Problems with my reef, oh so many problems..

[leeransetton]

Hi,

I don't know if this is the right forum to post, so apologies in advance.

A little background. I started my reef on 1/12/13, planned to be mostly SPS dominated tank, with this equipment:

• Aquarium size: 80 cm (length) / 50 cm (width) / 60 cm (height) = 240L display. Imperial: 31.5"/19.7"/23.6" = 63.4 us gallon.
• Orphek Nilus LED fixture (was hung too close to the water surface at first, but I raised it afterwards)
• 2 Jebao wp-25
• Filter sock
• BM Curve 7
• BM return pump (4300 l/h)
• Eden pump (300 l/h) for the chiller and the BioPlastic
• XR-M with TLF BioPlastic
• Hilea chiller HC-300A
• Jager (don't remember how much Watts.. 200 or 300)
• Dry rocks
• TLF Live sand (fine grain)
• 2 bags of ceramic media in the sump
• TLF C-Balance (with automated dosing pump)
• TLF Carbon - 3 hours a day. Very slow flow and the flow goes back into the filter sock so there are no particles floating in the water

I dose these as well:

• TLF amino acids - once a day
• Brightwell Koralle-VM - once a day (1/4 tsp)
• Brightwell KoralColor - twice a week (1/2 tsp)
• BioDigest - once every other week (1 vial)
• Feeding with Brightwell MicroVore once a week

At first the parameters weren't stable (alk, cal, mag), but it was ok later.
I bought more that a dozen of SPS corals and some clams, all died within days to weeks.
I try to keep my nutrients as low as possible (both are zero).

Then I thought that the LEDs were my problem, so I bought 2 fixtures of 4 T5 by Giesemann (4 actinic blue, 3 azure, 1 coral).
Since then I had a little accident and raised my calcium to 500 ppm. Ever since the accident, the parameters are very stable on: Alk=8.176, Ca=466, Mg=1350, Po4=0, No3=0, S.G.=1.025.
I test Alk, Ca and Po4 with Hanna, Mg and No4 with Salifert and salinity with Milwaukee.

Since then, I bought several SPS corals but they all don't look so good.. I don't see polyps, and they became a bit more brown.

Another Problem of mine is algae. I got my overflow filled with green hairy algae, but it's ok because I harvest once a week. Also, the algae covers all the rocks in the aquarium (Red hairy algae and some cyanobacteria).
I think it has something to do with my fish:

• Redhead wrasse
• Leopard wrasse
• Yellow-Flanked fairy wrasse
• some other rather small and red-ish wrasse
• Blenny Midas
• Blenny bi-color
• 5 med-big clownfish (I think percula, but maybe ocellaris)
• Azure demselfish
• Blue reef chromis
• Pseudochromis fridmani
• Marine beta
• 2 Fire shrimps
• Lysmata shrimp
• 3 hermit crabs
• 3 conches
• 3-4 Turbo snails
• Nassarius snail

Maybe they are too much, but I don't know...
Perhaps the problems aren't too big, but having a reef tank (which cost quite a lot) that I'm not satisfied with for more than a year is quite of a mood killer..


Tl;dr:

1. SPS keep dying
2. LPS (acan and symph) look good
3. Lot's and lot's of disgusting algae

Thanks for reading and thanks for your help, guys!

 

[Fishpistol]

It sounds like with the hair algae that you might have too many nutrients going into the tank. Maybe to much feeding of the fish. I don't know how big the fish are but that could also be a probably with them giving off too much waste. I would be curious if anyone has a suggestion on why the SPS keeps dying. I am kind of in the same problem. I just started a 100 gallon tank. I dose the tank all parameters are where they should be. I even had SPS in for a week or so and they were doing awesome polyps were out even growth. I did a water change and ever since then I have been having issues with the SPS. Water changes with RO and new salt have no bad or good effect really since then. Everything is basically the same. I have an APEX and keep track of PH which changes 8.1 to 8.25-.3 during the day but is always stable at night. Some things in the tank do great. Rose tip anemone, star polyps. The acropora, birdsnest, hammer just never take off. No idea what is going on so hopefully people have some suggestions for you. Just know that you are not alone in trying to figure this stuff out. The money invested is alot so I feel your pain.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Im thinking you're way overstocked with fish, which is contributing to your problems. It seems you have at least 20? fish in a 60 gallon? Is that the correct number?

 

[leeransetton]

Most of the fish are medium size for their species (except for the red-ish wrasse and the azure).
That can explain the algae growth, but not the dying SPS..

Breakthecycle2, it's 18, but yeah.. As I said, they are medium size for their species, and most of them are not that big of a fish (not like triggers and tangs).
If I had to take some out, it would be 3 clowns and the Fridmani. Will that be enough?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

The SPS could be dying for a number of reasons. High Phosphates, inadequate lighting or the lighting is too high off the tank among other reasons. I am thinking, poor lighting and high phosphates to start. Have you checked your phosphate levels?

 

[DMan]

Overstocked and overdosing. Good rule to follow is if you can't test for it then don't dose it. The big three are the most important. All the other trace stuff can be maintained with water changes. A lot of those products contain phosphates. And you have to have phosphates and nitrated to grow algae. Dosing usually isn't required unless you've got a heavily stocked tank, of corals that is.

 

[leeransetton]

I don't think the lights are poor because the bulbs are new (3-4 months) and there are 8 T5s, so that's the maximum I can fit. The lights hang at ~15 cm from water level.
As for the phosphates, Hanna says 0.0 po4..
And as for the dosing - I will stop dosing the Brightwell Koralle-VM and Brightwell KoralColor.
I started to dose when I didn't find any explanation to the dying SPS.

I will start using algae scrubber soon (waiting for the glass and the LED driver).

 

[Fishpistol]

I don't think it is lighting either. I have 2 400 watt MH brand new lights. Does your PH move around a lot? Mine moves like 8.1-8.3 during the day. I keep thinking that might be it but I read everywhere that a PH swing during the day is fine.

 

[leeransetton]

I don't have ph test.. I will buy one right now

 

[Breakthecycle2]

If you have algae, you have high phosphates. You might be getting a false "0" reading because the algae is consuming all the phosphate.

 

[leeransetton]

I guess this is true, but what to do?
should I give away some fish?

 

[saltyphish]

I would reduce the number of fish.

 

[leeransetton]

Does removing 3 clownfish and 1 Fridmani will be enough?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Im not sure, but if you're at 18, I'd consider at least 8.

 

[leeransetton]

omg...
I'll start with those 4, then I'll see what I can take out.. I just love each of my fish (except the clowns.. They're there for my gf).
Thanks, guys, I will update soon

 

[leeransetton]

OK guys, a quick update:
1. I bought LPS (instead of SPS) and they look amazing. I really love my tank now!
2. After cleaning my rocks (with air line) and sump, I added 25 mini turbo snails. I also change my filter sock every 2-3 days as you recommended me to. Yesterday I cleaned my rocks again with airline and most of the algae just got out of the rocks by itself! Some other algae I ripped off and sucked with the airline. The aquarium look much cleaner, but still not shiny clean.


Thanks everyone! I'll update again when there's something new to tell