After 6 years, still having problems. Desperately Need Help!

[Frostblitz20]

I'm in Jersey, but funny enough, closest good one is about 40 minutes away. I can definitely take the trip up there to grab some hermits, snails, and a FC. If you shop online for them, what site do you use?

it various by person i use LiveAquaria personally for CUC as they do a pretty good job at the details of their fish plus they are a very good DOA policy plus i think the policy last a few days in as well.

Edit- they have a 7 day arrive live policy which is far better then most.

 

[Frostblitz20]

Just remember though when you buy crabs make sure you get a assortment of empty shell sizes as they will be upgrading. Also they will repopulate if your lucky my blue leg hermits been doing very well at keeping the population restocked.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Even with shades down The UV from the sun is just powerful and can still have adverse effect with water quality and appearance. Try blacking out the side of tank that faces the window with black construction paper from Walmart at 94 cents.
Also add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I'm in Jersey, but funny enough, closest good one is about 40 minutes away. I can definitely take the trip up there to grab some hermits, snails, and a FC. If you shop online for them, what site do you use?

I'm about an hour and half outside Toronto.....if I can pick it up in person, I'll do it. I work downtown Toronto daily so its on my travels home. Ya, for 40 minutes eyes on, I'd just do it. I have ordered online from retailers up here before with success but, I always want eyes on....
International shipping via US is still a real problem for us average reefing Canucks seems....'free trade ' lol....

 

[CanuckReefer]

^ yeah dont do packages its how you over stock most of the time just buy what you need. crabs/snails do come in packs of 5 though which isnt bad. the conchs are not pricey i know my Conches was only 12$ each from Liveaquira

It's awesome how cheap some of the best CUC can be...

 

[CanuckReefer]

Even with shades down The UV from the sun is just powerful and can still have adverse effect with water quality and appearance. Try blacking out the side of tank that faces the window with black construction paper from Walmart at 94 cents.
Also add a few snails such as cerith, margarita, astrea and nassarius plus 6-8 blue leg hermits to take control.

Well said, he's also got a potential sand bed issue with NOTHING to stir it....I'm highly recommending a Conch. If not a Serpent Star. These will eat up detritus ( Phos) like a boss....my best workers, with zero damage to corals.

 

[Jmunk]

Alright, here's the order from LA. I might do this or use it as a rough guide in person. Anything you guys would add? I forgot to mention I do have a nice big urchin I've had for the better part of 6 years.
Added two peppermint as I'm battling a lot of aiptasia as well.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Alright, here's the order from LA. I might do this or use it as a rough guide in person. Anything you guys would add? I forgot to mention I do have a nice big urchin I've had for the better part of 6 years.
Added two peppermint as I'm battling a lot of aiptasia as well.

Congrats on the old salt urchin. Looks on point to me. If I had to add, and I WOULD, Do they have a brittle/ serpent star. They are reef safe and will pick up anything you fear you overfeeding..

 

[Frostblitz20]

Congrats on the old salt urchin. Looks on point to me. If I had to add, and I WOULD, Do they have a brittle/ serpent star. They are reef safe and will pick up anything you fear you overfeeding..

they do have those in stock.

didnt know you was fighting Aiptasia as well. if the shrimp dont work out you can try a filefish for them. OR get ahold of a few Berghia Nudibranch as they will only feed on aiptasia sad thing is though once you have no more aiptasia they will starve to death..

i would only resort to the Nudibranch's though as a last resort like its getting to the point where your tank is about 30% or more taken over by it as they lawnmower it down.

 

[Frostblitz20]

Alright, here's the order from LA. I might do this or use it as a rough guide in person. Anything you guys would add? I forgot to mention I do have a nice big urchin I've had for the better part of 6 years.
Added two peppermint as I'm battling a lot of aiptasia as well.

If you want to save a few dollars go to the Fighting conch page and change the speices over to USA. it will drop the price from 12.99 each down to 7.99 each.

 

[Jmunk]

Congrats on the old salt urchin. Looks on point to me. If I had to add, and I WOULD, Do they have a brittle/ serpent star. They are reef safe and will pick up anything you fear you overfeeding..

They have both. Which ones do you guys think are better?

 

[Frostblitz20]

nvm i lied all of the sea stars are out of stock bummer.

 

[CanuckReefer]

They have both. Which ones do you guys think are better?

Brittle imo.

 

[Jmunk]

I can get the stars when they come back in stock, will be a good addition.

So that might take care of the algae and making the tank look cleaner, but the coral health and coral deaths are still a very much problem. Any suggestions on that front?

 

[CanuckReefer]

nvm i lied all of the sea stars are out of stock bummer.

Ok that's actually all good, you've got some great additions. Give it a few weeks to a month once they arrive , and then evaluate

 

[Frostblitz20]

Ok that's actually all good, you've got some great additions. Give it a few weeks to a month once they arrive , and then evaluate

whats your lighting at, what salt do you use when doing water changes. what do you dose normally into the tank wither its daily or weekly.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I can get the stars when they come back in stock, will be a good addition.

So that might take care of the algae and making the tank look cleaner, but the coral health and coral deaths are still a very much problem. Any suggestions on that front?

These are the suggestions on that front. You have a mature system, going through some issues, been there in spades....I bet once the CUC sandbed, between rocks takes hold, we see numbers more in balance, and corals start to thrive.

 

[Jmunk]

whats your lighting at, what salt do you use when doing water changes. what do you dose normally into the tank wither its daily or weekly.

Aquatic Life T5 hybrid - 4 T5's with two Kessil A360x's. I use liveaquaria's salt since it's closest to what I'd like my params to be at. I don't dose anything. I don't really like pouring chemicals into the tank and whatnot, and params are always stable since there currently aren't any SPS eating them up.

 

[Jmunk]

These are the suggestions on that front. You have a mature system, going through some issues, been there in spades....I bet once the CUC sandbed, between rocks takes hold, we see numbers more in balance, and corals start to thrive.

Think so? It would be nice to have the CUC not only make the tank cleaner, but eat away uneaten food and detritus to therefore reduce nutrients and make the coral thrive too. Almost seems too good to be true since nothing previously has really ever worked the way I thought it would lol.

 

[Frostblitz20]

These are the suggestions on that front. You have a mature system, going through some issues, been there in spades....I bet once the CUC sandbed, between rocks takes hold, we see numbers more in balance, and corals start to thrive.

i would have to agree the more fast changes you make the worse off your tank is. If you want to handle your Phosphate issue you could always use something like Phosguard or GFO into your filter media.