Reef problems

Chance · 08-09-2005, 07:42 PM

I have a 55 gallon reff tank. Im have problems with any types of leather. I cant get them to live at all, and i dont know why. Also i wanna know if there is a way to help my corals to spread faster than they are.Thanks

Chance · 08-09-2005, 07:43 PM

Pease help

**TheOldSalt** · 08-09-2005, 09:44 PM

Okay, you've come to the right place.
First, though, we'll need some more info.

1-- describe your system
pumps, filters, lights, sand/rock

2-- what's in it?
besides leathers, what other critters do you have, and how many?

3-- how are things otherwise?
other species-> how are they doing?
water parameters-> temp, pH , orp, calcium, trace elements, nh3,nh4, no2, no3, etc..

Any of these things can be your problem, so the more we know, the more accurate our fancy guesswork will be.

I have some guesses already, without knowing the first thing about your tank:

1-- they are doing better than you think, and you are tossing out live ones which are merely molting
2-- they have a disease
3-- you are mixing leather & non-leather corals without enough skimming or space
4-- not enough skimming or other methods of turpenoid removal.
5-- moving damage
6-- predation by some other critter
7-- water way off in some way
8-- tank too new; diatoms smothering corals. Planarians smothering corals.
9-- insufficient water movement; still water mantle suffocation
10- not enough iodine, or too much, or other trace element problem

You see, there are a lot of possibilities, and these aren't all of them. Check into these to see if you find anything amiss.

Chance · 08-09-2005, 10:15 PM

Well to stsrt off im kinda new on all this. My tank is about 7 months old. I have a 303 fuval pump, protine skimmer, Aqua Clear 50 gallon power head, Coralite powercompacts with 4 65watt bulbs(2 white 2 blue), crushed coral for base, 50lbs of live rock.

I have 2 anenomes, coral beauty, mushrooms, cup coral, and a few others im not sure of the names. I have 1 domino damsel, 4 green chromis, 2 skunk clowns, alot of hermit crabs, green sea cucumber, 2 convict worm gobys, 2 star fish(coral safe i know that)

Everything else is kinda off and on. But for the most par they are doing well. I have always had problems with just leathers, and i was told they are easy and a hardy coral.

Chance · 08-09-2005, 10:16 PM

O yea ans the temp is about 78, the salinity is right on the dot

**Fishfirst** · 08-10-2005, 01:27 AM

2 things come to mind when reading this, crushed coral base - nitrates form here
what kind of skimmer?
pending a check of the gph on the powerhead - not enough flow
anemones are possibly getting em too, what kind are they and do you place the leather near (within 10" of the anemone) them?
Leathers are pretty easy... I like xenia myself. Have your tried the hairy mushrooms and mushroom corals? They might even be more hardy.

Chance · 08-10-2005, 03:56 PM

If I post some picture of my tank will that help you guys to tell me what i should do

Chance · 08-10-2005, 08:56 PM

Pictures of my tank that i will update. http://community.webshots.com/user/mopar32985

Electric Monk · 10-22-2005, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishfirst

2 things come to mind when reading this, crushed coral base - nitrates form here.

Could not agree more!! Crushed coral should be banned

N1z · 12-01-2005, 11:53 AM

my m8 who once did marine reef had an anenome and it went sand sat on most corals suffocating them!

Barbie · 12-02-2005, 12:58 PM

Leathers need a lot of flow to slough off their surface frequently. I'd bet that's your problem. If you have sufficient rock to compensate for bioload, you'd be ahead to remove the additional filtration you get with the fluval and run with enough circulation to let the live rock manage your filtration. Then you don't end up with an end product of nitrates. I'd also remove all but about 1/2" of that crushed coral. It's just trapping detritus and threatening your alkalinity with it in there. A deep sand bed is one thing, but all deep crushed coral accomplishes is a nutrient sink that will eventually dump back into your water column. Definitely make sure you're thoroughly vacuuming the coral when you do water changes. How often are you doing water changes and how much of a volume when you do them?

Barbie

AshleytheGreat · 12-02-2005, 05:49 PM

wait no crushed coral for a saltwater tank??!?!? Just live sand + play sand?

**TheOldSalt** · 12-03-2005, 08:14 AM

Crushed coral is fine for fish-only, but not for reef unless it's only just barely covers the bottom, but sand is better for that job anyway.

