Disappointing...

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

I keep trying the best I can to get my coral to grow and keep my fish healthy but it seems like that's not how things are turning out at this point. My sailfin tang is slowly dying from I don't even know. The skin is all faded out and looks like a bacterial infection but I treated him for over a month with meds and he looked much better until the day after I put him back in the DT he looked bad again and has not eaten since. I've also struggled for several months with coral growth and not achieving the amount of growth I wanted. Also my newer additions to the tank just keep looking worse and worse and I have no idea what's causing them to do that. My parameters are for the most part stable and within what is expected. I make sure to feed twice a day with good quality food. Cobalt flakes in the morning and mysis at night. Sometimes I use a turkey baster and spot feed some corals the mysis. The Acans really like it and are one of the few corals that are actually growing. I just don't know what to do anymore.

Parameters-
Alk- 11 dKH
Calcium- 450 ppm
Mag- 1400 ppm
No3- 0-.25 ppm
Po4- .08-.16 ppm
Salinity-1.026
Temp- 77-79

First picture is hammers, then ricordea mushroom, then frogspawn.

Cory · May 8, 2016

If your fish is sick and corals arent growing, even though phosphates are low, id suspect alklainity. Which test kit?

If its not that id suspect the tangs disease is unrelated and suspect high po4.

What kind of lighting?

ryecoon · May 8, 2016

Test for Stray Voltage. ppl never test this and its a common problem. Especially when parameters are stable and perfect. Waterchanges back to back but if there is high voltage in the tank everything will get sick. Youtube some videos on how to test. Usually happens with some cheap pumps and skimmers.

samba_dad · May 8, 2016

Have you recently started any carbon dosing? I would make sure you have some measurable nitrate at all times. I had a similar problem with corals when I started dosing NoPo4x.

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

Cory said:
If your fish is sick and corals arent growing, even though phosphates are low, id suspect alklainity. Which test kit?

If its not that id suspect the tangs disease is unrelated and suspect high po4.

What kind of lighting?

I use the Red Sea Alk test. I get consistent results with it.

I didn't think my Po4 was high enough to cause that to happen.

I use a SB reef light extreme.

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

ryecoon said:
Test for Stray Voltage. ppl never test this and its a common problem. Especially when parameters are stable and perfect. Waterchanges back to back but if there is high voltage in the tank everything will get sick. Youtube some videos on how to test. Usually happens with some cheap pumps and skimmers.

I don't have anything to test for stray voltage. I don't have the money to buy the device needed to test either. But I have heard from videos that you would feel a shock or something like that if there was stray voltage. Not that it's exactly sound evidence, but it's the best I can do for now.

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

samba_dad said:
Have you recently started any carbon dosing? I would make sure you have some measurable nitrate at all times. I had a similar problem with corals when I started dosing NoPo4x.

I use chemi clean elite in my sump which I put in about 2 months ago.

ckozma · May 8, 2016

ndz98 said:
I don't have anything to test for stray voltage. I don't have the money to buy the device needed to test either. But I have heard from videos that you would feel a shock or something like that if there was stray voltage. Not that it's exactly sound evidence, but it's the best I can do for now.

A multimeter is only $10-$15...

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

ckozma said:
A multimeter is only $10-$15...

I'm in highschool so I don't really have any money....

redfishbluefish · May 8, 2016

ndz98 said:
I don't have anything to test for stray voltage. I don't have the money to buy the device needed to test either. But I have heard from videos that you would feel a shock or something like that if there was stray voltage. Not that it's exactly sound evidence, but it's the best I can do for now.

A 6 dollar multimeter is all you need to test for stray voltage....a very small price to pay. HERE is the 6 dollar one from Harbor Freight.

michael.cser20 · May 8, 2016

Age of tank?

ryecoon · May 8, 2016

Or If you want to test it the cheap way. Get a piece of titanium or metal and stick your hand in the sump then touch the same forearm (Outside of the water) with the metal, if you get zapped then its stray voltage. lol i mean thats if you dont want to pay $6 for a meter to save you coral investment.

ndz98 · May 8, 2016

I just started my new job so I'm going to try and order one as soon as I get my paycheck. I am not joking with you guys when I say I have no money lol.

AlexG · May 8, 2016

Take your water to a LFS and have it tested again with different test kits to confirm your test results are correct. Are there airborne chemicals present in the area near the aquarium? (Scented candles, air fresheners, the use of vapor rub or anything that has a present smell). If so I would recommend removing the sources of these chemicals. I hate to say this but the saltwater hobby is not one to keep without some form of spending money around for operating costs and misc expenses. I am sure there is some cause to the problems you are having. If you suspect stray voltage use a meter or borrow one. I don't recommend intentionally using yourself as a test for stray voltage.

Servillius · May 8, 2016

This is a wild bootied guess because I really know very little about your tank. I'd replace my food though. Go get some Rods for herbivores. Other foods work too, but that's the one I'm sure will fix nutritional issues. Next, build yourself an algae scrubber. There are lots of ways to keep a healthy tank, but a decent scrubber is - speaking as the idiot in question - the most idiot proof and cheapest.

Get those two things going and I suspect in six weeks you'll be feeling a lot better about things.

ryecoon · May 8, 2016

Im only joking about using your arm as a stray voltage test. Thats how i found out I had stray voltage. I was cleaning my sump and my arm rubbed up against my Titianium Vertex tube holder.