I need some help plzz!!

Fairechioo · 05/11/2013, 08:37 PM

I have a 20 gal Reef tank

2 turbo snails
1 blood shrimp
3 damsel
1 clown fish
1 anemone long tentacle
Frag of pulsing xenia
2 Frag of zoas
3 mushrooms
small piece of ORA Stylophora

ph 8.2
nitrite 0ppm
ammonia .25ppm
nitrate 5ppm
temp 81
dkh 10
calcium 340mg
phosphates .25 ppm
salinity 1020

25 lbs live rock
7 pounds base rock
20 lbs live sand
rio nano skimmer
hang on Aclear 10
petco power head
4 t5 bulbs 2 10k 2 blue

12 hours blue 8 hours 10k

The problem is my corals seem to be dieing ,not growing at all. I got a major out break of green algae hair type. Only my mushrooms are doing good and fish as well. I dont know what to do anymore, if anyone can help thank you

aznnutty · 05/11/2013, 11:26 PM

sounds like your going through a cycle and your salinity is off. should be at 1.023-1.026
1.023 are more used for fish only tanks, 1.026 for reefs

tanked37 · 05/12/2013, 06:23 AM

Hmm, how long has this tank been running for? If this is not a new cycling tank, then I would recommend reading some articles about reef tank water parameters. Too be honest virtually every param is off. There are plenty of great articles out there. For starters, here are some better targets to shot at. Whatever you do do NOT correct these in one day. Do it slowly... Also, you need to test for Mg! If this is out of whack you may have problems maintaining proper Ca/Alkalinity levels.

ammonia .25ppm - This should always be 0ppm!
nitrate 5ppm - This should be 3ppm or less.
temp 81 - Not terrible but I would run 78-79.
dkh 10 - This is fine if it is consistently 10.
calcium 340mg - I assume Ca not "mg". This should be closer to 420.
phosphates .25 ppm - This is high. This should be 0.03 or less.
salinity 1020 - This is really low. Should be 1.024 - 1.026. I run 1.026 in reef. Raise very slowly. Maybe auto-top off with saltwater for a bit but in low doses over many days.

mgrmax · 05/12/2013, 06:29 AM

Your lighting period might be a bit long on top of everything else previously stated.

MrTuskfish · 05/12/2013, 12:04 PM

The most obvious number to me is the ammonia. A mature, cycled tank should never have any ammonia. Deadly stuff.

Fairechioo · 05/12/2013, 12:06 PM

The tanks been running for 4 months, my ammonia is all over the place. do you think a 10 gal sump will help. I only lost coral I cant seem to get rid of my ammonia i do 5gal water changes 2 weeks.

cap032 · 05/12/2013, 01:03 PM

Did you cycle the tank before adding anything?

SushiGirl · 05/12/2013, 01:05 PM

You have a lot of fish for a 20, so I would guess that's your ammonia problem.

You also have 5 aggressive fish, so that's going to be an issue pretty soon. You can add a sump, but that's not going to solve the territorial aggression with those fish in that size tank.

I would remove the damsels & see if that helps with the ammonia. They're going to fight anyway, and once the clowns pair up, they're going to fight any other fish in there.

BlindZide · 05/12/2013, 01:15 PM

+1 to Sushi. I was going to say over feeding but even if that isn't happening then the bio-load would give way to ammonia issues.

Fairechioo · 05/12/2013, 01:26 PM

I cycled with 2 damsels for 2 months before adding my clown the clown is bigger and hes the king of the tank the fish all get along ammonia seems to be the the problem there is only 4 fish

there all tiny fish less then an inch, I feed a tiny amount of pellets once a day deff not over feeding

gone fishin · 05/12/2013, 01:34 PM

Some people are suggesting the bio load in the tank is causing the ammonia. I would cetainly agree that is a good place to start.

A 20 gallon tank is not very big to start with. Once you factor in rock and sand displacement I would be inclined to think you have maybe 15 gallons of total water volume. I would only keep two fish in that size tank.

Once mature the clowns will take the entire tank for their territory. If you want to say they get along fine then that is certainly your option. But, do not be surprised if your ammonia does not go away or it goes down after some of the fish die.

