First Tank Failure

[John.Thompson]

Like everyone else said, your numbers seem off. Way off that I suspect your test kits are faulty. Get a salifert or Hanna (preferably) test kit for Alk.

If you started with live rock, I am not sure why you were adding bacteria. Its a waste of money in my opinion and will do nothing for tank maturity.

Waiting how much ever time without getting a good grip on you water parameters will not aid in tank maturity. Waiting is not a magic solution.


What kind of corals did you add?

Hey James, not sure if I responded to you yet. Just kinda went with recommendations from the local shop(may or may not have been beneficial). I will look into different tests. That’s the confusion, the parameters were all amazing for plenty of time before adding hardy coral like Zoas.

 

[John.Thompson]

I think there is something wrong with your tests, but I would assume the water is alright if you buy it from WWC. Also, if you are getting it tested at WWC, I would think they would have alerted you to an issue like extremely low Alk. However, what I see is your "reef light" doesn't seem like a good light. Without seeing it or having any more information, the picture you took is very white. Most of the lights used turn tanks blue when taking a picture. It is possible you changed the settings for the picture, but if not, I would think it's the wrong spectrum of colors.

That’s why I’m confused. Blue spectrum was turned off for clearer tank pics! I’m currently looking into a better reef light. As quoted “companies can claim whatever they want” so I want to provide trustworthy light.

 

[workhz]

You will have to focus also on various ranges as posted below to assure good water quality for coral:

Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .10
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-11
CA 400- 440

In another thread I was trying to confirm recommended nitrate levels with Randy. I think his current opinion is closer to 2ppm and not less than 0.1ppm. Phosphate also a little higher as to not bottom out. My initial google search took me to a post or literature that suggested as you currently do but I think his thinking has changed on the matter.

 

[ApoIsland]

I recently made my first reef tank. It was/is a total fail so far. I made sure to do everything right. I waited for the tank to mature with plenty of healthy bacteria supplement. I tested the water Params and salinity every day. Kept the temp stable. I did it all. However, a majority of my coral have perished within the first week. Many within their first 24 hours… does anyone have any experience like this that they found a solution to? Should I have waited even longer for tank maturity?

The fact the corals are dying within 24 hours suggests something wrong with the water unless you are buying half dead coral.

Any fish and what type of food going in the tank? Corals will need a source of food eventually whether its from fish/food waste or direct feeding of reef roids or something.

Did I read correctly that it is only 5 gallons? I would change out most of the water, then continue to change out a gallon or two a week while upping the nutrients as well as get a better light.

I purchased this cheap 30 watt Nicrew LED light and am able to keep simple SPS/LPS frags alive for months in a 5g bucket with just 1 piece of live rock, an air stone, and a heater doing weekly water changes.

 

[John.Thompson]

In another thread I was trying to confirm recommended nitrate levels with Randy. I think his current opinion is closer to 2ppm andless than 0.1ppm. Phosphate also a little higher as to not bottom out. My initial google search took me to a post or literature that suggested as you currently do but I think his thinking has changed on the matter.

Copy that. I’ve been told to check my lighting. Recommendations for a small tank that won’t blow my wallet too much but still work?

 

[workhz]

Copy that. I’ve been told to check my lighting. Recommendations for a small tank that won’t blow my wallet too much but still work?

I edited my post as I somehow deleted an important word. Closer to 2ppm and not less than 0.1ppm. You'll get plenty of advice but I had a small tank in my office that was pretty neglected and things grew well but I had used established live rock and water from a larger tank. It's almost always water parameters and lighting but wouldn't think it would take much to light up a small tank. I'd just recommend not buying 10 frags at once and hoping for the best.

 

[John.Thompson]

I edited my post as I somehow deleted an important word. Closer to 2ppm and not less than 0.1ppm. You'll get plenty of advice but I had a small tank in my office that was pretty neglected and things grew well but I had used established live rock and water from a larger tank. It's almost always water parameters and lighting but wouldn't think it would take much to light up a small tank. I'd just recommend not buying 10 frags at once and hoping for the best.

Understood and thanks. I’m going to get the alkalinity up somehow first then if that doesn’t work check the lighting

 

[John.Thompson]

The fact the corals are dying within 24 hours suggests something wrong with the water unless you are buying half dead coral.

Any fish and what type of food going in the tank? Corals will need a source of food eventually whether its from fish/food waste or direct feeding of reef roids or something.

Did I read correctly that it is only 5 gallons? I would change out most of the water, then continue to change out a gallon or two a week while upping the nutrients as well as get a better light.

I purchased this cheap 30 watt Nicrew LED light and am able to keep simple SPS/LPS frags alive for months in a 5g bucket with just 1 piece of live rock, an air stone, and a heater doing weekly water changes.

So far I we’ve come to the high probability of it being the alk levels and such. Getting new tests and doing more water changes. Currently feeding Zooplankton. It is indeed 5 gallons, a difficult size that I tried my hand in as I’ve kept tanks before but nowhere near this small of size. Should I go for the seachem marine trace elements as a supplement? That looks good. I will look into that light too. Thank you so much.

 

[Not an IT guy]

Forgive me if I missed it. I’ve read most of this. What salt are you using and as far as light , something that won’t break the bank new would be a used AI light. Someone was selling a 32 Hd for 300

 

[ApoIsland]

So far I we’ve come to the high probability of it being the alk levels and such. Getting new tests and doing more water changes. Currently feeding Zooplankton. It is indeed 5 gallons, a difficult size that I tried my hand in as I’ve kept tanks before but nowhere near this small of size. Should I go for the seachem marine trace elements as a supplement? That looks good. I will look into that light too. Thank you so much.

Yep that's a tough size but with already live rock it should work.

I'm not experienced enough with that type of setup to suggest a good food supplement unfortunately.

When I had my frag bucket going and also a couple other 2g pico jars I was just changing out 75%-90% of the water weekly with tank water from my larger display tank so it was pretty much cheating the challenge of feeding small tanks.

 

[ninjamyst]

Start with softies. You can't throw SPS into a brand new tank if you never done this before. You can throw zoas and softies into a brand new tank on day 1 and they will be fine. I have done that plenty of times with no issues for soft corals. But putting birdsnest and digi into a brand new tank is just asking for trouble. And triple check your water parameters and salinity. And keep things simple. Don't go dosing stuff you can't test.

 

[Nerdist Aquarist]

How's the tank? Did you eventually get the Alk level rechecked/verified? That was the only parameter I saw was way off.

As far as trace elements, no need. You are not even close to needing that yet. Simple water changes in a small tank will take you very far, maybe at least for a year.
Adding trace elements now will likely cause nuisance algae or other unnecessary problems.

 

[FishyFishFish]

That rock looks like dry ‘live’ rock. How was the tank cycled?

I’m not sure if it’s your LFS that’s saying things like ‘the typical recommended test strips’. Most people avoid test strips like the plague; get some decent tests from someone like Salifert.