Problems again .. All the info you need is here please help me to keep my fish happy

j007dreamer · 07/05/2007, 08:33 PM

Ok I have a lot of problems with my reef tank so hopefully anyone willing to read this whole post will also feel the need to be sure that the little fish in the tank swim happy

so to the best of my abilty here are the specs and problems

Tank specs

- 50 gallon tank
- up for 2 years
- remora pro hang on skimmer (that never seems to work right)
- fluval 405 canister filter that had live rock in 2 chambers, Carbon in one and those white ball things in the other
- Coralife Lunar Aqualight 192 Watts
- one wave maker
- nice amount of live rock and sand

Stock
- 2 clown fish
- hippo tang
- kole tang
- one cleaner shrimp
- one coral banded shrimp
- big clean up crew

Water specs ( these dont look to good) help please
testing kit is not the best one at the moment it's those dip strips but

- Nitrate 80
- Nitrite 0
- Hardness 250
- Alkalinity 80
- P.H 8.4

Feeding

- Phyto Plex
-Oyster eggs
-Brine shrimp and sometime flake food when feeling lazy

Problems

- bubble tip anemone is white and not opening much at all
- Nothing in the tank looks happy overall (so sad)
- corals do not always open
- water problem as you can see from above

I have changed the water in the past and sometimes it will be ok for a bit but then always get all over the place again. I plan on doing another water change this weekend

Questions ?

- When you buy that premixed water at the fish store it always says LIVE on it !!!!!!! So since im doing a water change is there something i can ad to the water to make it LIVE like bacteria or something ? to help keep everyone happy
- also wondering can i change to much water ? I'm thinking about changeing just about all the water. is that a bad thing ? that kind of why im looking to add the LIVE water ( but it 20$ for 4 gallons ) so i was hoping i could just buy something i could add it ?
- REEF BUGS mine all seem to have died with the messed up water, I've seen that you can buy them in a bottle or something ? is that a good thing?

I know there is lot to this hobby but i never thought i would have such a hard time getting the water to stay right and it sound stuipd but it really break my heart to look at those little fish and think they are stressed out cause of my lack of education as to what i can do to help

is there something i can buy to make this water LIVE once i change it ?

is to much water change a bad thing ?

bugs in a bottle ? what is that ?

I have never been told wrong on RF please help me to get this right finally

sufunk · 07/05/2007, 08:51 PM

Well, your nitrates are too high probably because of the 2 tangs. They are a little big for that tank and are probably causing too much bioload. You are also probably feeding too much(we all do,lol). If you aren't going to get rid of either or both of them(you probably should) then you need to do large regular water changes.

I've never done it but many people have told me that they have done 90% water changes with no problems. I wouldn't go that far but i have done 50% water changes and 33% water changes every other day for a month when i had sever nitrate problems at the beginning.

I've never used that live water but for the price(especially if you are doing large water changes) you are better off getting yourself a good salt mix and making it yourself. Get a trash can, pump, some 1"tubing and a heater and you will be good to go. It may seem daunting at first but once you do it a time or 2 its really no big deal.

Forgot, the anemone is probably white from lack of light. They really need more than what you have. If you cant upgrade the lights, feed the anemone at least 1 time a week with shrimp, silversides ,etc.

I wouldn't buy bottled pods. If you have live rock, you probably have pods. Get the water in check and they should be fine.

j007dreamer · 07/05/2007, 08:57 PM

Is there anything i can add to the water to make it LIVE like whatever they say is in the bottle?

And i haven't even a bug in forever, i think they all died. I'm not even to sure what they are needed for but i know they are good

I only feed the fish once a day and the coral the other 2 things about once a week or so and i give a small but good amount.. Is that to much ?

bertoni · 07/05/2007, 09:24 PM

I think that the tangs are too much fish for that size tank. I'd remove them and add something more suitable, perhaps a six-line wrasse. For that size tank, I might feed 1/3 of a cube of frozen Formula 1 per day, as a starting point.

I don't know of any additives that will help.

rbtwo4 · 07/05/2007, 09:32 PM

Ooooooooooo don't let the "tang police" find out!!!!!!

jon99 · 07/05/2007, 10:54 PM

Don't worry about makeing your water "live". Everything needed will be in a good salt mix. Test the pH of your makeup water,mine is very low coming outa the DI unit (around pH=5). If you have a similar condition make sure you buffer the water before adding to the tank. Everything needed to make your water "live" is in the live rock and already in your system. I think one of your major problems is a high bioload. I have a 55 with only one purple tang and one tiny clown and coral and still have to be VERY careful not to overfeed. Tangs are very messy and eat a lot!! If you say things looked better for a little while after a water change that should be telling you something.

