Why can't i keep coral

[Jenny_rs]

Ok.. I'm guessing you rinse it out in tap water... Best is in rodi water or make up a gallon of water with that Api stuff I took a pic of. Or, you can buy filter floss and just trash it every 3 days. (It's the stuff that looks like seat cushion material.. you just ball it up and put it where your sponge went.).

If you had a skimmer, I'd recommend NOPOX. This would get your nitrates down faster than water changes alone. You could still try it. You might need to clean sponge every day. Idk.

It will be important for you to monitor your nitrates regularly. For soft coral (like my tank.. zoas, pallys etc) 5ppm - 10ppm is the target. That's where they do best. SPS coral don't like the higher stuff like softies.

As far as your phosphates... I wouldnt be too concerned... You should know where they are at, but I saw you had chemipure. I run the elite version in mine as carbon & phosphate control. My phosphate is always at .25ppm. Prolly because my stupid API test kit isn't that sensitive. A phosphate test kit should be on your to do list.

So, take care of those chloramines and do those water changes and keep an eye on your nitrates. You should see the nitrates go down every week. If not, you prolly fed too much.

Let's address your alkalinity... Don't do anything.
By doing those water changes for nitrates, you will be raising alk. The Kent Salt that you have has 8.5dkh in the mix. I'd like to schedule a follow up appt. In three weeks. I'd like to see where you are at with the chloramines, nitrates and dkh values. . Don't go messing with lights or other things.. just what we discussed. So, post back on this thread in 3 weeks or if you have questions.

Okay budget is tight right now, I will see if I can get a new nitrate test kit since I just finished the one I had and will update you here in 3 weeks.

 

[Jenny_rs]

Water changes with a proper salt mix will definitely help bring alk up. I’d get it to 7 before any other corals. Definitely look into a phosphate kit (Hanna is the best, then maybe salifert) I still feel like with low alk softies shouldn’t be dying so fast. My alks dropped low like that in the past and stuff gets mad but never so inhospitable things can’t survive. I still feel like it may be 0 phosphates and extremely high nitrates.

Could possibly be a combination of both super high nitrates and low ph/alk. My mag was last tested today with all other levels at 1400ppm along with a large 5g water change. Fingers crossed.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Okay budget is tight right now, I will see if I can get a new nitrate test kit since I just finished the one I had and will update you here in 3 weeks.

Ok.. if your budget is tight, at the very min. Get the API tap water conditioner. It's like 6.99. that way you can be assured chloramines won't be a problem with increased water changes. If you don't have a nitrate kit... Screw it. You can grab one with your next pay or something.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Alk may be an issue. On a tiny tank like that don't bother with dosing. You're not likely to grow sticks in there anyways TBH. Do big weekly water changes. Get some pumps to make it automatic if you must, but I think that is the easiest way to keep the system going.

Now, I notice you said you are acclimating corals. How many have you tried so far, and what is your acclimation like? Do you get them all from the same place? A store? A website?

 

[Jenny_rs]

Alk may be an issue. On a tiny tank like that don't bother with dosing. You're not likely to grow sticks in there anyways TBH. Do big weekly water changes. Get some pumps to make it automatic if you must, but I think that is the easiest way to keep the system going.

Now, I notice you said you are acclimating corals. How many have you tried so far, and what is your acclimation like? Do you get them all from the same place? A store? A website?

Honestly I don't understand how I managed to keep a small 5 gallon with 2 clownfish and full of coral with monthly water changes but not a 10g. The mushroom frag was from a small reef store, same as the zoas but from a different store. I've now got a toadstool which came from a local reefers tank who was selling frags. I did the usual drip acclimation over the span of 2-3 hours. There was some polyp extension last night but none today.

 

[damsels are not mean]

I did the usual drip acclimation over the span of 2-3 hours.

