Corals

[horsegirl]

Hey! I have a 65gal salt that has been cycled for around 9 months. After a few months, I slowly started adding two snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, an ocellaris, yellow fin damsel, and a 6 line wrasse. Both snails died within 2 weeks. The shrimp died a few days after. I checked params and nitrates were high but otherwise good. I think maybe they didn’t have enough food. I left those everything the same for abt a month more and after checking params were good, a friend gave me two wet live rocks with feather duster worms, a couple frags, a ball of chaeto, two emerald crabs, another snail, and a blue hermit. All did well for abt 2 months and one crab died but the rest are doing well. I then ordered a Zoa colony and orange tree sponge from an online shop. The Zoas did great. The sponge died after abt 3 weeks but after some extra research, i realized that it was much harder to care for than the website led me to believe. A month or so later I got a clown tang and coral beauty after talking to the people at the LFS. The CB died within 24hrs and the clown tang lasted abt 2 weeks. Both seemed good until they were dead. Now, a month after that, my zoas are much larger but won’t open. The feathers are growing like weeds and open all the time. My original wrasse and damsel died within a day of each other, abt 2 weeks ago. The rest of the coral frags are closed as well. I’ve been checking params and doing partial water changes weekly. Nitrates were high after deaths but otherwise good. I got a RBTA last night and when I woke up this morning it was melted and stunk. I’m just so frustrated. All I have are inverts and a clown.

I’m running Orbit IC lights at 100% blue, 0 red and green, and 45% white. Not sure what the heater is, penn plax cascade canister, feeding inverts 2x week, and feed fish algae/mysis cubes. Water is crystal clear. Params are good except for high nitrates after death. All animals have been temp acclimated and corals have been drip acclimated. I don’t have my powerhead on right now because it seemed to make the zoas even angry. Please don’t be mean, but I do want honest answers. I did a lot of research prior to my tank purchase and waited 3 months to put fish in. The LFS told me I don’t need a QT tank, but should I get one? I’m about done with this hobby. It’s so expensive and everything dies. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!

 

[Shufflepig]

Not an easy answer since you have a lot going on. Posting your actual parameters may help. Certainly the inverts can be sensitive to high nitrates. The fish not as much but I’m concerned you brought something into your tank with the coral beauty and the clown tang (clown tang is not an easy fish to keep btw) that caused the demise of your existing fish. Lots of opinions on QT but I always QT my fish just to avoid introducing a disease to my existing healthy fish. Think you need a little more time for your tank to mature and become more stable for success with anemones and most corals. Don’t give up just slow down a bit. The zoas are a good first coral. Try some other soft corals like a toadstool and get some confidence that your tank is stabilizing. Let’s look at the actual parameters and see if anything needs adjusted. Make sure whatever you’re using to measure specific gravity is calibrated and accurate. Again with fish you can get away with a low sg but your inverts will not be forgiving. Keep researching and asking questions. I’m sure you can succeed with some perseverance.

 

[DanConnor]

Do you have a sump and/or skimmer?
When you say the powerhead is off, does that mean there is no circulation?
Posting some pictures may help.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Welcome to R2R! I’m sorry your having problems. I feel it’s fish disease, taking out your new fish. Look for a healthy fish from a local reefer. Your tank may have a disease in it. My advice would be to hold off on a new fish for at least a month. Let things settle down. Watch the clown for signs of disease. Are you using ro/di water? There is so many things going on right now with your tank. good luck and be patient. This hobby is about patience.

 

[horsegirl]

Hey! I have a 65gal salt that has been cycled for around 9 months. After a few months, I slowly started adding two snails, 2 peppermint shrimp, an ocellaris, yellow fin damsel, and a 6 line wrasse. Both snails died within 2 weeks. The shrimp died a few days after. I checked params and nitrates were high but otherwise good. I think maybe they didn’t have enough food. I left those everything the same for abt a month more and after checking params were good, a friend gave me two wet live rocks with feather duster worms, a couple frags, a ball of chaeto, two emerald crabs, another snail, and a blue hermit. All did well for abt 2 months and one crab died but the rest are doing well. I then ordered a Zoa colony and orange tree sponge from an online shop. The Zoas did great. The sponge died after abt 3 weeks but after some extra research, i realized that it was much harder to care for than the website led me to believe. A month or so later I got a clown tang and coral beauty after talking to the people at the LFS. The CB died within 24hrs and the clown tang lasted abt 2 weeks. Both seemed good until they were dead. Now, a month after that, my zoas are much larger but won’t open. The feathers are growing like weeds and open all the time. My original wrasse and damsel died within a day of each other, abt 2 weeks ago. The rest of the coral frags are closed as well. I’ve been checking params and doing partial water changes weekly. Nitrates were high after deaths but otherwise good. I got a RBTA last night and when I woke up this morning it was melted and stunk. I’m just so frustrated. All I have are inverts and a clown.

I’m running Orbit IC lights at 100% blue, 0 red and green, and 45% white. Not sure what the heater is, penn plax cascade canister, feeding inverts 2x week, and feed fish algae/mysis cubes. Water is crystal clear. Params are good except for high nitrates after death. All animals have been temp acclimated and corals have been drip acclimated. I don’t have my powerhead on right now because it seemed to make the zoas even angry. Please don’t be mean, but I do want honest answers. I did a lot of research prior to my tank purchase and waited 3 months to put fish in. The LFS told me I don’t need a QT tank, but should I get one? I’m about done with this hobby. It’s so expensive and everything dies. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!

 

[horsegirl]

Hey! Thanks so much for the possible answers. So, I currently use test strips for my water and they indicated my water levels were nearly perfect. I had a weird feeling, so I went to the LFS to get water testing. LFS used strips as well and my params were nearly perfect. I told them about the fish and inverts dying, so the ran the API Master Test Kit on it. Turns out, Ca is low, Nitrates are high, and salinity is low. They recommended I stop feeding twice a day and do a 50% water change and then 20% for a few weeks after that. They said my zoas will probably open back up if the salinity goes up. Anyone else had this problem with strips before? I’m going to do the water changes and then take it back in a few weeks for them to check. If all goes well, I’ll purchase the master kit for testing. Thanks again!

 

[Uncle99]

Strips are not suitable for this hobby.
Stable water chemistry is an absolute.
Become a water chemistry expert with some Salifert test kits.
Make the investment. Your pets are worth it.
Watch some you-tube vids on water chemistry.
It’s really not hard at all.

 

[cameronh]

How much live rock (pounds) do you have?
How much sand?
Is there enough for the bio load?
Are you running a sump or hang on back?
The powerhead won't make your zoas angry (maybe a little) but otherwise they will be fine.
I feed my fish every other day, as far as the water testing goes is key until you've established a good somewhat self sustained tank.....which takes awhile but it does happen with the occasional water changes.
How low was the salinity?
I keep mine between 1.024-6 or in other terms 35ppt.
I'd say the low salinity would be your issue if you have good water circulation.
Also, do you mix your own saltwater or do you get it from your lfs?
If you get it from them check it each time to make sure its correct.
Some stores (not all) rush and mix it low not meaning to.
Hope this helps!

Welcome to reef2reef by the way!

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Get a refractometer. API test are not good. Try salifert, Hanna, Red Sea. I use salifert and Hanna. Sounds like you are on track to fix things. How about the ro/di? Do you have one?