happens everytime need a solution

[schneidergarret]

so it seems that everytime when i deploy my tank does an awesome job growing and what not but the thing that i dont get is either shortly after i get home it seems to all die my wife does an awesome job but she does not do water changes all she does is fill the water up that evaporates but the coral seem to love it but when i get home i do water changes making sure the parameters are good and the coral doesnt seem to like it that much and end up dying does anyone have an explanation for me thanks!

 

[hey_frag]

How big is the tank, and what size water changes? May have to go small and work your way up. My partners the opposite, last time the airforce sent me away she killed most of my stony corals.

 

[Canadian125]

def need more info. Have you tested all your parameters before you leave, when you get back and post water change? All this info would help. Plus tank size, gear and livestock info..

 

[schneidergarret]

what i have in the tank are some zoas frogspawn some button polyps and alot of mushrooms and kenya trees, the tank itself is a 24 gallon nanocube with a 150w metal halide, for current i have just the return pump which is the stock one and a 240gph nano powerhead. the fish that i have in there is one clown and 2 damsels, as for the water change i usually do a 5 gallon biweekly.

 

[TundraGuy]

When I am out on deployment my wife dose small WC. To do this she goes down to a LFS and buys a 5 gallon bucket full of the stores pre-mixed water. She does not touch the sand or the filters and when I return the tanks are always covered with coral line and looking good. Aside from the scraping of the glass and routine upkeep on the pumps I don’t find this to be a problem. But now we have a new born and I am leaving again in Nov so this time I am breaking everything down. So I feel your pain Brother.

My suggestion is to see if your little lady will do the same. Now this is not to say that this is a fix there are a lot of other factors that could be going on. It may also have to do with the change in the light penetration on the corals. I have bleached many a coral just by changing old bulbs to new ones, or adding carbon and stripping the water of yellowing agents, or adding a better skimmer that dose the same as the latter. This is just a shot in the dark but I would venture to guess this is a contributing factor. You have a powerful light source over your tank, so care must be taken when cleaning the water after long periods of toxin build ups and water discoloration. Then again who knows maybe your replacement water is no good. But I have seen a lot of people fry corals unknowingly. What I would suggest is move the light away from the water and shorten the time it’s on when you first get home and do the WC. But remember all this info is a shot in the dark on what might be taking place. Hope this helps.

 

[Hzuiel]

That is a 20.8% water change twice a week? That sounds excessive. Some things are sensitive to changes in water parameters, so it's possible the water changes are shocking the coral and whatever other inhabitants are dieing, because they've been slowly acclimating to the way the water is without water changes, then boom, you totally change the water chemistry within a few days.

We really need more info though. Like what are the water parameters before you leave, and what are they when you return? What are they after you resume water changes?

If you're still using bioballs like the jbj nanocube comes set up for, those are apparently known for producing nitrates. I think some people have removed the bioballs and modded the compartment for them to be a miniature refugium. I think some people have also managed to fit some small skimmers in there.

 

[Hzuiel]

That is a 20.8% water change twice a week? That sounds excessive. Some things are sensitive to changes in water parameters, so it's possible the water changes are shocking the coral and whatever other inhabitants are dieing, because they've been slowly acclimating to the way the water is without water changes, then boom, you totally change the water chemistry within a few days.

We really need more info though. Like what are the water parameters before you leave, and what are they when you return? What are they after you resume water changes?

If you're still using bioballs like the jbj nanocube comes set up for, those are apparently known for producing nitrates. I think some people have removed the bioballs and modded the compartment for them to be a miniature refugium. I think some people have also managed to fit some small skimmers in there.

 

[schneidergarret]

i dont use the bioballs i have been trying to create a fuge in the first chamber for awhile with little success.. i need to get me a light and figure out some other stuff for that. so are you suggesting that i am doing too much of a water change maybe cut it back a little? also i dont get back until december so i will have to see what the parameters are when i get back i appreciate all the help from you guys/gals thanks

 

[Hzuiel]

I'm not an expert, someone else might have better advice, but i've been reading a lot, and usually 10% water changes are recommended. Also take into consideration part of that volume of the tank is taken up by stone, coral, fish, and sand. That means you're actually doing more like a 25-30% water change, twice in one week. I would check parameters when you get home, see where they are at, do a 2 gallon water change, then check again and as long as the numbers aren't horrible, wait a week before another 2 gallon.

