Nano-Tank: Nothing grows.

[StayPuftShrimp]

Hello, first post in r2r!

I am a long time freshwater tank keeper having a lot of confusion and frustration with my first Saltwater tank.

Current setup:
9g UNS 45A (Built in pump and filtration sump w/ biopellets) Macro Algae+ Soft coral nano-tank. Fully cycled
Twinstar 450 E series Light (1750 lumens) : Lights run for 10.5 hours

Livestock:
1 Tailspot Blenny
4 Blue Leg Hermit crabs
1 Cherry Shrimp (recently deceased)
Mix of Red Ogo, Dragon's Breath, Corraline algae, Codium
1 frag Pulsing Xenia (dying/melting)
1 new Frag GSP (pale, not opening, microalgae beginning to grow on surface)

Parameters:
Salinity- 1.026
Temp-78-80 F
pH- 8.2
KH- 10
Ca- 400-450
NO3- Reads zero, I dose 2ml of Brightwell Neonitro to keep Macros fed.
PO4- Test reads zero, I dose 1ml of Brightwell Neophos for the same reason. (I have since pulled back with this once I saw Cyano)

I'm using the Red Sea Marine Care test kit, I don't have a way to test Magnesium or other elements.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been on a long and hard learning journey with this tank. There were many ups and downs that I expected with learning saltwater. I had poor lighting, algae blooms, insufficient salinity, all of which I have tried to address.

The most recent and drastic change I have made was a switch over from Instant Ocean to Red Sea Coral Pro salt mix.


The tank has been going for about a year, It started off very strong, corals were thriving, algae wasn't too bad, but then I slowly noticed the corals starting to wither away. I was very confused and the tank began to crash more rapidly. After a lot of investigation I found out my salinity was way too low (1.014 I think) as a result of going off the box instructions of Instant Ocean and not double checking with a refractometer. So to correct, I slowly adjusted salinity, increasing by .001-.002 per day. A few weeks ago I made my switch to the Red Sea salt as well as beginning the NO3 dosing (I noticed my macros responding well to it). However, since this big course correction with the salt and dosing, my Xenia, which was thriving, pulsing and doing really well previously, turned a powdery bluish color (which I thought was a good thing at first) and then would just keep its polyps shut every morning. The Xenia has now since melted and I don't think there's any saving it. The Cherry shrimp who was also doing really fine, died unexpectedly; seemingly a bad molt. I also noticed that the copepod population seemed to crash as well. They used to cover the glass, grazing on algae etc, and now they are all gone. Sorry I don't have a clear concise timeline on all of this, but the bad stuff seems to have been accumulating in the past 2 months.

The GSP I have in there is only a week old, I got a new frag to see if my parameter changes had helped, but the GSP hasn't opened up since I dropped it in the tank. (I did quarantine it) and now algae is starting to grow over its flesh.


I am very confused and ready to give up. My Blenny seems to be doing okay thankfully, and the Hermit crabs haven't had any issues. I test my water monthly, my pH has never been unstable. Is my lighting too strong for Corals but perfect for algae? I originally thought it was a Nitrate/Phosphate problem, but even when I dose or overfeed, it tests at zero. I believe the uptake of the macro algae outpaces and Nitrate buildup.

I have considered getting on of those ICP test kits from BRS, has anyone had any luck with those?

I just really feel like there is a gap in my knowledge here and I don't know what else to try! Any input or help would be appreciated!

 

[RocketEngineer]

I note two things: 1 that light looks to be for planted, not reef aquariums. It may not have the correct spectrum. May want to research that further. Also, how old are the test kits?

What are you using for a water source?

I would advise against making big changes. It seems the tank is unsettled at the moment and it may just need good practices to get it back on track. Make haste slowly.

 

[Amelanchier]

That light should be fine for your tank. If you look at the build thread for the current tank of the month inland_reef used a twinstar for two years (his tank has lots of softies as LPS as well as macros) and tigahboy also used/uses twinstars on his tanks which have macroalgae and gorgonians in them.