07/05/2007, 08:33 PM	#1
j007dreamer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 262	Problems again .. All the info you need is here please help me to keep my fish happy Ok I have a lot of problems with my reef tank so hopefully anyone willing to read this whole post will also feel the need to be sure that the little fish in the tank swim happy so to the best of my abilty here are the specs and problems Tank specs - 50 gallon tank - up for 2 years - remora pro hang on skimmer (that never seems to work right) - fluval 405 canister filter that had live rock in 2 chambers, Carbon in one and those white ball things in the other - Coralife Lunar Aqualight 192 Watts - one wave maker - nice amount of live rock and sand Stock - 2 clown fish - hippo tang - kole tang - one cleaner shrimp - one coral banded shrimp - big clean up crew Water specs ( these dont look to good) help please testing kit is not the best one at the moment it's those dip strips but - Nitrate 80 - Nitrite 0 - Hardness 250 - Alkalinity 80 - P.H 8.4 Feeding - Phyto Plex -Oyster eggs -Brine shrimp and sometime flake food when feeling lazy Problems - bubble tip anemone is white and not opening much at all - Nothing in the tank looks happy overall (so sad) - corals do not always open - water problem as you can see from above I have changed the water in the past and sometimes it will be ok for a bit but then always get all over the place again. I plan on doing another water change this weekend Questions ? - When you buy that premixed water at the fish store it always says LIVE on it !!!!!!! So since im doing a water change is there something i can ad to the water to make it LIVE like bacteria or something ? to help keep everyone happy - also wondering can i change to much water ? I'm thinking about changeing just about all the water. is that a bad thing ? that kind of why im looking to add the LIVE water ( but it 20$ for 4 gallons ) so i was hoping i could just buy something i could add it ? - REEF BUGS mine all seem to have died with the messed up water, I've seen that you can buy them in a bottle or something ? is that a good thing? I know there is lot to this hobby but i never thought i would have such a hard time getting the water to stay right and it sound stuipd but it really break my heart to look at those little fish and think they are stressed out cause of my lack of education as to what i can do to help is there something i can buy to make this water LIVE once i change it ? is to much water change a bad thing ? bugs in a bottle ? what is that ? I have never been told wrong on RF please help me to get this right finally

07/05/2007, 09:24 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I think that the tangs are too much fish for that size tank. I'd remove them and add something more suitable, perhaps a six-line wrasse. For that size tank, I might feed 1/3 of a cube of frozen Formula 1 per day, as a starting point. I don't know of any additives that will help. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/05/2007, 09:32 PM	#5
rbtwo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NY Posts: 747	Ooooooooooo don't let the "tang police" find out!!!!!! __________________ I am completely ADDICTED!!!! Current Tank Info: 30G Rimless Deep Blue, AI Sol, 120 SWC Skimmer, Apex controller, MP10

07/05/2007, 10:54 PM	#6
jon99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atl Ga Posts: 817	Don't worry about makeing your water "live". Everything needed will be in a good salt mix. Test the pH of your makeup water,mine is very low coming outa the DI unit (around pH=5). If you have a similar condition make sure you buffer the water before adding to the tank. Everything needed to make your water "live" is in the live rock and already in your system. I think one of your major problems is a high bioload. I have a 55 with only one purple tang and one tiny clown and coral and still have to be VERY careful not to overfeed. Tangs are very messy and eat a lot!! If you say things looked better for a little while after a water change that should be telling you something. __________________ Current tank: 210 gallon mixed reef 2x250w radium, 1x400w radium, 2x vortech mp40, 2 seaswirls. 40 gallon frag tank 250w radium, vortech mp10, seaswirl. 55 gallon sump w/ remote DSB, turf scrubber, SR Current Tank Info: 210 in the works

07/05/2007, 08:51 PM	#2
sufunk Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davie, Florida Posts: 2,004	Well, your nitrates are too high probably because of the 2 tangs. They are a little big for that tank and are probably causing too much bioload. You are also probably feeding too much(we all do,lol). If you aren't going to get rid of either or both of them(you probably should) then you need to do large regular water changes. I've never done it but many people have told me that they have done 90% water changes with no problems. I wouldn't go that far but i have done 50% water changes and 33% water changes every other day for a month when i had sever nitrate problems at the beginning. I've never used that live water but for the price(especially if you are doing large water changes) you are better off getting yourself a good salt mix and making it yourself. Get a trash can, pump, some 1"tubing and a heater and you will be good to go. It may seem daunting at first but once you do it a time or 2 its really no big deal. Forgot, the anemone is probably white from lack of light. They really need more than what you have. If you cant upgrade the lights, feed the anemone at least 1 time a week with shrimp, silversides ,etc. I wouldn't buy bottled pods. If you have live rock, you probably have pods. Get the water in check and they should be fine.

07/05/2007, 08:57 PM	#3
j007dreamer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 262	Is there anything i can add to the water to make it LIVE like whatever they say is in the bottle? And i haven't even a bug in forever, i think they all died. I'm not even to sure what they are needed for but i know they are good I only feed the fish once a day and the coral the other 2 things about once a week or so and i give a small but good amount.. Is that to much ?