If i'm talking out my backside please by all means, somebody correct me.

As for the fuge lighting, i don't know of many good options for a really small space besides buying a small heatsink and 4 leds or so from rapid led. I think they suggest a warmer white and red combo for algae. Most fluorescent bulbs are too big or awkward to mount in a small space, even cfls. I haven't looked at a nanocube like that up close to see what size the compartment is.

 

[schneidergarret]

no no no haha what i was talking about is i do a water change about every 2 weeks using 5gallons not two times a week.. i was thinking about for a fuge light getting one of those nifty ones that i think they sell on marinedepot but i have to do some more investigation on them. i do appreciate all the help and any advice is better than none whatsoever so thanks again.

 

[baxinabox]

schneidergarret,

i have personally found that each tank is a little different. My 8 Gallon Tank NEEDS a 2 gallon water change each week. If not i get no growth and my polyps dont open or die off. ( and i know why this happens. running purigen and chemi pure elite is stripping the water of all trace elements + whatever the corals suck up. )

In your case try doing smaller water changes but do it weekly 2.5gallons weekly.
so maybe you can get your tank used to the water change like that?

also there are alot of solutions out there to automate your tank. ( seems to be the in thing right now ) so mainly all your wife has to do is feed and make sure there is water in the buckets.

 

[schneidergarret]

so more water changes just not as much water to be changed... the only filtering i have for the tank is carbon that i have in my first chamber so it runs through it right away in my second chamber i have some chaeto well i did it might have died due to no light and also in the second chamber i have the little sponge like filter to catch all the bigger debris, and in the third chamber i just have the return pump i was looking into making a diy media basket i might try when i get home but we will see how that goes and the second chamber refugium but also we will see how that goes when i try it.

 

[Fretfreak13]

When you change the water, do you HEAT the new water before you dump it in, or is it room temperature? When do you make the new saltwater and how long does it have to mix? If this is happening right after a water change, most likely there is something wrong with the new water you are dumping in (too cold, PH is wrong, salinity difference etc.)

You have been asked by two people what your parameters are (and I am the third) and you have not answered. Do you test your water at all?

 

[schneidergarret]

i do have test but as of right now i am in afghanistan fighting the war on terror so i will have to let you know in december when i finally get home, the mixing process i usually let it mix for about 10 to 15 minutes then i do not heat the water up it is at room temperature when i switch the water didnt think it was that big of a deal i usually put it in the back of the tank in the filteration system area where the heater is anyways so i figured it would heat up by the time it got to the display

 

[Fretfreak13]

Good for you. I used to want to be in the army too, but decided my lazy *** couldn't get through the boot camp haha. My brother just got back from over there though. No clue when he might be sent back.

The heater takes quite a bit of time to heat water, its not an instant thing. I bet that's what the problem is. Grab a spare heater from the LFS when you get home and stick it in the water while you're mixing it. As well, try to mix it the day before to give the salt more time to dissolve. If the undissolved crystals get into the tank and wind up on top of corals, it burns them (I think I read that somewhere?).

I don't heat my water, but rather than just dumping the cold water in I drip it in like you would acclimate a new animal. It takes a long time, but I can just walk away from it and let it do its thing once its set up. Definitely no shock from doing that.

 

[schneidergarret]

alright sweet that sounds liike a good idea i have an extra pump that i had for my ato which was broken unfortuantely so i will just use that its a good idea thanks frefreak13... oh yeah and im not in the army im in the Marines.

 

[SushiGirl]

Another thing to consider is that you have softies & LPS that like nitrate. Also, too big of a change in parameters too fast will shock them. Not sure what salt you use, but most recommend letting it mix with a powerhead & heater for at minimum several hours to mix properly (and warm properly) or the corals can be shocked from that as well.