Inland_reef’s TOTM thread

REEF OF THE MONTH - May 2022: Inland Reef's Amazing Coastal Lagoon

R2R Username: @inland_reef Build Thread: Inland Reef's Coastal Lagoon Introduction: Hello all! First off, I want to thank Reef2Reef for picking my reef tank as May’s Reef of the Month! I have been following along the Reef of the Month...

www.reef2reef.com

Tigahboy’s TOTM thread

REEF OF THE MONTH - May 2021: Tigahboy's Macroalgae Paradise!

R2R Username: @Tigahboy Build Thread: Tigahboy's Macroalgae Tank(s) Introduction: Greetings from Seattle, Washington! I’m super honored and thrilled to be featured this month on Reef2Reef. Although I go by Tigahboy and tigahboy.h2o online and in social media, my real name is Dennis, and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[sixty_reefer]

Macro algae tanks are hard to keep balanced due to the algaes high demand in nutrients. My first priority would be to raise nutrient to around 10 nitrates and 0.5 phosphates. On a macro algae tank you would always want to run phosphates and nitrates a little higher than a reef tank.
Other things you may have going against you could be the storage of organics on the sand bed, heterotrophic bacteria will be able to use this organics to grow in numbers and utilise N and P on the process they can use more nutrients than your algae alone can and to stabilise the tank you will need to tackle nutrients first imo.
I’m addition the build up organics in the sand bed will be leaching in to the tank and cause a slight yellow tint to the water that will change the spectrum of your light (making the light look more yellow) in a way that can favour pest algaes photosynthesis.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think its a learning curve we all face coming from fresh to salt, its not very similar at all, and extremely hands-on compared to fresh.

I would say that you need better test kits, and need to test more often. Some test every day or every couple days, once a month is not sufficient. Need to test for alkalinity, calcium, phosphate, to me, these are the most important 3. They should be very stable, not fluctuate, and you cant know this if your testing only once a month.

I dont think I saw how often you do water changes, it should be weekly or bi-weekly at least. (weekly if you dont have a skimmer)

I dont think I saw if you use rodi water, thats another important part of saltwater. Tap water will bring you problems.

 

[StayPuftShrimp]

I note two things: 1 that light looks to be for planted, not reef aquariums. It may not have the correct spectrum. May want to research that further. Also, how old are the test kits?

What are you using for a water source?

I would advise against making big changes. It seems the tank is unsettled at the moment and it may just need good practices to get it back on track. Make haste slowly.

Reverse osmosis, and I mix the salt solution myself. The test kit is new and in date.
Yeah, I am trying to just tough it out at the moment and maybe let it reach its new baseline.

 

[StayPuftShrimp]

I think its a learning curve we all face coming from fresh to salt, its not very similar at all, and extremely hands-on compared to fresh.

I would say that you need better test kits, and need to test more often. Some test every day or every couple days, once a month is not sufficient. Need to test for alkalinity, calcium, phosphate, to me, these are the most important 3. They should be very stable, not fluctuate, and you cant know this if your testing only once a month.

I dont think I saw how often you do water changes, it should be weekly or bi-weekly at least. (weekly if you dont have a skimmer)

I dont think I saw if you use rodi water, thats another important part of saltwater. Tap water will bring you problems.

Great, thanks for the input. I am using Reverse Osmosis water. I water change bi-weekly, but I will see how doing it weekly goes!

 

[StayPuftShrimp]

Macro algae tanks are hard to keep balanced due to the algaes high demand in nutrients. My first priority would be to raise nutrient to around 10 nitrates and 0.5 phosphates. On a macro algae tank you would always want to run phosphates and nitrates a little higher than a reef tank.
Other things you may have going against you could be the storage of organics on the sand bed, heterotrophic bacteria will be able to use this organics to grow in numbers and utilise N and P on the process they can use more nutrients than your algae alone can and to stabilise the tank you will need to tackle nutrients first imo.
I’m addition the build up organics in the sand bed will be leaching in to the tank and cause a slight yellow tint to the water that will change the spectrum of your light (making the light look more yellow) in a way that can favour pest algaes photosynthesis.

