30 gallon Tank Questions

jachrist · 12/20/2014, 10:00 PM

Hey there--

I have a 30 gallon tank that is using a Marineland HOB filter. I have one smaller powerhead on the opposite side of the water inlet from the filter and I do water changes every two-three weeks using reef crystals. I have two ocellaris clown fish, a couple damsels, and a CUC that consists of a cleaner shrimp, 15 snails, and a common starfish. The tank has 50lbs live sand and 30lbs of live rock.

Over the past four weeks, I've been adding an amount of coral. I have a handful of mushrooms, about 8 frags of zoas, and some anthelia. I also have a smaller frag of frogspawn and a hammer coral that a friend gave me. Most recently, I added a three inch frag of green goni to the tank.

Everything in the tank was doing great-- I made an auto-top off that keeps my tank consistently around 1.025 before I left for vacation.

Here's the problem-- before leaving, I noticed the goni wasn't doing too hot and feared it was getting too much light and direct flow. I moved it to the corner of a tank and fashioned a "hut" using some safe plastic. When I got back from vacation, both the hammer and the frogspawn frags were dead. They were located fairly close to the goni (each has ample room to avoid stinging). They were looking really healthy and melted away in less than four days. Does anybody have thoughts about what it could be? I don't dose with calcium, but fear that's a road I might need to take.

Thoughts on the next move for me? I understand they are harder corals to keep.

zoafarm · 12/20/2014, 10:33 PM

What are your water parameters? Alk, Ca, Mg, ...

Teenreefer15 · 12/20/2014, 11:03 PM

If you haven't dosed before I would recommend dosing 15ml of Kent essential elements per day with all these corals. I dose 5ml a day in a 10 gallon with the same types of corals and amount. You should also pick up the api calcium test kit and magnesium if you'd like. You can skip the dose the day you do you water change if you use reef crystals. Now ill explain why you only need to test for calcium if using this. This is because this bottle has the correct ratio of magnesium so if calcium is in check magnesium will be too.

jachrist · 12/20/2014, 11:11 PM

That's another problem. I haven't had the chance to order the proper test kits. I've been utilizing the LFS to do tests, which I haven't done since adding the corals. I can only test for ammonia and PH right now, both which are at desired levels.

Ajohnson · 12/20/2014, 11:12 PM

I had a couple euphyllia frags die out on me in a similar fashion. My calcium had been consistently around 350 and my KH around 150. They were not astronomically low, but they had been low consistently for about 6 weeks (the duration that I had them). They appeared fine, but were slowly dying, and by the time they showed symptoms it was too late to do anything. It was about 3 days from the time I noticed until they were fully dead. I would suggest at least doing regular testing to see if your levels are in check and then dose accordingly.

Ron1966 · 12/21/2014, 03:47 AM

in a reef Alk is upmost important. You should pick up the test kit asap so tank can be checked. The cost of kits is money well spent.

gone fishin · 12/21/2014, 04:24 PM

I would not add or dose anything until you have the proper tests to verify your numbers. Just throwing things in the water is a good way to get yourself in trouble quick. just my two cents.

acabgd · 12/21/2014, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone fishin

I would not add or dose anything until you have the proper tests to verify your numbers. Just throwing things in the water is a good way to get yourself in trouble quick. just my two cents.

+1
Don't dose if you cannot test.

igadget56 · 12/21/2014, 07:48 PM

Don't use api tests they are junk.
Use Salifert or Read Sea.

jachrist · 12/21/2014, 09:16 PM

Picked up the testers today at the LFS. Thanks all-- I'll keep you posted when I test it tomorrow morning!

jachrist · 12/23/2014, 12:33 AM

Everything has is coming back perfectly. The hammers and the frogspawn are starting to come back out of their skeleton and the purple digi is starting to show polyps again.

Tested everything today and all the parameters are perfect (calcium, alk, mag, and pH). They must have experienced a swing while the pieces of coral tanked.

Anybody else ever experience a swing like this and then have things recover so well?

gone fishin · 12/23/2014, 05:42 AM

Glad to hear everything is coming back. I have had some upsets in the past and recovered with minimal damage. IMO if we set up our tanks with a good foundation from the start and take it easy, then our tanks a more resilient than we give them credit. Stay calm,observe and act accordingly.

