What is wrong with my tank???

[Fender963]

I need your help guyz/galz. Lately I have lost 4 snails in 2 weeks. And just 2 days ago my corals started looking kind of sickly.

 

I just tested all my parameters and they didn't seem weird:

Ammonia: .25-0.5 (kind of high because of dead snail in tank for 3 days)

Nitrate: 10-15

Nitrite: Undetectable

PH: 8.2

Calcium: 330

Alka: 7

 

Also do you think I need to start adding anything? I have green star polyps, green button polyps, and some green hairy mushrooms (they look the most sickly).

 

KYle

[JSinger884]

how long have you had the tank, what kinda water you using, what lighting do you have?

[flaunt]

have you changed any water yet? i'd probably do a 10% water change to dillute that ammonia... do you have much algae in your tank? if not the snails could have died from lack of food and the resulting ammonia is probably causing the shrooms to look sickly. do you have many detrivores? i have lost 6-8 snails in the past month due to lack of food but i never had any water chemistry problems due to all the creatures i had that would feast on the dead snail carcass... usually i'd just find an empty snail shell. you might want to get your calcium up, 400-450 is supposedly "optimal." i definitely wouldn't add anything to your tank right now.

[Fender963]

I have had the tank up for 3 months now and before that everything had been fine. I guess there might not be enough algae but I'm not sure.

 

I use the aquarium pharmaceuticals water filter for my water. I do a 10% water change every 7-10 days.

 

I currently have a 32 watt 50/50 pc on my tank (oh yeah it is a 10 gallon tank).

 

Hope this extra information helps.

 

Kyle

[Pikelet]

Check that you have sufficient flow and hence dissolved O2 in the tank water.

 

Something else in/on your rocks might have died too releasing toxins into the water. Water changes and/or carbon should fix a toxin problem.

 

Ammonia should be zero at all times with a light fish load. Are you sure your tank is stable?

 

You do not say what other beasties you have in your tank. Anything else in there that might be attacking your snails?

 

Also check your pH just before lights on. I have found that wild swings in pH can wipe out snails especially trochus. While the alkalinity and pH look good, I think its worth double checking to be sure.

[leslr]

I notice you never mentioned your tank temperatures. Swings between day/night temp can effect your snails as well as any other tank creatures. If you are finding that your tank stays at a average temp during the day try adjusting your heater to try and maintain that during the night. It worked with mine.

leslr.

[Fender963]

I'll check the temps leslr. Thanx for the idea.

 

As for others all I have besides the snails are 2 baby hermit crabs. They are way too small to attack the snails.

 

Also I have plenty of flow so I don't think that that is the problem. You said carbon should help right??? Well will that effect my corals and also is there different types of carbon for freshwater and saltwater????

 

Sorry for all the questions. Kyle

[Pikelet]

Carbon may include phosphate which can lead to algae problems but reputable brands suitable for reefs are available. I haven't had a need to use it yet in my tanks but others on the board might have recommendations regarding appropriate brands.

 

Regarding the relative safety of carbon .... Hmm .... people with larger reef tanks full of SPS often run carbon for 24 or 48 hours once a month to remove toxins without ill effect to the corals but I haven't tried it in a nano. Its not recommended for regular use as it pulls out too many beneficial elements in the water. Has anyone else run carbon for a short time in their nanos?

[bautin2]

What sorta biological filtration media are you supposed to use in nano's if not carbon?