First attempt failed. Do you think I was doing too much?

[jhaggerty1990]

So last year I started my journey with a IM Nuvo 25g. I quickly got obsessed and poured lots of cash into it. I had 2 small zoas, a xeni, a gsp, a single bubble coral, 2 clowns, some snails, and a sand siffting goby. I was checking my parameters constantly with Hannah checkers. Mostly alk, calcium, and magnesium. Idk if it was due to my pH levels, but my alk seemed to drop .3/.4 every day. I started dosing kalk to maintain it. I could never get my pH to go past like 7.7/7.8 it seemed. My corals were tiny and never showed much growth. I added a skimmer as well. After 6 months of not much growth and my corals shriveling up and getting a gf, I started to give up. My fish are all okay but I let my parameters go. Most of my corals are dead I believe. However, the bubble coral and the gsp seem to be barely hanging on. The past week I decided to re focus and try to save them. Many people have said I dont need to be dosing anything with 2 corals that water changes should be enough. I think maybe I was doing to much and changing lights to often trying to figure it out. Im changing from IO sea salt to reef crystals. Ive cleaned all my pumps etc. Unfortunately I bought Cetus 22 lights and they are just awful when it comes to finding information on bc no one seems to have them. I will get an AI prime for Christmas and mimic others presets when I do. So my question is...was that normal for alk to swing that hard every day? Should I try just doing small weekly water changes and stop dosing? If so how much..2.5 gallons/5gallons? Would a pH buffer help? Ive tried opening up the sliding door by the tank and letting free air in. I also think I may need more oxygen so bought a aerator stone. I will only be focusing on my bubble corals and GSP until I have success with those 2 and not add anything more. Once stabalized, about how fast can they recover? I kept my salinity at 1.024, should it be 1.026 like someone said? Thanks guys, I know its a lot and some parts vague. Im just thinking maybe I was just doing to much and being to chaotic trying different things every few months like 2part, all for reef, and kalk.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would not chase ph, I haven't tested my ph in years. I don't think you need to dose anything for several months, I would just do weekly 5 gallon water changes. Soft corals don't consume much alk or calcium so water changes should maintain everything IMO

It seems like your light was the main reason for corals not doing well, an upgrade should help with that. Personally I would consider a nicrew 100watt over an AI Prime for a 25 gallon tank.

 

[jhaggerty1990]

I think it is the lighting tbh. I just dont know if they are getting too much or not enough...

 

[Tahoe61]

Kalk is tricky in small newer systems, same with buffers. As mentioned above don't chase the numbers. I doubt pH is the issue.
If you're using RC salt and doing routine water changes you should be absolutely fine with the amount and types of corals you have. Eventually you might need to dose, but not now.
Your SG is fine, just keep it consistent. I prefer 1.025-1.026. A good ATO is important.
Personally I wouldn't throw a lot of money at an AI Prime, you can get good lighting for half the price.

 

[Jason boles]

Hey man!

Glad your attempting to stick with it. My story is much like yours. I have found now being in the hobby for years that I have periods of intense interest followed by some periods of apathy especially if I spend a bunch of money and kill everything ( can’t say how many times that has happened)

For me, and we are all different, checking parameters created more issues than not.

From my experience by the time we see our corals and tanks react it can be weeks after something has occurred. I find I get the most success when I don’t test and just take care of the reef.

I currently have a 180 gal reef that has never been tested past the salinity.

I do not keep a ton of sps. That said I did just add three pretty nice sps frags.

I do intend on buying the maven to test weekly just to keep an eye.

So what do I do???

I make sure my lights are well adjusted (got a par meter from local club, or can rent from BRS)

Make sure my salinity is where it should be.

Change my skimmer cups, and make sure filter fleece is doing its thing.

Clean the glass.

Enjoy watching the corals!

I found with my smaller tanks the ultimate issue I would always end up having was salinity swings. Invest in a quality ato with a large refil resovoir to take care of this.

Then just leave it alone. Don’t attempt to feed any of the corals. They eat plenty with fish excrement, and when you feed fish. This caused tons of water issues for me, which in turn made my corals I was feeding twice a week shrink instead of grow.

Slow and steady wins this race.

My 2 cents!!

If you do think you will need to dose the big three I would say that would t be a necessity until after a year or so of having it going. You can do regular water changes every two weeks to compensate.