Identify issues

[Oaken]

Yesterday I came home and noticed my magicians were curling and knew it wasnt normal. This morning i woke up and all my zoanthids and even my duncan were closed up and never have so i tested as much as i could before work.

Salinity 1.026
Alk 8
Calc untested (ran out of time)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 ( take is 10 weeks old) got to fix this
Temp 78


135g tank with 3 vipar spectra black box running 7.5 hrs a day 2 hrs of blue total one at start one at end.

First photo is the initial zoa doing it last one is all mine looking unhealthy, they have been in the tank 2-3 weeks.

 

[TheEngineer]

How long have these corals been in your tank? Am I reading right that this tank is 10 weeks old?

 

[Oaken]

How long have these corals been in your tank? Am I reading right that this tank is 10 weeks old?

Yeah, it cycled at 4 weeks when I had my nitrates spike and ammonia dropped to 0. I know most people on here are gonna say wait a year or something but I've seen it both ways from friends with really successful tanks.

 

[Oaken]

Yeah, it cycled at 4 weeks when I had my nitrates spike and ammonia dropped to 0. I know most people on here are gonna say wait a year or something but I've seen it both ways from friends with really successful tanks.

The corals have been in around 3 weeks they were given to me by a friend

 

[TheEngineer]

It's a fairly young tank, but you know that.

How are you testing? Sudden changes in all of your corals points to something systemic rather than a critter bothering them, but what inhabitants do you have?

 

[Oaken]

It's a fairly young tank, but you know that.

How are you testing? Sudden changes in all of your corals points to something systemic rather than a critter bothering them, but what inhabitants do you have?

Salifert and red sea kits. I have a fire fish, blenny, and 2 clowns and a cuc

 

[themcnertney]

Parameters look okay to me. My question is the swings that might have happened. Continue to monitor parameters and keep us posted.

 

[Oaken]

Parameters look okay to me. My question is the swings that might have happened. Continue to monitor parameters and keep us posted.

I will thanks. I did do a 15-20% wc sunday, so that might be it... I'm leaving tomorrow for the weekend

 

[TheEngineer]

I doubt there is much of a parameter swing in a tank with minimal corals.

Have you changed anything at all about the tank recently? New pump, adjusted your lights, added carbon, etc. etc.?

 

[Oaken]

I doubt there is much of a parameter swing in a tank with minimal corals.

Have you changed anything at all about the tank recently? New pump, adjusted your lights, added carbon, etc. etc.?

I did a 15-20% water change Sunday and matched salinity and temps. I turned skimmer off and on a lot trying to build nitrates also I over fed brine a bit to build bacteria. It's going through a small algae outbreak green algae, already had diatoms

 

[TheEngineer]

OK, first big piece of advice is you need to slow down. I know, I know.... Everyone says it, but what does it mean, yada yada yada.

You're tank is brand new and you already have four fish, a bunch of corals and you're starting to chase parameters. This is going to ultimately become a huge headache for you if you keep on chasing everything. What you're describing with algae and diatoms is what we lovingly call "the uglies." Before a tank gets through this it is still in the late stages of cycling from my perspective. These nuisances pop up because there are imbalances that still haven't equalized.

At this stage in your tank's life (and really at all stages) stability is key. Don't fiddle with your skimmer to mess with nutrients because then you're messing with your pH swings. You don't need to chase a pH level unless you are outside of the safe range, but staying within your normal daily range is important. Don't try and drive up your nutrients at this point either. If you have algae, you have nutrients.

My advice to you right now is to turn your skimmer on, feed your fish no more than what they can consume within 60 seconds twice a day, and do weekly or biweekly 10-20% water changes. Let things settle out and don't worry about chasing numbers. This is supposed to be fun and constantly fighting this or that isn't fun in my book

 

[Oaken]

OK, first big piece of advice is you need to slow down. I know, I know.... Everyone says it, but what does it mean, yada yada yada.

You're tank is brand new and you already have four fish, a bunch of corals and you're starting to chase parameters. This is going to ultimately become a huge headache for you if you keep on chasing everything. What you're describing with algae and diatoms is what we lovingly call "the uglies." Before a tank gets through this it is still in the late stages of cycling from my perspective. These nuisances pop up because there are imbalances that still haven't equalized.

At this stage in your tank's life (and really at all stages) stability is key. Don't fiddle with your skimmer to mess with nutrients because then you're messing with your pH swings. You don't need to chase a pH level unless you are outside of the safe range, but staying within your normal daily range is important. Don't try and drive up your nutrients at this point either. If you have algae, you have nutrients.

My advice to you right now is to turn your skimmer on, feed your fish no more than what they can consume within 60 seconds twice a day, and do weekly or biweekly 10-20% water changes. Let things settle out and don't worry about chasing numbers. This is supposed to be fun and constantly fighting this or that isn't fun in my book

I had a huge diatom outbreak at week 3 then I added a cuc small and it went away in a week that is when I stocked my first fish. After that all has been good till this small green algae and then the corals.

 

[Oaken]

OK, first big piece of advice is you need to slow down. I know, I know.... Everyone says it, but what does it mean, yada yada yada.

You're tank is brand new and you already have four fish, a bunch of corals and you're starting to chase parameters. This is going to ultimately become a huge headache for you if you keep on chasing everything. What you're describing with algae and diatoms is what we lovingly call "the uglies." Before a tank gets through this it is still in the late stages of cycling from my perspective. These nuisances pop up because there are imbalances that still haven't equalized.

At this stage in your tank's life (and really at all stages) stability is key. Don't fiddle with your skimmer to mess with nutrients because then you're messing with your pH swings. You don't need to chase a pH level unless you are outside of the safe range, but staying within your normal daily range is important. Don't try and drive up your nutrients at this point either. If you have algae, you have nutrients.

My advice to you right now is to turn your skimmer on, feed your fish no more than what they can consume within 60 seconds twice a day, and do weekly or biweekly 10-20% water changes. Let things settle out and don't worry about chasing numbers. This is supposed to be fun and constantly fighting this or that isn't fun in my book

Oh and thank you for the awesome advice.

 

[TheEngineer]

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[themcnertney]

I will thanks. I did do a 15-20% wc sunday, so that might be it... I'm leaving tomorrow for the weekend

Water change is always a good idea and something that I always recommend.

I doubt there is much of a parameter swing in a tank with minimal corals.

My thought was not with coral, but with a new tank. As you had mentioned, most people, especially those new to the hobby, tend to try to correct mistakes and end up with bigger issues at hand then what they started with.