corals are dying

[corallover09]

Hello everyone! My name is Britni and I am fairly new to the salwater life. I have a clown fish named Oren, a goby who I keep calling the sand eater, a turbo snail, have/had a star snail (still determining if hes dead or not, pretty sure he is) and a shrimp. I have two anenomies, a maxi-mini carpet and a pink tip. My anenomes are doing great which is pretty awesome. I have some coral frags, not sure their names, but the on I do know. There are two orange colored hard corals that look likes trees. A dark hard coral with greenish blue dots that kind of look similar to tiny flowers which looks like a tree. I had a blue lollypop but this fish I got rid of killed it and I can't find it anywhere. The last coral, which I need a lot of help with is a purple challice sponge coral frag. He turned dark brown then brown, to a whitish color and now is turning into a sponge (I guess that would be how it gets it's name). I started using a soft/hard coral supplement. I don't have the exact numbers for my tank except I know that salt level is at .026, the nitrite is very high and the nitrate is in the middle. I don't have a protein skimmer, which I am working on with getting this new big tank set up. Everything else seems to be doing great, just that soft coral. I'm not sure what I am doing wrong, however I am at work writing all this so tonight when I get home 6pm est, I can get more info and exact numbers. I hope this enough to work off of for now, oh yes the lighting. It is a 10k led light, I'm pretty sure, I will double check when I get home. Any bit of help, will help. Thank you. I can post pictures when I get home too.

[chad316]

Yes pics will help a lot. I hope you salt isn't at .026, so I will assume you mean 1.026. Sounds like you are still cycling or have added too much too quickly causing another cycle. We are going to need a lot more information. Do you have test kits? If not, pick some up on the way home. Lots going on here, so your in for a ride....brace yourself!

[TellyFish]

Hello, and welcome to RC!

First off, how long has the tank been set up? Judging by the 'high' levels of nitrite, your tank is probably VERY new. How are you testing for your levels? At the very least, the tank has not had time to established a nitrogen cycle to the point where it can deal with the nitrite being produced in your tank.

Post recent test kit results ASAP as these will help more than photos.

Sponges (especially the ornamental variety, i.e the ones you buy from the store) can be very difficult to keep. I would not suggest them for beginners.

[corallover09]

I just did this test.

Phosphate: .5
Calcium: 520 (pretty high)
Salt: 1.022
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: .25

The tank clown fish was handed down to me about 4 months ago. I switch from a 5 gallon to the ten gallon about two months ago. I am using Kent water clear, nano reef and coral accel (spelled wrong sorry). I have also started using Nutrafin Cycle once a week and It's been about two weeks.

The photo I attached is what it looked like when I got it. Now it's a whitish color with clear sponge like areas.

[corallover09]

Forgot the lighting is 6 white bulb LED 450 lumens with 3 blue night LED lights.

[pootiethetang]

Its cause you have ammonia in the water.

Ammonia is toxic. Ammonia breaks down into Nitrite and then the Nitrite into Nitrate.

Ammonia is the most toxic, then Nitrite the next, then Nitrate.

In such a small water volume, it only takes something small dying and you'll get an ammonia spike.

My suggestion is to do several consecutive small water changes to remove as much ammonia as possible. Then hope the coral can recover.

Those nano LED lights may not be enough for any coral at the bottom of your tank though even in perfect water conditions.

[ct103]

Stay away from any chemical cure, RODI water with 0 TDS to mix your saltwater for water changes. The water changes needs to be a routine althoughmmany in the hobby become complacent at times and do not do the needed maintenance, I am guilty of this at times, but there is great satisfaction in this hobbywhen things are going right for you but heartache is always around the corner when it is not. Water changes will never harm if done correctly and are generally the solution for most problems with water quality.

[Blue_Tang]

something went wrong in the tank, do a major water change

[Cloudburst2000]

It sounds like you tank is going through a cycle...possibly from your tank upgrade. Either that or you have too much bioload in the tank which is causing the ammonia/nitrites. What is your water change schedule? In a nano tank that small, you should be doing at least weekly water changes...two a week would be even better. Anyhoo, do several water changes over the next few days to lower ammonia/nitrites and then keep doing water changes every time you see the ammonia increase again.

