need help

[bolt696]

Does anyone live close to Plainview that can help me with my tank? I keep trying and trying to get this tank working right and just can't. Something has to be wrong. I think I have all the right equiptment and yet things just keep crashing??? I feel like I am just throwing money away. I would really love someone with good reef keeping skills to look and tell me what I am doing wrong.

55 gallon
ehiem 2217 filter
bak pak 2r skimmer
2 coralife MH lights 300 watt total (just got last week)
I just tested the water and got the following:
No3 15
Ca 500
phos 0
PH 7.7 has been a little low last few test
KH 3 (also a bit low last few test)
no2 <.03
NH .25 (first time, has always been zero)
salt 1.024

Please help.......
thanks

 

[emelton]

What was your lighting before the 300 watt fixture? Also whats your temperature range?

 

[bolt696]

I had a 4x 65 pc coralive dual satelite.
I had problems with the tank with that light as well. In the summer with the old light it was about 79-81. With the new lights it hit 87 one day, so I have a fan now and it is at 81.7 but I ordered a chiller for the tank which will be here next week.

 

[DgenR8]

What have you lost?

 

[bolt696]

colt coral ( was 6 inches, nice. Just shrunk and like melted to nothing in 3 days., xenia, clam, anemone, bird nest. all over a few months.

 

[DgenR8]

Is the tank growing coralline? Do you have a problem with algae?

 

[DgenR8]

What about fish?

 

[bolt696]

tank has lots of coraline. I lost a tang a few months back, and a blenny sometime in the past 2 weeks.

 

[emelton]

do you add iodine? Also the lighting you just got is good for your tank almost 5.5 watts per gal.

How is your flow?

 

[Spracklcat]

Any idea why your pH is so low? That can't be good. Are you dosing Kalkwasser or any buffers? That would be my first guess...

Christine

 

[sleezyp1]

Why a canister filter? also ever use copper?

 

[cb747]

My PH has been fluctuating betwen 7.7 and 7.9 and everything hes lost is thriving in my tank so i dont tend to think its PH related althouigh if you could get it up a litle it would be better. 87 was too high but it shouldnt have had a lasting effect if you didnt sustain that temp for a long time. I have lots of Capnella i can give you when your ready again. It grows like a weed in my tanks I cant give you advice on SPS cause i kill it all but softies i do pretty good with!

 

[bolt696]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928271#post7928271 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by emelton
do you add iodine? Also the lighting you just got is good for your tank almost 5.5 watts per gal.

How is your flow?

I did buy an iodine test kit. I am trying everything. the test showed .02, so I have slowing been adding the dosage on the iodine bottle. Same with Strontium.

As for flow I have 2 powerheads and the filter output?

 

[bolt696]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928284#post7928284 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spracklcat
Any idea why your pH is so low? That can't be good. Are you dosing Kalkwasser or any buffers? That would be my first guess...

Christine

Have no idea why it is low. I have kent pro buffer and tech CB, but calcium has always been high from day one, so from time to time I just add the pro buffer.

I have also been using cycle because I had bad algae issues and they said over time it will just help the tank. been using it 6 months now.

 

[bolt696]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928300#post7928300 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sleezyp1
Why a canister filter? also ever use copper?

the canister filter came with the tank and the store said it is fine for a 55 gallon. I was ready to buy a sump set up and I was told there is absolutely no need for a 55 gallon.

never used copper

 

[romain]

How often do you clean the eheim filter? What kind of media are you using? Also you may need a big skimmer IMO.

 

[romain]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928352#post7928352 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bolt696
the canister filter came with the tank and the store said it is fine for a 55 gallon. I was ready to buy a sump set up and I was told there is absolutely no need for a 55 gallon.

Who told you that?

Canister Filter = Nitrate Factory, unless you clean it everyday.

 

[bolt696]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928358#post7928358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by romain
How often do you clean the eheim filter? What kind of media are you using? Also you may need a big skimmer IMO.

I try to clean every month, but I won't lie and say I stick to that.

as for the media from bottom to top

Bio glass tubes
blue fine pad
Eheim Ehfisubstrat
white pad
usually a bag of phosban
carbon pad

 

[bolt696]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7928386#post7928386 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bolt696
I try to clean every month, but I won't lie and say I stick to that.

as for the media from bottom to top

Bio glass tubes
blue fine pad
Eheim Ehfisubstrat
white pad
usually a bag of phosban
carbon pad

I called DR foster and smith (I find they have great prices and lots of sales) I spoke with someone who claimed to have 3 different reef set ups. said her 55 gallon has been on a canister for 5 years and is thriving. I was transfred to some special marine dept and ready to spend and place an order for the sump. They talked me out of it

As for the skimmer, I have a Bak pak 2 r

 

[Spracklcat]

Yes, definitely ditch the canister filter and go with a skimmer. Adding the buffer to up your pH is a good idea; you can try dosing kalkwasser too and that will help keep calcium up.

The Cycle you're adding is probably not doing anything--