I HAVE A ZUES CORAL AND IT STARTED TO LOOK MOLDY AND THE ROCK IS SLIMY I HAVE TRIED TO UPLOAD PICS BUT CANT GET IT TO WORK BUT WHEN I PUT THEM IN TANK THEY LOOKED GOOD FOR AWHILE BUT YEASTERDAY THEY LOOKED LIKE THAT AND THEN INSTEAD OF BEING OPEN AND LOOKING LIKE A FLOWER THEY ARE ROUND LIKE A BALL THE MUSHROOMS ARE ALSO LOOKING SHRIVELED DUT THE THINGS I GOT AT THE MEETING LOOKS GOOD CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT I AM DOING WRONG I HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT IN THREADS AND ON THE WEB BUT CANT FIND NOTHING CLOSE IF SOMEONE WILL TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO DO I WOULD APPRACATE IT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE EVERYTING TO LOOK GOOD THANKS SCOTT
Soft Coral
- Thread starter sdm3576
- Start date
OK I AM USING A INSTANT OCEAN TEST KIT
THE SALT IS 31
PH 8.2
AMMONIA DARKER THAN .08
NITRATE DOESNT READ SUPPOSSE TO BE A BROWN COLOR BUT IT IS PINK COLORED
ALKLINIY TOOK 5 DROPS TO TURN I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIGURE IT SAYS DIVIDE NUMBER OF DROPS BY 2 TO OBTAIN MILLIEQUIVALENTS PER LITER BUT WHEN I DO IT DONT WORK OUT
THE SALT IS 31
PH 8.2
AMMONIA DARKER THAN .08
NITRATE DOESNT READ SUPPOSSE TO BE A BROWN COLOR BUT IT IS PINK COLORED
ALKLINIY TOOK 5 DROPS TO TURN I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIGURE IT SAYS DIVIDE NUMBER OF DROPS BY 2 TO OBTAIN MILLIEQUIVALENTS PER LITER BUT WHEN I DO IT DONT WORK OUT
geekdafied
In Memoriam
how long has your tank been setup? Also do a water change ASAP about 25-40%. Get a better test kit or borrow one.
EvilMel
is a serious goby fanatic
To me it sounds like what you need to do is: test your water you are using for water changes. If it checks out....start water changing like crazy. If your water is yellow/brown something probably died and it is toxifying your tank (in the process of killing everything in there probably).
So get some RO water that you know is good and water change like crazy. Did you say that you are using a test kit to test salinity?
Do you have a swing arm hydrometer? I think it's very prudent that you run out and get one if you don't. It would be better to get a refractometer, but a swing arm one will work ok and it's cheap.
Also, are you topping off with salt water or with fresh water?
So get some RO water that you know is good and water change like crazy. Did you say that you are using a test kit to test salinity?
Do you have a swing arm hydrometer? I think it's very prudent that you run out and get one if you don't. It would be better to get a refractometer, but a swing arm one will work ok and it's cheap.
Also, are you topping off with salt water or with fresh water?
I AM USING A HYDRMETER MY TANK HAS BEEN SET UP FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS I HAD 9 MOLLOYS IN IT AND CAN ONLY FIND 2 I MOVED THE ROCKS AND ALL AND CANT FIND NO TRACE OF THEM I DID GET SOME WATER AND PUT IT IN A BUCKET WENT AHEAD AND DONE THE SALT AND ALL I NEED TO DO IS TRANSFER IT WHEN I TOP OF MY TANK DO I NEED TO USE TAP WATER OR SALT WATER
EvilMel
is a serious goby fanatic
First of all...do you think you could turn off the caps lock on the computer?
OK...so good...hydrometer. What are mollies doing in your salt water tank?
When you "top off" you should be adding fresh water to replace the evaporated water. When you "water change" you should be adding new salt water to replace the water you just took out.
I find it very likely that those fish have died and are now polluting the tank. Maybe you can call Larry and see if he can come over and help again? I'm at work so I can't.
Water changing would be your best bet at this point for getting things under control. On the plus side...if you are only 9 days into it...it's not that big of a deal to start over!
Also...I did not realize your tank was that new. You should not get any corals at ALL until it's much older.
OK...so good...hydrometer. What are mollies doing in your salt water tank?
When you "top off" you should be adding fresh water to replace the evaporated water. When you "water change" you should be adding new salt water to replace the water you just took out.
I find it very likely that those fish have died and are now polluting the tank. Maybe you can call Larry and see if he can come over and help again? I'm at work so I can't.
Water changing would be your best bet at this point for getting things under control. On the plus side...if you are only 9 days into it...it's not that big of a deal to start over!
Also...I did not realize your tank was that new. You should not get any corals at ALL until it's much older.
