Please help!!! My chaeto is dying!!

[BadAsh]

So not sure why nobody said anything about the salt... I know nothing per say but I thought instant ocean was for more of a FO tank? Am I wrong?

 

[fish farmer]

Since adding a refugium it’s made my phosphates go very high I’m afraid of losing all my coral

When did you add the refugium? I'm guessing recently, BTW that chaeto doesn't look like it is dying at least not at a "panic mode" level.


What were your phosphates before the addition of the chaeto? Maybe you fed more at that time or something else that caused different water parameters.

My 29 gallon had similar elevated nitrate and phosphate levels. To get them to drop I kept up on water changes, cut back on feeding and added a SMALL fist sized clump of chaeto under a cheap grow light from Home Depot. It took a couple of months but I did see my levels drop....more the nitrate than the phosphate. I also had a lot of algae in the display. I don't dose iron. I pull some chaeto out when it overgrows and starts to die. I manually flip mine occasionally. I do have some flow going through it. I have the fuge light on for 12 to 18 hours.

 

[Dom]

So if the tank is healthy and chaeto is dying just remove the fuge?

As I understand it, if Chaetomorpha is dying off, you should consider the possibility that it might be starving due to a lack of nutrients in the tank.

I wouldn't remove the refugium. I would leave it in place so it is available to you down the road if the need arises. Just remove the remaining Chaetomorpha.

 

[Dom]

No it’s not worth it at all. All I want is my corals to grow and be healthy

Is lack of coral growth in your tank an issue?

 

[Dom]

So not sure why nobody said anything about the salt... I know nothing per say but I thought instant ocean was for more of a FO tank? Am I wrong?

They make something called Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, which is geared more toward reef setups. They also make Instant Ocean Sea Salt, which I believe is geared more toward FOWLR

 

[Natescorals]

When did you add the refugium? I'm guessing recently, BTW that chaeto doesn't look like it is dying at least not at a "panic mode" level.


What were your phosphates before the addition of the chaeto? Maybe you fed more at that time or something else that caused different water parameters.

My 29 gallon had similar elevated nitrate and phosphate levels. To get them to drop I kept up on water changes, cut back on feeding and added a SMALL fist sized clump of chaeto under a cheap grow light from Home Depot. It took a couple of months but I did see my levels drop....more the nitrate than the phosphate. I also had a lot of algae in the display. I don't dose iron. I pull some chaeto out when it overgrows and starts to die. I manually flip mine occasionally. I do have some flow going through it. I have the fuge light on for 12 to 18 hours.

I just added the fuge and chaeto a couple days ago. I probably shouldn’t have even added it. Thought it would help and actually be beneficial but it’s actually causing all my corals to close and look like their dead. Also now my water is extremely cloudy. I’m considering removing the fuge or just removing the chaeto

 

[Natescorals]

Is lack of coral growth in your tank an issue?

Yes haven’t had any growth at all

 

[Natescorals]

They make something called Instant Ocean Reef Crystals, which is geared more toward reef setups. They also make Instant Ocean Sea Salt, which I believe is geared more toward FOWLR

Why is reef crystals for reef tanks? Doesn’t instant ocean have all the same stuff as reef crystals?

 

[Isaac Alves]

I just added the fuge and chaeto a couple days ago. I probably shouldn’t have even added it. Thought it would help and actually be beneficial but it’s actually causing all my corals to close and look like their dead. Also now my water is extremely cloudy. I’m considering removing the fuge or just removing the chaeto

...just read through this thread....hmmmm

Maybe, just test your main parameters. Make sure they're where you want them to be. And if not, slowly adjust your dosing (if your dosing) or do a series of 20% water changes over the next few days. Always testing your parameters the same time each day so you can get a feel for your tank. Do this for a solid week, or two. Salifert tests are fast, accurate and relatively inexpensive.

Make sure your tracking temperature and salinity along with the main three: Ca, Alk, Mg .

