1 yr old tank still having problems? Am I missing something??

[CaliO]

I will try to make this short and simple but you know it never is..

Tank Specs: 5/2/11 - current
60g Corner Bow + 10g Sump
Modified Seaclone 150 Protein Skimmer
[2] JBJ 500gph waver maker [10secs-6mins Random 24/7]
[1] 350gph powerhead on with lights
Mag 7 return pump [4.5' head] est. 250-280gph]
DT 60lbs LR + sump 5lbs LR
Ground Probe

DIY Led 3w Bridgelux Led's [Hanging 10"-14" off water surface ]
[16]10,000k [4]6400k [2]red [2]UV [18]Royal Blue
Blue+UV+Red [ON] 11am / [OFF] 11pm 15%-50%
10,000k + 6500k [ON] 1pm / [OFF] 7pm 15%-25%
(I turned these down from all on 12hrs after research and talking to the LFS that accually seems to know][AKA- great coral always] {Then watched alot of reef dive videos to see what the light looked like in different locations and times}

Parameters: 3/28/12 (I use IO Reef Crystals)
78*degrees / Sal. 1.0248 / 8.2ph
Nitrates = 20ppm / Phos = 0<.25
Calcium = 340 / Alk = 9 dKH / Mag = 1560

3/29/12 = 5g WC
3/30/12 = 15g WC

4/1/12 = Nitrates = 10ppm


New method of WC is 2-4liters [.5 - 1gallon] DAILY = 15g-30g monthly


Livestock =
[2] Ocellaris Clownfish
[2] Fire fish/ Dart fish
[1] Steinitz Goby "MIA weeks"
[1] Snapping Shrimp "MIA weeks"
[1] Emerald Crab "MIA weeks"
[1] Carpenters Flasher Wrasse "MIA days"
[1] Powder Blue Tang
[1] Cleaner Shrimp
[1] Sand Shifting Starfish
[8] Narcissus Snails

Green Zoa Colony [20-25polyps]
Blue Zoa Colony [30-40 polyps]
Bam Bam Zoa [3 polyps]
Mystery Zoa [5 polyps]
[2] Mystery Acropora frags
Montipora Digitata
Green Birdsnest Acropora
Frogspawn
[2]Neon Green Candy Cane [3 heads each]




The Question =
Am I missing something. I get great acclimation. [meaning after acclimating the corals always look like they did in the LFS] But the next day everything looks dead[no polyps expanding ect.] And they don't seem to come back....

The only thing that has "come back from the dead" was the frog spawn which went bad quick and then got crushed [by me] while moving rocks to get a fallen frag. I broke the skeleton tube and a couple days later now the purple zooxanthellae is growing back out the tube..


I wonder if I am missing a test I should do... Fish seem happy and healthy. Corals just always seem to die. Thought it was my lighting [2]T5's so I have since installed LED's.

I have been using RO/DI water for 4months now and even tested for copper twice before and come up with nothing.


if it matters I've never had algae grow ever!!! I have cheato in my sump which hasn't grown in 6months +.. The closest I've been is diatoms and white Coraline. But I always thought that was because of the zero phosphates...


Current Pics of tank: Blues 25% - Whites 15%

Hard to see but can you see the white line[die off]
50% blue / 0% white

I'll get more pics and better ones tomorrow when light come on....

 

[DaveM]

Well my first bit of advice is don't get discouraged. I have been doing reef tanks for many years and still get puzzled when a coral struggles in my tank. Second bit I have and others can say their piece but looks like calcium is a little low and magnesium is high. I don't know anything about led lighting so I cannot give any advice there. Also I don't know how I feel about the daily water change. Sometimes you just need to sit back and let a tank build itself. Water changes are important but with a nitrate level of 20 ppm it doesn't seem to be helping. Just my 2 cents. Good luck and keep us informed

 

[Sniperhank]

One issue I see is that you have tang in that tank. They need 6 ft of swimming room. The size of the fish in that tank might be leading to part of the issue and a seaclone skimmer...they are garbage. I have one and hate it. Also, having NO algae growth...I would find that concerning TBH. There should be some sort of growth, especially after a year.

The things that are MIA are probably dead. I'd bet you are having mini cycles which are causing your problems. If your LFS is as good as you say, maybe they will take your tang as store credit? I'd get rid of it and work on stabilizing after that.

Also, how did you cycle? How long did it last?

Also, why a ground probe? After all the reading that I have done, I have not read very much in terms of them helping. If there is an electrical issue, the probe will cause the surge of power to go to the probe and kill fish rather than just inverts/corals. It's late, I might be backwards on the fish/corals part...