Last edited:
AquaVolGP
New member
Mel, Your comments made me laugh hard because I was thinking the same thing. The second sentence made me laugh soooo hard.....I am still laughing.
Mel: First of all...do you think you could turn off the caps lock on the computer?
OK...so good...hydrometer. What are mollies doing in your salt water tank?
I agree with the others though. Do a water change with RO water and wait before you add anything else. Good Luck!
Mel: First of all...do you think you could turn off the caps lock on the computer?
OK...so good...hydrometer. What are mollies doing in your salt water tank?
I agree with the others though. Do a water change with RO water and wait before you add anything else. Good Luck!
EvilMel
is a serious goby fanatic
Well I was trying to say that in the nicest way possible because it's freaking hard to understand people's true meanings on here. I wanted to be a bit demanding and say...MOLLIES??? But I didn't want to be rude and come off negatively. *looks over at Don and Larry*
hah hah. You know how weird it is to type stuff on here and not have things come out right!
I hope he's waterchanging.
hah hah. You know how weird it is to type stuff on here and not have things come out right!
I hope he's waterchanging.
cee
New member
Mollies are perfectly fine in salt water if properly acclimated since they live in brackish environments in nature. I've conditioned tanks with them before.
Water change and run carbon to get things under control. Top off water should be fresh water, not salt water.
Any ammonia or nitrites are bad and are probably the source of your problems. Also, what does a salinity of 31 mean? Is that specific gravity, parts per thousand, or what?
Dave
Water change and run carbon to get things under control. Top off water should be fresh water, not salt water.
Any ammonia or nitrites are bad and are probably the source of your problems. Also, what does a salinity of 31 mean? Is that specific gravity, parts per thousand, or what?
Dave
RCS
In Memoriam
If he's using a hydrometer, I'm guessing that it's specific gravity, and too high. You should be shooting for 1.023-1.026 or so.
It sounds like your tank is cycling. Cycling with fish is almost always a bad thing. In addition to killing or permanently damaging the fish, the tank is only ever cycled for the bioload you put in it. Depending on the size of the tank, a few small mollies might be a very light or very heavy bioload.
Have you considered a good book? Cycling a marine tank isn't a whole lot different than cycling any other tank with regards to the basic nitrogen cycle. It sounds like this may be your first tank, and doing some research on cycling and tank startup is a necessaru first step before adding anything living to the tank, let alone sensitive life like corals.
You should be able to find a good beginner's saltwater book at any LFS or book store. Fenner's The Conscientious Marine Aquarist or Paletta's The New Marine Aquarium are both excellent places to start.
Discussion boards and forums can be helpful, but understanding at least the basics goes a long way to understanding any problems that will arise along the way.
It sounds like your tank is cycling. Cycling with fish is almost always a bad thing. In addition to killing or permanently damaging the fish, the tank is only ever cycled for the bioload you put in it. Depending on the size of the tank, a few small mollies might be a very light or very heavy bioload.
Have you considered a good book? Cycling a marine tank isn't a whole lot different than cycling any other tank with regards to the basic nitrogen cycle. It sounds like this may be your first tank, and doing some research on cycling and tank startup is a necessaru first step before adding anything living to the tank, let alone sensitive life like corals.
You should be able to find a good beginner's saltwater book at any LFS or book store. Fenner's The Conscientious Marine Aquarist or Paletta's The New Marine Aquarium are both excellent places to start.
Discussion boards and forums can be helpful, but understanding at least the basics goes a long way to understanding any problems that will arise along the way.
Pandarian
Member
Mollies have been used before to cycle tanks. They are found in coastal/estuarial areas and can tolerate full freshwater to full salt. Well, they can actually thrive in brackish to saltwater. I've had a few mollies in saltwater and seem to "enjoy" it much better then full freshwater.
Scott, all caps is usually a form of yelling on message boards. Also is the mold and slime on your rocks a brown color or red color?
Scott, all caps is usually a form of yelling on message boards. Also is the mold and slime on your rocks a brown color or red color?
geekdafied
In Memoriam
Did yall notice the part about this person being new to saltwater aquariums? Also the tank has only been up for 2 weeks? The tank hasnt cycled at all. He might referring to diatoms all over everything making the water have that tint. Theres a million possibilities that could be going on, but its not an established tank and the person is new to the hobby.
geekdafied
In Memoriam
oh and on the mollie note.... I had an orange toadfish that I fed mollies and guppies to. The tank I had the mollies in was more or less brackish. One day I went to get some guppies and they threw in a lot more then expecting so I threw them in the tank with the mollies. who would of thunk it that you could adapt guppies to saltwater. I tossed them into the tank with the toadfish and THEY LIVED! They were in there for over a week, and would have stayed longer but they got ate.
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