Reef Rescue 300g :/

[privitor]

My mother bought a custom 300g aquarium from R.A.D. in Florida.
They had it written in the contract that I would intern with the local service person and learn the ropes so I could continue to service my mother's tank and even have an opportunity to maybe be a service person for this area. After they set it up and starting stocking it, "the service guy for this area moved to California" so the tank never got finished and I never got trained. They told us they didn't have anybody else this far north to service but any local company would do it"¦ Whatever, short story long, point is;

They did stock about 20 reef fish and maybe 10-15 assorted soft corals and a few Anemones. They told her since she was not interested in caring for the corals that they would put only filter feeder in the tank. Well they didn't, among others they added Bubble tip Anemone, Carpet Anemone, Pagoda, Montipora, and Leather corals just to name a few. Well she is not the type of person to hand feed her corals or anemones so they started dying.....Slowly and Sadly

Now she has asked my to help her get the tank back up and thriving but I'm at a loss as i have never delt with a tank this big. All my S/W tanks have been under 100g and mostly FOWLR tanks. I am currently doing full services on the tank with a 10% water change every 2 weeks and testing the water every other week. The water parameters are almost perfect but all her corals are still dying and I'm at a loss why. Btw her urchins have started dying too

Parameters tested today
"¢ Calcium 430 ppm
"¢ Alkalinity 10 dKH
"¢ Salinity 1.023
"¢ Temp 77° F
"¢ pH 8.0
"¢ Magnesium 1400 ppm
"¢ Phosphate 0.01 ppm
"¢ Ammonia 0.0 ppm
"¢ Nitrates 0.4ppm
"¢ KH (cant remember results but were ok)

Does anybody have any idea how to bring this tank from the brink of death? What am I missing?? What else can I test for??Trace element supplements during water change off week?

Please help!!

 

[Tremelle]

As far as the corals are concerned, it might help to list what lighting the tank has.

 

[SPotter]

Your parameters seem ok but here are some of my thoughts.....

* List the equipment that is running the tank...lighting, skimmer, powerheads etc.
* Consider either doing 10% weekly water changes or increase the amount you currently do to 15%-20%
* If you have corals that require feeding and they arent being fed....think about giving them away...especially the nems. If one of them comes loose and gets sucked into a powerhead....that could possibly wipe out the entire tank.

Good luck!

 

[Newbie Aquarist]

Yes that was my guess also and placement? I personally would raise the SG to about 1.025 at the most. 1.024 safely. What is the water source also?

 

[privitor]

Im gonna try to do my best from memory of the equipment...

Equipment...

LIghting: Coralife Aqualight LED running a 20k 12 light cycle at 75 or 80%
Skimmer: ASM G-4 Protein Skimmer w/ Sedra 5000 Pump
Reactor: Running unknown brand running PhosBan
Power heads: 2 Vortech Mp40
Top off water: RO/DI feeding Auto top off

As far as the water, im not sure where it is from my local fish store. They mix and sell it

 

[privitor]

Bump Im Still at a loss. This week i did a 15g water change and added about an inch of sand create more of a DSB Will test water again on monday

 

[dave.m]

I don't think you're going to get the water parameters much better than that. Maybe a bit of tweaking but not much. I don't think that more water changes are going to help much.

I would look mostly at the lighting. If you can buy or borrow a PAR meter that would be helpful. What happens if you lower your light fixture and/or run it full power.

Also look at water circulation. You need strong flow in a reef tank to keep everything oxygenated, i.e. to get the oxygen to the invertebrates. You need more than just two Vortechs. You didn't mention the sump or your main return pump. Do you have room in your sump for a reverse-daylight or 24hr refugium? That will help ensure sufficient oxygen at night.

Just some ideas.

Dave.M

 

[privitor]

Here is a pic of the tank with antics on