GSP and Xenia closed for 7 days

[Reefer-Don]

Lf any help I can get lol getting frustrated with this hobby despite the love I have for it!

My understanding is that these two corals you can throw in a toilet and they would live, so what is going on? Parameters in picture.

4 month old tank.
Salinity ranges from 1.025-1.026
Nitrates are high but the tank is clean, I feed sparingly…maybe 3 times a week for two clowns, finished getting through a diatom bloom like 2-3 weeks ago. Brown algae in the back chamber where the pump, heater, and media sits but none in the display. The little that appears is gone the same day when my trochus snails find it.

LFS store says that the tank is “too clean” and new, recommended that I feed double. Still, I feel like I’m missing something if THESE two corals aren’t at least opening lol

 

[Reefer-Don]

Setup: IM Fusion 20 Desktop, BKRS titanium heater + InkBird controller,MightyJet 326 GPH Return Pump, Nero 3 Powerhead, AI hydra 32 HD, 2x VCA Rfg’s, special grade arag alive sand (15-20lbs), Carib sea life rock (12-15lbs), recently added refugium light with chaeto in the back of the tank. Running a filter sock on the other side of my filtration setup. Media caddy with filter floss and marine pure gems.

 

[TokenReefer]

What kind of lighting schedule you runnin? Looks a little dim from the pics... Phos at 0 may be an issue. I agree with your LFS. You may be feeding just enough to sustain two fish...not enough for corals to flourish. Clowns would sure like it

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Poor fish. Please feed them.

 

[Reefer-Don]

What kind of lighting schedule you runnin? Looks a little dim from the pics... Phos at 0 may be an issue. I agree with your LFS. You may be feeding just enough to sustain two fish...not enough for corals to flourish. Clowns would sure like it

Running 9 hours atm on my Hydra 32 light. I brought this down from 12 during the diatom bloom. Just running a standard schedule and setup BRS recommended for starter corals.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lf any help I can get lol getting frustrated with this hobby despite the love I have for it!

My understanding is that these two corals you can throw in a toilet and they would live, so what is going on? Parameters in picture.

4 month old tank.
Salinity ranges from 1.025-1.026
Nitrates are high but the tank is clean, I feed sparingly…maybe 3 times a week for two clowns, finished getting through a diatom bloom like 2-3 weeks ago. Brown algae in the back chamber where the pump, heater, and media sits but none in the display. The little that appears is gone the same day when my trochus snails find it.

LFS store says that the tank is “too clean” and new, recommended that I feed double. Still, I feel like I’m missing something if THESE two corals aren’t at least opening lol

Ahhh, good old spin test- big API kit.
The tank needs some level of nitrates- moderate light and flow to thrive as well as focus on light as they respond to light and close up at lights out. they prefer temps 75-77 deg

 

[Reefer-Don]

Poor fish. Please feed them.

They look super healthy, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind an extra day of feeding. Going off of the late Jake Adams video where he recommends not feeding too much in the early stages of a nano tank, even with two clowns.

 

[Reefer-Don]

Ahhh, good old spin test- big API kit.
The tank needs some level of nitrates- moderate light and flow to thrive as well as focus on light as they respond to light and close up at lights out. they prefer temps 75-77 deg

I usually double check with my own at home. Have Hannah checkers and Red Sea tests. Almost always comes back the same as the LFS api test, only exception has been ALK but I have the Hannah checker for that.

 

[killer2001]

Feed your fish at least once a day not a few times a week. Do weekly water changes. Dose phosphate.

 

[FIN&BONEZ]

Get those nutrients up or you'll be dealing with something way worse then stunted x and gsp.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

I’m going to agree with others here but explain a little more. Fish will be happy to eat as often as you want to feed them, but you don’t need to over feed. I know which Jake Adams video you’re talking about and I remember he said that he only fed a few flakes every few days, but I don’t think he had a refugium on that tank.
GSP and Xenia both like a little dirtier water & they definitely want some phosphates. Doesn’t need to be a lot but 0.0 is not enough. Do NOT dose phosphate… in my personal experience, that can go real bad, real fast. You can bring it up naturally, no problem.

What made you decide to add a refugium? That could be related to the corals closing up… chaeto does it’s job & sucks up the nutrients that those same corals need to grow and thrive. I know of a few people who even use Xenia in their sumps just like a refugium. Honestly, in a 4 month old tank with only two clowns that you’re feeding every couple days, you probably don’t need a refugium just yet.

 

[Reefer-Don]

I’m going to agree with others here but explain a little more. Fish will be happy to eat as often as you want to feed them, but you don’t need to over feed. I know which Jake Adams video you’re talking about and I remember he said that he only fed a few flakes every few days, but I don’t think he had a refugium on that tank.
GSP and Xenia both like a little dirtier water & they definitely want some phosphates. Doesn’t need to be a lot but 0.0 is not enough. Do NOT dose phosphate… in my personal experience, that can go real bad, real fast. You can bring it up naturally, no problem.

What made you decide to add a refugium? That could be related to the corals closing up… chaeto does it’s job & sucks up the nutrients that those same corals need to grow and thrive. I know of a few people who even use Xenia in their sumps just like a refugium. Honestly, in a 4 month old tank with only two clowns that you’re feeding every couple days, you probably don’t need a refugium just yet.

Thanks for the reply, very helpful. I added the refugium when I was going through the ugly phase, I had super high phosphates like 3.0+ for a few weeks so I added the fuge instead of GFO. Figured that I would just use that to lower phosphates, and assumed the tank would be dirty enough to support the chaeto.

Would you recommend pulling it for now or just increasing the feeding? I primarily feed pellets and have some reef roids on hand.

 

[Brit’s Fish]

Thanks for the reply, very helpful. I added the refugium when I was going through the ugly phase, I had super high phosphates like 3.0+ for a few weeks so I added the fuge instead of GFO. Figured that I would just use that to lower phosphates, and assumed the tank would be dirty enough to support the chaeto.

Would you recommend pulling it for now or just increasing the feeding? I primarily feed pellets and have some reef roids on hand.

If it were me, I would start with feeding daily to see if that can outcompete the fuge pulling all the nutrients out right away. Otherwise, pull the chaeto out for now and watch what happens with your phosphates. If they slowly creep back up and the corals start looking better (which they should) then you’ll be all good! If they shoot back up really high, you can always put it back on line.