Tank Check Up

[PlayWithBob]

As a process, reefing seems to be a never ending string of questions. I do a lot of Internet looking and learning. I speak to as many people as I can about the hows and whys of this hobby and yet, I still feel myself a neophyte.

My, our tank is doing "OK" we have some growth, but we also have some death. I try to stay on top of what I need and provide the tank and the critters within a reasonably safe and friendly environment. Yet try as I might, some inhabitants are just not happy.

Our Frogspawn and torches never seem as full or large as any that we see in other tanks. The Horn coral's tissue is receding a bit. My clam has withdrawn into his shell and has not come out in 2 days. He? did have a "traumatic" event recently, I was forced to reaquascape the tank to get 2 tangs out and the clam had begun to attach himself to a rock. He came loose from the rock and may have torn the tissue around his bissell threads. Additionally, there is a chance that he may gave come in contact with some Zoas.

I have tested everything I have test for this morning and ask that you review the information and provide any suggestions that come to mind.

90g tank w/ 20g sump.
The sump has a big skimmer and a refugium with macroalge.
We have what I consider "good flow".
We top off with tap water everyday, usally about 1 gallon a day.
The overflow contains both filter medium and an activated charcoal "bag".

For lights we have 2 175w 20k MH and a coralife aqua light over the Refugium. The HM is on from 6am (gota see the critters with the morning coffee) to 8pm. The refugium light is on from 9pm to 9am.

Livestock currently is 5 small fish, all under 2in and 3 shrimp. A handful of mushrooms, zoas, and palys, The Horn coral, frogspawn, a torch, and a small frag of birds nest. There is also a frag shelf holding...frags. We have a clean up crew of snails and hermits.

I feed 2 pinches of dry fish food pellets every 2 days
Pyto every other days alternating with cylapeas <sp>.

Salinity 1.0235
Temp 76
PH 7.6
Alkalinity 150 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20 ppm
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 720 mg/L

Thoughts, observations, and comments are most welcome.

Bob

 

[C. Friesen]

Hi, from what I have read your salinity should be around 1.025, you pH at around 8.2 and temperature is usually from 78-82°F in most reef tanks. Also based on you parameters your nitrate level is very high. You should also be using RO water for water addition and changes as you are adding alot of chlorine and other unwanted chemicals and metals to your tank. If you have copper plumbing you are probably adding low levels of copper which is not good for invertebrates (clams, crabs, snails etc.). I don't know what you water change regime is but you might want to be doing at least a 10% water change every 2 weeks with RO water. This will lower your nitrates and phosphates. I believe the low salinity in your tank coupled with the chemicals in your city water and the high nitrate level is causing your problems. Your light cycle is also very long so I suspect you have problems with algae as well.

Hope this helps you out,

Chris

 

[packer]

Yor ph is low, also your alkalinity can be raised a bit and that will help your ph balance out.