12/20/2014, 10:00 PM	#1
jachrist Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Nebraska Posts: 87	30 gallon Tank Questions Hey there-- I have a 30 gallon tank that is using a Marineland HOB filter. I have one smaller powerhead on the opposite side of the water inlet from the filter and I do water changes every two-three weeks using reef crystals. I have two ocellaris clown fish, a couple damsels, and a CUC that consists of a cleaner shrimp, 15 snails, and a common starfish. The tank has 50lbs live sand and 30lbs of live rock. Over the past four weeks, I've been adding an amount of coral. I have a handful of mushrooms, about 8 frags of zoas, and some anthelia. I also have a smaller frag of frogspawn and a hammer coral that a friend gave me. Most recently, I added a three inch frag of green goni to the tank. Everything in the tank was doing great-- I made an auto-top off that keeps my tank consistently around 1.025 before I left for vacation. Here's the problem-- before leaving, I noticed the goni wasn't doing too hot and feared it was getting too much light and direct flow. I moved it to the corner of a tank and fashioned a "hut" using some safe plastic. When I got back from vacation, both the hammer and the frogspawn frags were dead. They were located fairly close to the goni (each has ample room to avoid stinging). They were looking really healthy and melted away in less than four days. Does anybody have thoughts about what it could be? I don't dose with calcium, but fear that's a road I might need to take. Thoughts on the next move for me? I understand they are harder corals to keep.

12/20/2014, 11:12 PM	#5
Ajohnson Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Edmonton, AB Canada Posts: 58	I had a couple euphyllia frags die out on me in a similar fashion. My calcium had been consistently around 350 and my KH around 150. They were not astronomically low, but they had been low consistently for about 6 weeks (the duration that I had them). They appeared fine, but were slowly dying, and by the time they showed symptoms it was too late to do anything. It was about 3 days from the time I noticed until they were fully dead. I would suggest at least doing regular testing to see if your levels are in check and then dose accordingly. __________________ 90g reef tank, 30 gallon sump. Dual Kessil A350w LED lights. Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer, omega bio-pellet reactor. 80 lbs. live rock, 3" sand bed all around. 30g hospital/QT. 10g frag tank. Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon reef tank with a 30 gallon sump. 75 pounds of live rock and approx 3" sand bed all around. Lots of fish, LPS, and Softies, as well as some SPS. 2 Kessil A350W lights. Bubble magus skimmer, omega biopellet reactor.

12/21/2014, 03:47 AM	#6
Ron1966 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Uxbridge Posts: 66	in a reef Alk is upmost important. You should pick up the test kit asap so tank can be checked. The cost of kits is money well spent. __________________ 120 Gallon Reef 20G Long Zoa Tank

12/21/2014, 04:24 PM	#7
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I would not add or dose anything until you have the proper tests to verify your numbers. Just throwing things in the water is a good way to get yourself in trouble quick. just my two cents. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/23/2014, 05:42 AM	#12
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Glad to hear everything is coming back. I have had some upsets in the past and recovered with minimal damage. IMO if we set up our tanks with a good foundation from the start and take it easy, then our tanks a more resilient than we give them credit. Stay calm,observe and act accordingly. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

12/20/2014, 10:33 PM	#2
zoafarm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 306	What are your water parameters? Alk, Ca, Mg, ...

12/20/2014, 11:03 PM	#3
Teenreefer15 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 479	If you haven't dosed before I would recommend dosing 15ml of Kent essential elements per day with all these corals. I dose 5ml a day in a 10 gallon with the same types of corals and amount. You should also pick up the api calcium test kit and magnesium if you'd like. You can skip the dose the day you do you water change if you use reef crystals. Now ill explain why you only need to test for calcium if using this. This is because this bottle has the correct ratio of magnesium so if calcium is in check magnesium will be too.

12/20/2014, 11:11 PM	#4
jachrist Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Nebraska Posts: 87	That's another problem. I haven't had the chance to order the proper test kits. I've been utilizing the LFS to do tests, which I haven't done since adding the corals. I can only test for ammonia and PH right now, both which are at desired levels.

12/21/2014, 07:48 PM	#9
igadget56 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 820	Don't use api tests they are junk. Use Salifert or Read Sea.

12/21/2014, 09:16 PM	#10
jachrist Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Nebraska Posts: 87	Picked up the testers today at the LFS. Thanks all-- I'll keep you posted when I test it tomorrow morning!

12/23/2014, 12:33 AM	#11
jachrist Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Nebraska Posts: 87	Everything has is coming back perfectly. The hammers and the frogspawn are starting to come back out of their skeleton and the purple digi is starting to show polyps again. Tested everything today and all the parameters are perfect (calcium, alk, mag, and pH). They must have experienced a swing while the pieces of coral tanked. Anybody else ever experience a swing like this and then have things recover so well?