New 20gal long reef tank

[Jaden9933]

Best option is water changes, have you been dosing alkalinity? I would also check the parameters of your NSW to make sure it isnt a bad batch

I dose Seachem Fusion one and two every other day, but I dose a little under what is recommended on the bottles. I have an RODI system and check the parameters before adding it. I use Seachem Reef Builder to raise the alk and ph. Is it possible I just overdosed it?

 

[Jaden9933]

also what test kits are you using? some are better than others. Nitrates and phosphates shouldnt be at zero for zoas and soft corals as well.
Just want to help you on the path for success in the hobby, steep learning curve for reef tanks

Sadly I’m using an API test kit for nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, ph, alk, and calc for now. I have Seachem for magnesium and Red Sea for phosphates

 

[dedragon]

I dose Seachem Fusion one and two every other day, but I dose a little under what is recommended on the bottles. I have an RODI system and check the parameters before adding it. I use Seachem Reef Builder to raise the alk and ph. Is it possible I just overdosed it?

Fusion 2 should deal with the alkalinity, no point in using pH buffers if your pH hasnt dipped significantly. You shouldnt be dosing at all yet until you start measuring calcium and alkalinity daily, zoas and softies wont take up too much of either so water changes will replenish ca and alk for the most part

 

[dedragon]

I find salifert to be the cheapest of the good test kits. I only test ca, alk, phosphate, and nitrate. Rarely i will test magnesium.

 

[Jaden9933]

also what test kits are you using? some are better than others. Nitrates and phosphates shouldnt be at zero for zoas and soft corals as well.
Just want to help you on the path for success in the hobby, steep learning curve for reef tanks

I knew I should have some nitrates and phosphates in the tank, but my HOB filter is for a 45gal tank and my protein skimmer is for a 100gal so they do their job a little too well. When I was setting up the tank, I assumed I’d need the nitrates at 0 at all times for healthy fish and, therefore, overstocked on equipment a bit

 

[dedragon]

Sadly I’m using an API test kit for nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, ph, alk, and calc for now. I have Seachem for magnesium and Red Sea for phosphates

I used red sea pro kits before they are definitely good. I think the seachem one is fine too someone will probably know on the forum

 

[Jaden9933]

Fusion 2 should deal with the alkalinity, no point in using pH buffers if your pH hasnt dipped significantly. You shouldnt be dosing at all yet until you start measuring calcium and alkalinity daily, zoas and softies wont take up too much of either so water changes will replenish ca and alk for the most part

The water has a low ph after being filtered through the RODI system which is why I add the reef buffer. Is there a better way to raise the ph before adding it?

 

[Jaden9933]

I used red sea pro kits before they are definitely good. I think the seachem one is fine too someone will probably know on the forum

Red Sea is what I plan to replace the API test kit with. Just had to start cheap unfortunately

 

[dedragon]

you would be surprised the nitrate levels fish can handle. Just lower the water level and lower the air intake on the skimmer for a dryer skimmate to hopefully pull less out. I would also throw it a full cube of frozen food it you have

The water has a low ph after being filtered through the RODI system which is why I add the reef buffer. Is there a better way to raise the ph before adding it?

check the pH after adding the salt mix. pH after rodi should be around 7 i think but i dont measure pH of my rodi ever

 

[dedragon]

adding the buffer to the rodi probably increased the alkalinity added to the whole tank

 

[ChaosAquaculture]

Thank you! I definitely planned on getting some more colorful zoas eventually as well more mushrooms! The simple color was part of the the reason I didn’t think mine were zoas. That’s good to know about dosing though!
Alk - 17 dKH
Calcium 360ppm
PH - 8.3
Sal - 1.025
Nitrates - 0
Nitrites - 0
Ammonia - 0

No problem! Your zoas aren’t bright necessarily, but they do look healthy. I see that your alk is at 17, I would focus on trying to lower that to a more sustainable number for soft coral. Anywhere in the range of 7 - 9 is safe, but it can go higher or lower and it really all depends on each and every individual tank. With your coral that you have so far, 17 is out of their ideal range for growth and health. - kali

 

[Jaden9933]

you would be surprised the nitrate levels fish can handle. Just lower the water level and lower the air intake on the skimmer for a dryer skimmate to hopefully pull less out. I would also throw it a full cube of frozen food it you have

check the pH after adding the salt mix. pH after rodi should be around 7 i think but i dont measure pH of my rodi ever

I have the protein skimmer with as much air as possible before having an air picket in the intake tube But it still seems to clean it too much. I do have frozen food though so I’ll try that. Should I turn off the HOB filter? It has chemipure, purigen, phosguard, and carbon in it so, if not, I could remove a few things

 

[Cheeze]

I’m not sure why the clown has been there and it hasn’t eaten either. It’s been in the tank for almost two weeks now and was swimming around fine the night before yesterday. Is the majano anemone the one poking near the bottom in the center?

The clown is beautiful! Has it not eaten anything at all? Two weeks without food and still swimming is a bit surprising. What are you trying to feed it?

When it was the only fish in my tank, my PJ Card would always hang out in the top corner by the output tubes during the day and only swim at night when the lights were off. It would still eat tho when fed. Once I got a couple of other fish, it became more active and out in the open...communities help with the socialization!

 

[dedragon]

Yes take out the purigen and the phosguard for now to help phosphate go up

 

[Jaden9933]

adding the buffer to the rodi probably increased the alkalinity added to the whole tank

That was my most logical guess. I’ll just add the water to the tank and then adjust it with Fusion 2 if needed from now on

 

[Jaden9933]

Yes take out the purigen and the phosguard for now to help phosphate go up

Okay will do! Thank you

 

[dedragon]

probably take out the chemipure as well. Running just carbon should be fine.

That was my most logical guess. I’ll just add the water to the tank and then adjust it with Fusion 2 if needed from now on

Usually after topping off with rodi water, pH shouldnt change at all

 

[Jaden9933]

The clown is beautiful! Has it not eaten anything at all? Two weeks without food and still swimming is a bit surprising. What are you trying to feed it?

When it was the only fish in my tank, my PJ Card would always hang out in the top corner by the output tubes during the day and only swim at night when the lights were off. It would still eat tho when fed. Once I got a couple of other fish, it became more active and out in the open...communities help with the socialization!

Thank you I love it! It was eating pellets up until yesterday. It was laying in the same corner when it was first out in the tank and I’m not sure what caused it to go back. Mine came out last night after the lights were on! I thought that maybe it was scared of the coral banded shrimp which was causing it not to swim around but that was only a hypothesis. I wanted to add a snowflake clown, but was worried that one would kill the other

 

[Jaden9933]

probably take out the chemipure as well. Running just carbon should be fine.

Usually after topping off with rodi water, pH shouldnt change at all

Alright I will! That’s good to know about the ph I assumed it would drop and bother the fish/corals

 

[Jaden9933]

No problem! Your zoas aren’t bright necessarily, but they do look healthy. I see that your alk is at 17, I would focus on trying to lower that to a more sustainable number for soft coral. Anywhere in the range of 7 - 9 is safe, but it can go higher or lower and it really all depends on each and every individual tank. With your coral that you have so far, 17 is out of their ideal range for growth and health. - kali

I’m going to try to lower it right now and hopefully the GSP will open back up!