 

[CaliO]

I agree but my reasoning in Daily WC is slow change over time... Instead of 15%-25% a week at once... My nitrates were so high because the family went out of town for 3 days and had a friend watch over the house[zoo]. And I just stocked more than a few things that week as well.

But it puzzles me because [Actual LOG]

3/18/12 - Calcium = 360 / Alk = 8 dKH / Mag = 1160 / Nitrates =20
3/20/12 - 3 gallon WC
3/22/12 - 5 gallon WC
3/24/12 - Calcium = 320 / Alk 8 dKH / Mag = 1360 / Nitrates = 20
3/28/12 - Calcium = 340 / Alk = 9 dKH / Mag = 1560 / Nitrates = 20
3/29/12 - 5 gallon WC
3/30/12 - 15 gallon WC
4/3/12 - TBD
Blah Blah Blah up to date.

But if I'm using reef crystals which it states [picture below] Then my levels should only go up.. Right?? or does someone know something I should know?

And I mix my saltwater days in advanced with salinity stable for a least 36hrs. And heated to 78* degrees.

 

[CaliO]

One issue I see is that you have tang in that tank. They need 6 ft of swimming room. The size of the fish in that tank might be leading to part of the issue and a seaclone skimmer...they are garbage. I have one and hate it. Also, having NO algae growth...I would find that concerning TBH. There should be some sort of growth, especially after a year.

The things that are MIA are probably dead. I'd bet you are having mini cycles which are causing your problems. If your LFS is as good as you say, maybe they will take your tang as store credit? I'd get rid of it and work on stabilizing after that.

Also, how did you cycle? How long did it last?

Also, why a ground probe? After all the reading that I have done, I have not read very much in terms of them helping. If there is an electrical issue, the probe will cause the surge of power to go to the probe and kill fish rather than just inverts/corals. It's late, I might be backwards on the fish/corals part...

No offense intended and I know how big tangs get but The tang isn't going and is happy & healthy, for now. . In a year he'll mostly become store credit.. But I'm aware "he's not recommended"

"it's a gimmic" to get the wife to get on board with the 8'x2'x1' [100gallon frag tank] + 90gallon sump. Lite by solar tubes and led's.. [for the dinning room] She loves the Powder Blue !!! Personally I would rather have coral..

When I cycled: 5/1/11

Started with 47g column Tank (20"x20"x30"+ 20g sump) No Protein Skimmer, est. 45lbs LR + 10lbs freshwater 1/4crush chiclid lava rock.. I figured it had the perfect texture for a refugium rock... <---removed since 8/6/11]


Hard Well Water was mixed with Regular Instant Ocean Salt two days before with 40lbs Black Pacific Live Sand in the bottom.


Nitrates hit zero finally 6/25/11 [ but i couldn't stop stocking and feeding. N00B mistake ]

Stocked from 5/1/11 - 6/25/11 = Cleaner shrimp, lawn mower blenny, [5] damsels, [3] feather dusters, [5] mushrooms [2] Osellaris Clownfish.


But in Aug 2011 - I realized I was doing something wrong so I switched to Reef Crystals, replaced lava rock with crushed LR put [2]T5's on a 12hrs timer, did 50% WC then waited a week then did another 50% WC, waited a week and did another 50% WC and walked away for 3months, only topping off. At the time I only had the current [2] Clownfish and [1]black damsel alive.. Everything else had died... And damsel became "credit"

12/1/11 - I tested for the first time in 3months..
9.2ph / Sal. 1.0245/ Ammonia = 0 / Nitrites = 0 / Nitrates = 0

Somewhere Between 1/1/11 - 2/1/12 I had removed all LR and replaced the 47g tank with the current 54g Corner Bow Using the same water ect. Installed the Shitclone 150 Skimmer (I know there junk NOW, lol) + replaced the 20g Diy sump with a Pro 10g sump.

Started stocking again after 2/1/12 when tests were good and stable again.


Ground Probe:
Because all my inverts were dying [july 2011]... And tested my display tank = 4.7 volts of stray electricity.. Went through one by one and plugged everything in. Return pump and lights were the highest with 1.8v each. But I figured it was more an electric magnetic field rather than a "STRAY VOLT" because they are all jammed tight together and all use magnets to run.

But after much debate on rather I had copper and tests proved wrong. I abandoned the copper idea and installed the ground probe... Inverts live now... {Got me swinging}

 

[Animal-Chin]

no way is the tang the rout of the coral dying. I have a tang (gasp) and my coral are rockin. It does seem very odd that you don't have any purple coraline or algae at all. The thing that strikes me as odd is how quickly your coral die, if they are dying the next day I'd have to think there is something toxic going on. I'm guessing all your missing fish are dead and your clean up crew has eaten them. Very puzzling...

 

[CaliO]

Toxic like what tho? Any guesses? I need to send my water out a get tested in a lab.. Lfs told me he'd get the number but hasn't. I want as much as possible tested.

