Help with reefing (Im about to quit everything)

[firechild]

Thank you all for your help, Ill start doing water changes weekly.

One thing I didn't see in your test results is salinity. You mention that you buy salt water for water changes, does that mean you're not using RO water for top-off?

As others have suggested, regular small water changes will likely improve things substantially. I understand that you're not particularly interested in more corals, but the health of the ones you have are probably indicative of less than optimal conditions, which are likely adversely affecting your fish, even if you're not seeing any signs of it.

Good luck in your quest to turn things around, seeing people leave the hobby through frustration is never a good thing.

 

[skey44]

I’m on the salinity bandwagon. What is it? Are you keeping it consistent.
Your lights are fine Kessils are good lights, that’s not why the corals aren’t opening.
There’s a lot of advice here to do a lot of things. If you try everything everyone is saying you’ll be broke and still struggling.
Slow down, keep it simple, get a routine for water changes and testing. Start with salinity. Keep it stable. Grow as a hobbyist from there.

 

[Idech]

I am really nervous about that lamp hanging over your sump… That alone would keep me awake at night. There seems to be cords everywhere also. You need to be careful with electricity and saltwater.

 

[Tamberav]

I am really nervous about that lamp hanging over your sump… That alone would keep me awake at night. There seems to be cords everywhere also. You need to be careful with electricity and saltwater.

Ya it looks like a death trap. Why is there a power strip just dangling a little ways above a vat of saltwater… eek!

 

[Jedi Shrimp]

I’m in with the RO water for top off, if you use normal water you’re poisoning your tank.
Interested to know how you control the salinity.

 

[ReskyZZ]

Hello guys.
So, I've been thinking about quitting. I can't stand seeing my aquarium with NO COLORS whatsoever.
Even easy "GSPs" won't grow in my tank. Cannot for the life of me figure out what the actual f* is happening. I'll post all the pictures and water parameters.
Anemones? Dark brown, shrinking. Zoas not opening, gsps all closed up for long periods of time. Tank is set up for almost a year and a half.

Tank: 30 gallons + 10 gallons of sump - Fuge light opposite the display. Water parameters attached.
10+ fish, around 5 invertebrates.
Dont do water changes often, I do all for reef to maintain alk at 9-10, usually a few mls per week.

I don't have par readings but I have a Kessil A360WE and a little Fluval reef nano (Kessil Blues @50% and Fluval nano @100% whites, ramping up)
Ph hovers around 7.8 to 8, but now I bootlegged a Co2 scrubber and my last reading was 8.35.

Any tips? help?

Anything is appreciated.

Thank you!

Edit: Added more pictures.

Lookslike ur big3 still not stable, also nitrate phosphate still swing, better to start from beginning like doing proper cycling process with introducing biota slowly, just do basic no need like co2 scrubber or even dosing big3 at the beginning, just make it simple, be patient and have fun

 

[andrew1yang]

Hello guys.
So, I've been thinking about quitting. I can't stand seeing my aquarium with NO COLORS whatsoever.
Even easy "GSPs" won't grow in my tank. Cannot for the life of me figure out what the actual f* is happening. I'll post all the pictures and water parameters.
Anemones? Dark brown, shrinking. Zoas not opening, gsps all closed up for long periods of time. Tank is set up for almost a year and a half.

Tank: 30 gallons + 10 gallons of sump - Fuge light opposite the display. Water parameters attached.
10+ fish, around 5 invertebrates.
Dont do water changes often, I do all for reef to maintain alk at 9-10, usually a few mls per week.

I don't have par readings but I have a Kessil A360WE and a little Fluval reef nano (Kessil Blues @50% and Fluval nano @100% whites, ramping up)
Ph hovers around 7.8 to 8, but now I bootlegged a Co2 scrubber and my last reading was 8.35.

Any tips? help?

Anything is appreciated.

Thank you!

Edit: Added more pictures.

My tank is only a year old and I don’t usually do water changes in my 20 gallon. I usually just top off water. A lot of people will tell you stability is key, don’t go chasing numbers, and if you do try to change something slowly acclimate the changes.

