Can't grow anything

[pitbull_13]

I test for calcium and KH carbonate hardness and salt ,calcium test at 480 ppm and KH test at 180ppm or 10dkh salt is at 1.025 everything else I have tested at a local shop and have been told everything is right where it needs to be according to them.

 

[pitbull_13]

It's hard for me to dose daily do to work so maybe I should start looking at investing into a dosing pump

 

[Akida17th]

Why do you have your lights so far off the tank? 17" for that small light is alot imo especially for a 60 cube. I'd have that light 8" off the water surface.

 

[CodyRVA]

It's hard for me to dose daily do to work so maybe I should start looking at investing into a dosing pump

I'd say you just found your problem. I manual dosed for a long time, but I had time to do it. If you can't keep a daily schedule, you're going to have major up and down swings in your water.

 

[Kershaw]

I have never had a nano tank as they can be so delicate. But is dosing necessary at this point? I have had lots of sps and lps and only now have I started dosing kalk. So maybe that's part of it. Again I don't know the demand of a 10 gal tank

 

[CodyRVA]

I have never had a nano tank as they can be so delicate. But is dosing necessary at this point? I have had lots of sps and lps and only now have I started dosing kalk. So maybe that's part of it. Again I don't know the demand of a 10 gal tank

Its a 60G cube

 

[pitbull_13]

Why do you have your lights so far off the tank? 17" for that small light is alot imo especially for a 60 cube. I'd have that light 8" off the water surface.

I had a shop set up my tank and that's where they put it and looking at all these other tanks is why I thought it was high.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

For the light question. Lux meter(no debates here pls). Measure over the entire surface of the tank just above the water.
$15 for a hand held or Galactica luxmeter for Iphone, LUX Light Meter by Chrunchy Bytebox for android.
The lamp has sufficient Spectrum to grow anything. Intensity is the question.
The height question, I do prefer the lamp cover the entire surface of the tank, spill over is better than under imo.
If your lacking intensity well know immediately with the meter, and you have plenty left on the dimmer before you have to move the lamp.


Edit, debate lux herehttps://www.reef2reef.com/threads/confuse-about-intensity-and-spectrum.231543/page-2#post-2708874

 

[Kershaw]

Sorry I must have had another tank stuck in my head. 60 gal still shouldn't need dosing. Have you tried just letting your water changes do there job. I have lots of monti in my 125. Some acro and lps. I only have to add 3 teaspoons once in a wile of kalk. allot of tanks run kh at 7-9.

 

[wpeterson]

Without seeing all of your tank parameters, I can't tell exactly what's going on. Success with coral requires stability at all the levels up the chain:

• Stable Temperature (within target 75-80)
• Stable Salinity (within target 1.024-1.028)
• Nutrient Export (lower Nitrates and Phosphates)
• Stable Alk/Calc/Mag

If you can keep all of your parameters stable and within the ranges and export your nutrients, you should see success over time.

 

[pitbull_13]

Wish I could find a fellow reefer here in Minneapolis that could help without wanting 60 an hour

 

[pitbull_13]

Wish I could find a fellow reefer here in Minneapolis that could help without wanting 60 an hour

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea. We're only $45.
PayPal?

 

[Akida17th]

At the intensity your lights are at, I highly doubt with that light your getting a good enough PAR for your corals. That would be my guess

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

it can be a bit overwhelming at first. But really its quite simple. Test. Match suggested parameters.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Im betting light too. Paly's are reaching and Ya got no algae, no corraline, no cyano. not even hardly detritus on the rock.
Almost looks like a 3-4 month old tank really.

 

[Kershaw]

If you think your water is good try moving lighting. Don't get discouraged! Read and read some more. Just remember " nothing good happens fast"

 

[Tru REEF]

A few things i would do is if u think/know your param. are in check as the lfs said then do a water change just to add clean new water. How does your filteration look? Run carbon to extract and unwanted chemicals and add a few less demanding corals and see how that work. O yeah definitely lower the light 12in is the highest u should go no douby the people who set it up left it high for acclimation purposes.

 

[MikeyAl]

I am not sure you have enough lighting. Corals like frog spawn require medium to heavy lighting and medium water flow. A hydra 26 only provides about 90w. You may want to think about adding more light(maybe another 26 or even upgrading to T5 - IMO and experience you need 3-5 watts per gallon for zoas and shrooms and as much as 5-7 for corals like frog spawn)
Also some of these corals required addition of calcium, strontium, and basic trace elements.

 

[MikeyAl]

Definitely not too much light- again IMO not enough light. Judging from your picture the lighting looks low- you're not even growing algae.