Frogspawn in a 5g

[chvynva916]

I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions for improving the health of my frogspawn. It is very small (Its in a 5g) but it stays mostly retracted most of the day. I have tried feeding it Sanjay Joshi's recipie but it doesn't really seem to take to it.

I don't think there is anything particular in the tank that if growth inhibiting as my shrooms, candy coral, and open brain all look great. My alveopora doesn't look so hot but that's my own fault for buying one (I didn't know they were so difficult to keep so flame on) and if anybody is in the State College PA area and wants a free alveopora you can come pick it up since I don't think I'll be able to care for it properly.

 

5g eclipse w/ chemical and mechanical filtration and bio-wheel

9 lbs figi

3 lbs Live Sand (not aragonite)

6 astreas

4 blue legs

sebae clown (rocky)

2x13w PCs one 6400k one combo

 

 

dKH~12

pH~8

Ca~340

Amm=Nitrite=Nitrate=0

Temp = 80

Sal = 1.021

 

I'm thinking the problem is mostly a pH, Ca, dKH problem

 

Obviously I'm having trouble stablizing those values to where I'd like them to be.

 

I am currently dosing roughly 3/4 Tsp of Kalkwasser over a period of a week with a Kent Aquadoser and I add 4 drops of Kent Liquid Calcium a day.

 

Any suggestions on raising pH and Ca while lowering alkalinity, or about why my frogspawn never looks good, would be appreciated.

[BCOrchidGuy]

You have your Sal listed as 1.021, that is specific gravity and it is a bit low in my opinion. Your Salinity is about 32ppt, I suggest you aim for a Salinity of 34 - 36ppt, or at 80 degrees a Specific Gravity of 1.023 - 1.024. If you decide to make the change do it over a couple of days, very very slowly.

 

How often are you doing water changes and are you doing any supplimental dosing in between w/c or during w/c.

[chvynva916]

Thanks for the reply!

 

I do a 1 gal water change every week. I don't have a skimmer (as per the advice of everyone on this board). I add one drop of strontium twice a week, 4 drops of Coral Life Liquid Gold Plus twice a day (directions say 15 every other day but I thought I should dose less more often) and I add two-four drops of DTs every day.

 

And as mentioned before I drip 3/4 Tsp of Kalkwasser throughout the week and add four drops of Kent Liquid Calcium every day.

 

I'll try boosting the salinity over the next week.

[ross76053]

I don't have a skimmer (as per the advice of everyone on this board).

Whoaaahhh! That's askin' fer a flamin' if I've ever heard it.... :x Actually, the skimmer proponents vs. opponents is about equal on this board for nanos (there have been at least two polls in the past six months).

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...light=lawnmower

 

All the additives you're adding to your tank seems like alot-o-trouble... I couldn't do it. I dose B-Ionic daily & that's it, & my stuff (knock on wood) is all thriving - especially the algae, which I'm most proud of (not).

 

Ditto on the salinity - you need to pull it up a bit.

 

As for your frog, have you tried feedin' him verrry small pieces of cut-up shrimp, fish, mussel, etc. (all raw)?

[chvynva916]

I've tried feeding it minced pieces of fish, crab, shrimp, scallop, etc. Doesn't seem to like it.

 

I've been pondering a skimmer, but it seems the only option I have (without overhauling my setup) would be a visijet or a skilter both of which have pretty bad reviews. I've been thinking about a visijet just for its surface skimming and oxygenating properties even if it doesn't skim. Any skimmer ideas for a 5g?

 

I'm slowing raising my salinity from 1.021 to 1.023-4. Also, I didn't realize how much people dislike Reef Crystals (maybe that's where my slime algae comes from...) and would like to switch to Bio-Sea.

[ricknbecky]

you may want to consider adjusting your water current. Some thing as simple a moving the location of a powerhead can make him happier. If the current is too strong of directly on him that may be what is interfering with his not fully extending.

[tinyreef]

i'd tend to agree with you on the pH, ca/alk, and salinity issues. i'd also back off feeding it so much if it isn't taking it. get those values in the right levels gradually.

 

i would also switch from kalk to cacl right now. the kalk is good but for small systems like ours the pH shift can be devastating if you add too quickly. i'm not saying that's a problem but a change to cacl (Liquid Calcium) can't hurt vs. the possibility that it IS kalk overdosing. drip it in the future, slowly.

 

skim. i dunno where this thought came from that "no skimming" automatically equals "nano-reef". i just saw someone basically make that statement in reefs.org ??? the argument for a 'natural' system versus doesn't wash with me for an artificial reef environment. X)

 

try the prizm or even a lee's or coralife cc. i love my prizms but i f'ing hate their POS motors! red sea, get a reliable motor vendor, puleeze! i'm switching back to cc for a while. (gotta find my old air luft, dust off, and vinegar it off X) )

[chufa]

I agree about the calcium and salinity being low and should be slowly raised for the better. But I am pretty sure the cause of the frogspawn's poor health lies in the other corals themselves, plus the size of the tank. Euphyllia species (frogspawn, etc.) are very sensitive to toxins from soft corals (i.e. mushrooms). In a small tank with no skimmer, this is asking for too much trouble. I would increase waterchanges to keep toxin concentrations down in the meantime.

[chvynva916]

I don't have much room in my tank, I definitly have to go with a hang on back option. Do you think the small Prizm would be too much for my 5g? Its going on eBay for around $40

[zumzumn]

i think you need more light, my frog spawn is doin awesome in my 5.5 gallon and it's starting to split.

i use Bi Onice everyday. strontium and iodide everday, haven't done a water change in about a month, just toppin off.

Knock on wood mines is doin ok, i really think it's the light though.

[chvynva916]

How much light do you have on your 5.5? I don't know where I would fit more light without upgrading to MH. Also, as for increasing my salinity to a more appropriate level I am using 1.024 salt water in a dripper for top off water. This plan seems brilliant to me, though I could be an idiot. Both are equally likely.

[zumzumn]

ummmm, i run way more light than normal. i have a 70w HQI and a 32 watt pc. i have my auto top off and my salinity is at 1.024

[chvynva916]

I feel more and more that Chufa is right, the toxins from other corals are irritating the frogspawn. In the same tank parameters it used to extend and look quite healthy. In addition, if the light were insufficient, or salinity were slightly off I'm not sure it would be retracted like it is.

 

I'm going to attempt to retrofit a skimmer onto my eclipse 6 to constantly remove some of the toxins.

[zumzumn]

good luck. hope the skimmer goes well.

[Dave ESPI]

2x13w PCs one 6400k one combo.

 

that would be issue # 1.

 

Part 2, What else is living in the tank, you made no mention of others.

Do you skim? what salt do you use? do you use RODI? there is a LOT of info you left out that is critical to figuring out WTF is wrong.

 

Dont post like a retard. you only get conjecture and bandwagoner responses.

[chvynva916]

Its not so much that I posted like retard as it is you read like a retard. You'll see that except for mentioning that I use distilled water, I have described all of those things. Did you not read any of the earlier posts?

 

I expect to make mistakes as I learn how to care for a reef tank. All I can do is try to read as much as I can and learn from the mistakes and advice of others. Thanks to everyone with advice.