Master reef tank kit livestock died.

[Iamable2099]

Hello, 8 weeks in with 20 gallon reef tank. These are my parameters
Phosphate are at .50 ppm
Nitrate are at o ppm
And it took 33 drops of the API master reef tank tester Calcium. Which is above the chart.


I recently purchased anemones, electric eye scallop, and Duncan’s. They all died in quarantine.

Any suggestions will be great.

I recently posted about nitrites and people said I was good to go to place livestock. So I’m assuming my nitrites level are close to 0ppm.

I was doing a water change and I noticed a Duncan literally wash away from flow of water is that normal?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

what was the water like in your quarantine tank? im not sure what you mean by you watched the duncan wash away. did you pour water right on top of it? can we see picks of your tank to help figure out what is going on?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The test kit shows the tank is not cycled, the ammonia looks like .5 and the nitrate is zero. For a tank to be cycled, the ammonia should be zero and nitrates should be somewhere between 10-20. Nitrite is not important in salt tanks, we don't test nitrite. Nothing should be added to the tank while there is ammonia in the water.

How did you cycle the tank?

Did you use API to measure the phosphate? It doesn't work for phosphate at all. API is not very good for calcium either. Better to get salifert or red sea test kits for better accuracy.

 

[Iamable2099]

what was the water like in your quarantine tank? im not sure what you mean by you watched the duncan wash away. did you pour water right on top of it? can we see picks of your tank to help figure out what is going on?

Yes when doing a water change I accidentally applied water flow directly above the Duncan and saw it vanish.

 

[JTP424]

Was the mop bucket used as your quarantine?

 

[smitten with ocean life]

i wondered the same thing. was this an old mop bucket that would have had cleaner in before? as far as your tank, i would give it some more time before trying to add more.

 

[dedragon]

Yes when doing a water change I accidentally applied water flow directly above the Duncan and saw it vanish.

it was already dead dont worry. if that mop bucket was ever used i would say that is the most likely culprit.
your tank looks way to new to attempt an anemone let alone a scallop. you also need a better light and figure out your flow first. are you using rodi water? what is the tds? what are you using to test salinity? what tank size?

 

[Iamable2099]

it was already dead dont worry. if that mop bucket was ever used i would say that is the most likely culprit.
your tank looks way to new to attempt an anemone let alone a scallop. you also need a better light and figure out your flow first. are you using rodi water? what is the tds? what are you using to test salinity? what tank size?

20 gallon
Using a refractometer to test salontiy
I began with tap and have been water changing here and there with RODI at least 25 percent.
I do not know tdls. The mop bucket was sterilized prior to use.

I have a recommended reef tank light with night and day settings.

 

[dedragon]

The mop bucket was sterilized prior to use.

i wouldnt risk it. a bucket from homedepot or lowes is $5

Using a refractometer to test salontiy

do you have calibration solution or are calibrating with rodi?

I have a recommended reef tank light with night and day settings.

just looking at the light i can tell you it is not enough, especially if the rockwork is that low. what is it a hygger or fluval or something?

 

[dedragon]

api test kits as others said are not gonna be accurate. past a true cycle, the most important are salinity, temp, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity, and calcium. api is not reliable for any of these test from my experience. api look tempting and trick every new reefer. they got me too when i first started

 

[Damage12]

Agreed, your tank is not cycled. I don’t see any live rock in your tank. Can you buy a few small pieces of live rock from your LFS that they’ve been curing? That would help, but you still need to start very slow regarding coral. You tried to start by adding moderate to harder to care for coral.

Once your tank is cycled, start with some easy soft corals like mushrooms. Also, get rid of that mop bucket. I don’t care how many times you sterilized it, I wouldn’t trust it.

 

[Iamable2099]

i wouldnt risk it. a bucket from homedepot or lowes is $5

Roger that

do you have calibration solution or are calibrating with rodi?

Calibrating with rodi and freshwater

just looking at the light i can tell you it is not enough, especially if the rockwork is that low. what is it a hygger or fluval or something?

It’s a 24 W Nicrew from Amazon


Also I used aqua vitro seed to cycle 7 weeks ago. Nitrites used to be very high then settle to zero. Even thought ppl say it’s not important livestock die with high nitrites so I think it’s worth mentioning.


Recently my water has become extremely cloudy when it has been clear for 8 weeks. Any suggestions?

 

[Iamable2099]

To reduce cloudiness I have reduce speed of pump cleaned filter and turned on aeration. Still on the cloudy side 48 hours later.

 

[dedragon]

Calibrating with rodi and freshwater

It should be calibrated with 1.026 or 35ppt, not rodi. i know it is what some say on the instructions but it isnt accurate with reef tank salinity unless you calibrate to 35ppt.

 

[Iamable2099]

The test kit shows the tank is not cycled, the ammonia looks like .5 and the nitrate is zero. For a tank to be cycled, the ammonia should be zero and nitrates should be somewhere between 10-20. Nitrite is not important in salt tanks, we don't test nitrite. Nothing should be added to the tank while there is ammonia in the water.

How did you cycle the tank?

Did you use API to measure the phosphate? It doesn't work for phosphate at all. API is not very good for calcium either. Better to get salifert or red sea test kits for better accuracy.

I used aquavittro seed for the first week dosing daily. 8 weeks ago. I placed caribsea rocks 2 weeks ago.

Great to know API isn’t all that accurate.

 

[dedragon]

It’s a 24 W Nicrew from Amazon

i think you might have gotten confused. this is the type of nicrew ppl recommend usually
Amazon product ASIN B0DR82CYHW

 

[Iamable2099]

It should be calibrated with 1.026 or 35ppt, not rodi. i know it is what some say on the instructions but it isnt accurate with reef tank salinity unless you calibrate to 35ppt.

What I mean is I will check tap water to see 0 and rodi to see zero. How do I obtain a test to calibrate 35ppt. My tanks is at 1.025

 

[Iamable2099]

What I mean is I will check tap water to see 0 and rodi to see zero. How do I obtain a test to calibrate 35ppt. My tanks is at 1.025

1.025 specific gravity

 

[dedragon]

rodi water or freshwater cannot be used to calibrate it. you need either store bought solution in a bottle or to do what this forum says (trying to find randys post but most ppl know it if they use it)
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-refractometer-cal-solution.966246/

 

[dedragon]

there is a guide on reef2reef but im too lazy to find it rn