Please Help us.

[Theducatiman]

Ok so we are a little over 4 months into our first saltwater setup. It is a Aquatop 40 AIO. We’ve had a run in with ICH and almost wiped out all of our fish. The remaining have been in QT now for 6-7 weeks (except for our Goby). We have been battling all kinds of algae and it’s killing our “easy beginner” corals. It pretty much looks like I have every type of algae there can be at one time. I’ll post a pic of the latest water parameters and the tank. I do believe I am getting a false ammonia reading from the many readings of using Red Sea Pro Coral Salt. Also I am running 1 AI Prime HD 16 with a shortened BRS AB+. Thanks in advanced.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Hi! Welcome aboard.

The pains of a new system. First off, a picture with white lights will help us a lot actually. Second, this is a tough stage so breathe! 4 months is about when you see all the uglies appear. Did you use dead rock? Dry, not live? How did you cycle the system? What corals are those, hard to tell as is. I see a frogspawn/hammer, cloves, favia? What other inverts?

Next, what is your maintenance schedule like?

This will help us figure out if it is new tank issues, or something else. I know for sure your nitrate is low, but I would like to know more before I recommend how to get that number up.

 

[dadnjesse]

Where do you get your water, do you have a ro/di filter or use tap water.

 

[reef_ninja]

Tank is 4 months old, but some of your fish have been in QT for almost half that time. Makes me
Wonder if you might have gone a little fast adding fish, but that depends on cycle, what you started tank with (as Deniseandy mentioned above). Water source is also good to assess too. That ammonia level might not entirely be inaccurate. How often are/were you feeding and how often are the water changes?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi,

#WelcometoR2R Great advice already. Take a step back and let the tank settle in. As mentioned that ammonia level would not be concerning.

I would ask looking at the numbers , are you dosing or which salt are you using. I would focus on getting the tanks stable and ich under control.

 

[JRAD]

It was prob a little early to add corals at 4 months. Good that you you have qt. It is really hard to find disease free fish these days!

 

[Theducatiman]

Hi! Welcome aboard.

The pains of a new system. First off, a picture with white lights will help us a lot actually. Second, this is a tough stage so breathe! 4 months is about when you see all the uglies appear. Did you use dead rock? Dry, not live? How did you cycle the system? What corals are those, hard to tell as is. I see a frogspawn/hammer, cloves, favia? What other inverts?

Next, what is your maintenance schedule like?

This will help us figure out if it is new tank issues, or something else. I know for sure your nitrate is low, but I would like to know more before I recommend how to get that number up.

I’ll snap another picture with whites.
I used live rock from LFS. Cycle was basically 30 days with two clowns in it and an additive from the LFS (can’t remember what it was). Checked water parameters and waited till everything stabilized. I try and blow everything off with a baster every few days, clean glass daily, replace mechanical filtration every few days, test water 1 once a week-2 weeks and same with the water change. We have a pink tip anemone (doing well), couple rock flowers (not good), hammer, zoas, lost 2 bubble tips and a couple other I can not remember the names of. Tank has a couple cleaner shrimp, and 6 or 7 snails of various types. We also have our Goby and a pistol shrimp pair. I see the shrimp picking at the rock flowers also and I can’t seem to remove him yet. Hope this can help you.

 

[Theducatiman]

Where do you get your water, do you have a ro/di filter or use tap water.

I make my own and have a BRS 4 stage kit.

 

[Theducatiman]

Hi,

#WelcometoR2R Great advice already. Take a step back and let the tank settle in. As mentioned that ammonia level would not be concerning.

I would ask looking at the numbers , are you dosing or which salt are you using. I would focus on getting the tanks stable and ich under control.

For salt I’m using the red sea coral pro and the only thing I really have been dosing is reef energy AB+

 

[Theducatiman]

Tank is 4 months old, but some of your fish have been in QT for almost half that time. Makes me
Wonder if you might have gone a little fast adding fish, but that depends on cycle, what you started tank with (as Deniseandy mentioned above). Water source is also good to assess too. That ammonia level might not entirely be inaccurate. How often are/were you feeding and how often are the water changes?

The fish were moved to quarantine because of a problem my head when I added something from the LFS. Everything that I’ve read says 70+ days. I don’t want to put them back in early and lose them. Honestly they’re all doing very well in the quarantine tank I have.

 

[Texas Rick]

I think you are going to fast. How much and how often are you dosing reef energy AB+. I think you didn't give the tank time to cycle and started to add all this fish and coral. I think the tank is overwhelmed

 

[Pistondog]

The fish were moved to quarantine because of a problem my head when I added something from the LFS. Everything that I’ve read says 70+ days. I don’t want to put them back in early and lose them. Honestly they’re all doing very well in the quarantine tank I have.
[/QUOTE]
With no fish, should you be adding nitrates?

