This tank hates me.

[KQuillan]

I started out with a 15 gallon Nano. Moved up to a 38 gallon Bow Front, to a 60 gallon AIO. I have had better luck with the Nano and Bow Front than this thing! I have struggled with hair algae, apstasia, ich, loss coral and fish loss. Lost another one today. Have no idea where the heck this one has gone.

Not to whine, but I totally understand why people get so frustrated. I test, match with two fish stores, they always say they wish they had levels like mine.
Mag 1350
Alk 8.3
Nitrate 5
PH .025
Calc - 380
Salt 1.25

Just venting because every time I think I have a chance to just enjoy for a moment, something else happens. So much money and love poured into this and I am ready to tear it down.

 

[TopClamSkoo]

ICP test? maybe thatll show something else..

 

[KQuillan]

ICP test? maybe thatll show something else..

I just got one. Going to send it out tomorrow.

 

[TopClamSkoo]

I hear ya... my previous tank a 25 nano was a nightmare! My other nanos and large tanks before it were perfectly fine...

 

[TopClamSkoo]

Nice state you live in BTW

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Sorry to hear about that. How long have you been in the hobby?

 

[DannoOMG]

I have only had tanks in my house for a little over 2 years. I just did an upgrade from 13 gallon to 25. Things started our great but the aiptasia problem was way worse than I thought it was. Did the wrong things back in the day before doing the right thing now I am paying for it. Tomorrow is 3 weeks since I put berghia nudibranches in the tank so I hope they fix it. However...

Lost a clownfish to (whatever illness) have the other clownfish in a med tank who hasn't eaten for days and acting goofy like the other one was before he died.

I have this wiry hair algae I have never seen before that feels like thick human hair? It pulls out easy but the roots remain and I can't scrub the rocks cause I don't know where the nudibranches are and don't want to agitate that situation.

I feel pretty defeated and I haven't even been in the hobby long. So I am going through the same stuff.

*edit* Also deaths in the family and work and stress just piles on.

 

[KQuillan]

Sorry to hear about that. How long have you been in the hobby?

I had a tank about 16 years ago that flourished and I had no clue about anything and what I was doing,. Go figure.
This go around, about a year so far.

 

[KQuillan]

I have only had tanks in my house for a little over 2 years. I just did an upgrade from 13 gallon to 25. Things started our great but the aiptasia problem was way worse than I thought it was. Did the wrong things back in the day before doing the right thing now I am paying for it. Tomorrow is 3 weeks since I put berghia nudibranches in the tank so I hope they fix it. However...

Lost a clownfish to (whatever illness) have the other clownfish in a med tank who hasn't eaten for days and acting goofy like the other one was before he died.

I have this wiry hair algae I have never seen before that feels like thick human hair? It pulls out easy but the roots remain and I can't scrub the rocks cause I don't know where the nudibranches are and don't want to agitate that situation.

I feel pretty defeated and I haven't even been in the hobby long. So I am going through the same stuff.

*edit* Also deaths in the family and work and stress just piles on.

Yes, this! My condolences on your losses.

 

[Kactai]

That's tough. Try to find out if the algae is bryopsis. I treated with flucanozole and it took care of it with no side effects.

I've also used berghia. They work great you just have to be patient and keep the tank stable so they can reproduce and thrive. You'll be ok. Patience and the will to stick out the tough times will be rewarded.

 

[Lavey29]

Pics would help. Numbers are not bad. What is your current lighting and cleaner crew? Did you fallow the tank after ich?

 

[fish farmer]

I started out with a 15 gallon Nano. Moved up to a 38 gallon Bow Front, to a 60 gallon AIO. I have had better luck with the Nano and Bow Front than this thing! I have struggled with hair algae, apstasia, ich, loss coral and fish loss. Lost another one today. Have no idea where the heck this one has gone.

Not to whine, but I totally understand why people get so frustrated. I test, match with two fish stores, they always say they wish they had levels like mine.
Mag 1350
Alk 8.3
Nitrate 5
PH .025
Calc - 380
Salt 1.25

Just venting because every time I think I have a chance to just enjoy for a moment, something else happens. So much money and love poured into this and I am ready to tear it down.

I've had similar experience. My first reef, 38 gallon did extremely well, upgraded to a 55 and then a 65, they became Fowlrs not by choice, downsized to a 29, had success again, neglected maintenance, but pulled it together and am running it like my old 38 and doing well.

 

[djf91]

Started with dry rock?

 

[steveschuerger]

Sorry about all the troubles. I do have to admit that ironically the larger tank (same as yours I believe) has been a bit more difficult to manage than the 30 long AIO I had previously. After 10 months it’s finally starting to come together. Hang in there it’ll work out .

 

[jabberwock]

Any pics?

 

[KQuillan]

Started with dry rock?

No, all live.

 

[Sump Crab]

No, all live.

Ocean live rock?

 

[KQuillan]

Pics would help. Numbers are not bad. What is your current lighting and cleaner crew? Did you fallow the tank after ich?

I have one AI 32 and two 16's. On at 0800, off at 7 p.m.
I now know I have a bristle worm, cleaner shrimp about 5 crabs, 1 bumblebee snail, 2 astrea snails, about 4 cerith snails, about 3 stomatella snails, I have at least a dozen nassarius snails and two huge turbo's. I have a brittlestar and a rock urchin in there too.
The wrasse was the only fish still in the tank as I could never catch him. The other two remaining are still in quarantine.

I will get pics posted asap.

 

[KQuillan]

Ocean live rock?

I believe so. My biggest piece that I got from a friend is the one that I am having all the algae issues with. I would take it out but I have a lot of corals on it.

 

[Sump Crab]

I believe so. My biggest piece that I got from a friend is the one that I am having all the algae issues with. I would take it out but I have a lot of corals on it.

If it was you would know. It’s generally shipped overnight from a aquaculture facility. I bet the old tank you had no trouble with in the past was started with real South Pacific Ocean rock which was readily available in the good old days. Now to get good rock like that you have to mail order it special. The rock the industry calls “live” now is just a bunch of quarry rock soaked in a tank for a couple of months or even worse just dry concrete with bacteria spores on it.