75 Gallon Tank - Ongoing

[SaraJames]

Consolidating some threads to hopefully build one that tracks all my drama. LOL Thank you to anyone who reaches the end.
Can I add these to my tank
New to saltwater and this forum

Hi! I just wandered into the wild world of saltwater fish. So far I have learned a few things the hard way.

Apparently I found the most aggressive orchid dottyback in the world and it took out a flame angel and a copperband butterfly then started bullying the blue hippo tang and my pajama cardinals. I moved him to a 20 gallon qt so he could have some personal space while I got the tank re-established hoping that once the new fish were more established I could move him back. Catching him was such drama that the rest of the fish in the tank were stressed and got ich. I stuck a fiesty chromis (that always stayed at the top of the tank) in with him to chill out for a bit and he went after it so I decided to return him. I now have some coral and needed the qt to be a safe place for treatments.

I had a second copperband that was happy then just up and died. I really miss having one in the tank but now I am wondering if they just aren't hardy enough. On the other hand the LFS recently mentioned that I should have been giving him a special diet that no one ever mentioned?
I tried a red fromia starfish but I didn't have much luck with it. It just never seemed to thrive.
I have had two condy's die but neither seemed to do well for long and apparently I wasn't feeding them right (once again not mentioned by LFS).
In the past three days I added an Eibli Angel and now I have had 1 clownfish disappear (possibly eaten by anemone), 1 clownfish stuck to my wave maker, and 1 mandarin get eaten. I removed the Eibli who promptly died in the qt tank, which is definitely my fault. I had two snails in there that I didn't realize had died and the water was heinous. I couldn't smell it because that tank has an amazing hood. The hubby smelled it when i asked him to remove the snails and see if they were alive. I removed 5 gallons and replaced three with rodi (all I had on hand). The hope was that would at least help the issue until I could do more.

I recently had a pretty good case of diatomes that I cleaned up and moved the corals to places that AI recommended, but I just don't feel like they are happy where they are. Or maybe they are ticked at me for moving them.

So below is all I know about my current setup. Give me the good the bad and the ugly. LOL Half of what you all discuss is way over my head so keep it simple for me please.

Stats:
75 gallon tank with Tidal 75 filter
Sponge filter
sand and rock
wave maker for a 75 gallon tank in a back corner
Kessil 160 - Kessil 160 - 2 lights, 2 goosenecks - 1 hour ramp up, 8 hours on, 1 hour ramp down

Fish:
Blue Hippo Tang - I'm now aware he will get too big and will have to figure out a way to rehome him (thanks LFS)
2 - Pajama Cardinals
2 - Blue Chromis
Condylactis Gigantea Purple Tip

Coral:
pics attached
1- Goniopora
1- Alveopora
1- GSP
1- blastomussa

Several snails and a conch

Image of current water test levels is attached

I was feeding the fish every other day - but now I am doing twice a day with 3/4 cube of Hikari omega enriched Brine shrimp. The anemone and the corals get Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast every day (a few drops mixed with water for all of them). I don't know why but I don't feel they get much of it even though I put it right up to them. I just fed my anemone some of the brine shrimp for the first time and that seemed to go well.

I am also starting a 10-20% water change weekly. Before this I was just topping off with rodi. I have been using a magnetic glass cleaner.

It has been suggested I get a skimmer, a refugium, a scrubber, and a hydrometer. I would love some recommendations for what kind to get for a 75 gallon tank.

I'm here for a long time not a good time so fill me in on anything I need to know.

 

[Nano_Man]

I would change your test kits too salfert or Hannah is more accurate. Also I would buy a good salinity tester . You don't want big swings

 

[SaraJames]

I would change your test kits too salfert or Hannah is more accurate. Also I would buy a good salinity tester . You don't want big swings

What type of Salinity tester would you recommend? I found WiFi Aquarium Water Quality Monitor and someone told me to go with a higher end one for the price?

 

[Nano_Man]

I would get a glass hydrometer it is correct every time

 

[Nano_Man]

I don't know about probes but someone will chime in

 

[SaraJames]

Current status:
I'm currently looking at a Reef octopus HOB-100 classic because it was suggested I needed one. I bought a refugium to safely add fish or whatever else I'm supposed to stick in there. I'm ordering a Salifert Master Reef Testing Combo Kit - Saltwater Aquariums because someone suggested my API kit may not be accurate. I'm also getting a Refractometer and a Hydrometer.

