Scarlet hermits dying, what stats do i need to check?

Ehaze · 08/17/2007, 09:48 PM

Phos is .25ppm, nitrate is at 20ppm(im doing everything i can to lower it)... what els might be off the wallm that is killing them? my blue leg hermits are doing WELL, and my mexican redlegs have been with me for about 1 year. but everytime i get a scarlet they die

why??? all i have is a baby yellow tang and a 2inch foxface. i made a order on reeftopia.com, and all i can say is AMAZING! the clean up crew was outstanding, i got free... they gave me 80Free small blue leg hermits(i counted every one of them), and like 10 free astria(not sure if spelled right)

i am so happy! can't beat it for 99$. my tank has green algae on the rocks and a little on the glass. i am using RO/DI. iodine / calc / trace elements calc is at 450 for my clam. thanks in advance to anyone who helps

Scissorhand · 08/17/2007, 10:48 PM

Hermits kill each other for shells. Since scarletts are known to be docile, and blue legs are a bit agressive, it could be your blues are killing the scarletts. I would look into that as a possible cause.

Ehaze · 08/17/2007, 11:23 PM

thanks scissorhand, are my water levels fine?

Sk8r · 08/17/2007, 11:28 PM

If you have any sponges or filter media and you intend to do a reef, start phasing it out in favor of live rock: this can raise nitrate. Run some carbon, [handles ammonia] and provide extra shells for your hermits. A partial water change will lower nitrate. Don't feed for a bit. Back off the iodine unless you have a test for it, ditto the trace elements: easy to overdose. Rely on a 10% water change per week to supply trace elements via your carefully compounded marine 'salt' mix. Exception: magnesium is short in some mixes---test for that as for alk and cal. Hope you acquire some bristleworms soon: they take care of dead items so as not to let nitrate spike.

Ehaze · 08/17/2007, 11:32 PM

yea man, i had like 50 worms, i bought a bunch of shrimp, they pretty much ate em all. then i sold the shrimp

i wish i knew what you just told me, oh well... i will buy magnesium and iodine test kits tomm... for sure. thanks Sk8r

Bambalam · 08/17/2007, 11:34 PM

Calcium looks OK, nitrate too high IMO. Some more water parameters would be helpful, but I wonder why one type of hermit can be OK but another dies. I agree with Scissorhand on the typical hermit crab behavior, although there are people on this board that will defend bluelegs strongly.

Ehaze · 08/17/2007, 11:50 PM

will someone please tell me the best carbon i can buy? thanks!

melev · 08/17/2007, 11:58 PM

I like Black Diamond or the housebrand from Walmart.

Ehaze · 08/18/2007, 12:06 AM

i have no idea what more i can do to bring nitrate down, only 2 fish, 90lbs of LR and arganite sand and a skimmer, and a emp400 all filter get changed every 2 weeks.

melev · 08/18/2007, 12:13 AM

If you do a 50% water change, it will cut the nitrates in half. If you do it twice, you'll bring it down to 5ppm.

Once you have it down to manageable levels, the LR should and sandbed should help keep it down. My reef ranges from 5 to 7ppm.

Ehaze · 08/18/2007, 12:33 AM

thanks man, btw i love your RO/DI!

melev · 08/18/2007, 12:35 AM

08/17/2007, 09:48 PM	#1
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	Scarlet hermits dying, what stats do i need to check? Phos is .25ppm, nitrate is at 20ppm(im doing everything i can to lower it)... what els might be off the wallm that is killing them? my blue leg hermits are doing WELL, and my mexican redlegs have been with me for about 1 year. but everytime i get a scarlet they die why??? all i have is a baby yellow tang and a 2inch foxface. i made a order on reeftopia.com, and all i can say is AMAZING! the clean up crew was outstanding, i got free... they gave me 80Free small blue leg hermits(i counted every one of them), and like 10 free astria(not sure if spelled right) i am so happy! can't beat it for 99$. my tank has green algae on the rocks and a little on the glass. i am using RO/DI. iodine / calc / trace elements calc is at 450 for my clam. thanks in advance to anyone who helps

08/17/2007, 11:23 PM	#3
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	thanks scissorhand, are my water levels fine? __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

08/17/2007, 11:28 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you have any sponges or filter media and you intend to do a reef, start phasing it out in favor of live rock: this can raise nitrate. Run some carbon, [handles ammonia] and provide extra shells for your hermits. A partial water change will lower nitrate. Don't feed for a bit. Back off the iodine unless you have a test for it, ditto the trace elements: easy to overdose. Rely on a 10% water change per week to supply trace elements via your carefully compounded marine 'salt' mix. Exception: magnesium is short in some mixes---test for that as for alk and cal. Hope you acquire some bristleworms soon: they take care of dead items so as not to let nitrate spike. __________________ 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%.

08/17/2007, 11:32 PM	#5
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	yea man, i had like 50 worms, i bought a bunch of shrimp, they pretty much ate em all. then i sold the shrimp i wish i knew what you just told me, oh well... i will buy magnesium and iodine test kits tomm... for sure. thanks Sk8r __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

08/17/2007, 11:50 PM	#7
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	will someone please tell me the best carbon i can buy? thanks! __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

08/17/2007, 10:48 PM	#2
Scissorhand Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pho 54, SoCal Posts: 3,066	Hermits kill each other for shells. Since scarletts are known to be docile, and blue legs are a bit agressive, it could be your blues are killing the scarletts. I would look into that as a possible cause.

08/17/2007, 11:34 PM	#6
Bambalam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: OH Posts: 688	Calcium looks OK, nitrate too high IMO. Some more water parameters would be helpful, but I wonder why one type of hermit can be OK but another dies. I agree with Scissorhand on the typical hermit crab behavior, although there are people on this board that will defend bluelegs strongly.

08/17/2007, 11:58 PM	#8
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I like Black Diamond or the housebrand from Walmart.

08/18/2007, 12:06 AM	#9
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	i have no idea what more i can do to bring nitrate down, only 2 fish, 90lbs of LR and arganite sand and a skimmer, and a emp400 all filter get changed every 2 weeks. __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

08/18/2007, 12:13 AM	#10
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	If you do a 50% water change, it will cut the nitrates in half. If you do it twice, you'll bring it down to 5ppm. Once you have it down to manageable levels, the LR should and sandbed should help keep it down. My reef ranges from 5 to 7ppm.

08/18/2007, 12:33 AM	#11
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	thanks man, btw i love your RO/DI! __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

08/18/2007, 12:35 AM	#12
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217