looking for advice

nathanjohnson09 · 05/27/2014, 07:41 PM

hello all first post here and I hope I get some good knowledge. I have had issues keeping torches and hammers which is a pain because they are the whole reason I started keeping corals. I have a 25g rimless cube with 10g sump esshops protein skimmer (rated for 75g) ato setup, gfo reactor, 500gph ph, reef keeper for light control. my tank parameters are fine anytime I test them the nitrates 0, amonina 0, cal 380, kh 9 nitrites 0, phosphates .25. I use a rodi system for all water(thawing frozen food an all waterchanges) with a digital tds meter to know when they clog. any and all help appreciated. the issue is that they last 1 or 2 months then just overnight get unhappy and die

whosurcaddie · 05/27/2014, 08:36 PM

Phosphates should be 0.03 or less.
Cal should be 400-450 some people push it to 500.
I don't see magnesium listed but it needs to be 1300 or more.

Are you straining the frozen food. If you don't strain the food those cubes have massive amounts of phosphates in them.

What kind of lighting is in your cube.

Dustyboots · 05/27/2014, 08:46 PM

When I see trouble keeping them it's always lighting. They get most of their energy from light. If you do add better lighting do it slowly, over a few days... I have a frogspawn, gold torch, bubble, goniopora, acro, birds nest, cats paw, all kinds of stuff on 1/4 watt per led automatic "orbit marine" lights. I have 2 36" fixtures on my 65 gallon. They have a "coral acclimation" setting which is handy. If I can grow sps with them you shouldn't have any problems growing lps. Good luck.

nathanjohnson09 · 05/27/2014, 09:25 PM

Ive only kept soft corals before my duncans are fine so ive never tested for mag. Good advice on frozen foods and dont know the light brand. Its from a local fish store not some cheap ebay deal

nathanjohnson09 · 05/27/2014, 09:31 PM

And the phosphates are the first square from zero down on the api test kit...i was told that was ok not too terrible. I can never seem to get it to zero

IanWR · 05/27/2014, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whosurcaddie

If you don't strain the food those cubes have massive amounts of phosphates

I disagree with this. Leaving food unrinsed does not add appreciably to the phosphates in your tank, but does add an amount of small food bits for your corals. See RHF's article, http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/3/chemistry

sponger0 · 05/28/2014, 06:39 AM

I can already tell that you already arent reading accurately on phosphates. Im gonna bet this is a API phosphate test kit you are using which is nowhere near accurate. So to make any suggestions off that reading isnt going to help. Your phosphates are best in the range of .03-.06. Less than that, you are stripping the water completely of any phosphates, which corals do need a small amount to grow. Ive had SPS do fine in higher levels but they wont grow as fast. So get a Hanna Phosphate Checker to get an accurate reading.

What is happening to the corals when they die?

Cymonous · 05/28/2014, 06:43 AM

When you get the hammers/torches, are you starting them on the bottom of the tank(sandbed)? What kind of lighting are you using? T5, Power Compact, T8, LED?

nathanjohnson09 · 05/28/2014, 07:04 AM

Yes i acclimate to lights by starting on the sandbed. That is where they have always seemed happy. When they die there tentacles get puffy and limp and then just wither away. Its leds blues on 8 hours whites 5.5 hours.

Sk8r · 05/28/2014, 02:45 PM

Adequate calcium and mag is often a problem. The params in my sig line grow hammer and frog real well. Mrs Wages' in your ATO will keep that level balanced, once you set it using ordinary dosing.

nathanjohnson09 · 05/28/2014, 03:25 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys im taking it all in and reading up

Paul B · 05/28/2014, 05:50 PM

Tank seems to clean to me. 0 nitrates is not a goal for those corals you mentioned, phosphates are fine. That is the same reading I have and my torches and hammers grow larger than I would like because the torches sting everything and my nitrates are around 45. I also would not use GFO. I don't know what you feed them but I use clams. Regular clams that I freeze and shave off paper thin slices. The hammers eat that, I don't feed the torches. Some of mine are many years old.
But I may think differently than many people on here

nathanjohnson09 · 05/28/2014, 09:33 PM

Thanks paul b. I was always told anything over 20 for nitrates is bad. There is so much controversial information in this hobby. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between facts and opinions

kurt_n · 05/28/2014, 10:17 PM

Personally, I think it's your lighting... primarily because you can't really tell us what you have. Even though these LPS are not overly light demanding, they *do* require light. Just knowing that they're some blue and white LEDs really isn't helping us help you. What brand? What model? Any links you can point us to?

5.5 hours of whites, regardless of the strength of the light, just isn't enough light.