I google it now matter in fact

 

[Animal-Chin]

have you tested for ammonia? Looks like you re did your tank on Feb 1st right, that is only 2 months ago. The cycle should be done now but if you've been moving your rock around you could be getting die off. How long do you leave your lights on each day?

 

[CaliO]

have you tested for ammonia? Looks like you re did your tank on Feb 1st right, that is only 2 months ago. The cycle should be done now but if you've been moving your rock around you could be getting die off. How long do you leave your lights on each day?

Well I didn't consider it as re-done just moved. But yes I have been moving rocks , smashing them, ect. I will test ammo, nites , and rates today.

Lights:
[16]10,000k [4]6400k [2]red [2]UV [18]Royal Blue
Blue+UV+Red [ON] 11am / [OFF] 11pm 15%-50%
10,000k + 6500k [ON] 1pm / [OFF] 7pm 15%-25%

but thats just since 3days ago now....

 

[Sniperhank]

Why are you smashing your rocks? And I pointed the tang out as an issue, not as one for its own health, but as one where its size could be impacting the bioload of the smaller tank. Overstock a tank and issues will arrise.

I run well water as well...have you had your water tested? When was the last time you changed the filters on your RO/DI? How long have they been in? I have to be careful with my water as above my well is a cornfield that gets fertilized by cow crap...it then leaks into my well. I think you get the idea around that one, lol.

 

[Fishy Aston]

Dont worry mate you know what is best for your fish.

I have baby clown loaches in a small tank and they are fine!

Until they dont have enough swimming space then it is time to act on them

When you first have baby they dont have a kingsize bed but you know in the future they will!

Sorry i am no expert at SW !

 

[CaliO]

Todays parameters:
Sal = 1.025 / ammonia = 0 / nitrite = 0 / nitrate = 10ppm / calcium = 360 / alk = 8dKH / mag = 1600

What could be making my magnesium so high? fish food i'm feeding?

But I think i'm just going to continue with the led schedule and keep them lower. Ramping up over time.

Corals seem to be growing but just in my head right now. Will be taking pictures at least weekly to confirm. Just polyps aren't extending. Some acropora's look bleached dead. But time will tell.

 

[CaliO]

Why are you smashing your rocks? And I pointed the tang out as an issue, not as one for its own health, but as one where its size could be impacting the bioload of the smaller tank. Overstock a tank and issues will arrise.

I run well water as well...have you had your water tested? When was the last time you changed the filters on your RO/DI? How long have they been in? I have to be careful with my water as above my well is a cornfield that gets fertilized by cow crap...it then leaks into my well. I think you get the idea around that one, lol.

I moved rock from 47g to 60g.
Then lost a frag behind everything. So had to move almost everything then couldn't get it back so had to re-aquascape.

Tested my ro/di water and got 30ppm @ 7.0ph

Right out of box I was 7ppm @ 7.0ph
Because my "raw water" is 425ppm @ 7.8 - 8.4ph .. The company states to remove 350ppm so above quota.

 

[spoonman]

I had 28ppm and replaced my DI canister and am back to 0ppm. You might want to try that. My TDS out of the tap is 348.

 

[ccCapt]

What brand test kits are you using? Your parameters don't match what you should see using Reef Crystals. RC typically mixes to 490 calcium, 13 dKH alk and 1440 mag (don't believe what's printed on the bucket).
What's the brown coating on the back glass? Algae or diatoms?
Do you run carbon?

 

[CaliO]

What brand test kits are you using? Your parameters don't match what you should see using Reef Crystals. RC typically mixes to 490 calcium, 13 dKH alk and 1440 mag (don't believe what's printed on the bucket).
What's the brown coating on the back glass? Algae or diatoms?
Do you run carbon?

I use API for everything but mag. Is red sea.

Back glass I think is diatoms. Hasnt grown in few weeks, you can see where I wiped it off. Hasnt filled back in.

 

[OniTweak]

Has your tank been treated with any sort of medication or anything?

 

[CaliO]

Has your tank been treated with any sort of medication or anything?

Nope never.

 

[CaliO]

Do you run carbon?

No, never heard of any good use for it except clearer water. I don't have nothing but crystal clear water.

 

[ccCapt]

I use API for everything but mag. Is red sea.

Back glass I think is diatoms. Hasnt grown in few weeks, you can see where I wiped it off. Hasnt filled back in.

Like many other things in this hobby....you get what you pay for. API are among the cheapest test kits and there is a reason. They are among the least accurate. Look into getting something like Salifert or Elos test kits.

No, never heard of any good use for it except clearer water. I don't have nothing but crystal clear water.

For your reading pleasure....
Activated Carbon