coral crash course

[TxReefer21]

i dont wanna pay 50% to know my perams. i am gonna start with something simple

The Hanna checkers are the most simple testers IMO your def gonna get your money worth I’ve used the Red Sea test kits and hate them especially for the cal test kit If you want fast easy and efficient Hanna

 

[Gtinnel]

I've actually recently started using a Trident, and I will no longer complain about the cost of Hanna checkers.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

what other corals will do well in my system, my leds are 48 watts total 10 royal blue 10 white 3 actinic 2 blue all cree

 

[NoahLikesFish]

hwewa my hawk my parazoanthus and gsp para on right gsp on left

 

[Bribo12]

You got a lot of algae my friend. You probably have high phosphates unless your nitrate reading was off. I’d get the tank stable and nutrients down before adding any other corals as the easy ones you have are struggling.

 

[TxReefer21]

The Hanna checkers are the most simple testers IMO your def gonna get your money worth I’ve used the Red Sea test kits and hate them especially for the cal test kit If you want fast easy and efficient Hanna

If you wanna go cheap you can get a api reef test kit but won’t be very accurate

hwewa my hawk my parazoanthus and gsp para on right gsp on left

Lot of algae and looks like bubble algae I’d throw in some seachem phosgaurd with a water change and carbon and get that crud out your corals are probably dying cause the algae is using all the nutrients in the tank

 

[Gtinnel]

I would strongly recommend against getting api test kits. Salifert are only slightly more expensive and from my experience considerably better. Although honestly I've never used either brand for tests that require titration.

I also agree with others that you should work on getting your tank cleared up before getting any more corals. I know it's tempting to start trying to quickly stock your tank, but you will be better off in the long run taking it slow.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

ok so phosgaurd and carbon?

 

[NoahLikesFish]

how should my flow be? i could use a 800 gph pump w/o filter and bags in the tank or i could like run a powerhead, i use ac because its cheaper and its worked well imo. i should be able to get the phosgaurd and the carbon soon tho

 

[NoahLikesFish]

would more cuc help?

 

[NoahLikesFish]

ok it isnt bubble algae. i looked at pics and it dosent look like it. i had to cut some of my parazoanthus off because i think it was dead. should i remove all the healthy bits from the rock and put them on a more densely packed rock so its all concentrated in 1 good area. also should i put my corals in darkness so they can recover?

 

[Gtinnel]

When dealing with algea you really need to know what your nitrate and phosphate levels are. The algea that is on the back looks like possibly cyano with bubbles stuck in it to me (is it a redish/purple color and easy to remove?), and I see what looks like possibly green hair algea. I've never personally had much success with CUC eating cyano but supposedly cerith snails will help, and higher flows will usually help with cyano.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

When dealing with algea you really need to know what your nitrate and phosphate levels are. The algea that is on the back looks like possibly cyano with bubbles stuck in it to me (is it a redish/purple color and easy to remove?), and I see what looks like possibly green hair algea. I've never personally had much success with CUC eating cyano but supposedly cerith snails will help, and higher flows will usually help with cyano.

ok. i will kill the cyano, im just lazy to do it. theres like a black algae tho it is weird and it only is in the darkness

 

[andiesreef]

ok. i will kill the cyano, im just lazy to do it. theres like a black algae tho it is weird and it only is in the darkness

Gonna be honest here. If you kill the algae and the underlying nutrient issue is still there, it WILL come back. If you're going to be lazy then reefing might not be the hobby for you. It involves a lot of work, time, and funds. You really need to test your parameters, fix the root problem, and if that doesn't work THEN you can carpet bomb the algae. People are here offering you solid advice and yet you're going in a million different directions at once. Google and past R2R threads along with the advice of several hobbyists are great resources. Use them!

 

[Ricksreeefs]

hwewa my hawk my parazoanthus and gsp para on right gsp on left

Ok I’m no expert here but I can hardly see the corals meaning that they hardly have any light. Test the parameters, I would recommend Hanna bc that’s what I use and I love em but since you don’t wanna spend the money go with Salifert not api.