Hiding clowns

Bunnee911 · Nov 23, 2015

My clownfish pair are hiding today. They did come out to eat, but are staying in the rock cave otherwise.

I am doing frequent (almost daily) wc for 'trates.

The fish are appx 5 yoa. The biocube29 I have then in has been up and running since 9/11/15. It was started with rescued live rock and new base rock.

A=0
Nitrite=0

ImageUploadedByREEF2REEF1448338696.792243.jpg

Nitrate=15
Sg=1.26
Ph=8.3
dKh=240
Ca=420
Mg=1300
Temp 80

Bunnee911 · Nov 24, 2015

Any thoughts?

cmcoker · Nov 24, 2015

Bunnee911 said:
My clownfish pair are hiding today. They did come out to eat, but are staying in the rock cave otherwise.

I am doing frequent (almost daily) wc for 'trates.

The fish are appx 5 yoa. The biocube29 I have then in has been up and running since 9/11/15. It was started with rescued live rock and new base rock.

A=0
Nitrite=0

Nitrate=15
Sg=1.26
Ph=8.3
dKh=240
Ca=420
Mg=1300
Temp 80

I assume sg is 1.026, not 1.26
I don't understand a dkh value of 240.. Is this a typo?
From Randy Holmes Farley, rec'd reef values for alkalinity :
2.5-4 meq/L
7-11 dKH
125-200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

Bunnee911 · Nov 24, 2015

My bad. You are correct on the sg 1.026. Dhk is 12 w Api test and 240 w the dip stick.

The male came out to eat a bite this morning, but the female is guarding the cave. They both are chunky and breathing normal. No spots. I am just having to tie myself to a chair to keep from tearing the rocks apart to hunt eggs. Lol

I need to continue my water changes, will this be ok?

cmcoker · Nov 24, 2015

Bunnee911 said:
My bad. You are correct on the sg 1.026. Dhk is 12 w Api test and 240 w the dip stick.

The male came out to eat a bite this morning, but the female is guarding the cave. They both are chunky and breathing normal. No spots. I am just having to tie myself to a chair to keep from tearing the rocks apart to hunt eggs. Lol

I need to continue my water changes, will this be ok?

Yeah, just keep normal maintenance until they show more signs, either that something is wrong or they start acting normal.

My clowns are laying eggs regularly and the female will still be out quite a bit.

Watch the male, if you can see him, he will be tending the eggs. Mine was obsessed with the patch of rock the eggs were on, and he didn't always come out to eat either.

Bunnee911 · Nov 24, 2015

Excellent link BTW.

cmcoker · Nov 24, 2015

Yeah, any time I have a water chemistry question, or need a reference, I Google it with "Randy Holmes Farley"
His name auto populates in my browser now.. Lol

Bunnee911 · Nov 27, 2015

Well she came out last night and ate like a horse. She has been out all day.

cmcoker · Nov 29, 2015

Bunnee911 said:
Well she came out last night and ate like a horse. She has been out all day.

Thats good, I would give it a several weeks of monitoring ammonia, nitrite, nitrate before adding anything else.
Have you seen any diatoms or algae growth yet?

Bunnee911 · Dec 1, 2015

Yes, I am in another diatom bloom. Still doing daily wc of about a gallon. Got nitrates on the run from me. Lol. Phosphate still all over the place.

Bunnee911 · Dec 8, 2015

I added PhosGuard and zeroed my phosphate.

cmcoker · Dec 8, 2015

Watch your corals with zero phosphate.
Looks like you got some zoas or something?
If you strip it all out at once, your coral May get stressed. The softies also like a higher nutrient water in general.
Phosphate doesn't need to be high, there just needs to be some.. So just keep an eye out. You will add some back in every time you feed anyway, just if you see the corals looking unhappy that could be related.
I wouldn't stop the phosguard, just something to watch.