I've been getting plenty of great advice and knowledge by reading these forums for the past few years . however I'm at a point now where I'm not sure of the best way forward and want to see what you guys would recommend. I'll try to summarize as quickly as I can with as much info as I can. Sorry if the post is a bit long but I'd rather be through . There seem to be 3 main issues that I think are connected.
Issue #1 is constant fight with gha. Have ran nit level from 0 to 2ppm with no avail since starting the tank . Only solution I found was long spined urchin. It got too big and had to go. Decided to up the cleanup crew when the gha started coming back. Put in 20 various snails bringing the total to about 25 and a few small hermits . This leads me to discover issue number 2
Issue#2- snails are dying off regularly. It can't be for a lack of food . Gha is taking off . They fall off the glass/ don't move .I would say in the month since I added 20 more half are dead . Also had shrooms start detaching in the past 2 weeks. so I decided to start testing parameters. ---Numbers below--- this lead me to issue #3
Issue#3- my growth rate for coral has had mixed success . I have a mixed reef from shrooms to lps to some sps including a small acro that is hanging on. Coloration in sps has always been poor . With colors fading out over a few months. I believe this to be from low nit and phos . Also I found that my ALK seems pretty low? First test was at 5.9. Did several 5gal wc over the course of a week and that brought it up to 6.3.
Stats:
Tank- 40g breeder with 20g fuge with cheato and live rock. Running small eshopps skimmer 24/7 on the dry side . 2.5 years old with 2 clowns, royal gamma, chalk basslet and mandrin golby .
Nit-0 ( can hit 2ppm between weekly 5gal wc)
Phos-0
Ph- 8.2
S.g.- 1.024
Temp- 78f
Ca- 460
ALK- 6.3
Mg-1350
Lights- reef breeders led . 10 hr on time ramping to 40% blue and white for 2 hours then ramping down. Can post exact shcedule if needed.
Testing kits all salifert bought in the past year expiring next year . Sg with Hannah checker.
Plan of attack-
1. Raise alk to 9 over the next 2 weeks. Any recommendations on how much to raise it by? 9 seems to be fairly common . Should I go with plain sodium bicarbonate or try 2 part?
2. Raise nit to 5ppm using reef energy A and B. This has worked for me in the past.
3. See about increasing lighting?
Am I missing anything or does anyone have any recommendations? Would greatly appreciate any input! Let me know if you need any other info too .
Issue #1 is constant fight with gha. Have ran nit level from 0 to 2ppm with no avail since starting the tank . Only solution I found was long spined urchin. It got too big and had to go. Decided to up the cleanup crew when the gha started coming back. Put in 20 various snails bringing the total to about 25 and a few small hermits . This leads me to discover issue number 2
Issue#2- snails are dying off regularly. It can't be for a lack of food . Gha is taking off . They fall off the glass/ don't move .I would say in the month since I added 20 more half are dead . Also had shrooms start detaching in the past 2 weeks. so I decided to start testing parameters. ---Numbers below--- this lead me to issue #3
Issue#3- my growth rate for coral has had mixed success . I have a mixed reef from shrooms to lps to some sps including a small acro that is hanging on. Coloration in sps has always been poor . With colors fading out over a few months. I believe this to be from low nit and phos . Also I found that my ALK seems pretty low? First test was at 5.9. Did several 5gal wc over the course of a week and that brought it up to 6.3.
Stats:
Tank- 40g breeder with 20g fuge with cheato and live rock. Running small eshopps skimmer 24/7 on the dry side . 2.5 years old with 2 clowns, royal gamma, chalk basslet and mandrin golby .
Nit-0 ( can hit 2ppm between weekly 5gal wc)
Phos-0
Ph- 8.2
S.g.- 1.024
Temp- 78f
Ca- 460
ALK- 6.3
Mg-1350
Lights- reef breeders led . 10 hr on time ramping to 40% blue and white for 2 hours then ramping down. Can post exact shcedule if needed.
Testing kits all salifert bought in the past year expiring next year . Sg with Hannah checker.
Plan of attack-
1. Raise alk to 9 over the next 2 weeks. Any recommendations on how much to raise it by? 9 seems to be fairly common . Should I go with plain sodium bicarbonate or try 2 part?
2. Raise nit to 5ppm using reef energy A and B. This has worked for me in the past.
3. See about increasing lighting?
Am I missing anything or does anyone have any recommendations? Would greatly appreciate any input! Let me know if you need any other info too .
