First Corals, Need Help, Too Soon?

[saltyfilmfolks]

True. I generally reccomend going slow esp for newer reefers and someone getting thier first ever coral.

IMO.
If all your animals are healthy. Don't mess with it in any large way. Best off to slowly reduce. Add some mb7 or dr t. Bacteria. Keep up on WC make sure the flow is good. Right now the macro and corals are your only export. If their healthy. It's fine. Don't get caught up on numbers.

Do you have a powerhead in the tank? Or something moving the water?

 

[Roboson]

Lol yes. There are two power heads in the tank that turn on at different times. That way there is variety in flow. I can't imagine a tank with no flow.

The test corals in there seem to enjoy the dirty water. But this is too dirty. My two white rhicordia (which I thought were bleached and would color up, but never did) have gone from dime sized to quarter sized and a tiny third one appeared. The Xenia hasn't grown at all though, and it's been in there just as long.

 

[Reefrookie220]

First off, I skimmed the thread so if I missed anything just let me know.

If it's a 10g, do three 5g water changes then test. Most of the corals you listed that you bought do fine in "dirty" tanks. But 80ppm is really high.

You also mentioned different types of macro algae, trim it... In my opinion If you don't trimmer the stuff your not really "exporting" anything.

Nitrates will come down with some bigger water changes and you should be fine.

 

[Reefrookie220]

You could also do a 100%change.

Put rocks and corals in buckets totes etc, drain tank into then and refill the tank with new water... Use the dirty water to shake lose any debris and gunk.. You'll be amazed at the amount. Then put everything back in the nice clean tank...It'll be cloudy but I bet it fixes the nitrate issue.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And we haven't even asked about light yet.

Keep in mind we talk about reducing excess nutrients with Chems and WC etc. but one of the best ways to reduce these is to encourage your purchased plants and animals to intake them leaving little excess to stay in the tank.
If your macro is not growing and your not trimming it is not taking up nutrients. It only takes up nutrients if has good light. Same can be said for the corals. Your tank is really nod old enough to have a problem unless you really really really blew it. I have.
The Ricordia sould like it that dirty. and the Kenya and the Xenia should be taking over the tank if it was that bad.

I think your getting this is too bad from the numbers off the internet and not firsthand experience with a tank that has actually bad numbers and real problems. Or worse, bad problems and all good numbers.

To each their own.

 

[Reefrookie220]

@saltyfilmfolks , your right as I re read the thread in its entirety there was no mention of light, nor a feeding schedule/routine. This could be issues.

Your above post is correct, and I agree entirely.

The OP wanted to know how to get nitrates down "quickly" for new arrivals coming soon.

Your expressing how to keep them down with good husbandry, while I was just watching out for the new arrivals lol.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea no sweat. For new arrivals do a five g tomorrow w instan ocean. And acclimate slowly. Easy. Then 2.5 g every week till it balances. By quick nowadays I think in terms of weeks now and not tomorrow. What I do today in the tank I may not see until next week. Or more. Good or bad. So a WC may make ya fell better but the tank would prefer a slow constant change.

I'd hope they stay in the lil tank for three more weeks or a month before getting into the new one. Even then that's iffy and luck based.

Keep the nano healthy you'll hav it longer than ya think. And the new coral will be there a while. Later It's a good qt too. For coral and fish.
You can medicate all but copper n blue in there and look for pests.