While I don't think acclimation is killing these corals specifically, it's generally a waste of time but can actively harmful on corals that had a long trip to get there. They don't need acclimation at all except in cases where the temp is freezing and they need to warm up to room temp before going in. They especially don't need dripping. The best thing a coral can have is good, flowing water ASAP if you want the highest survival rate.

Also I wouldn't even drip any animal that long. Stress from sitting in a bucket of ammonia is going to kill them in 3 hours. Unless there is a huge gap in salinity/pH, fishes should just go right in, and inverts should get a drip only until salinity matches within 0.001 sg.

 

[BrianAnthony]

Honestly I don't understand how I managed to keep a small 5 gallon with 2 clownfish and full of coral with monthly water changes but not a 10g. The mushroom frag was from a small reef store, same as the zoas but from a different store. I've now got a toadstool which came from a local reefers tank who was selling frags. I did the usual drip acclimation over the span of 2-3 hours. There was some polyp extension last night but none today.

Afterthought: I know I keep harping about chloramines, but... Water companies can add chloramine all the time or sporadically throughout the year. This would give negative effects sometimes or none at all. You won't know unless you test for them out of the tap everytime you need water. That's why the solution is to eliminate the threat and treat it all the time.

The other thing is your pH. Not sure if you have a good way of testing it, but, with your dkh low, it destabilizes pH. pH should be around 8.3... but that can be a discussion for later. By doing your water changes it's going to increase dkh and thus help stabilize pH. That's why water changes are the way to go here... It will lower your nitrates, increase dkh and stabilize pH.

 

[Jenny_rs]

Afterthought: I know I keep harping about chloramines, but... Water companies can add chloramine all the time or sporadically throughout the year. This would give negative effects sometimes or none at all. You won't know unless you test for them out of the tap everytime you need water. That's why the solution is to eliminate the threat and treat it all the time.

The other thing is your pH. Not sure if you have a good way of testing it, but, with your dkh low, it destabilizes pH. pH should be around 8.3... but that can be a discussion for later. By doing your water changes it's going to increase dkh and thus help stabilize pH. That's why water changes are the way to go here... It will lower your nitrates, increase dkh and stabilize pH.

Got it. I have some of that api water clarifier you mentioned so I will use that. I did a 5g water change yesterday. I have already prepared a 5g jug of r/o treated with the conditioner and today I will be adding the salt to it. I get paid next Friday so I will grab another ph test and nitrate test. In one week I will do a 3g water change, retest the tank and monitor levels. Sound about right?

 

[BrianAnthony]

Got it. I have some of that api water clarifier you mentioned so I will use that. I did a 5g water change yesterday. I have already prepared a 5g jug of r/o treated with the conditioner and today I will be adding the salt to it. I get paid next Friday so I will grab another ph test and nitrate test. In one week I will do a 3g water change, retest the tank and monitor levels. Sound about right?

Sounds good!

 

[Tamberav]

I would not dose a 10g tank with no corals. Just do a water change with good salt.

Your low alk isn’t going to kill mushrooms or most softies or even many other corals.

You can always buy distilled water at Walmart or such and make your own salt mix. Sometimes LFS are lazy about changing their filters or such and the water they make can be a problem.

Small weekly water changes are ideal on a small tank to replenish elements.

Try not to get hung up on your first tank as this tank is a new tank and every tank is different. If we could just copy what other people do for success… this hobby would be a lot less frustrating and easier on the wallet!

 

[Jenny_rs]

The toadstool poked it tentacles out I tested and the ph was 8.1 and dkh was 6 so we are making slow progress

 

[McCarrick]

How's the tank doing now?

 

[Weeb]

Check the ingredients of the pellets. If you see 'wheat' or similar, then I would avoid using it. Fish don't digest wheat products and, unfortunately, the makers of them include the wheat products in their 'protein' analysis. Never saw or heard of marine species attacking and decimating a farmer's wheat field.

Wheat products are often used to bind pellets, but there is actually good foods without these binders.