New to coral already out $20!!

[Martin Kuhn]

+1
+1

In case you plan to have a reef tank with SPS in my eyes it is an absolute must to be able to measure most important parameters by your own, at an time you need to

This is, in this order
- salinity
- PO4
- N3
- Alk
- Mg
- Ca

Also it is "not enough"
To just buy "some kits". You should
- use high quality test kits (accurate and reliable enough)
- they should be calibrated for PO4, Ca, Mg (!!! Don't trust a new test kit unless you know)
- you need to know how to measure WITHOUT measurement errors by yourself

This is the absolute basics.
"You need to be able to measure what you want to optimize first"







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[mikeatjac]

You might want to change LFS. Doesn't appear they are giving you good advise. A puffer and any coral is never going to work. I love red legs and have them in my SPS tank. They may knock down corals the are not mounted well but I have not seen them eat corals.
Since this is your tank, much of this falls on you for not doing your research first!

BTW my next step would be to do something with the puffer. Not eating for that long is not good and I am not sure your explanation of an alk swing is correct. I do believe it recently had a snack.

 

[Wrangy]

So I've read through all of your posts mate and my only piece of advice to you is please stop. Slow down and potentially start afresh. You really need to do a lot more reading and research than what you've currently done or you'll continue being plagued with the issues you've encountered so far and wouldn't make very silly mistakes like dropping your salinity from 1.038 to 1.027 in a single water change. That itself would easily wipe out your tank.

You need to boost your knowledge a great deal or you won't find any enjoyment in this hobby at all. You need to stop what you're doing, buy some decent books and get reading and learning before you try, buy or do anything else. For the sake of your enjoyment and the sake of the animals you are caring for. It's mistreatment if you continue to stumble through so blinds as only you makes the decisions on how your animals are cared for.

 

[mikeatjac]

I have read your prior posts and I see you have had a lot of issues so this is what I would.
First find another LFS. They appear to either to not know what they are doing or don't care.
Write down everything you have, live stock and equipment. Include issues you have had.
Take the list to a new LFS so they understand your tank.
Get some quality test kits.
Ask questions here BEFORE you do anything.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I agree. Being out $20 is ok, just a shock that I didn't even make it a day.
So I went to my LFS and they ran these parameters and said the water was fine.
I also learned that the red legged hermit was not reef safe and was quickly determined that he caused the loss. Going to switch it out tomorrow and try again.
Also returning the flame angel and the 2 tangs and swapping out for less fragile fish.
Thanks

You cannot rely on what the LFS tells you. Every tank is different. While some tanks may do well at 11DKH others do better at 8DKH. You also need test kits at home and be able to monitor parameter changes.

And I disagree. Red legged hermits (true red legged) are reef safe depending on what you have. Just like tangs are reef safe, depending on what you have and the type of tang you get. Anything "reef safe" has the chance of doing damage. I've had peppermint shrimp eat torch corals and hammers before also had them decimate zoanthids. Where as other people have never had an issue.

With a 55 gallon tank you do not have much room for a swing in parameters. It would only take a small change to kill corals.

Are you QTing your fish or dumping them right in? It's unlikely a change in salinity has caused your puffer to be ill, rather, he most likely has something else going on and you don't want to contaminate new fish.