[Donkeykong]

Stop using the Nutrifin cycle and the Kent water clear, which I am guessing is actually Kent Pro-clear. Neither are helping you right now, also I would probably stop the Nano reef and coral accel, with a tank this small you can very quickly add way to much of this and this can cause excess nutrients that can lead to algae outbreaks as well as ammonia spikes. I know the LFS told you that you will need all this stuff but you really really dont. This stuff is going to lead you to kill things, which will cause you to buy more things as well as give the LFS an opportunity to sell you more unneeded supplements that you dont need. I would stop all suppliments right away and do a water change to help clear out the system. Where are you getting your water from, I know it is hard to justify an RO/DI unit on such a small system but pure water is soooo important. So if you cant get an RO/DI system atleast purchase purified water. Water conditioners can help if your tap water is already pretty clean, but they dont remove anything just kinda neutralize it and it still is in the water floating around in the aquarium. I hope I dont sound like I am attacking you , just want to help get you back on track as soon as possible.

[corallover09]

I have a bigger tank that is all set up and for the most part ready to go, should i move my corals over to that after it heats up? I would go from a 10g to a 40g. I will stop using the water clear and the nutrifin cycle stuff. I was doing water changes once a month, but I didn't know with a small tank like that I should do it at least once a week. Since I'll be moving into the 40g soon, how often do you guys recommend to do water changes? What do you think of me moving my corals to the big tank after it heats up? I can do a quick full range test of it, if you want so you have a better idea of what I have set up?

[Harleyx2]

Is the big tank already cycled?

[corallover09]

I don't know, I'm not exactly sure what that means? its been how it is for about two weeks.

[markalot]

Originally Posted by corallover09

I don't know, I'm not exactly sure what that means? its been how it is for about two weeks.

The cycle or cycled refers to bacteria that sets up in the live rock and eats your ammonia and nitrite. If a tank is not cycled ammonia will quickly build up and kill corals and fish.

You need to understand this process, learn how to test your water, and stop relying on magic bottles of chemicals that claim to make the cycle instant. Unfortunately you can't believe many of the claims made by these products.

Good luck.

[corallover09]

im def doing the tests right, I don't let the test sit for more than 5-10 minutes, because the read will be wrong. My life rock is in the small tank now. should I move it to the big tank?

[Cloudburst2000]

No, don't move the rock over. The rock you have in your 10g tank won't be enough to control the bioload in a 40g tank. You need to set the 40g tank up with sand, rock, and water and let it cycle. The cycle (depending on whether you use live rock or dry rock or a combo of both) can take anywhere from a week to a month or two. In a 40g tank, you are probably going to need, at least, 40lbs, of rock. 60lbs of rock would be better. I would suggest mostly dry rock and seed that with a couple pieces of live rock. DO NOT take the rock out of your 10g tank at this point. The bascteria on the rock in the 10g tank is how the ammonia from fish waste, etc is processed to nitrites then to nitrates. Removing these rocks would mean doom for the live stock in your small tank. They would die of ammonia poisoning. You also cannot move the livestock from the 10g tank to the 40g tank yet either because the 40g tank is not cycled. That tank during cycling will get large amounts of ammonia and nitrites which would kill the livestock. Cycle the 40g tank FIRST. After the ammonia and nitrites have dropped to 0ppm, then you can move the additional rock and livestock over...but not before or your livestock will be dead.

What type of lights are you planning on the 40g tank? Are you sure you will have enough to handle anemones and any corals you may want? What type of filtration? I would suggest a sump of some type. This would either require the tank being drilled or a HOB overflow. You seem very new to all of this. Don't do anything until you read on how to set up a new marine tank.

[Donkeykong]

40g is going to be alot more stable and easier to maintain then the 10g. You said you dont really know what fully cycled means which tells me you may need to do more reading before jumping to much further. If you have the 40 up and running this is what I would do. As said before stop all suppliments, do a few water changes with new saltwater mixed with RO/DI water to help get the 10 back on track. Leave everything in there for now. For the 40 what equipment do you have in it right now? You say it is been how it is for two weeks, but exactly what does that mean? Does it have water sand and rock in it, just water, completely dry? I would get water sand and some live rock in it as soon as possible so it can start cycling (please read up on the cycling process in the stickies at the top of this forum). I would only get about 20lbs of rock, that way you have room to move over all the rock you have in the current 10g tank. Then you can add more if you want later. This is a very exciting hobby and I know how much you want your tank to be up and running and have it full of all the cool stuff, but you really need to slow down a bit and get a handle on what you have. Currently you have a anemones and other things that I dont think you really have the equipment to support just yet. I hope you dont take this as being lectured to, but as a person who loves this hobby and wants to make sure you have the correct help and dont get burned out on buying random things that dont work out.

