Help with Metallic Hairy Mushroom and Green Star Polyp

[ahunter20]

I have a Green Star Polyp and a Metallic Hairy Mushroom that have been slowly dying for the last 4 weeks. Both look like they are hanging by a thread. This is my first tank and I started adding coral and livestock to fast. Right now I am just trying to get everything to cycle through and get the tank balanced. Is there anything I can do to revive or save these two before it is to late?

I have 2 Frog Spawn that seem to be ok (they aren't consistently opening all the way), but they both appear healthy.

20 Gallon Nuvo Nano
Nitrate 20 ppg (it was 80 two weeks ago so it is reducing)
Nitrite 0
pH 8
Calcium Hardness 80
General Hardness 180
Salinity 32

 

[g5flier]

Not

I have a Green Star Polyp and a Metallic Hairy Mushroom that have been slowly dying for the last 4 weeks. Both look like they are hanging by a thread. This is my first tank and I started adding coral and livestock to fast. Right now I am just trying to get everything to cycle through and get the tank balanced. Is there anything I can do to revive or save these two before it is to late?

I have 2 Frog Spawn that seem to be ok (they aren't consistently opening all the way), but they both appear healthy.

20 Gallon Nuvo Nano
Nitrate 20 ppg (it was 80 two weeks ago so it is reducing)
Nitrite 0
pH 8
Calcium Hardness 80
General Hardness 180
Salinity 32

Hi, sorry you are having issues, seems like several things going on here; 20ppm Nitrate isn't so much an issue but 80 definitely was. Calcium needs to be between 400 and 450 for the frogspawn and I'm not sure how the softies are reacting to it being so low but definitely need to fix that. Salinity should be 34-35, 32 is low. Please check your other parameters; Alkalinity, Magnesium, Phosphate. Looks like you also have algae issues, can you get a close up of the algae?

 

[ahunter20]

I was just looking at my test strips and they measure ppm. I thought they measure ppg (parts per gallon). Does that affect the numbers I gave you? Now I'm confused PPM? PPG?

 

[g5flier]

Most reef test kits measure in parts per million, PPM. Everything except PH of 8.0 looks to be an issue. What brand test kit are you using?

Are those air bubbles on the tips of the brown algae by chance?

 

[ahunter20]

I'm using API 5 in 1 test strips. Yes, those are air bubbles.

The tank did not fully cycle before I added livestock and coral. My Nitrates were high, so I have started 20% water changes weekly. I am also treating with Instant Ocean Nitrate reducer once per week. I have been performing test for 3 weeks and my calcium and general hardness have remained the same.

I was misguided by my LFS. My tank did not properly cycle (only cycled for 7 days) before I added livestock and coral. The tank is 5 weeks old now and I have lost 4 turbo snails, 1 Green Star Polyp, and 1 Zaonthid, 1 Bluegreen Chromis. I have not changed anything in 2 weeks except maintenance to allow the tank to properly cycle.

 

[g5flier]

I'm no expert here but I believe that Algae is Dinoflagelates and thats quite serious.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

If your tank never cycled properly then there is the cause of your coral and fish losses. Have you measured for ammonia recently?

If you are serious about keeping a nice reef tank then buy a decent test kit like one from RedSea.