back again, 3 month update........(:

[cncguy]

Yep, I'm back again. Still trying, well, anything!!!! It's now been 3 months with steady parameters, dosing randys alk everyday.

Just checked the alk at 8.0, and calcium at 400.

None of the other parameters ever seem to change much.

Since last update, I've added some live rock rubble (from a VERY generous member here!!!!) in chamber 1 and a couple pieces in the tank, which is why you see the plant in there also. Is it a good plant I hope?

I've tried everything recommended, and my last step was to try the, 'leave your hands out, and everything will be fine....'. Yeah, seems that's not the case with me!!!

As you can see, only more downhill. Everything is the same or worse now, algae, I even took the colt out and put back in the 90gal figuring it would at least stagnate in there, as it was still shrinking more, and faster in the nano.

1 pic is 3 months ago, and the next is today....................

Only things looking happy are the leather, and aptasia!!!

Montipora- a loss
blue clove-nothing
GSP-not much growth
nepthea- not looking so good
trumpet-probably a loss
frogspawn-nothing
palys-reproduced a couple
aptasia-great
algae-fantastic
colt-moved

I could go on with details, and the set up, but it'll make this way too long, and all the info is in my other threads. Just a refresher, this is the 12gal nano

 

[OrQidz]

Sorry to hear of your troubles! That looks like caulerpa taxifolia. It can grow a lot, but that might be good for you since you can remove it periodically for nutrient export.

So, nanos can be challenging! Don't feel like there is something wrong with you or your tank. I'm not surprised SPS didn't do well. Even people with well established tanks can find SPS in a nano difficult. Nepthea I think is NPS so not surprising it didn't do well. It seems like your softies are the ones that are kind of doing the best. To me that says unstable or less than stellar parameters, and/or lighting issues. Essentially, the harder to keep corals are struggling more. Which I think makes sense.

I don't know the fix, other than knowing 3 months is still a pretty new tank. Manually remove all that hair algae. It will irritate and overgrow the corals. I haven't seen your other thread... I assume you are on top of parameters and water changes? Nutrient export?

Hang in there, I know you can be successful with time. Or focus on the 90! no shame in that.

 

[cncguy]

Thanks for the response, but, the tank has been set up for a couple years, and most of the corals in there are a couple years old as well. It's been 3 months since I've been trying everyones' advice.......

 

[mcgyvr]

yep.. algae problem..
Nitrates/phosphates are the problem..
Increase water change routine, less food (if you are feeding,etc..)
and pick that algae out of there.. manually..

Tank is just "dirtier" than it should be and algae (and softies) love that..

 

[NS Mike D]

try another approach. If you can't beat them join them. 12 gal would make for an awesome softie tank. Let the softies out compete the algae for nutrients. I have three leathers that, aside from looking like leather, are completely different looking as far as shape goes. Red mushrooms aren't multiplying but at the size of a quarter and their vibrant red color make great accents. The green mushrooms multiply like rabbits. I went form 3 to 17 in about 8 months - they are about the size of a silver dollar. Keep them on their own rock, the bright green color is well worth it. I have an orange ricordia that (see my avatar) that adds a lot of color and geometry. Put some zenia on their own rock to contain them and they will feed on water nutrients day and night.

These are the corals that have survived from the beginning and for about half a year the only corals left in my tank while I battled algae/dirty water. Once it was under control I was able to add some LPS and SPS.

 

[cncguy]

yeah, may be my next step. Getting ready to do a cleaning now, pull some algae, maybe peroxide dip, and move some into the 90 gal. Just can't understand why neither tank will grow coral other than xenia and aptasia!!!! Although I don't have any algae problems in the 90, so I guess that's a plus! Been trying everything for years now with no success

 

[NS Mike D]

yeah, may be my next step. Getting ready to do a cleaning now, pull some algae, maybe peroxide dip, and move some into the 90 gal. Just can't understand why neither tank will grow coral other than xenia and aptasia!!!! Although I don't have any algae problems in the 90, so I guess that's a plus! Been trying everything for years now with no success

The methods to get rid of algae can also prevent you from keeping corals.

There is not much you can do to not introduce Nitrates and Phosphate into your tank so long as you feed your fish. So we take steps to remove the N&P to keep algae, cyano and dinos under control. We add carbon (vodka, VSV, bio pellets, no pox etc) to encourage bacteria to use C-N-P to grow, then remove this slime mechanically or more commonly with a protein skimmer, since the bacteria will eventually die and release the N&P back into the tank.

We use macro algae to also lock up N&P until we can cut it back to export the nutrients.


But the very stuff we are reducing to zero (N&P) is vital to coral health. The photosynthetic bacteria need the N&P to provide an estimated 85% of the coral's energy.

Too much N&P in the tank and the SPS and some LPS will be very unhappy. A lot, but not too much will make them grow fast, but brown. No N&P and the zooxanthellae cannot do their job.

So we starve the zooxanthellae of N&P with just enough for them to provide their end of the symbiotic relationship and then add amino acids and other nutrients and trace elements with some food in the form of mysis, phytoplankton and zooplankton so that the coral will produce it's own energy while letting their natural colors shine through the brown zooxanthellae.



I think, if you don't loose sight of this and provide the right amount of PAR, you should be fine.

 

[cncguy]

So I guess the question is, what next? I think I've tried about everything in the last couple years, now at a complete loss.

Any other ideas guys? I'll go back to the once a week WC like I was doing, but still wasn't having any success.

Make a suggestion, and I'll tell you if I've tried it!!!

Forgot to mention the pineapple tree too, is that a softie? It as well as almost everything else, hasn't grown since I got it a couple years ago

Thanks guys

 

[cncguy]

any ideas?