Need some help from a seasoned reefer

[steventaylor702]

I have had some issues with my tank over the last 3 months.

Some back story first
Started the tank about 2 years ago in a nuvo 16 and about 6 months ago I set up a new tank with a sump and better filtration about double the total volume of the 16 the tank its self is about the same size as the 16 though

Over the last couple of months I have had a few issues:

About 3 months ago:
First the tank was running to clean I fixed the by holding off on my water changes and reducing my chemi-pure size down.
My parameters where
nitrates undetectable
Phosphates undetectable
PH 8.1
Cal 400
Alk 7
Temp 77

About 2 weeks ago:
Then I had a cyano out break that I fix with some chemi-clean but not be for trying to clean it out by by siphoning it
And keeping parameters in check
My parameters where
nitrates 10
Phosphates <1 ppm
PH 8.2
Cal 420
Alk 8
Temp 77


Now I have some brownish red slime the is getting on certain corals particularly my zoas cause the to not want to open it blows right off with a baster and they start to open but it keeps coming back every day
My parameters where
nitrates 5 ppm
Phosphates <1 ppm
PH 8.3
Cal 380
Alk 9
Temp 77

I am currently doing another dose of chemi-clean to see if the cures it
But any suggestions and info you could give me to help me out would be great I really want to get this under control before I lose anything. All my other corals except one are doing great but just one that I put up to high and it burnt the tips and the zoas that are not opening. If you live in the Vegas area you could come and take a look and I can post pics if needed.

 

[saltyphish]

phosphates are > than 1 ppm is your problem if that is accurate. What do you test with or is the number a typo? Many people try to keep phosphate as close to zero as possible. What are you feeding? How Much? How many fish? Your live rock might be saturated with it and could also continue to leech out phosphates for quite some time. Did you not do water changes for 3 mths at all? Sorry for all of the questions I just need some more info to best help you.

 

[steventaylor702]

Ment less then sorry I have a friend with a Hannah checker it said .2 ppm I have a api test kit it just doesn't show on it

 

[steventaylor702]

I pressed the wrong sign when typing it

 

[steventaylor702]

As far as feeding its every 2days. As for the water change issue I was changing once a week then I let it go for a month to let stuff build up and reduced the chemi-pure. Now i am doing water changes once a week again. As for fish I have 2 clowns, y.w. goby, purple fire fish, and a mc coskers flasher wrasse.

 

[Feathers&Frags]

Brown slime sounds more like a brown jelly? It's good to have some nitrates in your tank and even if your testers read zero phosphates most of the time they are still present.The fluctuations you indicated in your calcium and alkalinity are not good either. What is your magnesium level? Just trying to get all the parameters together here.

 

[steventaylor702]

.
..

 

[steventaylor702]

Brown slime sounds more like a brown jelly? It's good to have some nitrates in your tank and even if your testers read zero phosphates most of the time they are still present.The fluctuations you indicated in your calcium and alkalinity are not good either. What is your magnesium level? Just trying to get all the parameters together here.

I have not testes mag lately. I haven't gotten the adjustments in for dosing my two part yet I never use to use it before but now my corals are using more then water changes are replenishing so I had to start dosing two part

 

[steventaylor702]

phosphates are > than 1 ppm is your problem if that is accurate. What do you test with or is the number a typo? Many people try to keep phosphate as close to zero as possible. What are you feeding? How Much? How many fish? Your live rock might be saturated with it and could also continue to leech out phosphates for quite some time. Did you not do water changes for 3 mths at all? Sorry for all of the questions I just need some more info to best help you.

Put some stuff you asked up

 

[saltyphish]

.2 is still high for phosphates imo. Also making sure I read this right, you have 5 fish in a 16 gallon aquarium?

 

[steventaylor702]

.2 is still high for phosphates imo. Also making sure I read this right, you have 5 fish in a 16 gallon aquarium?

Yes I do but total volume of tank and sump is 34 gallons
And have had no issues with them as far as aggressive behavior and never had any high nitrates and phosphate problems

 

[steventaylor702]

I made yet another mistake on my phosphates measurement I ment .02 and under .1 I don't know what measurement I was getting it mixed up with but I did.

 

[steventaylor702]

This is the chart I try to keep my parameters to

 

[steventaylor702]

And is there a chance the mods could combine the 2 of this posts together I accidentally double posted one in nano reef and one in general