 

[SaraJames]

Just a second note- I have a Tidal 110 not a 75

 

[dvgyfresh]

Very nice start and sounds like you are learning fast! Keep it up, it’s better than when I first started , hydrometer is very important as keeping constant salinity is required for corals and overall tank stability. Some other good test kits I would recommend: Hanna for alkalinity and phosphate. Salifert for nitrate. Investing in an auto top off would also help as it replaces water as it evaporates so that salinity isn’t changing

 

[SaraJames]

I'm not sure what is going on with my tank. In the last week I added an Eibli and had to remove it pretty much two days later because fish started turning up dead. The fish had been living together for months and been fine. Then after he was moved I have had 1 fish a day die. 1 clown was stuck to the wave maker yesterday and now a green chromis is looking beat up. Total loss at this point is 2 clowns, 1 eibli, 1 mandarin, and pretty sure 1 chromis by the end of the day.

I only have a small blue hippo tang, 2 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis, 1 anenome, and a urchin left.

 

[SaraJames]

Just got back from the store with my new hydrometer. The tank is testing at 1.020. I'm assuming that means I need to add some salt water not RODI. I hung a Seachem ammonia tag to check those levels as well.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Just got back from the store with my new hydrometer. The tank is testing at 1.020. I'm assuming that means I need to add some salt water not RODI. I hung a Seachem ammonia tag to check those levels as well.

Yes usually salinity for reef tanks is 1.025 or 1.026. Good step in the right direction! It’s also easier for others to help if you know what yr parameters are at

 

[dvgyfresh]

Yes usually salinity for reef tanks is 1.025 or 1.026. Good step in the right direction! It’s also easier for others to help if you know what yr parameters are at

Maybe add some salt to your top off water until it reaches the desired level

 

[SaraJames]

After noon water tests results are!
Nitrate 80ppm
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
PH 8.4

How do I lower my Nitrates?

 

[Acanthaopolis]

Best way to lower nitrates is with water changes. When nitrates get that high, a few things might have occurred. Over feeding is usually the number one cause. It could also be from animals that died if they stayed in the tank too long. Having a hang on the back could mean the sponges or filter cartridges are clogged dirty. If you clean any sponges use the tank water when you do a water change. Tap water will kill the bacteria and cause more problems. I would suspect it is not just one of these things, but perhaps a combination of little from each. I would definitely cut back on the oyster feast until you get it under control as that is known to foil water quality quickly. Keep in mind corals are photosynthetic and can survive on just your lights alone without any problems. I would start there and wait to feed them until they show substantial growth or you want to try to get the best color possible. When you feed your fish, the waste they produce also feeds the corals.

 

[Nano_Man]

Just asking do you run a skimmer?

 

[SaraJames]

Just asking do you run a skimmer?

I am getting ready to get one this week.

 

[SaraJames]

Update:
My salinity was too low so I added some saltwater and it is at 1.025. PH, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Ammonia are all testing good. I'm going to give it a week or so and then see where to go from there.

 

[SaraJames]

View attachment 20260330_203333_0875109C-172D-491C-B4EB-0E0D41C22359.mov
What do you guys think of this layout. I am thinking about getting some magnet rocks to go up the back of the tank and hold coral.

 

[Nano_Man]

What do you guys think of this layout. I am thinking about getting some magnet rocks to go up the back of the tank and hold coral.

I am a old time reefer . I always stacked mine at the back and kept a space at both sides for cleaning side glasses but yes it looks good when full of corals eventually your tank will be amazing but do everything really slowly stocking. Looking at your rock work a second time it looks fine good job

 

[SaraJames]

What do you guys think of this layout. I am thinking about getting some magnet rocks to go up the back of the tank and hold coral.

I am a old time reefer . I always stacked mine at the back and kept a space at both sides for cleaning side glasses but yes it looks good when full of corals eventually your tank will be amazing but do everything really slowly stocking. Looking at your rock work a second time it looks fine good job

Thanks. I’m getting ready to glue the center piece together so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing anything bad before I did.