Awesome input! I really hadn't considered whats going on in the sand bed at all! I was definitely afraid to be heavy handed with the Nitrates at first but I think once my macro algae is really thriving I will be in a better place.

 

[Pkunk35]

Some really good advice so far!

I’ll try to look at the other stuff that might be getting over looked:

you say that at first the tank is thriving, now no.
you say you used instant ocean by box instructions and had a 1.014 salinity? That sounds strange to me.
so my first question is , what’s your refracto device, do you calibrate, and if you took your salinity today what does it read.

imo when learning this hobby, learn to make perfect saltwater so that it will change perfectly or bring your tank back to baseline. If you work on this, it will become more like the FW hobby (sorta at least that whole water change part).

also, do you top off freshwater daily?

1 other thing is that if you are growing macros and micro algaes, this is using up nutrient that coral or bac would use. I would eliminate micro algae populations, and trim back heavy on macro, until your coral look better (need to register some nutrient on tests).

 

[The Farmer]

Magnesium I feel like is an important element

 

[StayPuftShrimp]

Some really good advice so far!

I’ll try to look at the other stuff that might be getting over looked:

you say that at first the tank is thriving, now no.
you say you used instant ocean by box instructions and had a 1.014 salinity? That sounds strange to me.
so my first question is , what’s your refracto device, do you calibrate, and if you took your salinity today what does it read.

imo when learning this hobby, learn to make perfect saltwater so that it will change perfectly or bring your tank back to baseline. If you work on this, it will become more like the FW hobby (sorta at least that whole water change part).

also, do you top off freshwater daily?

1 other thing is that if you are growing macros and micro algaes, this is using up nutrient that coral or bac would use. I would eliminate micro algae populations, and trim back heavy on macro, until your coral look better (need to register some nutrient on tests).

I am using the ATC refractometer from amazon. (I didn't have one when I first established the tank) I calibrated and check it against R/O water, so I can only assume the readings are accurate. I just checked the salinity and it read 1.026.

I do not top off freshwater daily.

 

[Jubei2006]

I have two saltwater tanks set up. One is a 29g Biocube that has been running with at least fish for about 10 years. The other is a 525g reef set up that has been running for 1 year. My 29g biocube has transitioned from both fish only to reef a couple times over it's life span. It has a kessil a160 tuna blue over it. I have always kept reef parameters in it since it's been running. Soft corals do okay and grow slowly. LPS the same. SPS......well they last a little while and die (bleaching) if not moved out. The only reason SPS have gone into that tank is because I quarantine everything wet since the 525g was started. So 60 days for all corals in a fishless system until they go in the big tank. The big tank....everything grows well in it. I attribute that to system volume and stability. I struggle with stability in the 29g (especially alkalinity). It is a nonissue in the 525g. The big tank, if I don't dose, only uses 0.3-0.5dKH per WEEK. The other majors are always rock solid and don't budge more than 2-5ppm in a week. I would assume it is also much harder to maintain rock solid stability in the 9gallon tank which may lead to your coral difficulties.

 

[Pkunk35]

I am using the ATC refractometer from amazon. (I didn't have one when I first established the tank) I calibrated and check it against R/O water, so I can only assume the readings are accurate. I just checked the salinity and it read 1.026.

I do not top off freshwater daily.

you must top off freshwater to make up for evaporation to keep salts in balance. Very important step #1, it might be a major part of the issue here (stability). Changing salinity will change all your parameters so keeping it steady is first concern here. If the tank has a lid like a bio cube then evap will be way less but it will still need topping off .

 

[Nemo&Friends]

How are your macro doing? I am not very interested in corals but I am trying macro. I have tried several different ones and most of them died. The only one surviving is one type of green caulerpa. I lost all the red ones, and quite a few green ones. It seems you mainly are having problem with the coral but not with macro. The 2 may be competing, and as your tank is small it is difficult to keep both. If you macro survive, and so does your fish, you are doing something right for some of your tank inhabitant, so do not be discouraged. You may have to try 2 small tanks, one for coral, one for macro.