Help!!!!!!!with Reef Aquarium

[Seversongs]

Hoping to meet a few folks with advanced knowledge of aquariums. I've had a setup for 10 years. I've not lost anything, but it's just not flourishing as if like it to. I've only been somewhat successful to to DUMB LUCK and perhaps a little common sense.
I would sure appreciate some help to get this thing beautiful.
I'll answer any questions to the best of my ability. I'm gonna start with a couple identification questions. The first photo is of some things that are ALL over my aquarium. Now growing even on the glass. THOUSANDS!

The second is the green stuff. It's quadrupled in the recent year and doesn't seem to be slowing down.

What are these things?
View attachment 326708

I also need basic help with lighting and how often I should be dosing. My frogspawn is all still alive after 10 years but it's shrunk.

PLEASE HELP! Haha

 

[zachfishman]

Welcome to RC!

Your first pic is of Aiptasia, a common reef aquarium pest anemone. They will reproduce rapidly and can sting your corals. The second pic looks like a type of mushroom coral - easy to care for and hardy.

What can you tell us about your system? Please report water quality values (pH, salinity, temp, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, nitrate), your equipment, feeding and water change regimen, etc.

 

[Seversongs]

Thanks Zach. So they're pests? Awesome. They're everywhere. My water checks out fine according to the gentleman at the aquarium store. The tank is a 125. I'm including a picture of how it looks. It's FULL of live rock and has a thick sand a crushed coral bed. He suggested I start dosing. I'm dosing magnesium, buffer pro, and calcium once a week now based on bottle instructions. I really don't know much at ALL about aquariums, so it's funny I've had this for 10 years and as I've said have lost nothing. It's just not thriving. I don't have any sort of testers. I periodically have water checked at store and he always says it's just perfect. Dedicated RO Water supply as well.

 

[Seversongs]

 

[Seversongs]

Lights are aquamana LEDs and I'm feeding coral frenzy. To be honest. The aquarium has been supplying itself for a long time now.

 

[zachfishman]

Thanks Zach. So they're pests? Awesome. They're everywhere. My water checks out fine according to the gentleman at the aquarium store. The tank is a 125. I'm including a picture of how it looks. It's FULL of live rock and has a thick sand a crushed coral bed. He suggested I start dosing. I'm dosing magnesium, buffer pro, and calcium once a week now based on bottle instructions. I really don't know much at ALL about aquariums, so it's funny I've had this for 10 years and as I've said have lost nothing. It's just not thriving. I don't have any sort of testers. I periodically have water checked at store and he always says it's just perfect. Dedicated RO Water supply as well.

Well, they say a weed is only a weed because it isn't wanted. So if you like your Aiptasia, let 'em run wild! If you want to get rid of them, there are a lot of threads here on RC dedicated to just that.

I would stop dosing unless you are testing your water regularly (weekly). Dosing is only required to replenish what is consumed by the organisms in your aquarium (corals grow and deplete calcium and carbonate, etc). If you supplement faster than a particular chemical is consumed, you will end up overdosing your aquarium. Everyone here doses differently (different products, different ways, different amounts) according to what their tank needs. We all essentially strive to maintain certain parameters which are largely the same.

Advanced Aquarist has an excellent collection of articles, particularly on reef aquarium chemistry. I'd start by reading the early "Chemistry and the Reef Aquarium" columns that cover your basics (alkalinity, pH, calcium, magnesium): http://www.advancedaquarist.com/sitemap Some of the dosing supplements and methodologies may have changed, but the essentals are all there.

 

[CStrickland]

I think the best way to take a little more control of your tank is to be able to test the water yourself. Otherwise you're kind of flying blind. Alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and nitrates have a lot to do with whether coral thrives but you are looking for the right amount. Too much of a good thing is possible. Kinda how we need vitamins, but you don't let a kid eat Flinstones gummies like candy either. So testing the water yourself for those 4 is easy and makes a big diff.

Also, the water you use makes a diff. If you aren't filtering it there can be tiny amounts of stuff like copper that is fine for us to drink but rough on coral.