SteviesReef · 05/12/2013, 01:43 PM

I don't think the OP has more than one clown. Three damsels is definitely too many for this tank. Priority is getting that ammonia down fast and the salinity up SLOWLY.

Kyle918 · 05/13/2013, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanked37

Hmm, how long has this tank been running for? If this is not a new cycling tank, then I would recommend reading some articles about reef tank water parameters. Too be honest virtually every param is off. There are plenty of great articles out there. For starters, here are some better targets to shot at. Whatever you do do NOT correct these in one day. Do it slowly... Also, you need to test for Mg! If this is out of whack you may have problems maintaining proper Ca/Alkalinity levels.

ammonia .25ppm - This should always be 0ppm!
nitrate 5ppm - This should be 3ppm or less.
temp 81 - Not terrible but I would run 78-79.
dkh 10 - This is fine if it is consistently 10.
calcium 340mg - I assume Ca not "mg". This should be closer to 420.
phosphates .25 ppm - This is high. This should be 0.03 or less.
salinity 1020 - This is really low. Should be 1.024 - 1.026. I run 1.026 in reef. Raise very slowly. Maybe auto-top off with saltwater for a bit but in low doses over many days.

I would agree with all the above. In regards to your coral, the calcium at 340 is way too long..should be around 420 as stated. however, alkalinity and calcium will not rise if your magnesium is low...that should be around 1300.

With all that set aside, your MAIN concern, even though it wasn't your reason for posting is your ammonia... This needs to be at zero...and REMAIN at zero. you say it is all over the place which tells me your tank is not cycled and it cannot support the bioload you currently have...if it was mature, your ammonia and nitrites would remain at zero day in and out. What test kits are you using? API Im guessing??

Salinity needs to be raised, but raised slowly to around 1.025-1.026. 1.020 is too low for corals. I would also work on getting your temp to stay around 78-79.

Two more questions though...What are you using as your water source? Are you making your own salt water? The low salinity leads me to believe you are buying the water from a LFS...

Not to be another voice coming at you, but the fish choices you have are really not best suited for your size tank. Go back one page and read the sticky on damsels...clown fish will also become more territorial as he ages so be aware of that also...

Fairechioo · 05/16/2013, 11:56 PM

I was buying my salt water from a lfs , I called them out on the low level itwas 1017, also I fix my amonia problem I added a 20 sump and 200 gph pump through a ton of media and bioballs and amonia reducer pad alonge with a phos rector 300 dollars later and 3 days I'm reading zero also my salt level is at 1022

shifty51008 · 05/17/2013, 12:15 AM

Keep raising the salt level to 1.025 or 1.026. Also if you actually have a lta (long tentical anemone) then it will outgrow that size tank fast.

Also try to lower the phosphates to, 03 or lower. .25 will stunt coral growth and can kill some corals.

05/11/2013, 08:37 PM	#1
Fairechioo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 6	I need some help plzz!! I have a 20 gal Reef tank 2 turbo snails 1 blood shrimp 3 damsel 1 clown fish 1 anemone long tentacle Frag of pulsing xenia 2 Frag of zoas 3 mushrooms small piece of ORA Stylophora ph 8.2 nitrite 0ppm ammonia .25ppm nitrate 5ppm temp 81 dkh 10 calcium 340mg phosphates .25 ppm salinity 1020 25 lbs live rock 7 pounds base rock 20 lbs live sand rio nano skimmer hang on Aclear 10 petco power head 4 t5 bulbs 2 10k 2 blue 12 hours blue 8 hours 10k The problem is my corals seem to be dieing ,not growing at all. I got a major out break of green algae hair type. Only my mushrooms are doing good and fish as well. I dont know what to do anymore, if anyone can help thank you

05/12/2013, 12:04 PM	#5
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	The most obvious number to me is the ammonia. A mature, cycled tank should never have any ammonia. Deadly stuff. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

05/12/2013, 01:03 PM	#7
cap032 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 611	Did you cycle the tank before adding anything? __________________ CTI: 125g, 55g DIY sump, Sicce Syncra 3.0 return, 2x Vortech MP40, 2× Maxspect Razor 16k, RKL + w/ MLC lunar pods, Reef Octo Sro 2000int, Reef Octo AWC, Reef Dynamics BPR 135e