[IridescentLily]

Donkeykong, i hope you don't mind, you have such a good response and good advice that i thought i'd be my anal, editor self and break it down into bullet points for Britni. I agree with everything you stated below.
Britni, myself and others can help you identify what corals you have in your tank, but it's more important that you follow the numbered things below first

Originally Posted by Donkeykong

40g is going to be alot more stable and easier to maintain then the 10g.

You said you dont really know what fully cycled means which tells me you may need to do more reading before jumping to much further.

If you have the 40 up and running this is what I would do.

1. As said before stop all suppliment.

2. Do a few water changes with new saltwater mixed with RO/DI water to help get the 10 back on track.

3. Leave everything in there for now.

For the 40 what equipment do you have in it right now?

4. You say it is been how it is for two weeks, but exactly what does that mean? Does it have water sand and rock in it, just water, completely dry? I would get water sand and some live rock in it as soon as possible so it can start cycling.

5. Please read up on the cycling process in the stickies at the top of this forum.

6. I would only get about 20lbs of rock, that way you have room to move over all the rock you have in the current 10g tank. Then you can add more if you want later.

7. This is a very exciting hobby and I know how much you want your tank to be up and running and have it full of all the cool stuff, but you really need to slow down a bit and get a handle on what you have.

8. Currently you have a anemones and other things that I dont think you really have the equipment to support just yet.

I hope you dont take this as being lectured to, but as a person who loves this hobby and wants to make sure you have the correct
help and dont get burned out on buying random things that dont work out.

[Donkeykong]

I appreciate you breaking it down so the OP can better understand it. Building off of and clarifying each others advice is part of this community.

[tmz]

Originally Posted by corallover09

I just did this test.

Phosphate: .5
Calcium: 520 (pretty high)
Salt: 1.022
Nitrate: 5
Nitrite: 0
PH: 7.8
Ammonia: .25

The tank clown fish was handed down to me about 4 months ago. I switch from a 5 gallon to the ten gallon about two months ago. I am using Kent water clear, nano reef and coral accel (spelled wrong sorry). I have also started using Nutrafin Cycle once a week and It's been about two weeks.

The photo I attached is what it looked like when I got it. Now it's a whitish color with clear sponge like areas.

Phosphate is very high and harms corals at high levels. Cut back on food and additives . Some granulated ferric oxide would be useful.

Salinity is perilously low for corals. Seawater average is 1.0264

There should be 0 ammonia cut back on food and additives. Some granulated activated carbon is useful too.

No need to worry abut nitrite ,if you get any.
It's not toxic in salt water.

Nitrate at 5ppm is fine.

If you plan to keep corals ,tracking and maintaining calcium and alkalinity is important.

[corallover09]

Thank you everyone for your help. I have a album with pictures of my tank, please take a look and if you know the name of anything in there that would help. I know all but the hard corals. I stopped the supplements and such. I will slow down the feeding to once a day. The 40g tank has live sand with water. The light I have is stated above in one of my replies that i will use.

On a side note, I'm so mad. My sand eating goby keeps throwing sand every where.

Back on track, I got this filter that has one padded cartridge with carbon in it and it has a rubber thing to capture big things that may go into it. I want to get the Fluval canister filter that has 5 different compartments for different media. Unfortunately I can't do a water change because I ran out of salt when I set the new tank up. As soon as I get more salt I will get both tanks up to 1.026.

Another side not as I'm staring at the big tank, does anyone have a problem with their wave maker moving sand no matter what direction it's facing, even after the sand is settled?

I don't think I am going to fast, everything is healthy and thriving, just not this soft spongy coral. Oh and my star snail is not dead cause it mysteriously is at the other end of the tank, which wasn't there this morning when I left for work.

What do you mean I don't have the equipment for? My fish guy, who I used to work with except I was in reptiles, uses the giant version of the light I am using for his tanks at his work and home, but I can't start hanging lights from the ceiling. What do you recommend? Other than changing the water, is there anything I can do until I can get salt?

