Something is wrong and no one can tell me why, please help!!!

[Shockey80]

Hello ALL,

My name is Karel and I am about 1 year into the salt water game. I have a 75 gallon tank with 25 gallon sump. I have a Bubba Skimmer and Bubba dosing system. I am about $5-$7K into my tank and have some frustrations that my tank guy can't seem to figure out. Whoever can help my, you would be a life saver and honestly bring a couple years of life back to me due to the stress. So I have done everything in my power to get my water levels consistent and looked up a very popular lighting cycle. I have all types of corral and fish in the tank. I have attached photos and vidoes to the post. I will list all levels and fish below. Problem I am having is that I can not keep some coral alive at all in my tank. Its killing me. I have lost close to $1500 in coral. Fish I have no problem keeping. But the corral is driving me up the wall. And its not the sensitive/non hardy coral. Its the easy stuff like zoo's and green star polyps. Please help, if you can. Here is everything below I have on numbers, fish, light schedule etc. Thank you in advance.

Last water test done:
Nitrates 20
Ammonia 0
PH 8-8.2
Salt 1.024
Calcium 430
DKH 9.3
Magnesium 1350

Lighting Schedule with AI Prime lights (2)
Lights on at 9am off at 9pm
Ramp Up on UV, V, RY and B from 0 to 115% from 9am to 12pm, 115% from 12pm to 4pm, tapper down 4pm to 9pm 115% to 0%
my G and R ramp up 9am-12pm 0%-16%, 16% 12-4pm, tapper down 16%-0% by 9pm
CW ramp up 0-20%, 20% 12-4pm, tapper down 20% to 0% by 9pm

Fish:
Clownfish
Blue Tang
Sailfin Tang
2 firefish
coral beauties
Green Chromis
Wrasses
Cardinalfish
Sand Eating Goby (Sleeper Blue Dot)
Butterfly Fish (Copper band)
Sleeper Banded Goby
Fox Face

Attached are pictures from July when you can see my corral was doing really well and Now (Oct). Have no Idea what is going or why because nothing on my end has changed. Haven't had problems with red or green algae and do water changes 1 a month at 20%.
I do have a problem with how many Asterina starfish I have in my tank and have read up a lot on them. Looking to purchase two harlequin shrimp to take care of them. I just cant find any right now. Don't know if that is my main problem though.

Thank you ALL

 

[SteveEreef]

Have you sent a sample of your water for an ICP test?

 

[Water Dog]

WELCOME to R2R!

What’s your Phosphate level at? You mentioned algae issues and I noticed your relatively high nitrate levels at 20, but then looked at your rather heavy bio load relative to tank size, so I’m curious what your PO4 levels may be.

I also noticed you’re using 2 AI Primes on a 75 gallon tank with only 4 hours of peak lighting intensity and 8 hours (4 on either side) dedicated to ramping. Seems a bit low to me, especially for SPS, even LPS. Do you have a par meter you can borrow? Once we determine your nutrient levels and reduce your algae issues, perhaps we can look at increasing your peak intensity photoperiod up to 8 hours with 2 hours on either end for ramping.

Also, have you noticed any fish nipping at corals? Like the Coral Beauty?

I dunno, those are my initial thoughts thus far based on the information given in your OP.

 

[VA5]

First off welcome
Agreed with above that you have a heavy bio load for your tank size.
I’d guess your main issue is several fish listed a NOT reef safe. These include coral beauty , butterfly fish and fox face, all known coral eaters.
Past that do not obsess on specific numbers, it will stress you out and never brings good results. Stability is more important although your nitrates are much higher than SPS like.
Good luck

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

I think they didn't get enough light. Try ramp it up with just 1 hour, then let it run straight for 9 to 10 hours then ramp down again with 1 hour only. Ramping with long hours is just a waste of time and doesn't give corals much energy to consume. Also keep N around 5 to 10 and P around 0.03.

 

[AdamB]

Welcome! everyone has some great points that could be issue. Phosphates? Nitrates with heavy fish load in tank, lighting schedule and fish that are not reef safe..
I know . It’s stressful when you get started on reefing with so much invested and have issues in tank.
One thing I learned is to go slow and don’t change too many things at once in tank.
Good luck !

 

[Paul B]

The thing you are not hearing about is a big issue that has always been a part of this hobby and I have the issue myself and I have a big, very old tank.

Corals, especially the more colorful, expensive ones all exude chemicals that kill or at least annoy other corals in close proximity. These chemicals are poisons and some corals just won't let you put other corals in the same tank no matter what your parameters are.

I can't keep acropora which are a very robust, fast growing coral and I used to have them growing up the wall. But other things got larger in my tank and I assume are exuding chemicals that are killing them as everything else is growing like crazy

Don't get nuts over this as it is normal and natural. Not everything will live together no matter what you do. Of course eventually whatever is causing the problem may stop doing that.
WE can't fix everything although you will get all sorts of advice that we can.

 

[Shockey80]

Have you sent a sample of your water for an ICP test?

