Tank is slowly dying, how do I get back on track?

MyFirstCar · Feb 20, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
both but I forgot to address algae-
This is one of the more challenging of algae due to need of its complete removal. Removal is best accomplished by taking the rock out of tank and placing in a container of tank water. Then you will want to pull as much as you can by hand and discard. With a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!
After you are done return rock to tank and reduce white light intensity and even hours of white light and add the following cleaners which will help with control. These guys will consume bryopsis but not as fast as bryopsis can grow - They will never keep up.
Pin cushion urchin, Chiton snails, pitho crabs, and larger astrea snails

This procedure is not as bad or time consuming as it seems. Assure phosphate levels do not become elevated which helps feed this algae

Good to know!

ryanjohn1 · Feb 20, 2023

It’s pretty tough to say what you got going on in there. I know @10 months I was killing a lot of the corals I put in. You said you have 2 bubble tip nems?

MyFirstCar · Feb 20, 2023

ryanjohn1 said:
It’s pretty tough to say what you got going on in there. I know @10 months I was killing a lot of the corals I put in. You said you have 2 bubble tip nems?

I had one but it split, since then they've been growing well.

ryanjohn1 · Feb 20, 2023

I’m surprised they are. I would think they would be the first to show signs of suffering. All the corals come from same place added at same time?

MyFirstCar · Feb 20, 2023

ryanjohn1 said:
I’m surprised they are. I would think they would be the first to show signs of suffering. All the corals come from same place added at same time?

Nope, some from other reefers, lots from a store, and all added one at a time.

vetteguy53081 · Feb 20, 2023

tstor said:
Nope, some from other reefers, lots from a store, and all added one at a time.

BTA nems are very hardy and resilient and water will have to be very poor or other issues (light -flow-toxins) for them to show signs of stress

brandon429 · Feb 21, 2023

Hey can you post a clear full tank picture there are some details missing with only closeups / need to see the full presentation to help you rehab the tank

lynn.reef.nerd · Feb 21, 2023

Can't tell if that's a flatworm or coralline.

Alex's Nano Reef · Feb 21, 2023

Are you running a ATO?

Dom · Feb 21, 2023

So you went on a 2 week vacation and gave your neighbor a crash course in husbandry before you left. Is this correct?

What was the condition of the tank before you left?

I'm wondering if something happened while you were away; was there something on your neighbor's hands that contaminated the tank?

Was your neighbor alone or were they coming in with their kid(s). If so, there is a good potential for something to happen with kids when a back is turned.

Maybe you should run carbon to rule out contamination?

MyFirstCar · Feb 21, 2023

brandon429 said:
Hey can you post a clear full tank picture there are some details missing with only closeups / need to see the full presentation to help you rehab the tank

Will do! just let me get home

MyFirstCar · Feb 21, 2023

Dom said:
So you went on a 2 week vacation and gave your neighbor a crash course in husbandry before you left. Is this correct?

What was the condition of the tank before you left?

I'm wondering if something happened while you were away; was there something on your neighbor's hands that contaminated the tank?

Was your neighbor alone or were they coming in with their kid(s). If so, there is a good potential for something to happen with kids when a back is turned.

Maybe you should run carbon to rule out contamination?

Tank condition was better before I left, but trending downhill. Since I have such a light load (only 2 clownfish, not too much alk/cal useage) really the only maitnence was feeding and topping off the ATO.

I've swapped out to fresh carbon on your suggestion though. They were the cleaning person for my apartment building (they clean the elevators, stairwells, hallways, etc.) and now that I'm putting 2+2 together I think I see where the problem might have been..... Cleaning products and tanks dont mix.

MyFirstCar · Feb 21, 2023

lynn.reef.nerd said:
Can't tell if that's a flatworm or coralline.

I can post a better picture, but in-person its definitely coralline. I do have some isopods crawling on my corals though.

Mark · Feb 21, 2023

When is the last time you calibrated your refractometer? If it's been a while, then do so. Use a calibrated solution, not RODI.

killer2001 · Feb 21, 2023

I don't know, 40% intensity seems far too low to me. That's a 50 watt light at 40% so only 20 watts of light. How far away mounted from the surface of the water?

Dom · Feb 22, 2023

tstor said:
Tank condition was better before I left, but trending downhill. Since I have such a light load (only 2 clownfish, not too much alk/cal useage) really the only maitnence was feeding and topping off the ATO.

I've swapped out to fresh carbon on your suggestion though. They were the cleaning person for my apartment building (they clean the elevators, stairwells, hallways, etc.) and now that I'm putting 2+2 together I think I see where the problem might have been..... Cleaning products and tanks dont mix.

Yes, I'm inclined to think that cleaning products may be the problem. Did they do any cleaning while in your home? Spray any aerosol of some kind?

But the carbon and a healthy water change should solve the problem, provided the problem is a contaminant.

MyFirstCar · Feb 22, 2023

killer2001 said:
I don't know, 40% intensity seems far too low to me. That's a 50 watt light at 40% so only 20 watts of light. How far away mounted from the surface of the water?

That's a question I've always had this this setup. I seem to run this light much lower than other people, but every time i move corals up in the tank they do poorly, so I've kept the light level low.

MyFirstCar · Apr 5, 2023

Hey, receiving this thread to ask a question:

What are these things on my hammer, and are they what's killing it?

I was implementing the changes everyone suggested here, and things were looking up. Then, 2 days ago (the day after my water change) I woke up to my torch looking like this.

Cal 410
Alk 8.5
N: 1ppm
P: 0.03ppm

Any thoughts? It's not a dead coral yet but it's getting there.