Cuc dying

[saixiong08]

I've had my tank running for over a year now. I had three snails and a cleaner shrimp die on me. While still having a hermit crab do just fine. What could be causing this?

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Bad water perameters or big parameter swings can cause sudden deaths

 

[Sfplaya1]

Probably not enough food.

 

[saixiong08]

Probably not enough food.

It is just a small tank. But there is green hair algae growing in small spots in the tank.

 

[Maggie321]

I've had my tank running for over a year now. I had three snails and a cleaner shrimp die on me. While still having a hermit crab do just fine. What could be causing this?

Have you checked you magnesium levels? Mine is high because of the salt I use (IO reef crystals). I have lost quite a few inverts, but others do fine at the same time. My understanding is anything over 1600 is risky. I have tried extending time between WC's to see if that would lower it but it didn't change it significantly. I believe my only solution will be to change salt mixes but I have a ton of the current stuff cause I got it on sale. So I'm not buying any more inverts till I switch salts.

A lot of people say it's normal to loose inverts. I don't like anything to die so I look for an answer to why it died.

 

[dodgerblew]

Inverts don't do well in high nitrates and poor water quality and the hair algae indicates an issue with your water so I'd be leaning towards that. A test kit or two might help identify an issue

 

[saixiong08]

Have you checked you magnesium levels? Mine is high because of the salt I use (IO reef crystals). I have lost quite a few inverts, but others do fine at the same time. My understanding is anything over 1600 is risky. I have tried extending time between WC's to see if that would lower it but it didn't change it significantly. I believe my only solution will be to change salt mixes but I have a ton of the current stuff cause I got it on sale. So I'm not buying any more inverts till I switch salts.

A lot of people say it's normal to loose inverts. I don't like anything to die so I look for an answer to why it died.

Magnesium is at 1400

 

[Maggie321]

Magnesium is at 1400

Well, that rules that out!

 

[saixiong08]

Inverts don't do well in high nitrates and poor water quality and the hair algae indicates an issue with your water so I'd be leaning towards that. A test kit or two might help identify an issue

My tests are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 1.026
Phosphate 0
Alk 14
Calcium 405
Magnesium 1400
Been also doing 25-30% water change weekly
Is there anything else I should be testing for?

 

[Maggie321]

My tests are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 1.026
Phosphate 0
Alk 14
Calcium 405
Magnesium 1400
Been also doing 25-30% water change weekly
Is there anything else I should be testing for?

Your alk is crazy high. 14 is like high high high. Are you doseing anything?

 

[saixiong08]

Your alk is crazy high. 14 is like high high high. Are you doseing anything?

No. Nothing at all

 

[Maggie321]

No. Nothing at all

Ok. Hmmm. You may want to double check it, it could be a false reading. Do you see algae growth? With 0 nitrates, you either have too clean of a tank to grow anything for them to eat, or the opposite: the growth you do have is sucking up the nitrates.

 

[Maggie321]

Got a recent tank pic with the light on?

 

[saixiong08]

Ok. Hmmm. You may want to double check it, it could be a false reading. Do you see algae growth? With 0 nitrates, you either have too clean of a tank to grow anything for them to eat, or the opposite: the growth you do have is sucking up the nitrates.

Over the last month there was a lot of hair algae and I've brushed most of them off. But there is still small patches of it growing in tight spaces.

 

[saixiong08]

Got a recent tank pic with the light on?

 

[Maggie321]

Over the last month there was a lot of hair algae and I've brushed most of them off. But there is still small patches of it growing in tight spaces.

That is likely the reason your nitrates and phosphates are 0. The gha is eating it before you can read it. I am guessing your tank is still fairly new? Mine was started in June and I still am going through phases. Keep doing 10 to 20 % Wc's weekly. Take another reading of your alk. It seems really high so I'm wondering if it's not a bad reading. If it's accurate, you might want to look into why...

 

[saixiong08]

That is likely the reason your nitrates and phosphates are 0. The gha is eating it before you can read it. I am guessing your tank is still fairly new? Mine was started in June and I still am going through phases. Keep doing 10 to 20 % Wc's weekly. Take another reading of your alk. It seems really high so I'm wondering if it's not a bad reading. If it's accurate, you might want to look into why...

Thanks. The tank has been running for a year now. I tested it twice with the same reading. Even looked at a video of how to test it. Maybe I have a bad test kit? Using the red sea test kit

 

[Maggie321]

Thanks. The tank has been running for a year now. I tested it twice with the same reading. Even looked at a video of how to test it. Maybe I have a bad test kit? Using the red sea test kit

I don't know about the red sea kits. I have a Hannah for it. Look at you salt mix it should tell you what the target is for a people my mixed salt.

And with all this I am assuming you are using RODI water tested at 0 tds?

 

[Maggie321]

Properly not people me...autocorrect

 

[saixiong08]

I don't know about the red sea kits. I have a Hannah for it. Look at you salt mix it should tell you what the target is for a people my mixed salt.

And with all this I am assuming you are using RODI water tested at 0 tds?

Ok. Yes rodi reading of 0 tds