things. If one canopy fan makes a noise like a banshee—don't worry about that: it does it. It quietens down.
C) listen to be sure water is gurgling in the tank. If it's silent, we have a problem downstairs.
D) feed the fish one piece of what's in the bag in the freezer of the fridge. Watch to make sure the current doesn't sweep the frozen lump against the weir teeth at the water surface in the back. If it does, reach under the cabinet, get the net, use the handle to noodge it away from the teeth and into the water stream where it will dissolve.
E) do not adjust the house air conditioning. We left it running because it helps keep the tank temperature on the mark.

3. Now we go downstairs.
A) if the pump wasn't running, OMG. It's that big gray object at the end of the sump. It's plugged into a GFI socket. A GFI socket has two buttons. If the pump has stopped, I'll bet one is tripped.
Solution: Unplug that whole socket, top and bottom of that side, then push the top button until it 'takes'. A green light should come on. Plug it all in again, and the pump should run.
Second solution: If it doesn't run, go to the breaker box The bottom two breakers on the right control the two GFI sockets, one white, one ivory, and they're marked. Check to see if the breaker is thrown. If it should be, reset it, then you should hear the pump start.
Third solution: If it won't start, call an electrician. Then call me. I can't do anything, but call me.
B) granted the main pump is running as it should, and all's well, check the water level in the sump. I've put a piece of tape on the sump that indicates the proper water level. If it's low, then something's the matter with the auto-topoff system.


E. Somewhere around day 4-5, run the tests for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Write down the results.
If the alkalinity is 8.3 to 9.4, great; . If the alk is below 8.3, add 2 tsp Kent DKH Buffer powder to the sump.
if the calcium is 400-420, great. If in the 300's, add 2 tsp of Turbo Calcium to the sump: be careful: the jars look alike. Do not dose alk and cal BOTH THE SAME hour. Cal and alk will cause precipitate if you add them within the same hour,. If you are caught short of time and have to choose one or the other, choose alkalinity. That's the most critical. The other is just what I'd like to have it be, for the corals to grow.

If the magnesium is 3 times the calcium reading, or higher, great: if the magnesium drops to 1200, there's a bottle of Tech M on the shelves by the sump and a set of measuring spoons in the leopard box by the washing machine, where the tests are. Read the instructions and dose for 50 gallons—that's short by 30 gallons, but let's not risk overdoing it.
Test again in 3 days, and re-dose if it's still down.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by Sk8r
From my tanksitter rmanual:
The Tank Care Manual

A) step one, check the temperature: s/b about 80, give or take a degree.
B) listen to make sure the fan is running in the canopy. In the remote chance it isn't, we have a power out and you will need to check a number of things. If one canopy fan makes a noise like a banshee—don't worry about that: it does it. It quietens down.
C) listen to be sure water is gurgling in the tank. If it's silent, we have a problem downstairs.
D) feed the fish one piece of what's in the bag in the freezer of the fridge. Watch to make sure the current doesn't sweep the frozen lump against the weir teeth at the water surface in the back. If it does, reach under the cabinet, get the net, use the handle to noodge it away from the teeth and into the water stream where it will dissolve.
E) do not adjust the house air conditioning. We left it running because it helps keep the tank temperature on the mark.

3. Now we go downstairs.
A) if the pump wasn't running, OMG. It's that big gray object at the end of the sump. It's plugged into a GFI socket. A GFI socket has two buttons. If the pump has stopped, I'll bet one is tripped.
Solution: Unplug that whole socket, top and bottom of that side, then push the top button until it 'takes'. A green light should come on. Plug it all in again, and the pump should run.
Second solution: If it doesn't run, go to the breaker box The bottom two breakers on the right control the two GFI sockets, one white, one ivory, and they're marked. Check to see if the breaker is thrown. If it should be, reset it, then you should hear the pump start.
Third solution: If it won't start, call an electrician. Then call me. I can't do anything, but call me.
B) granted the main pump is running as it should, and all's well, check the water level in the sump. I've put a piece of tape on the sump that indicates the proper water level. If it's low, then something's the matter with the auto-topoff system.


E. Somewhere around day 4-5, run the tests for alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Write down the results.
If the alkalinity is 8.3 to 9.4, great; . If the alk is below 8.3, add 2 tsp Kent DKH Buffer powder to the sump.
if the calcium is 400-420, great. If in the 300's, add 2 tsp of Turbo Calcium to the sump: be careful: the jars look alike. Do not dose alk and cal BOTH THE SAME hour. Cal and alk will cause precipitate if you add them within the same hour,. If you are caught short of time and have to choose one or the other, choose alkalinity. That's the most critical. The other is just what I'd like to have it be, for the corals to grow.

If the magnesium is 3 times the calcium reading, or higher, great: if the magnesium drops to 1200, there's a bottle of Tech M on the shelves by the sump and a set of measuring spoons in the leopard box by the washing machine, where the tests are. Read the instructions and dose for 50 gallons—that's short by 30 gallons, but let's not risk overdoing it.
Test again in 3 days, and re-dose if it's still down.

great post--well put but-----

what happens when your tank sitter is a golden lab like mine

[michael81]

Thanks everyone for the help hopefully i can get a pic of my tank up soon. Right now i feel it is not quite worthy. Also the toadstool that i was talking about earlier i think has made a turn for the worst it looks like a big blob about the size of my fist, but it is still feeding and it is also falling apart in clumps should i take it out of the tank?

[IMM3DOORSDOWN]

ummmm i would but that just my opinon.do you have a quarintine tank to put him in???

[michael81]

ive have one set up for my fish but havent used in a while, im guessing i should change the water first, it also doesnt have good lights on it though thats why ive been hesitant of taking it out cause at least he has good lights on him now