Torch coral darkened after feeding

[Ralph Ritoch]

If you’re using plain old fluorescent tubes, those are not going to get you anywhere in a reef tank. If they’re from your freshwater setup from before, you’ll have to ditch them and get lighting meant for a reef tank since you’re keeping corals.

The fresh water tank was running with a 3W light and had no plants. I tried adding plants and the fish ate them all within one day. I actually was planning on upgrading to LED lighting but it seems this tank is doomed.

 

[ScottR]

The fresh water tank was running with a 3W light and had no plants. I tried adding plants and the fish ate them all within one day. I actually was planning on upgrading to LED lighting but it seems this tank is doomed.

In all honesty, I believe you should give away any livestock you have. Then research everything in detail and build back up if you’re up for it. This hobby is tough, expensive and frustrating. Seems you have your heart in the right place, you just need to hone in on your husbandry and make sure that your water is pristine if you want to keep corals. I think the easiest way and best starting point is to empty the tank and clean it. Buy some salt and use RODI or distilled water. Then learn about cycling.

 

[P-Dub]

Last but not least, there is no replacing this tank. The fish store has no more salt water fish or coral and if it can't survive 6 months without a protein skimmer and sump than its doomed! I was actually considering switching to led lighting but since you insist that this tank is going to die there is no reason to buy one!

Hey Ralph, I hear your frustration but the bottom line is, there are right ways to do things to be successful. I don't know where you are located in the world but I live in a remote location with no LFS or supplier. I often must wait a month or longer to get things shipped in and often there are places that just don't ship or items that can't be shipped to me. I find a way to make it happen and it IS really expensive. If you read anywhere on this or other reef forums you will find a constant theme, reef keeping costs a lot of money in general and takes an overabundance of patience. If you lack any one of the two necessary ingredients it might not be for you.
These are the basics for reef keeping we are talking about here. If the basics cannot be accomplished perhaps freshwater is the best plan. The tank was a freshwater tank before and I certainly do love a well-done freshwater or planted tank.
All the best.

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

When you say you are using ocean water with "synthetic salt" what exactly do you mean?

I think you could avoid a lot of problems by doing a near 100% water change with fresh saltwater: Saltwater made by using RODI water with 0TDS and adding a commercial salt mix made for saltwater aquariums (Instant ocean, Tropic Marin, RedSEa pick one) with the salt diluted to 1.025 specific gravity. You will need a refractometer or hydrometer.

 

[jeffchapok]

API Freshwater master test kit

Is this correct, ie. you are using a freshwater test kit? I'm not sure, but that may skew your test results. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can confirm.

 

[P-Dub]

Is this correct, ie. you are using a freshwater test kit? I'm not sure, but that may skew your test results. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can confirm.

Pretty much the same results with API fresh or salt. Any difference would hardly be noticeable, if at all, but, saltwater would have been the one I purchased never the less.