 

[VintageReefer]

GSP can handle a lot of conditions. If you give them good flow and a lot of light. I just don't see them not happy unless they are starved or something else in the water. If my 1 gallon PICO with no water changes for 2 weeks can grow GSP. So can you!

I would focus on getting stability.

If you are dosing AFR, how are you testing? skip magnesium testing. Just test for alk and dose accordingly.


Also is it just the picture or does the tank look cloudy? Potentially bacterial bloom?
You can also be getting bad water batches from your LFS.

My 1.1 pico has gsp out of control. I haven’t done one water change since I set it February 2024. I only do monthly ato container top offs and add AFR every 2-3 months

So if they can’t grow gsp something is drastically wrong

 

[stE25wy14]

My 1.1 pico has gsp out of control. I haven’t done one water change since I set it February 2024. I only do monthly ato container top offs and add AFR every 2-3 months

So if they can’t grow gsp something is drastically wrong

u gotta show us a pic man

 

[signal7]

Agreed with starting with some consistent water changes to get things back on track.

 

[NC AL]

Like many have said, try to get on a "doable" water change schedule. 20% seems excessive and not likely something you can stick with. Thats a lot of effort and cost. Shoot for a 5gallon once a week and then in a few months down to a more reasonable 3-4 gallons.

Now the biggest issue!!!! You have too many shrimp in that tank. I see peppermint, fire, and multiple skunk cleaner shrimp. Its just too many shrimp for that size tank with such little rock. Those shrimp will all harass your coral and anemones. I honestly feel your shrimp are the biggest issue with respect to the coral not doing well. The coral you have can handle your water conditions, just not that many shrimp.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I would not make any big changes quickly. Start out slow and go from there. I would start with doing some small water changes (10-15% a week), and I would use RODI water if you can.

 

[VintageReefer]

u gotta show us a pic man

Gsp started as

And now

 

[stE25wy14]

Gsp started as

And now

what size is the tank?

 

[VintageReefer]

what size is the tank?

1.1g including filtration area

 

[redseaenroute]

Curious on the breakdown of livestock here as well... I'm seeing 3 or 4 clowns in one of those pictures.

 

[Faurek]

I’m on the salinity bandwagon. What is it? Are you keeping it consistent.
Your lights are fine Kessils are good lights, that’s not why the corals aren’t opening.
There’s a lot of advice here to do a lot of things. If you try everything everyone is saying you’ll be broke and still struggling.
Slow down, keep it simple, get a routine for water changes and testing. Start with salinity. Keep it stable. Grow as a hobbyist from there.

How are the only things he needs to do gonna get him broke? Dump ceramic on the refugium, lower alk and do water changes. No one is telling him to go buy radions and dosing pumps, I see a consistency of do WC and take care of salinity, that is the bare minimum.

 

[skey44]

This was not directed at you. I was commenting that doing many things he does not need to do will not work and not be cost effective. At least two people told op his lights were inadequate. That’s poor advice. If the op takes everyone’s advice he’ll make 14 changes and potentially be left with the same problem but a less full wallet. I stand by my comment.
In all likelihood it’s a simple fix. OP is just inexperienced and does not know what that is. Trying to do everything to fix a simple thing, likely causing more instability.

 

[Faurek]

Gsp started as

And now

Nice pico, maybe one day I will can have the mentality to not get the urge of putting SPS, and make a little softies pico.

 

[Faurek]

This was not directed at you. I was commenting that doing many things he does not need to do will not work and not be cost effective. At least two people told op his lights were inadequate. That’s poor advice. If the op takes everyone’s advice he’ll make 14 changes and potentially be left with the same problem but a less full wallet. I stand by my comment.
In all likelihood it’s a simple fix. OP is just inexperienced and does not know what that is. Trying to do everything to fix a simple thing, likely causing more instability.

I know it wasn't, I just didn't notice people saying to upgrade lights, most people I see are giving good advice by placing the blame on water quality and the majority see that is probably salt mix, salinity and husbandry.
But yeah there are some challenged people here with wallets too big for themselves who always blame light and I just naturally skim those by nature, the OP even says coral is not the main thing.
But I do believe that resolving this problem and adding a few soft corals would benefit the fish and the viewer.