Paul B · 05/29/2014, 12:37 PM

Quote:

I was always told anything over 20 for nitrates is bad. There is so much controversial information in this hobby. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between facts and opinions

90% of what you hear in this hobby is rumor, and the rest is just wrong.

sponger0 · 05/29/2014, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul B

90% of what you hear in this hobby is rumor, and the rest is just wrong.

Aint that the damn truth lol.

05/27/2014, 07:41 PM	#1
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	looking for advice hello all first post here and I hope I get some good knowledge. I have had issues keeping torches and hammers which is a pain because they are the whole reason I started keeping corals. I have a 25g rimless cube with 10g sump esshops protein skimmer (rated for 75g) ato setup, gfo reactor, 500gph ph, reef keeper for light control. my tank parameters are fine anytime I test them the nitrates 0, amonina 0, cal 380, kh 9 nitrites 0, phosphates .25. I use a rodi system for all water(thawing frozen food an all waterchanges) with a digital tds meter to know when they clog. any and all help appreciated. the issue is that they last 1 or 2 months then just overnight get unhappy and die

05/27/2014, 08:46 PM	#3
Dustyboots Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 104	When I see trouble keeping them it's always lighting. They get most of their energy from light. If you do add better lighting do it slowly, over a few days... I have a frogspawn, gold torch, bubble, goniopora, acro, birds nest, cats paw, all kinds of stuff on 1/4 watt per led automatic "orbit marine" lights. I have 2 36" fixtures on my 65 gallon. They have a "coral acclimation" setting which is handy. If I can grow sps with them you shouldn't have any problems growing lps. Good luck. __________________ Using Tapatalk

05/28/2014, 06:43 AM	#8
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	When you get the hammers/torches, are you starting them on the bottom of the tank(sandbed)? What kind of lighting are you using? T5, Power Compact, T8, LED? __________________ 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

05/28/2014, 02:45 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Adequate calcium and mag is often a problem. The params in my sig line grow hammer and frog real well. Mrs Wages' in your ATO will keep that level balanced, once you set it using ordinary dosing. __________________ 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%.

05/28/2014, 05:50 PM	#12
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Tank seems to clean to me. 0 nitrates is not a goal for those corals you mentioned, phosphates are fine. That is the same reading I have and my torches and hammers grow larger than I would like because the torches sting everything and my nitrates are around 45. I also would not use GFO. I don't know what you feed them but I use clams. Regular clams that I freeze and shave off paper thin slices. The hammers eat that, I don't feed the torches. Some of mine are many years old. But I may think differently than many people on here __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

05/27/2014, 08:36 PM	#2
whosurcaddie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,354	Phosphates should be 0.03 or less. Cal should be 400-450 some people push it to 500. I don't see magnesium listed but it needs to be 1300 or more. Are you straining the frozen food. If you don't strain the food those cubes have massive amounts of phosphates in them. What kind of lighting is in your cube.

05/27/2014, 09:25 PM	#4
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	Ive only kept soft corals before my duncans are fine so ive never tested for mag. Good advice on frozen foods and dont know the light brand. Its from a local fish store not some cheap ebay deal

05/27/2014, 09:31 PM	#5
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	And the phosphates are the first square from zero down on the api test kit...i was told that was ok not too terrible. I can never seem to get it to zero

05/28/2014, 06:39 AM	#7
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	I can already tell that you already arent reading accurately on phosphates. Im gonna bet this is a API phosphate test kit you are using which is nowhere near accurate. So to make any suggestions off that reading isnt going to help. Your phosphates are best in the range of .03-.06. Less than that, you are stripping the water completely of any phosphates, which corals do need a small amount to grow. Ive had SPS do fine in higher levels but they wont grow as fast. So get a Hanna Phosphate Checker to get an accurate reading. What is happening to the corals when they die?

05/28/2014, 07:04 AM	#9
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	Yes i acclimate to lights by starting on the sandbed. That is where they have always seemed happy. When they die there tentacles get puffy and limp and then just wither away. Its leds blues on 8 hours whites 5.5 hours.

05/28/2014, 03:25 PM	#11
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	Thanks for all the advice guys im taking it all in and reading up

05/28/2014, 09:33 PM	#13
nathanjohnson09 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 54	Thanks paul b. I was always told anything over 20 for nitrates is bad. There is so much controversial information in this hobby. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between facts and opinions

05/28/2014, 10:17 PM	#14
kurt_n Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: WA Posts: 2,592	Personally, I think it's your lighting... primarily because you can't really tell us what you have. Even though these LPS are not overly light demanding, they do require light. Just knowing that they're some blue and white LEDs really isn't helping us help you. What brand? What model? Any links you can point us to? 5.5 hours of whites, regardless of the strength of the light, just isn't enough light.