Clowns died, Corals were open and then closed

beauT07 · 04/25/2020, 09:06 PM

Hi reefers,

I started a BioCube 32 and it is going on about a month right now. I have live sand, Salt water from my LFS, and live rock from my other tank that I have. I am running carbon, filter floss, a small sponge, and have some biological filter cubes in the back. I had originally added corals to this tank from my previous tank that I had to work on and they were thriving. Within a day everything was open, enjoying the flow and light, it was perfect and they were great for about 2 weeks. I then decided to add 10 hermit crabs and 2 Clownfish. the 10 hermit crabs have been doing a fantastic job cleaning up my algae around the tank and have been thriving. 2 Clownfish died though within 3 days of being in the tank. 1 died on day 3 and then the other beginning of day 4 of being in the tank. 2 days after that half of my corals closed up. About 3 days after everything closed up (today) I checked my parameters and everything looks to be in order. Below is my water paramters and my livestock that is open and closed

Livestock:
10 hermits
1 Goby
Leather Toadstool (open)
2 Bi colored hammers (closed)
1 neon hammer (open)
1 Torch coral (closed)
1 Brain coral (open)

pH- 8.0-8.2
Ammonia- 0 -0.25 ppm (closer to 0)
Salinity - 1.025 (refractometer and hydrometer)
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0-0.25 (closer to 0)
Calcium- 470-500
Phosphate - 0.25

Zionas · 04/25/2020, 11:17 PM

Can you give us an exact ammonia reading?

“Closer to 0” is not good enough. It has to be zero.

04/25/2020, 09:06 PM	#1
beauT07 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 7	Clowns died, Corals were open and then closed Hi reefers, I started a BioCube 32 and it is going on about a month right now. I have live sand, Salt water from my LFS, and live rock from my other tank that I have. I am running carbon, filter floss, a small sponge, and have some biological filter cubes in the back. I had originally added corals to this tank from my previous tank that I had to work on and they were thriving. Within a day everything was open, enjoying the flow and light, it was perfect and they were great for about 2 weeks. I then decided to add 10 hermit crabs and 2 Clownfish. the 10 hermit crabs have been doing a fantastic job cleaning up my algae around the tank and have been thriving. 2 Clownfish died though within 3 days of being in the tank. 1 died on day 3 and then the other beginning of day 4 of being in the tank. 2 days after that half of my corals closed up. About 3 days after everything closed up (today) I checked my parameters and everything looks to be in order. Below is my water paramters and my livestock that is open and closed Livestock: 10 hermits 1 Goby Leather Toadstool (open) 2 Bi colored hammers (closed) 1 neon hammer (open) 1 Torch coral (closed) 1 Brain coral (open) pH- 8.0-8.2 Ammonia- 0 -0.25 ppm (closer to 0) Salinity - 1.025 (refractometer and hydrometer) Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 0-0.25 (closer to 0) Calcium- 470-500 Phosphate - 0.25

04/25/2020, 11:17 PM	#2
Zionas Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Posts: 474	Can you give us an exact ammonia reading? “Closer to 0” is not good enough. It has to be zero.