New Guy From Northern California

Clemenza

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Hey Everyone,

Hi from Benicia! I found this site a few months back & gained some really great insight (not new to fish tanks or saltwater in general, but definitely a noob with regard to corals!) & decided to register.

EDIT: Currently I have a 40gal TruVue Aquasystem with about 20 lbs of live rock both in the back under the filters as well as front display area with an Eshopps in-tank nano protein skimmer. 1 wave maker to help with a little extra water movement. Going to be adding an ATO soon.

Tank parameters:
pH 8.1
Ca 435
Alk 9.9
Mg 1325 (a little low)

Here's where I've traditionally struggled:
Nitrates: 5-10
PO4 - .5

Consistent weekly water changes of 5 gals of homemade saltwater (RO/DI) with Red Sea Reef Coral Pro salt...daily top offs with RO/DI mixed with kalkwasser

3 fish: A black & white clown, a royal gramma, & a bi-color blenny (or as I call him, the thief)
invertebrates: a cleaner & 2 peppermint shrimp, an emerald crab & a few varied snails (nassarius, turbo, etc)
Corals: basically it's mixed....A Hammer, Frogspawn, an Elegance, small duncan w/3 heads & more starting to grow, a very small hollywood stunner chalice, some assorted zoas, a birdsnest, 1 favites frag, a few small psamacorra & some, a leather toadstool, a 3 headed candy cane, 3 small ricordeas, & some green star polyps

Concerns & where I'll be digging for clues: The Elegance coral (obv) as it isn't looking how it should (puffy tentacles & not fully open); the Duncan & the hollywood chalice - both haven't really grown much after several months of direct feeding, and the Nitrate/Phosphate conundrum.

I hope to help as much as I'm helped along the way!

Have a good one!

Dave
 
Last edited:
Welcome to R2R!
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Welcome to R2R!!! We’re glad you’re here!
 

WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF REEFING TO EXPLAIN TO A NON-REEFER?

  • Why a tiny coral frag can cost that much

    Votes: 8 22.9%
  • Why I spend time testing and adjusting water

    Votes: 7 20.0%
  • Why the fish I want might not fit my tank

    Votes: 7 20.0%
  • Why I have buckets, tubing, and salt around the house

    Votes: 1 2.9%
  • Why corals are living animals, not decorations

    Votes: 10 28.6%
  • How much time and attention a reef takes

    Votes: 9 25.7%
  • The difference between freshwater and saltwater creatures

    Votes: 2 5.7%
  • I’ve stopped trying to explain

    Votes: 12 34.3%
  • Other (Post in the comments)

    Votes: 2 5.7%
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