 

[Texas Rick]

I use Red Sea Coral Pro Salt with no Ammonia spikes

 

[Texas Rick]

Adding to much in such a little time can have many swings in the parameters.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Reduce white light intensity. Add cleaners:
4 turbo snails
4 astrea snails
3 nassarius snails
3 trochus snails
6 blue leg hermit ctabs

 

[DeniseAndy]

Thank you for the information. It sounds like you put in some creatures that are better off in a mature system and they die off will be frustrating. Any anemone is usually best in a very stable and more mature system. Time and stability are keys to a successful reef.

It is good you used live rock as it will have combated any need for a fully dry cycle. Unless the rock was not truly "live".
Do you have an auto top off?

I personally do not use any additives to my systems unless I know why I am adding them. With the corals your describing, you should not need additives as water changes will add back lost trace elements.

Also, the system still has a fish in it, so any fallow will be for naught. You will have to remove the goby also and go 76 days for a truly fallow system. As vetteguy53081 said, add the clean up crew he mentioned. I would also add about 10 cerith to the list. If you add dwarf cerith, add 50 or so.

Nitrates should not be zero, but looks like your algae may be picking up the slack. What does your "sump" area contain? It can be a long process to clear up algae or you can do a rip clean of the tank. I have done this many times in my 40g. However, it may not be the right choice currently. Learning your system and where the problem comes from is a good process. Can be really annoying process, but you will learn your system well.

Sorry this is so long. I hope it helps a bit.

 

[Theducatiman]

Thank you for the information. It sounds like you put in some creatures that are better off in a mature system and they die off will be frustrating. Any anemone is usually best in a very stable and more mature system. Time and stability are keys to a successful reef.

It is good you used live rock as it will have combated any need for a fully dry cycle. Unless the rock was not truly "live".
Do you have an auto top off?

I personally do not use any additives to my systems unless I know why I am adding them. With the corals your describing, you should not need additives as water changes will add back lost trace elements.

Also, the system still has a fish in it, so any fallow will be for naught. You will have to remove the goby also and go 76 days for a truly fallow system. As vetteguy53081 said, add the clean up crew he mentioned. I would also add about 10 cerith to the list. If you add dwarf cerith, add 50 or so.

Nitrates should not be zero, but looks like your algae may be picking up the slack. What does your "sump" area contain? It can be a long process to clear up algae or you can do a rip clean of the tank. I have done this many times in my 40g. However, it may not be the right choice currently. Learning your system and where the problem comes from is a good process. Can be really annoying process, but you will learn your system well.

Sorry this is so long. I hope it helps a bit.

All of the info is great!

I do have an ATO but its not setup yet. It will be hooked up in the next few days. I manual top off every 1-2 days as needed with RO.

The Goby never experienced any Ich or illness so that is why I left it in. I'll get it out as well and then would I need to start 76 days from that time? Also would you recommend to take the rocks out and scrub with a brush?

For a cleanup crew I have 9 snails total, 3 nassarius snail, 3 turbo, and 3 cerith as well as the shrimp and an urchin.

The tank is an AIO without a separate sump. What I do have is mechanical filtration (filter floss), followed by a skimmer which doesn't work well, Red Sea Activated carbon, and Quartz rings. There is a UV sterilizer and Media reactor (has Carbon, and phosban) added but it is not currently running.

 

[DeniseAndy]

The ato will help stabilize the tank regularly to stop any major fluctuation in salinity. So, that is good to hook up. Not your issue though. I do manual fills daily on my 6.5g and no issues.

White light picture would still help if you can get it. We can see the corals and algae better.

What urchin? I would add more ceriths and the astrea are good too.

As far as the 76days. Yes, it will start when you get the goby out. They can be carriers. It can be a pain. I have gone fallow twice, so know the pain.

As far as scrubbing the rocks, what I do is take them out and scrub with metal toothbrush, rinse in saltwater. Then you can put back in without damaging the bacteria and causing cycles. The sand should be vacuumed at least and then do up to 100% water change. You use RO/DI water? Mix it at least 24hrs before you use it and keep a powerhead or pump in it for agitation.

The floss is fine in the sump, but make sure to change often. I personally love rubble rock in my sumps of AIO. Great place to grow pods and house bacteria. No light required.

To get nitrates up a bit while fish are out of system, use something like reef roids or coral frenzy to feed the tank every other day or so. Should help the corals. Is the powerhead a vortex that I see in there? Just making sure you are getting enough flow around the tank.

 

[reef_ninja]

As far as scrubbing the rocks, what I do is take them out and scrub with metal toothbrush, rinse in saltwater.

Ive been doing this as well, except I just use one of those free toothbrushes you get from the dentist. When I'm draining water for a water change, Ill scrub the rocks in the bucket of water I just drained from the tank.

 

[Theducatiman]