My 20-Gallon (Tall) Softie/lps Nano-Reef!

[Fishgirl2393]

I was referring to your monti cap... it definitely needs more light. I would leave the chalice where it is, it doesn't look too bad. Just because the monti cap bleached does not mean that you have too much light... there are other factors like alkalinity stability, flow, that could just as easily be the cause. At this point I would just work on keeping the water chemistry constant and stable so that you can eliminate that as an issue

OK, cool. We had a misunderstanding because I thought you were referring to the chalice. Any ideas about the alk stuff that I asked above?

[Fishgirl2393]

I don't think it is worse, however, the chalice still is showing some skeleton close to the edges. Any ideas? The tank looks good and the red mushroom I got the other day has now attached to my rocks.

[Tamberav]

Not sure but squirt some boiling hot water at the aiptasia in a syringe to murder them before the become a problem.

[Fishgirl2393]

I didn't use boiling water, however, I did go aiptasia hunting today (with a syringe)! I've tried to kill them before but have not been successful so hopefully I was this time.

[Tamberav]

Hope you get them. If you don't, try the boiling water trick, you don't need to stick them with a needle or anything, Just flood their hole with the water to cook them good!

[Fishgirl2393]

If this treatment didn't work, I'll try that! They're so hardy it is crazy.

[Fishgirl2393]

And it appears I'm going to have to use another method because my lemon juice method did not work. They were back out and "happy" a bit ago. I hate these things!!!

[Fishgirl2393]

The chalice coral is still showing skeleton (maybe a TINY bit more than before even). What would be causing this?

[Fishgirl2393]

OK, so there is more skeleton showing this week on the chalice than before. What would be causing this slow recede in from the outside edges? I want this coral to live, so please help. I've heard so many differing ideas about chalices that I don't know if it needs more light, less light, more flow, less flow, differing water parameters, etc. It might help if someone can identify the TYPE of chalice I have since there are many different kinds. Please help me out!

[Tamberav]

Whats your Mg at?

 

Maybe got stung or parameter swings.

[afyounie]

I lost my first chalice because of unstable alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Lost other corals because of this as well. The chalice started off with slow tissue loss then sped up until only the eyes were left and then even those were lost. Probably in your case you aren't dosing enough if you are dosing and its causing a swing in parameters. How is your coralline growth? I use my coralline growth as an indication of whether or not my alk, ca, and mg are in order. The coralline responds quickly to drops in parameters. I see a sharp decline in the amount of coralline in my tank when my alk and ca are too low and incline when they are back in order.

[Fishgirl2393]

Alk is 8dKH (haven't dosed in about a week or week and a half) and calcium is about 500ppm. Don't know about mag but I wouldn't THINK it would be off with those other numbers being what they. What do you think about that? There were some aiptasia around it but the recession is on ALL sides and the aiptasia are only on one. Funny thing is that I don't have much coralline growth at all (never have). I don't understand that either. I just tested the water today and here are the results...

Alk 8, Calcium 500ppm, nitrate 10ppm, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, pH 8.0 (it was early in the day), specific gravity (tested w/hydrometer) 1.025.

[afyounie]

With your calcium as high as it is and your alk as well, it makes me think you are using an alk buffer and not an actual carbonate source. There are plenty of other ways to raise alk without it being useful. I don't ever check pH anymore. I only check alk, calc, mg, and nitrate. If your corals were using the carbonate source, then your alk would be lower and so would your calc. What are you using to dose alk? If any of your live rock originally had coralline on it, and no coralline has grown, I would reconsider what you are dosing. If you can get a healthy amount of coralline growth, then your corals should also grow since they are using the same stuff to create their skeleton or at least this is my philosophy. Also, you definitely need to test mg. Maybe not often, but mg essentially stabilizes alk and calc. Didn't understand how this worked until I experienced it myself, but mg is essential. From what I've learned keeping freshwater planeted tanks and now a reef tank, its the small things that indicate how the tank is doing. The amount of unexpected life that is growing. If they are doing well, then you can bet that your corals will do well. BTW, I would get rid of the aiptasia as quickly as you possibly can. They aren't something to keep around because they grow fast, big, and spread everywhere. You may see a couple, but I bet in the dark cramped areas your rock work is littered with the suckers.

[Fishgirl2393]

I haven't been dosing in the past week to week and a half but when I was, I was using Kent Marine ProBuffer dKH (at the normal levels recommended on the bottle because that was required to keep it up). There is coralline ON some rocks, but not much (if any) has grown. The last time Mag was checked (in February) it was 1520ppm (pretty high). At that time, the alk was 9 and the calcium was 493. I tried (again) today to get rid of the aiptasia (I've been trying for a while) but used different method this time. We'll see in the morning I guess. My LFS sells peppermint shrimp but has said that they have never had luck with them eating the aiptasia (and yes, they are indeed peppermints) so I haven't gotten one. So, do you see any problems with what I'm doing (and have dosed)? I would agree that I have something not right though since the hard corals seem to have issues.