Pulling chaeto out or just leaving a baseball size amount isn't going to swing things IMO. Maybe pH would move a bit. And you'll see any chemistry changes in your daily tests. Your water changes should address any issues.

I'm sure this goes without saying but make sure your newly mixed saltwater’s temp, salinity, pH and Alk is where you expect it to be.

 

[Dom]

Why is reef crystals for reef tanks? Doesn’t instant ocean have all the same stuff as reef crystals?

Not the same. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals is formulated with elements consumed by reef tanks.

For example, you might find testing 10 gallons of new water made with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals mixes to a higher level of Calcium than 10 gallons of new mixed with Instant Ocean Salt. This is because corals use Calcium, something you don't find in a FOWLR.

 

[Dom]

Yes haven’t had any growth at all

Tell us about your lighting (manufacturer and model). Also, your tank should have lots of chaotic flow (power heads pointed at each other).

As I understand coral requirements, they require calcium and carbonate in their skeletal formation. Have you tested calcium and alkalinity? If so, what are the numbers?

 

[Dom]

Haven’t added anything just small refugium and now my corals aren’t doing so well

That Home Depot grow light may be part of the problem. While it lights the refugium, I feel like it isn't doing much else.

I don't believe that light generates enough intensity to get through the water and to the Chaetomorpha. My first refugium used a similar light, but it was positioned just above the water line before it was effective. Try lowering the light closer to the water line.

 

[Dom]

My nitrates are 30.
Phosphates are high at 0.48
Alk is 10
Calcium 420
Salinity is 1.026

I didn't see this post. Clearly your calcium and ALK levels are good.

 

[Natescorals]

The instant ocean seems to be doing fine. Even when I’m doing a 2.5 gallon water change weekly my alk and calcium never drop any lower that 9dkh and calcium stays in the 400’s. Are there any other trace minerals besides those that reef crystals has that instant ocean doesn’t? If it does than maybe it would be wise to change to reef crystals? I just didn’t want to raise alk so high to the point my corals aren’t happy

 

[Natescorals]

That Home Depot grow light may be part of the problem. While it lights the refugium, I feel like it isn't doing much else.

I don't believe that light generates enough intensity to get through the water and to the Chaetomorpha. My first refugium used a similar light, but it was positioned just above the water line before it was effective. Try lowering the light closer to the water line.

I’m thinking about the removing the fuge. I don’t want to over feed fish and corals just so I can grow chaeto and add all these supplements.

 

[Natescorals]

Tell us about your lighting (manufacturer and model). Also, your tank should have lots of chaotic flow (power heads pointed at each other).

As I understand coral requirements, they require calcium and carbonate in their skeletal formation. Have you tested calcium and alkalinity? If so, what are the numbers?

Alk and calcium are perfectly fine. Phosphates and nitrates are a bit high nitrates are 30 and phosphates are also 0.31
I’m using a light called ocean revive t247b. They are pretty strong lights my tank is only 20 gallon

 

[Natescorals]

I only run the blues at 15% and the whites at 2%. Light is sitting 6 inches from the water surface and my tank is a 20 gallon long.

 

[Natescorals]

Not the same. Instant Ocean Reef Crystals is formulated with elements consumed by reef tanks.

For example, you might find testing 10 gallons of new water made with Instant Ocean Reef Crystals mixes to a higher level of Calcium than 10 gallons of new mixed with Instant Ocean Salt. This is because corals use Calcium, something you don't find in a FOWLR.

So it may be wise to switch over to reef crystals?

 

[Dom]

So it may be wise to switch over to reef crystals?

If you are running a reef tank, I would use Reef Crystals. Been using it for 10 years and am happy with the results.

 

[Jeeperz]

Don't bother switching to reef crystals, the levels in your tank with regular IO are just fine for a reef, especially if you are going to use all for reef. Reef crystals is just artificially high in the big 3 for those that don't dose. I switched to IO because reef crystals is no better for more money.

I can't keep chaeto alive either. It lives ok in my invert qt but dies once it's moved to the tank. Not sure why.