ShakeyGizzard
Southern Dude
Welcome to Reef2Reef !
ReefQuestCorals
Well-Known Member
I am sorry your having issues, it can be stressful trying to learn and grow in this hobby from the start!Id have to check the brand, but i use strip tests. Levels are mostly normal right now aside from the nitrates. My coral completely passed this morning, so I think the stress of the snails death (upping the nitrates) and the water change i did stressed it out too much. Really sad. :(Hey all! I've recently got into keeping a reef tank as of about 6 months ago. Currently I have a long wristed hermit crab and a duncan coral, and sadly two snails that have passed. Any tips for an amateur like me? I'm trying my hardest not to be paranoid about everything and micromanage my tank, but with my snails' passings and my coral having two heads die off (despite my crab acting normal and just having changed the water), its hard not to feel like im doing everything wrong.
For context, I went on vacation for a couple weeks and my tank was left in the care of my family, who had the basic understanding of feeding and lighting and such. I came back and my snails were dead, and my Duncan's most mature heads were super icky (also dead, despite the healthy other heads). I could use some reassurance and advice from some of you more experienced people!
Welcome to your new addiction!
Lets hear some details about the tank? I see you have a swing arm hydrometer inside the tank, I have never seen one! But they can be inaccurate due to any bubbles on the arm, I would suggest buying a refractometer and using a calibration fluid (theres a how to I just have to find it)
Also what brand tests are you using? I use salifert, red sea or hanna which tend to be the go to brand with hanna being the more accurate. It would help knowing your parameters and how you obtaining those numbers so we can assist in your recent issues. Top 2 most important being Salinity and Alkalinity. Calcium, Magnesium, Nitrate and Phosphate are the others to help guide you in the right direction!
Id suggest making a post under General Discussion or Coral Discussion for more response and help! Give as much info as possible about your tank, equipment and maintenance.
Ive thought about a refractometer because i dont like the swing arm hydrometer. But when testing my salinity i usually shake it/tap it or move the arm a bit to get any bubbles off.
Im kind of back to square one with my tank, just my little crab is in it now, but im monitoring him as i go.
Some advice, do your research before buying corals or fish and then do more research and ask for advice. Test strips are not accurate and will lead you down the wrong path, id suggest if you have a good local fish store go have your water tested by them. But ensure they are using quality kits and not test trips or API kits.
I used swing arm hydrometer 20 years ago, they were a pain at times and truly never knew how accurate the salinity was which is a big issue especially in such a small tank.
Last edited:
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OP
Elio_Kaji
New Member
Youre right about it being stressful, hence why i came here for advice. But for now, im letting the tank be, and keeping my long wrist hermit by himself and seeing if he remains healthy. If he doesnt survive, it tells me either bacteria or nitrates/nitrites affected them all :( but i have my hopes up, hes always been resiliant, and im hoping he stays as such.I am sorry your having issues, it can be stressful trying to learn and grow in this hobby from the start!Id have to check the brand, but i use strip tests. Levels are mostly normal right now aside from the nitrates. My coral completely passed this morning, so I think the stress of the snails death (upping the nitrates) and the water change i did stressed it out too much. Really sad. :(Hey all! I've recently got into keeping a reef tank as of about 6 months ago. Currently I have a long wristed hermit crab and a duncan coral, and sadly two snails that have passed. Any tips for an amateur like me? I'm trying my hardest not to be paranoid about everything and micromanage my tank, but with my snails' passings and my coral having two heads die off (despite my crab acting normal and just having changed the water), its hard not to feel like im doing everything wrong.
For context, I went on vacation for a couple weeks and my tank was left in the care of my family, who had the basic understanding of feeding and lighting and such. I came back and my snails were dead, and my Duncan's most mature heads were super icky (also dead, despite the healthy other heads). I could use some reassurance and advice from some of you more experienced people!
Welcome to your new addiction!
Lets hear some details about the tank? I see you have a swing arm hydrometer inside the tank, I have never seen one! But they can be inaccurate due to any bubbles on the arm, I would suggest buying a refractometer and using a calibration fluid (theres a how to I just have to find it)
Also what brand tests are you using? I use salifert, red sea or hanna which tend to be the go to brand with hanna being the more accurate. It would help knowing your parameters and how you obtaining those numbers so we can assist in your recent issues. Top 2 most important being Salinity and Alkalinity. Calcium, Magnesium, Nitrate and Phosphate are the others to help guide you in the right direction!
Id suggest making a post under General Discussion or Coral Discussion for more response and help! Give as much info as possible about your tank, equipment and maintenance.
Ive thought about a refractometer because i dont like the swing arm hydrometer. But when testing my salinity i usually shake it/tap it or move the arm a bit to get any bubbles off.
Im kind of back to square one with my tank, just my little crab is in it now, but im monitoring him as i go.
Some advice, do your research before buying corals or fish and then do more research and ask for advice. Test strips are not accurate and will lead you down the wrong path, id suggest if you have a good local fish store go have your water tested by them. But ensure they are using quality kits and not test trips or API kits.
I used swing arm hydrometer 20 years ago, they were a pain at times and truly never knew how accurate the salinity was which is a big issue especially in such a small tank.
Ill look into a refractometer and getting proper water testing done. Ive heard from a few people that smaller tanks are harder to care for in general, its so stressful
Anna K
razzle dazzle em'
Welcome to the community! You'll get all the help you need here. Looks like you've already got a good group of people trying to help 
ReefQuestCorals
Well-Known Member
Youre right about it being stressful, hence why i came here for advice. But for now, im letting the tank be, and keeping my long wrist hermit by himself and seeing if he remains healthy. If he doesnt survive, it tells me either bacteria or nitrates/nitrites affected them all :( but i have my hopes up, hes always been resiliant, and im hoping he stays as such.
Ill look into a refractometer and getting proper water testing done. Ive heard from a few people that smaller tanks are harder to care for in general, its so stressful
Small tanks can be easy to care for and great for someone starting out. But not properly set up and maintained can lead to a number of issues like any other tank. This hobby is all about time and patience, nothing comes good from rushing or taking short cuts.
I would recommend after a visit to a reputable LFS (not petco) to go with a fish only system while doing your research on corals needs, and some great corals to start out with would be soft corals such as leathers, green star polyps, some easier zoas. Still yet start a build thread and lets see your tank build, myself and many others can help guide you to a more successful future
Nor'easter Reefer
I'm so bright, my daddy calls me son!
Welcome to R2R! Some smart people asked some good questions and made some good suggestions above! The big thing to remember, nothing good happens fast, and you'll have ups and downs, not something to get too heart broken about! (easier said than done i know) I'm sure you'll get it figured out!
edsbeaker
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