Unhappy coral?

[jetmaker]

Why would you tell the op that they don't need to test ALK cal and mag ? The amount of corals have nothing to do with it he or she needs to know if the levels in the tank is enough for the corals to be happy.

Telling someone they don't need a test kit is wrong.

With a low amount of coral it will not even use the amount of calcium as a water change.

 

[jetmaker]

He needs to fix the algae problem

 

[Greenstreet.1]

How do you know that ? What is his ALK cal and mag when he mix his water ? What the levels in the tank ? How do you know it's not to low or to high ? Right now all you are doing is guessing just like the op. He don't even know what his new salt mix level is and you think that's ok ?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

He needs to fix the algae problem

Ok

 

[jetmaker]

How do you know that ? What is his ALK cal and mag when he mix his water ? What the levels in the tank ? How to you know it's not to low or to high ? Right now all you are doing is guessing just like the op. The don't even know what his new salt mix level is and you think that's ok ?

If it were sps I would agree but not a zoa lol.

 

[cessnabird]

I'll pick up a the additional test kit for reefs soon for sure, I know I should be monitoring those parameters as well.

I'll move the frag to the top of the tank and and tweak the lighting a bit to see how it likes it.

Will too much flow adversly affect Zoas? With such a small tank size, a single powerhead is definitely moving water so the flow is pretty solid everywhere in the tank. I don't know if there is a such thing as "too much flow" for certain corals, as in enough flow to aggravate and cause a coral to close.

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

If it were sps I would agree but not a zoa lol.

It has nothing to do with sps or zoa nothing at all. Then you are trying to tell me that you don't need to test or need a test kit once you are not keeping sps that's bad info bro bad.

 

[jetmaker]

It has nothing to do with sps or zoa nothing at all. Then you are trying to tell me that you don't need to test or need a test kit once you are not keeping sps that's bad info bro bad.

I've only been doing this for 35 yrs maybe I'm wrong lol.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I'll pick up a the additional test kit for reefs soon for sure, I know I should be monitoring those parameters as well.

I'll move the frag to the top of the tank and and tweak the lighting a bit to see how it likes it.

Will too much flow adversly affect Zoas? With such a small tank size, a single powerhead is definitely water so the flow is pretty solid everywhere in the tank. I don't know if there is a such thing as "too much flow" for certain corals, as in enough flow to aggravate and cause a coral to close.

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

My only advice to you right now is get good test kits for alk cal and mag and start from there. As for the algae your setup is still new if you have a good CC they will and should cleanup the rest of algae left over from cycle or you can try blowing off before water changes and try take it out with your water changes.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I've only been doing this for 35 yrs maybe I'm wrong lol.

Do you have test kit for ALK cal and mag ?

And doing it for 35 yrs and telling someone they don't need cal ALK and mag test kits hmmmmm

 

[jetmaker]

Do you have test kit for ALK cal and mag ?

I do but I don't use them because I have the capability as most do that been in this that long to look at a coral and know what it needs. I use kalk in ato and I don't do wcs.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I do but I don't use them because I have the capability as most do that been in this that long to look at a coral and know what it needs. I use kalk in ato and I don't do wcs.

That's understandable but you needed one in order to get where you are at now so it's wrong for you to tell someone just getting into the hobby they don't need one and to think like someone that's been doing it for 35 yrs.

 

[jetmaker]

I'll pick up a the additional test kit for reefs soon for sure, I know I should be monitoring those parameters as well.

I'll move the frag to the top of the tank and and tweak the lighting a bit to see how it likes it.

Will too much flow adversly affect Zoas? With such a small tank size, a single powerhead is definitely moving water so the flow is pretty solid everywhere in the tank. I don't know if there is a such thing as "too much flow" for certain corals, as in enough flow to aggravate and cause a coral to close.

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated.

OK lets go to the main issue here I don't know you're filtration but you need to run some gfo in it even if you just put it in a bag through your filter for the algae.

 

[jetmaker]

That's understandable but you needed one in order to get where you are at now so it's wrong for you to tell someone just getting into the hobby they don't need one and to think like someone that's been doing it for 35 yrs.

He has a zoa his first problem is algae he needs to deal with that first. A zoa is not going to eat up alk and cal in a 20 gallon tank that it would need a test.

 

[jetmaker]

That's understandable but you needed one in order to get where you are at now so it's wrong for you to tell someone just getting into the hobby they don't need one and to think like someone that's been doing it for 35 yrs.

Not only do I have a much larger system I have a lot more Coral.

 

[cessnabird]

My only advice to you right now is get good test kits for alk cal and mag and start from there. As for the algae your setup is still new if you have a good CC they will and should cleanup the rest of algae left over from cycle or you can try blowing off before water changes and try take it out with your water changes.

Thanks for the advice. I did use a turkey baster to blow the brown algae off the rocks and siphoned most of it off the sand, so it is greatly reduced now as compared to before. I have not put a clean up crew in yet because up until the brown showed up, I had nothing for them to eat, aside from the waste from the 4 fish which didn't seem like much. Now may be the time I guess, I read that snails are great for cleaning algae.

 

[cessnabird]

OK lets go to the main issue here I don't know you're filtration but you need to run some gfo in it even if you just put it in a bag through your filter for the algae.

I am running a Fluval Aquaclear 50 HOB with sponge and 2x biomax. With 4 fish and a small amount of coral in a 20 high, I am not using carbon or a skimmer at this point. Should I be?

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I'm not saying that the one coral is taking up his ALK or cal I'm saying how do you know if it's not to high or to low. Point is that the op needs to know what levels his tank is at when it comes to the major three that's all.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

So you went through cycle and did not add a cleanup crew before you add fish. Then you will have algae you need a cleanup crew to help you out or you will have to try get it out during your water changes. Sounds like you did not take your time with the setup.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

How do you know that ? What is his ALK cal and mag when he mix his water ? What the levels in the tank ? How do you know it's not to low or to high ? Right now all you are doing is guessing just like the op. He don't even know what his new salt mix level is and you think that's ok ?

Mainly I think because it's a ZOA in trouble.
I'm not guessing. He's using a kessel 160 it's not much punch an I bet there's no light meter. If it's being set by eye it's being set wrong. No alk test is as bad as no lux meter. Until your old and see your corraline change If the op is doing even vaguely regular WC the alk is probably ok.really no mater what salt is being used. Esp in a 20 g. Like all of us we put in too much Po and don't take it out. Well. And even that won't kill a ZOA until the cyano starts to out compete it for Po or smother it. Or the Po gets too high and it's just plain poison.
So chill. And help the op out.