Everything in my tank seems to be dying and I can't figure out why

JMP1000 · 05/29/2013, 12:19 PM

I have a 12 gallon nano reef that has been set-up since August. Everything had been doing well until about 6 weeks ago. My water is cloudy and my corals have completely stopped opening and are dead/dying. I had a cyno outbreak which I treated with Red Slime and currently am experiencing brown algae all over the substrate and rocks. This has me completely stumped. My water parameters all seem to be in line (with the exception of a little phosphate that I can't seem to get rid of). My parameters are:

Amonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate .25
PH 8.4
Salinity 1.025
Temp 77

I am running carbon and Pura phoslock in addition to doing weekly water changes. Last week a LFS suggested that I do a 50% water change and use Kent Pro-Clear, which I did. I have not seen any improvement. Additionally, I have lost a purple firefish and emerald crab. The two clowns I have remaining (one I haven't seen all day) seem stressed.

I am completely dumbfounded and hate just wathcing everything wither away. I have even checked for stay voltage in the tank and everything seems ok.

Any assitance would be greatly appreciated!!

Deinonych · 05/29/2013, 12:22 PM

What is your alkalinity?

JMP1000 · 05/29/2013, 12:32 PM

Sorry, I haven't tested for alkalinity in a week or so. It was fine last time I tested. I will be back near the tank in a couple hours and will get a more recent reading.

Cymonous · 05/29/2013, 12:37 PM

How old is this tank? What type of water do you use for changes and top-offs?

Track Rat · 05/29/2013, 12:38 PM

I'm no expert but I would stop using chemicals and start doing 2 or 3 20% water changes per week. Make sure you are using good ro/di water and use a second refractometer to check your salinity or bring a sample to your LFS to verify perameters.

What salt are you using?

skeeter_usaf · 05/29/2013, 12:54 PM

Need more details. Nothing good happens fast in that small of an aquarium. Get a handle on it fast or you will likely have a complete tank crash. Start with the water changes weekly for a month and then post your parameters. Get the fish into quarantine till you get a handle on it. Keep us posted and good luck.

Sk8r · 05/29/2013, 01:10 PM

Your problems probably got worse when you added the antibiotic (Red Slime Remover)...which should not be used in a small tank, and with no skimmer. If there's anything alive in there, still, put it into a quarantine tank (bare, no light, simple floss filter) and let the tank work out its problem for a few weeks. Run carbon: that couldn't hurt. And appreciate brown and red algae and bubble algae as just something that happens now and again. The cure for those algaes is to back way off on feeding and turn the lights out for a few days---coupled with, if you have no skimmer, daily 20% water changes. Do it once a month until algae appearance stops.

JMP1000 · 05/29/2013, 02:31 PM

Thank you for all of your advice.

I am using Instant Ocean salt and ro/di water. For the past few weeks I have cut back my feeding to about once a week to try to bring down the .25ppm of phosphates. All of my other parameters seem to be ok, I guess that is what has me so confused.

tatuaje08 · 05/29/2013, 05:59 PM

How much water do you change each week? Where do you get your water from?

Dingo44 · 05/30/2013, 12:05 AM

Is the salt water you're mixing for water changes completely clear before changing the water in the tank?

05/29/2013, 12:19 PM	#1
JMP1000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	Everything in my tank seems to be dying and I can't figure out why I have a 12 gallon nano reef that has been set-up since August. Everything had been doing well until about 6 weeks ago. My water is cloudy and my corals have completely stopped opening and are dead/dying. I had a cyno outbreak which I treated with Red Slime and currently am experiencing brown algae all over the substrate and rocks. This has me completely stumped. My water parameters all seem to be in line (with the exception of a little phosphate that I can't seem to get rid of). My parameters are: Amonia 0 Nitrate 0 Nitrate 0 Phosphate .25 PH 8.4 Salinity 1.025 Temp 77 I am running carbon and Pura phoslock in addition to doing weekly water changes. Last week a LFS suggested that I do a 50% water change and use Kent Pro-Clear, which I did. I have not seen any improvement. Additionally, I have lost a purple firefish and emerald crab. The two clowns I have remaining (one I haven't seen all day) seem stressed. I am completely dumbfounded and hate just wathcing everything wither away. I have even checked for stay voltage in the tank and everything seems ok. Any assitance would be greatly appreciated!!

05/29/2013, 12:22 PM	#2
Deinonych Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 4,191	What is your alkalinity? __________________ Chris Hope is not a strategy. Display Tank: DSA 105 w/36gal sump/fuge · 2x MP40wES PHs · 2x Radion Gen2 · Apex w/PM2 · Fish · Corals · Rock · Sand · Water

05/29/2013, 12:37 PM	#4
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	How old is this tank? What type of water do you use for changes and top-offs? __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

05/29/2013, 12:54 PM	#6
skeeter_usaf Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Brandon, Fl Posts: 98	Need more details. Nothing good happens fast in that small of an aquarium. Get a handle on it fast or you will likely have a complete tank crash. Start with the water changes weekly for a month and then post your parameters. Get the fish into quarantine till you get a handle on it. Keep us posted and good luck. __________________ 220 Mixed Reef, 60 gallon sump, Euro Reef Skimmer, Phosban Reactor, 250w Halides, LED's, wavemaker, ATO, RO/DI and much more. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

05/29/2013, 01:10 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Your problems probably got worse when you added the antibiotic (Red Slime Remover)...which should not be used in a small tank, and with no skimmer. If there's anything alive in there, still, put it into a quarantine tank (bare, no light, simple floss filter) and let the tank work out its problem for a few weeks. Run carbon: that couldn't hurt. And appreciate brown and red algae and bubble algae as just something that happens now and again. The cure for those algaes is to back way off on feeding and turn the lights out for a few days---coupled with, if you have no skimmer, daily 20% water changes. Do it once a month until algae appearance stops. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/29/2013, 12:32 PM	#3
JMP1000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	Sorry, I haven't tested for alkalinity in a week or so. It was fine last time I tested. I will be back near the tank in a couple hours and will get a more recent reading.

05/29/2013, 12:38 PM	#5
Track Rat Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 101	I'm no expert but I would stop using chemicals and start doing 2 or 3 20% water changes per week. Make sure you are using good ro/di water and use a second refractometer to check your salinity or bring a sample to your LFS to verify perameters. What salt are you using?

05/29/2013, 02:31 PM	#8
JMP1000 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 3	Thank you for all of your advice. I am using Instant Ocean salt and ro/di water. For the past few weeks I have cut back my feeding to about once a week to try to bring down the .25ppm of phosphates. All of my other parameters seem to be ok, I guess that is what has me so confused.

05/29/2013, 05:59 PM	#9
tatuaje08 Registered Member. Join Date: May 2013 Location: tempe, az Posts: 867	How much water do you change each week? Where do you get your water from?

05/30/2013, 12:05 AM	#10
Dingo44 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix AZ Posts: 219	Is the salt water you're mixing for water changes completely clear before changing the water in the tank?