With your calcium as high as it is and your alk as well, it makes me think you are using an alk buffer and not an actual carbonate source. There are plenty of other ways to raise alk without it being useful. I don't ever check pH anymore. I only check alk, calc, mg, and nitrate. If your corals were using the carbonate source, then your alk would be lower and so would your calc. What are you using to dose alk? If any of your live rock originally had coralline on it, and no coralline has grown, I would reconsider what you are dosing. If you can get a healthy amount of coralline growth, then your corals should also grow since they are using the same stuff to create their skeleton or at least this is my philosophy. Also, you definitely need to test mg. Maybe not often, but mg essentially stabilizes alk and calc. Didn't understand how this worked until I experienced it myself, but mg is essential. From what I've learned keeping freshwater planeted tanks and now a reef tank, its the small things that indicate how the tank is doing. The amount of unexpected life that is growing. If they are doing well, then you can bet that your corals will do well. BTW, I would get rid of the aiptasia as quickly as you possibly can. They aren't something to keep around because they grow fast, big, and spread everywhere. You may see a couple, but I bet in the dark cramped areas your rock work is littered with the suckers.

[Fishgirl2393]

Anyone? I obviously need to get this sorted out.

[Alex B]

Honestly it's going to be almost impossible for anyone to give you a definitive answer. As the tank owner you have to try to judge would could be off. It could be so many things. You calcium and alk are a little off, but ok. I would shoot for around 8dkh and 420 calcium. Mag at around 1300. If you know you have Aiptasia next to the coral why haven't you moved it? Also when things are not going 100% with a coral, try and move it. Maybe it's not happy where it's at. Some chalices don't like much light.

 

Use your judgement and try and put everything together. You should make up your mind at what param you want your tank, and then keep it there. Being a 20 gallon with mostly softies you prob don't have to dose anything to be honest. You could prob run a salt like coral pro and just do weekly water changes to replenish. Good luck

[Fishgirl2393]

Honestly it's going to be almost impossible for anyone to give you a definitive answer. As the tank owner you have to try to judge would could be off. It could be so many things. You calcium and alk are a little off, but ok. I would shoot for around 8dkh and 420 calcium. Mag at around 1300. If you know you have Aiptasia next to the coral why haven't you moved it? Also when things are not going 100% with a coral, try and move it. Maybe it's not happy where it's at. Some chalices don't like much light.

 

Use your judgement and try and put everything together. You should make up your mind at what param you want your tank, and then keep it there. Being a 20 gallon with mostly softies you prob don't have to dose anything to be honest. You could prob run a salt like coral pro and just do weekly water changes to replenish. Good luck

I know that ultimately, I have to make the choice about what to do. The alk is about 8dKH and the calcium is always high. I use Oceanic salt, which is why I think the calcium is so high. I'll see if I can get mag tested again. I moved the coral but I am going to check on placement today and see if I can find a better place.

[Alex B]

I would try and run a more balanced salt then. For a small tank that doesnt have Stoney corals, you shouldn't have a big intake. I think weekly water changes should keep everything happy.

[Fishgirl2393]

Here are some pics (from a few minutes ago)...

FTS

Chalice/new mushroom (the red one)

Candycane

[Fishgirl2393]

Also, my hydrometer is old (first and only one I've had), is it possible that the salinity is too high/low, causing the trouble with the LPS/SPS corals? If so, would it be worth it to go and buy another one (to confirm or show a problem)?

[Fishgirl2393]

After giving it some thought, I decided to pull the PhosGuard out. I know some people have had problems with it irritating corals and I wonder if that is some/all of my problem. If not, I'll put it back in. How long should I give it before deciding if it was the problem?

[Fishgirl2393]

Just did the usual 2 gallon water change on the tank.

[vlangel]

Hi fishgirl, just read through your thread. Sorry about the trouble you've been having with this tank off and on. I also have a LPS tank that is pretty stable. For what its worth, I use Instant Ocean salt because its close to natural seawater. I dose with Bionic 2 part and Ion Magnesium. I only dose as needed and the tank only uses about 10ml of alkalinity, calcium and magnesium once a week if that. I don't have any chalices or monti caps though. I do have a crocea clam, a wellso brain, frogspawn, cup coral and hammer. They are sizable colonies too. Anyway, I wouldn't go changing anything fast but just thought I'd share what works for me.

[Fishgirl2393]

Thanks! Everything except the chalice is doing well right now. The chalice is about the same (as it has been for a week and a half or so) but is shaded. The candycane is doing OK since feeding more. I did remove the PhosGuard and so far, so good. I may add some back later, but in a smaller amount.

[Fishgirl2393]

Tank is doing pretty well except a couple of pieces. Parameters are as follows (pH is nice and stable now as is the dKH): pH 8.3, dKH 8, nitrate 6-7ppm, ammonia and nitrite (tested just "because") are 0 (expected of course), calcium 490ppm (it stays high but with the other parameters being OK, I don't care). There is NO cyano, but there is a good bit of that hateful caulerpa, which I'm going to get a tuxedo urchin to get rid of. I'm also getting a peppermint shrimp soon (hopefully Thursday but it has been out of stock from the LFS vendor for a while now) to control the aiptasia that I cannot get rid of via other methods. The corals that are NOT doing well are the candycane and the chalice, and since they are LPS and I had a KNOWN case of brown jelly disease (these look similar in the way that they are declining), I think that is the problem here too. It sucks because they looked awesome before (the chalice gained an eye after I got it)... How long should I leave the tank with NO LPS before it is "safe" to add some again (assuming that I'm correct about brown jelly)?