35gal reef.

[apet66]

Those are pretty solid levels except for the nitrates. You also have slightly elevated PO4 but that shouldn't cause much trouble with LPSs and soft corals. Let us know if he perks up once you try out a new spot for it. I'm not sure why some frogspawn do well higher and others do well lower but if he's been unhappy for three months it's worth giving it a go. Good luck! ^_^

Po4 was barely present less than .25, that's still a bit high? My trates are usually 10 - 20 can't seem to get it any lower. Weekly water changes of 5gal in a 35gal tank. Cut back on feeding?
No luck moving the frogspawn, its cemented tight. Tried giving it a bit of shade by cementing my brain coral above it. Time will tell.
Thanks for the help.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Po4 was barely present less than .25, that's still a bit high? My trates are usually 10 - 20 can't seem to get it any lower. Weekly water changes of 5gal in a 35gal tank. Cut back on feeding?
No luck moving the frogspawn, its cemented tight. Tried giving it a bit of shade by cementing my brain coral above it. Time will tell.
Thanks for the help.

More than happy to help, even though you seem to be doing just fine already.

.25 is considered high for certain corals like SPSs to some people. I think it's ok but you wouldn't want it to get much higher. I don't know how much you feed but cutting back usually helps, even if you just feed about the same amount but break it up into more feedings. It's ok if some fish don't even get food every time. Sometimes one amount of food can cause way more waste than the same amount of food given in smaller portions more often. It's debatable though. There's lots of ways to skin that cat. The one thing most people agree on is that with most fish in a small tank you're better off feeding to little than to much.

Another thing that you probably already do is to rinse out the filter pads every week, or even twice a week in tap water. Helps export the gunk and wipes-out the nitrifying bacteria on the pads before they start making nitrate. If everything looks healthy other than that one coral (and it sure does from your pics!) then you probably don't need to tweak things much. Oh, I always put a bag of Purigen in my Skilter.

 

[apet66]

More than happy to help, even though you seem to be doing just fine already.

.25 is considered high for certain corals like SPSs to some people. I think it's ok but you wouldn't want it to get much higher. I don't know how much you feed but cutting back usually helps, even if you just feed about the same amount but break it up into more feedings. It's ok if some fish don't even get food every time. Sometimes one amount of food can cause way more waste than the same amount of food given in smaller portions more often. It's debatable though. There's lots of ways to skin that cat. The one thing most people agree on is that with most fish in a small tank you're better off feeding to little than to much.

Another thing that you probably already do is to rinse out the filter pads every week, or even twice a week in tap water. Helps export the gunk and wipes-out the nitrifying bacteria on the pads before they start making nitrate. If everything looks healthy other than that one coral (and it sure does from your pics!) then you probably don't need to tweak things much. Oh, I always put a bag of Purigen in my Skilter.

I'll definitely reschedule the feeding, just more difficult with my schedule is all. I am an old fresh water guy so rinsing the filters in tap water was a big no no. I swish the filters in the water I siphon out every week. I imagine there is enough nitrifing bacteria in the sand and on the rock to not create a mini cycle. I currently run Rowaphos but need to put some fresh stuff in. Is purigen better?

 

[kwandrsn]

Sorry to cut in Tony, but am I understanding I should be rinsing my filters under tap water. I was swishing in change water?

 

[apet66]

Sorry to cut in Tony, but am I understanding I should be rinsing my filters under tap water. I was swishing in change water?

I have been too. That may just be a fresh water thing. Or the purigen takes care of excess nitrite.

 

[kwandrsn]

I don't have purigen so would I still want to rinse it? I didn't add the filter till after the tank was cycled and the fish were in so it should not mess up my cycle

 

[apet66]

I don't have purigen so would I still want to rinse it? I didn't add the filter till after the tank was cycled and the fish were in so it should not mess up my cycle

I don't have it either, I'll wait for clarification before I rinse with tap water. You should be fine rinsing yours as it was already cycled. I just don't want a mini cycle because mine cycled with the filters in.

 

[kwandrsn]

I don't have it either, I'll wait for clarification before I rinse with tap water. You should be fine rinsing yours as it was already cycled. I just don't want a mini cycle because mine cycled with the filters in.

Gotcha,I have an opportunity to but a 2L thing of seachem sea gel for $20 they were marked $45. Its a pet store in Dickson and they sent him the wrong thing and he doesn't have many saltwater customers so he has cases of them.was thinking about trying it

 

[apet66]

Gotcha,I have an opportunity to but a 2L thing of seachem sea gel for $20 they were marked $45. Its a pet store in Dickson and they sent him the wrong thing and he doesn't have many saltwater customers so he has cases of them.was thinking about trying it

I'd do some research on it, I'm not familiar with it.

 

[apet66]

Price is right if it works. Start a thread on it.

 

[kwandrsn]

Price is right if it works. Start a thread on it.

Yeah is half off he is just trying to get rid of it. If is any good I may buy a couple off of him.he has some other stuff like frag caves and stuff

 

[apet66]

Yeah is half off he is just trying to get rid of it. If is any good I may buy a couple off of him.he has some other stuff like frag caves and stuff

Cool, I'll look it up too.

 

[kwandrsn]

Cool, I'll look it up too.

I added a thread we will see what they have to say about it

 

[apet66]

I added a thread we will see what they have to say about it

I'll subscribe to it.

 

[kwandrsn]

I'm thinking about going after that Duncan do I need to by tests kits first. If so then I might wait :-(

 

[apet66]

I'm thinking about going after that Duncan do I need to by tests kits first. If so then I might wait :-(

Yeah you'll want to be able to monitor calcium and KH.

 

[kwandrsn]

:-( ok guess I'll wait. What else I need?

 

[apet66]

:-( ok guess I'll wait. What else I need?

If your salt mix is keeping those 2 things at a good level then nothing. If not, I recommend reef code A&B

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Sorry if I'm late responding. Saltwater truly is different from freshwater when it comes to mechanical pads. I always rinse my freshwater pads in tank water to preserve the bacteria. It's a hard and fast rule worth living by. But, the opposite is true for saltwater tanks. It's far better to rinse pads in your saltwater tank with tap water to purposely kill off the bacteria.

In saltwater reef tanks you want the live rock and sand to be your sole biological filtration source. The pads will only be able to convert ammonia into nitrate as it's end product which can elevate nitrate levels in most tanks. Rinsing off the pads in tap water allows the rock and sand to more thoroughly break down the ammonia and nitrate, which will keep nitrate levels lower.

The rules for each type of tank really are different. For instance, I also add powdered phosphate and nitrate to my planted tanks, but use phosphate removers and keep nitrates at zero in reefs. Many techniques don't carry over from fresh to salt. The list is actually pretty long.

Rowaphos is a great product and Purigen doesn't really replace it. Purigen replaces carbon and does a far better job. You can easily regenerate it. My first couple of bags lasted around 8 years on two different reefs. You have to make sure to either get the 100ml that comes in a sealed bag ready for use or get the larger jar along with The Bag if you need more. The beads are super small and just fall out of nearly any other media bag. Regeneration is easy. Soak it for a day in 1/2 plain bleach and water, rinse it out then soak it overnight in RO water and a Prime. I've done it countless times and it was perfect every time. I've had a lot of tanks and never ran one without it. You don't have the risk of phosphate or copper leaching out that carbon sometimes can and it works better anyway. It's also cheaper to use with regeneration. Hope this made sense. lol

 

[apet66]

Coralline, thank you very much, it makes perfect sense to me now. Definitely picking up the purigen on my next trip to the fish store. I was very nervous about rinsing the pads in tap water. I'm looking forward to it now.
Thanks again!!!