05/12/2013, 01:05 PM	#8
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	You have a lot of fish for a 20, so I would guess that's your ammonia problem. You also have 5 aggressive fish, so that's going to be an issue pretty soon. You can add a sump, but that's not going to solve the territorial aggression with those fish in that size tank. I would remove the damsels & see if that helps with the ammonia. They're going to fight anyway, and once the clowns pair up, they're going to fight any other fish in there. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

05/12/2013, 01:15 PM	#9
BlindZide Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 1,273	+1 to Sushi. I was going to say over feeding but even if that isn't happening then the bio-load would give way to ammonia issues. __________________ ~Trent Biocube 14 Mixed Reef 75G LPS Reef

05/11/2013, 11:26 PM	#2
aznnutty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: northfield ohio Posts: 2,819	sounds like your going through a cycle and your salinity is off. should be at 1.023-1.026 1.023 are more used for fish only tanks, 1.026 for reefs

05/12/2013, 06:23 AM	#3
tanked37 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 262	Hmm, how long has this tank been running for? If this is not a new cycling tank, then I would recommend reading some articles about reef tank water parameters. Too be honest virtually every param is off. There are plenty of great articles out there. For starters, here are some better targets to shot at. Whatever you do do NOT correct these in one day. Do it slowly... Also, you need to test for Mg! If this is out of whack you may have problems maintaining proper Ca/Alkalinity levels. ammonia .25ppm - This should always be 0ppm! nitrate 5ppm - This should be 3ppm or less. temp 81 - Not terrible but I would run 78-79. dkh 10 - This is fine if it is consistently 10. calcium 340mg - I assume Ca not "mg". This should be closer to 420. phosphates .25 ppm - This is high. This should be 0.03 or less. salinity 1020 - This is really low. Should be 1.024 - 1.026. I run 1.026 in reef. Raise very slowly. Maybe auto-top off with saltwater for a bit but in low doses over many days.

05/12/2013, 06:29 AM	#4
mgrmax Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 376	Your lighting period might be a bit long on top of everything else previously stated.

05/12/2013, 12:06 PM	#6
Fairechioo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 6	The tanks been running for 4 months, my ammonia is all over the place. do you think a 10 gal sump will help. I only lost coral I cant seem to get rid of my ammonia i do 5gal water changes 2 weeks.

05/12/2013, 01:26 PM	#10
Fairechioo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 6	I cycled with 2 damsels for 2 months before adding my clown the clown is bigger and hes the king of the tank the fish all get along ammonia seems to be the the problem there is only 4 fish there all tiny fish less then an inch, I feed a tiny amount of pellets once a day deff not over feeding

05/12/2013, 01:34 PM	#11
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Some people are suggesting the bio load in the tank is causing the ammonia. I would cetainly agree that is a good place to start. A 20 gallon tank is not very big to start with. Once you factor in rock and sand displacement I would be inclined to think you have maybe 15 gallons of total water volume. I would only keep two fish in that size tank. Once mature the clowns will take the entire tank for their territory. If you want to say they get along fine then that is certainly your option. But, do not be surprised if your ammonia does not go away or it goes down after some of the fish die. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

05/12/2013, 01:43 PM	#12
SteviesReef Moved On Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 126	I don't think the OP has more than one clown. Three damsels is definitely too many for this tank. Priority is getting that ammonia down fast and the salinity up SLOWLY.

05/16/2013, 11:56 PM	#14
Fairechioo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 6	I was buying my salt water from a lfs , I called them out on the low level itwas 1017, also I fix my amonia problem I added a 20 sump and 200 gph pump through a ton of media and bioballs and amonia reducer pad alonge with a phos rector 300 dollars later and 3 days I'm reading zero also my salt level is at 1022

05/17/2013, 12:15 AM	#15
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Keep raising the salt level to 1.025 or 1.026. Also if you actually have a lta (long tentical anemone) then it will outgrow that size tank fast. Also try to lower the phosphates to, 03 or lower. .25 will stunt coral growth and can kill some corals. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder