I think I am giving up

[fish_bucket]

This is really the second go at a reef tank, with my first go ending in everything dead.

Round two after getting everything going I was ready to add new corals. '

• First purchases were some soft corals and Zoanthids, one large soft coral died.
• after waiting some months before buying corals again, I got some more soft corals and Euphilia.
• Last week all the Euphilia I had experienced. polyp bailout they are all screwed
• A few other LPS I had don't look good I doubt they will
  
  I test twice a week, water change regularly. I honestly feel I don't care anymore I just get upset looking at the tank, a follow LFS advice or online advice nothing ever works out the way I expect.
  
  I am not enjoying this hobby at this time and don't know where to go from here.
  
  I just feel nothing in this hobby has ever worked for me. Even my first two clownfish went to war and one killed the other.
  

 

[DavidBearWeber]

I am married for the 5th time. This time its working. I believe you fail at reefing by not following the basic fundamentals. Like football, its blocking and tackling. Much info on these sites is non scientific. Start over with a clean mind set, and it will work. Just do the basics and you will be rewarded.

 

[naterealbig]

A streak of bad luck, no doubt. Things can be tough, especially in the beginning. If you want to talk a little about your system, lots of people willing to help for sure.


Assume you are starting with a good foundation?

1. 0 tds RODI water source?
2. Quality set of test kits + calibrated refractometer?
4. Give us some details....

**also sounds like you may need to find a new LFS....

 

[Phycodurus]

sorry to hear about the struggle! it shouldn’t be this hard. (>__<)’

like DavidBearWeber emphasizes, it’s doing the basics. i would say the troubleshooting is a process of elimination. tackle one aspect at a time, not the whole jigsaw puzzle simultaneously of water chemistry, filtration, flow, lights, feeding, etc.

small wins turn into big wins, and let those wins inspire the satisfaction & enjoyment of the hobby that motivated you in the first place. you’ve got loads of helpful experience here on R2R to help you win!


respectfully,
rick (^__^)v

 

[Snorkelsteve]

Sorry to hear you are having issues!

Can you give us some details about your system? It might help us help you.

Tank volume
Lights
Other equipment
Age of tank
Parameters (Actual values and types of test kits)

Hopefully we can get you on the right track and make it enjoyable again.

 

[JJ Ligs]

I have seen many rush the addition of coral in tanks. Start slow and make sure your base tank is good and then add SLOWLY. Best advice I have received is never add more then half the number of corals you already have at a time always with a few weeks in between. If you have two only add one...six no more then three and so on. This gives you a chance to watch for issues before investing more. Always dip no mater where you get them from. Never buy a shiny frag and dose iodine softies need it and all coral use it to heal. Don’t give up and keep at it it will be ok. Just good water, good tank hygiene, take precaution when adding, keep stabilized parameters don’t chase numbers Just keep them stable and patience you will good. Run some carbon you may have trace chems you do not realize are in there.
I am happy to help if you need it however I can.
Jessie

 

[vetteguy53081]

What test kits are you using?
Have you taken a water sample to a trusted LFS and have them verify your readings?
I would and verify salinity also

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

Only you can make that call. I know what you mean- it does feel like its stacked against you at times. I've done several years of diligent research, I purchased nothing but highly recommended, high quality gear after watching nearly every review on youtube, All of the BRS videos, god knows how many books I've read cover to cover however many times. I really thought I'd get some good karrma for that- boy was I wrong ;Hilarious

I quarantined my 1 fish for well over the recommended amount of time to a freak accident where he broke his lower jaw and wasted away as he was unable to eat like he once could.

I waited 9 months before getting any corals-I got all my corals from one highly reputable source, thoroughly dipped and still got black bugs and although it I didn't loose any to that it was very stressful, driving the corals to a friend who could dip even more intensely for 3 hours while I went home, broke down the tank, wiped it out with peroxide etc..

I'm over a year into this and my quarantine frag tank still looks way nicer than my DT which has been running rampant with GHA for well over 6 months and although its improving I don't expect it to be cleared up for many more months with my diligent continued removal.

All of this and I'm still motivated to succeed, I still love looking at my tanks and all the critters that live in them. I get excited about every new polyp that develops under my care. I can see in my mind how this tank will look once things start to turn around and it will all be worth it.

I really do get what your going through, I'd be liar if I said I never doubted myself (sometimes I still do) but I push through, I take the little victories wherever I can and press on.

 

[KimG]

I think most of us go through similar thoughts at some point.
I have been seriously considering restarting mine (I will not for know, just fix what is not working).
You will find tremendous help here if you want
Just share some info on the system and you will get loads of help.

Hang in there

 

[fish_bucket]

Sorry to hear you are having issues!

Can you give us some details about your system? It might help us help you.

Tank volume.
55L AIO
Lights
AI Prime
Other equipment
Small Wave Maker (Chinese Brand)
Age of tank
August 2019
Parameters (Actual values and types of test kits)

Temp 24
Ammonia 0 API
Nitrite 0 API
PH 8.0 API
KH 7.0 API
Nitrate 5 Salifert
Phosphate 0 Salifert
Calcium 400 Salifert

2x clowns
a few mushrooms (happy)
2 Clusters of Xoanthids (happy)
GSP (happy)
One leather (happy)
One Acan (happy)
One lobo (semi okay)
One SPS (bleached)
One hammer. (polyp bailout) One head. is sitting in a cage in the tank seems happy enough for now the rest are MIA
One torch (polyp bailout) MIA

If I could guess any problem in my tank it could be lack of nutrients

 

[fish_bucket]

I think most of us go through similar thoughts at some point.
I have been seriously considering restarting mine (I will not for know, just fix what is not working).
You will find tremendous help here if you want
Just share some info on the system and you will get loads of help.

Hang in there

Tank volume.
55L AIO
Lights
AI Prime
Other equipment
Small Wave Maker (Chinese Brand)
Age of tank
August 2019
Parameters (Actual values and types of test kits)

Salinity 1.026
Temp 24
Ammonia 0 API
Nitrite 0 API
PH 8.0 API
KH 7.0 API
Nitrate 5 Salifert
Phosphate 0 Salifert
Calcium 400 Salifert

2x clowns
a few mushrooms (happy)
2 Clusters of Xoanthids (happy)
GSP (happy)
One leather (happy)
One Acan (happy)
One lobo (semi okay)
One SPS (bleached)
One hammer. (polyp bailout) One head. is sitting in a cage in the tank seems happy enough for now the rest are MIA
One torch (polyp bailout) MIA

If I could guess any problem in my tank it could be lack of nutrients

 

[mcshams]

My thoughts are with you. I advocate perseverance as the rewards of pushing through go well beyond the hobby. Not to dote philosophical... but working thru the worst makes the success even richer. I encourage you to work hard, study the hobby, learn from your mistakes.... it will carry over to other aspects of your life...I promise. You have THOUSANDS of people on this site rooting for you.

 

[cvrle1]

Replace those API kits with something better and re-test. API is known to give way off reading, so start there. Your Alk also looks low, most folks aim for Alk of 8+. Could again be related to API kit.

 

[NS Mike D]

you already know what to do. PO4 = 0. If they cannot access PO4, basic metabolism cannot occur. The zoas mushrooms gsp are out competing the others


you are doing ok. i have a bad history with torc and hammers but ive had frogspawn gown like a weed even though they are all Euphyllia , and i lost a frogspawn frag last month even with my previous success. go figure. sps, well, it's to be expected.

 

[NS Mike D]

Replace those API kits with something better and re-test. API is known to give way off reading, so start there. Your Alk also looks low, most folks aim for Alk of 8+. Could again be related to API kit.

the api are non events here. Unless there is a fish die off, there is no need to replace those API aside from the ALk,. I would agree that upgrade the ALk test kit..

The salifert are reliable and that's what is testing the more important NO3 and PO4

 

[lpsouth1978]

Most of your corals prefer a "dirtier" tank. There is a pretty simple solution, feed more. The more you feed your fish the more they poop and the more food there is for your corals. P04 @ 0 is too low. I have mostly nems and euphelia and my P04 is 1.5-2.0 and N03 @ 10-20. Everything is quite happy and growing well. Get your nutrients up a bit and keep things stable. You can get through this and will be better for it. We learn more from our mistakes and failures than our successes.

 

[naterealbig]

Tank volume.
55L AIO
Lights
AI Prime
Other equipment
Small Wave Maker (Chinese Brand)
Age of tank
August 2019
Parameters (Actual values and types of test kits)

Salinity 1.026
Temp 24
Ammonia 0 API
Nitrite 0 API
PH 8.0 API
KH 7.0 API
Nitrate 5 Salifert
Phosphate 0 Salifert
Calcium 400 Salifert

2x clowns
a few mushrooms (happy)
2 Clusters of Xoanthids (happy)
GSP (happy)
One leather (happy)
One Acan (happy)
One lobo (semi okay)
One SPS (bleached)
One hammer. (polyp bailout) One head. is sitting in a cage in the tank seems happy enough for now the rest are MIA
One torch (polyp bailout) MIA

If I could guess any problem in my tank it could be lack of nutrients

Yes, get a quality alkalinity test kit. API is fine for the other stuff, but won't cut it for alkalinity. Hanna Checker is best - Salifert is cheap and trustworthy. FWIW my softies / LPS HATE alkalinity less than 8.0.

A quick and simple way to get some nourishment to the coral is through amino acids. Not necessary for an established, high bio load aquarium, but great for sad corals in water with few fish /feedings. Brightwell is my go to. Double the recommended dose is your corals are not happy. Nitrate and phosphate are your friends in this instance.

Where are you getting your fresh water?

 

[Johny Cash]

Sorry to hear that.

sps are fairly picky,

try to up your KH levels to 9, do it slowly but get on it, Ph is ok but you would want that at 8.3
when you say phosphate 0 as of 0.00 or 0.01 or 0.02 cause not having any phosphate also not good for corals as they need a little.

Also can you please tell me what your Led settings are and how long, it might be that your par may be too much, and how far up is your led light from the top of your water line?

your water is on the cooler side bring that up to 78f-79f degrees, for you that will be 26 celsius

Im willing to bet that your Par is probably too strong for the sps corals,

acans, and leaherheads corals can handle many variations of things.

Bring your ai as follows
led must be at least 12'' to 14'' high from the water line

set your Uv 50%, Violet 50%, Royal 56%, Blue 56%, Green 7%, Red 7%, White 15%

no more then 9 hours.

I promise you if you do these steps you will start to see some positive things in your tank,

 

[fish_bucket]

the api are non events here. Unless there is a fish die off, there is no need to replace those API aside from the ALk,. I would agree that upgrade the ALk test kit..

The salifert are reliable and that's what is testing the more important NO3 and PO4

Thanks for the advice, I have purchased a Salifert Alk test kit.

 

[LAReefer4Life]

+1

you already know what to do. PO4 = 0. If they cannot access PO4, basic metabolism cannot occur. The zoas mushrooms gsp are out competing the others


you are doing ok. i have a bad history with torc and hammers but ive had frogspawn gown like a weed even though they are all Euphyllia , and i lost a frogspawn frag last month even with my previous success. go figure. sps, well, it's to be expected.

+1 lack of nutrients. API is an okay brand but Its just harder to read the color meters in my opinion. Hanna checkers are awesome but pricey. Red Sea and tropic Marin make solid test kits.