What is a ICP test and where can I have that done at? Thank you

 

[Reefguy13]

I would look at the light. IMO 2 Ai primes is not enough for a 75 gallon tank. Their max spread is about 18 inches and I'm guessing yours is a standard 75 gallon (48 inches) plus its probably deep (18 inches or more). I have 2 ai primes on my 30 inch tank 13 inches high and corals do well. I also use one of the programmed AI lighting programs that are designed for specific types of corals and are tested and true by some that have been in the hobby a while. Plus this adds a nice mixtures of colors and slow ramp times so corals can adjust. Also running your lights and that high intensity is going to fry your lights quicker . One big piece of advice i got early on Dont go chasing numbers in terms of water parameters but do monitor them (obviously keep them in range of they should be) but dont try to get to a very specific number just for the sake of getting to a number cause a bottle or chart told you to. Corals above all love stability. Just my two cents take it for what its worth.

 

[Flippers4pups]

What's your source water?

RO/DI? TDS?

 

[Jon Fishman]

I also agree the main points I see:

overstocked
not enough light
Non-reef-friendly fish

 

[Shockey80]

WELCOME to R2R!

What’s your Phosphate level at? You mentioned algae issues and I noticed your relatively high nitrate levels at 20, but then looked at your rather heavy bio load relative to tank size, so I’m curious what your PO4 levels may be.

I also noticed you’re using 2 AI Primes on a 75 gallon tank with only 4 hours of peak lighting intensity and 8 hours (4 on either side) dedicated to ramping. Seems a bit low to me, especially for SPS, even LPS. Do you have a par meter you can borrow? Once we determine your nutrient levels and reduce your algae issues, perhaps we can look at increasing your peak intensity photoperiod up to 8 hours with 2 hours on either end for ramping.

Also, have you noticed any fish nipping at corals? Like the Coral Beauty?

I dunno, those are my initial thoughts thus far based on the information given in your OP.

Hello and thank you for writing. I think I mentioned above I have had no issues with algae or red algae. The light cycle was referred to me from a guy from the AI website as a recommendation. Nitrates were at 20 right before the waterchange. Usually drops to 0 right after and stays there from about 2 1/2 weeks

 

[Shockey80]

First off welcome
Agreed with above that you have a heavy bio load for your tank size.
I’d guess your main issue is several fish listed a NOT reef safe. These include coral beauty , butterfly fish and fox face, all known coral eaters.
Past that do not obsess on specific numbers, it will stress you out and never brings good results. Stability is more important although your nitrates are much higher than SPS like.
Good luck

Ok thank you. Yeah I dont see the fish ever picking but I only look at the tank about a total of an hour a day so I might be missing them doing it. Thank you

 

[Shockey80]

I think they didn't get enough light. Try ramp it up with just 1 hour, then let it run straight for 9 to 10 hours then ramp down again with 1 hour only. Ramping with long hours is just a waste of time and doesn't give corals much energy to consume. Also keep N around 5 to 10 and P around 0.03.

Thank you so much

 

[Shockey80]

Welcome! everyone has some great points that could be issue. Phosphates? Nitrates with heavy fish load in tank, lighting schedule and fish that are not reef safe..
I know . It’s stressful when you get started on reefing with so much invested and have issues in tank.
One thing I learned is to go slow and don’t change too many things at once in tank.
Good luck !

Thank you for your feedback

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Hello and thank you for writing. I think I mentioned above I have had no issues with algae or red algae. The light cycle was referred to me from a guy from the AI website as a recommendation. Nitrates were at 20 right before the waterchange. Usually drops to 0 right after and stays there from about 2 1/2 weeks

Are you sure your nitrate test is correct? If you did say a 50% wc you would expect it to drop to 10 and not 0.

I also agree that 2 primes on a 75 is not a lot of light

 

[Shockey80]

The thing you are not hearing about is a big issue that has always been a part of this hobby and I have the issue myself and I have a big, very old tank.

Corals, especially the more colorful, expensive ones all exude chemicals that kill or at least annoy other corals in close proximity. These chemicals are poisons and some corals just won't let you put other corals in the same tank no matter what your parameters are.

I can't keep acropora which are a very robust, fast growing coral and I used to have them growing up the wall. But other things got larger in my tank and I assume are exuding chemicals that are killing them as everything else is growing like crazy

Don't get nuts over this as it is normal and natural. Not everything will live together no matter what you do. Of course eventually whatever is causing the problem may stop doing that.
WE can't fix everything although you will get all sorts of advice that we can.

Good advice, thank you

 

[Shockey80]

What's your source water?

RO/DI? TDS?

I will have to ask my tank guy on that one. I will get back to you

 

[Shockey80]

Are you sure your nitrate test is correct? If you did say a 50% wc you would expect it to drop to 10 and not 0.

I also agree that 2 primes on a 75 is not a lot of light

Yeah the water change is 20-25% and my tank guy always runs the test before and after, so I am trusting him and he always says my levels are good.
with the lighting, I thought Prime were good lights? Do you agree on upping the peak time from 4 to 6 or 8 hours and only having ramp up and down 1-2 hours?

 

[Nanoreefer4ever]

Yeah the water change is 20-25% and my tank guy always runs the test before and after, so I am trusting him and he always says my levels are good.
with the lighting, I thought Prime were good lights? Do you agree on upping the peak time from 4 to 6 or 8 hours and only having ramp up and down 1-2 hours?

You have to run the tank yourself for a while to see if that he's telling the truth or not. Try run the light longer 9 hours peak, with 1 hour of ramping up and down only.