What Is HAPPENING?
- Thread starter EmilyXLC
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Tomoko Schum
Valuable Member
You might consider importing some sand from another well established (and pest-free) tank if you have not used any live rock or live sand to start your tank. I always started up my tanks with a live rock and some live sand from an established system, and I never had any issue with leather, zoas, xenia or other beginner type corals in a new tank. I recall we used to do a sand swap (exchanging a cup of sand with another club member) in the past. I suppose that we stopped doing that when red planaria flatworms became an issue.
If you are doing regular water changes, the calcium and magnesium should not be a problem in a new tank with a small bioload imho. It is a good idea to test these parameters periodically to make sure they are in line. Someone in the club should be able to test them for you if you don't have these test kits. I find Salifert's test kit generally accurate and very easy to use compared to some others.
If you are doing regular water changes, the calcium and magnesium should not be a problem in a new tank with a small bioload imho. It is a good idea to test these parameters periodically to make sure they are in line. Someone in the club should be able to test them for you if you don't have these test kits. I find Salifert's test kit generally accurate and very easy to use compared to some others.
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Gavij
Community Member
Thanks for the appreciation....
Tomoko Schum
Valuable Member
I hope that we have not offended you. Reading back, I realize what I posted earlier is pretty much the same thing you posted. We are not ignoring you. Each one of us are offering our "opinions", which may or may not apply to her exact situation.
Emily is not a total newbie. She is just getting back into the hobby and actually knows a thing or two. She is just frustrated. When I get frustrated, I tend to write as if I am thinking out loud.
A part of the problem may be the error I made estimating the condition of her tank. When I gave her these frags to try them out in her tank, I did so with the understanding that her tank has cycled and ready to accept these corals based on my own past experience. Obviously I was wrong.
Well, she can chuck these shriveled-up, non-performing corals at this point and start from scratch. In my estimate, she lost nothing but time at this point.
What do you all suggest?
OP
OP
EmilyXLC
Charisma +10
Half of my rock was live rock from an established tank. In addition, all of my sand was alive and from an established tank as well. I also had a few gallons of water from said established tank to kick off my cycle, too.
The kit I am using is the one that was suggested to me- the API Master kit for saltwater. It tests for high range pH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.
If anyone can recommend the other test kits and brands of test kits but I also need to order, please let me know as soon as possible. I can order them today.
The leather is still looking pale, but it's kind of perking up now. The Xenia is also coming back a little! The Zoas are also showing me a tiny itty bitty hint of green, so maybe that's a good sign?
The kit I am using is the one that was suggested to me- the API Master kit for saltwater. It tests for high range pH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite.
If anyone can recommend the other test kits and brands of test kits but I also need to order, please let me know as soon as possible. I can order them today.
The leather is still looking pale, but it's kind of perking up now. The Xenia is also coming back a little! The Zoas are also showing me a tiny itty bitty hint of green, so maybe that's a good sign?
MBG75
Well-Known Member
Test your calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium.
Is your salinity tested with a refractometer?
Sometimes leathers and Xenia will melt away due to low iodine, but you must test for it before you dose
Is your salinity tested with a refractometer?
Sometimes leathers and Xenia will melt away due to low iodine, but you must test for it before you dose
H@rry
Troll
In my opinion (take that for what it's worth) the hobby test kits for PO4 are pretty much worthless. I got a Hanna checker and found out that my PO4 was pretty high in one tank. I guess I should have known that without a test kit. Since then I have been running GFO in reactors and the difference is very apparant. I'm using the checker to know when to replace the GFO.
Tomoko Schum
Valuable Member
Sounds encouraging. Keep the leather and xenia in areas with a good flow. They can take quite a bit of flow as a matter of fact.
OP
OP
EmilyXLC
Charisma +10
Funny you mention it, Tomoko...
They started looking better when I moved them to the very bottom of the tank (they were perched up on the top of some rocks) & close to the powerhead.
They started looking better when I moved them to the very bottom of the tank (they were perched up on the top of some rocks) & close to the powerhead.