[corallover09]

Thank you everyone for your help. I have a album with pictures of my tank, please take a look and if you know the name of anything in there that would help. I know all but the hard corals. I stopped the supplements and such. I will slow down the feeding to once a day. The 40g tank has live sand with water. The light I have is stated above in one of my replies that i will use.

On a side note, I'm so mad. My sand eating goby keeps throwing sand every where.

Back on track, I got this filter that has one padded cartridge with carbon in it and it has a rubber thing to capture big things that may go into it. I want to get the Fluval canister filter that has 5 different compartments for different media. Unfortunately I can't do a water change because I ran out of salt when I set the new tank up. As soon as I get more salt I will get both tanks up to 1.026.

Another side not as I'm staring at the big tank, does anyone have a problem with their wave maker moving sand no matter what direction it's facing, even after the sand is settled?

I don't think I am going to fast, everything is healthy and thriving, just not this soft spongy coral. Oh and my star snail is not dead cause it mysteriously is at the other end of the tank, which wasn't there this morning when I left for work.

What do you mean I don't have the equipment for? My fish guy, who I used to work with except I was in reptiles, uses the giant version of the light I am using for his tanks at his work and home, but I can't start hanging lights from the ceiling. What do you recommend? Other than changing the water, is there anything I can do until I can get salt?

[corallover09]

I don't know why it posted twice, sorry about that.

[emeraude1484]

Originally Posted by corallover09

Thank you everyone for your help. I have a album with pictures of my tank, please take a look and if you know the name of anything in there that would help. I know all but the hard corals. I stopped the supplements and such. I will slow down the feeding to once a day. The 40g tank has live sand with water. The light I have is stated above in one of my replies that i will use.

On a side note, I'm so mad. My sand eating goby keeps throwing sand every where.

Back on track, I got this filter that has one padded cartridge with carbon in it and it has a rubber thing to capture big things that may go into it. I want to get the Fluval canister filter that has 5 different compartments for different media. Unfortunately I can't do a water change because I ran out of salt when I set the new tank up. As soon as I get more salt I will get both tanks up to 1.026.

Another side not as I'm staring at the big tank, does anyone have a problem with their wave maker moving sand no matter what direction it's facing, even after the sand is settled?

I don't think I am going to fast, everything is healthy and thriving, just not this soft spongy coral. Oh and my star snail is not dead cause it mysteriously is at the other end of the tank, which wasn't there this morning when I left for work.

What do you mean I don't have the equipment for? My fish guy, who I used to work with except I was in reptiles, uses the giant version of the light I am using for his tanks at his work and home, but I can't start hanging lights from the ceiling. What do you recommend? Other than changing the water, is there anything I can do until I can get salt?

Welcome! You'll get LOTS of help here.

Referring to going too fast and equipment is really just knowledge based too. Speaking from experience and reading your posts reguarding cycling.

My first tank was a 10 gal all in one. The "fish guy" at the LFS sold me this saying I can have a porcupine puffer and a reef. Quickly realized that those don't go together. I did actually let it cycle with a damsel and live rock but wasn't told not to use tap water (I now buy Culligan bottles) Then added a clown and a 20% off sebae anemone suggested by LFS. The sebae was poisoned and crashed my tank but also wasn't suited for that size tank or lighting or lack of GFO, carbon, protein skimmer etc....

The LFS ended up helping me crash 3 tanks before I smartened up, joined here and read up on EVERYTHING I wanted to add to my tank and what requirements etc were needed. Not saying that all LFSs are completely incompetent but really have to remember that they are there to sell.

Didn't mean to go on a rant.
Get salt ASAP and do water changes because though only one coral is showing bad signs, things go bad FAST.
Look into a sump, protein skimmer, GFO, maybe refugium.
Stop adding chemicals. Most of them are junk... :S and the trace elements that you CAN eventually add are usually enough in your salt mix during water changes until the demand grows. I've only JUST starting adding the basic calcium, alk and magnesium. My 90 mixed reef with a foot long clam that guzzles alk finally forced me to after 2 years (yes I could've done it faster but everything was growing great for 2 years with just water changes)

As for water changes, I do 10% every week.

Wish you luck!
Stef

[corallover09]

Thank you everyone. I will post when things start to get better and if not I will still post.