Coralland 8 gallon

[Curly01]

Almost 6 month update. Fought some algae for awhile and am starting to get that under control. Added yellow watchman goby, pistol shrimp and pompom crab.

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

Almost 6 month update. Fought some algae for awhile and am starting to get that under control. Added yellow watchman goby, pistol shrimp and pompom crab.

Holy granola!!! That looks absolutely amazing!!!.

I see the goby! He looks pretty comfortable in that hole of his!
Edit: I just noticed the goby seems to have a very sad face

 

[tbrown]

Holy granola!!! That looks absolutely amazing!!!.

I see the goby! He looks pretty comfortable in that hole of his!
Edit: I just noticed the goby seems to have a very sad face

I call mine Mr Grumpface and his shrimp is Pistol Pete.

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

I call mine Mr Grumpface and his shrimp is Pistol Pete.

Very fitting set of names, lol

 

[Curly01]

I’m having issues that I can’t figure out. Almost all my inverts died within a couple days. My hammer coral looks like it is about to die. I do weekly water changes. My water parameters are good. Salinity 1.026, ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Hair algae is taking over. What am I missing?

 

[tbrown]

Nitrate 0 is a likely culprit for the hammer. Inverts dying is a difficult one.

GHA can cause your nitrates to be false from my understanding as algae can mask true readings. Especially with invert deaths - that should cause ammonia/nitrates within such a small tank.

GHA - anything look like it's rusting in the tank?

Hammer - any recent changes in lighting or flow?

Inverts - anything that could be releasing copper into the water column? Any recent rapid temperature or salinity swings?

 

[Curly01]

What it looks like now

 

[tbrown]

That hammer definitely looks very rough

 

[tbrown]

Sand bed has some diatoms or dinos?

 

[Curly01]

Nitrate 0 is a likely culprit for the hammer. Inverts dying is a difficult one.

GHA can cause your nitrates to be false from my understanding as algae can mask true readings. Especially with invert deaths - that should cause ammonia/nitrates within such a small tank.

GHA - anything look like it's rusting in the tank?

Hammer - any recent changes in lighting or flow?

Inverts - anything that could be releasing copper into the water column? Any recent rapid temperature or salinity swings?

I forgot I did test copper. And it was 0 on that also. I haven’t changed anything with lighting or flow. Salinity has been consistent. I don’t think I have anything rusting in it but will do some more checking to make sure

 

[tbrown]

Quick question: where's that frag stand from?

 

[tbrown]

Nevermind, I sent that to you.

 

[Curly01]

Not really seeing any Dino’s or anything on the sand bed. It is starting to get some gha on it now though. It looked great a couple weeks ago. Then my pistol shrimp died and it seemed to go downhill after that. Then I noticed fewer snails and hermits. All I have now is one hermit and my watchman goby

 

[Curly01]

Nevermind, I sent that to you.

I was second guessing myself for a second. I was thinking it was from you then thought maybe it was from the guy I got the holder for the filter floss from.

 

[tbrown]

I’m having issues that I can’t figure out. Almost all my inverts died within a couple days. My hammer coral looks like it is about to die. I do weekly water changes. My water parameters are good. Salinity 1.026, ph 8.0, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Hair algae is taking over. What am I missing?

#reefsquad thoughts?

 

[Fish Fan]

Fish doing well, but inverts dying makes me think there may be something in your water, like copper or another heavy metal. Are you using tap water to make saltwater, or filtered RODI water?

 

[Curly01]

Fish doing well, but inverts dying makes me think there may be something in your water, like copper or another heavy metal. Are you using tap water to make saltwater, or filtered RODI water?

Filtered RODI WATER

 

[Curly01]

After checking I found some rust from some stainless on the bracket I was using to hang the rock on the back wall after I get that removed what do I need to do? Water changes, how many and how much? What else do I need to do. Thank you

 

[Fish Fan]

After checking I found some rust from some stainless on the bracket I was using to hang the rock on the back wall after I get that removed what do I need to do? Water changes, how many and how much? What else do I need to do. Thank you

That may have been contributing to the inverts dying. For a small tank like yours I think it's safe to change out close to 100% of the water all at once. I would mix the water in advance, heat it to to the same temp as the tank, and ideally adjust the alk to match too, but I usually don't bother with that