HELP anemine dying?

[crister13]

1.020 is way low for an anemone and corals. Ocean water is at an average of 1.026 and you should keep it over 1.023

[Massalago]

It is dead center of the green section on my hydrometer which sais it's perfect? How can that be wrong?

[crister13]

Well 1.020 is too low. Ocean water is average 1.026. Inverts need 1.023-1.026. Also, hydrometers are very inaccurate. 80 nitrates is also very high especially for an anemone. They need pristine water, especially ritteri anemones.

[Massalago]

Yes I understand that that's why I am doing daily water changes to get it down my tank has been perfect for 8 months and this is the first nitrate spike I've had. The water changes arnt doing anything that's why I asked if there is another way!

[Patrick93]

Why is your salt so low ? What brand of salt do you use? Also get a refractometer eBay has them for 30 bucks or you could get a digital meter which works great. You need better lights. Moon lights are only for show they have no benefits. And yes there are ph swings when your lights go off

[Massalago]

I'm running two pl-18w sunlight bulbs on a 15" or 40cm tank. And led moonlight at night. I have 3 hydrometers and they all say the same thing that everything is ok

[Massalago]

The sea is considered to be stable which for the volume taken up is not really surprising. The SG on the reefs though is perhaps surprising, as it can range from 1.017 to 1.031*. Specific gravity is affected by temperature and some variance in temperature is understandable. In addition, some seas are more ‘land-locked’ than others such as the Red Sea. So there is going to be variance.

[crister13]

I know there is variance but that does not make it untrue that 1.020 is too low for an anemone. You need atleast 1.023. I'm just trying to help just raise the salinity.

[CorallineAlgae]

I thought that was it. Honestly, I've been at this for a long time. Trust me, you should consider slowly bringing up your salinity to 1.024. You'll have much less trouble keeping sensitive invertebrates healthy at that level. It's a very easy thing to do and it'll give your next anemone a much better chance of making it. Even with 0 nitrates and MH lighting it would have little chance of thriving at a salinity of 1.020. There's a lot of agreement in this thread about this.

[Starchar]

Specific Gravity vs Salinity

[Massalago]

Thanks guys I'm just worried coz everything has been perfect till now I am slowly putting the salinity up. the anemone hasn't last any color yet and is still sticking to live rock if I sort out The salinity and nitrate what are the chances of it acting normal again?

[CorallineAlgae]

There's no real way of knowing. Just keep doing your best and hope the little guy is strong.

[Massalago]

I have just purchased an led light fixter
It's 50w 460nm blue light and 15000 to 20000k white

[crister13]

Can you send a link for the LEDs????? I would like to see it

[Bigreefer]

I have the apollo 4 led fixtures over my 55. And they are awesome!!!!

[squidward]

Originally Posted by Massalago

Salinity is at 1.020 so good

My nitrate was at 80ppm and I did a 20% water change last night I tested it again this morning and nitrate was same so did another water change and cleaned filters in old water but nitrate is still not going down is there another way I can reduce it?

Your tank looks really nice . 80 is way to high , corals need a higher salinity level 1.024 ish I'd say . 20% of a nano IMO is a big water change . Did you cycle the tank right ?

[bavass]

Raise salinity, add more light, lower nitrates

[Massalago]

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/vi...029&cmd=VIDESC

What you think?

[Sniperhank]

Nice. Those are the taotronic LEDs that many LED users on this forum use for corals on their tanks. Should be great.

[Massalago]

Does anyone know how far I should hang it from the top of the tank?