08-09-2005, 07:42 PM	#1
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	Reef problems I have a 55 gallon reff tank. Im have problems with any types of leather. I cant get them to live at all, and i dont know why. Also i wanna know if there is a way to help my corals to spread faster than they are.Thanks

08-10-2005, 01:27 AM	#6
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Soon to be Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,506	2 things come to mind when reading this, crushed coral base - nitrates form here what kind of skimmer? pending a check of the gph on the powerhead - not enough flow anemones are possibly getting em too, what kind are they and do you place the leather near (within 10" of the anemone) them? Leathers are pretty easy... I like xenia myself. Have your tried the hairy mushrooms and mushroom corals? They might even be more hardy. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-01-2005, 11:53 AM	#10
N1z Beyond the rulz Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Age: 19 Posts: 37	my m8 who once did marine reef had an anenome and it went sand sat on most corals suffocating them! __________________ 32G marine tank 6 kilos of live rock 1 cleaner shrimp 1 half black dwarf angel mixed with red line dwarf 2 Green chromosis 1 pink spotted goby 1 sand sifting starfish 2 neon blue hermits

12-02-2005, 12:58 PM	#11
Barbie Fishy Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Spokane, Washington Posts: 21	Leathers need a lot of flow to slough off their surface frequently. I'd bet that's your problem. If you have sufficient rock to compensate for bioload, you'd be ahead to remove the additional filtration you get with the fluval and run with enough circulation to let the live rock manage your filtration. Then you don't end up with an end product of nitrates. I'd also remove all but about 1/2" of that crushed coral. It's just trapping detritus and threatening your alkalinity with it in there. A deep sand bed is one thing, but all deep crushed coral accomplishes is a nutrient sink that will eventually dump back into your water column. Definitely make sure you're thoroughly vacuuming the coral when you do water changes. How often are you doing water changes and how much of a volume when you do them? Barbie __________________

12-02-2005, 05:49 PM	#12
AshleytheGreat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mi Town Posts: 785	wait no crushed coral for a saltwater tank??!?!? Just live sand + play sand? __________________ So let the haters hate, let the doubters doubt, I stand by my book, and my life, and I won't dignify this malarkey with any sort of further response.

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08-09-2005, 07:43 PM	#2
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	Pease help

08-09-2005, 09:44 PM	#3
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,253	Okay, you've come to the right place. First, though, we'll need some more info. 1-- describe your system pumps, filters, lights, sand/rock 2-- what's in it? besides leathers, what other critters do you have, and how many? 3-- how are things otherwise? other species-> how are they doing? water parameters-> temp, pH , orp, calcium, trace elements, nh3,nh4, no2, no3, etc.. Any of these things can be your problem, so the more we know, the more accurate our fancy guesswork will be. I have some guesses already, without knowing the first thing about your tank: 1-- they are doing better than you think, and you are tossing out live ones which are merely molting 2-- they have a disease 3-- you are mixing leather & non-leather corals without enough skimming or space 4-- not enough skimming or other methods of turpenoid removal. 5-- moving damage 6-- predation by some other critter 7-- water way off in some way 8-- tank too new; diatoms smothering corals. Planarians smothering corals. 9-- insufficient water movement; still water mantle suffocation 10- not enough iodine, or too much, or other trace element problem You see, there are a lot of possibilities, and these aren't all of them. Check into these to see if you find anything amiss.

08-09-2005, 10:15 PM	#4
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	Well to stsrt off im kinda new on all this. My tank is about 7 months old. I have a 303 fuval pump, protine skimmer, Aqua Clear 50 gallon power head, Coralite powercompacts with 4 65watt bulbs(2 white 2 blue), crushed coral for base, 50lbs of live rock. I have 2 anenomes, coral beauty, mushrooms, cup coral, and a few others im not sure of the names. I have 1 domino damsel, 4 green chromis, 2 skunk clowns, alot of hermit crabs, green sea cucumber, 2 convict worm gobys, 2 star fish(coral safe i know that) Everything else is kinda off and on. But for the most par they are doing well. I have always had problems with just leathers, and i was told they are easy and a hardy coral.

08-09-2005, 10:16 PM	#5
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	O yea ans the temp is about 78, the salinity is right on the dot

08-10-2005, 03:56 PM	#7
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	If I post some picture of my tank will that help you guys to tell me what i should do

08-10-2005, 08:56 PM	#8
Chance Saltwater Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland Age: 23 Posts: 29	Pictures of my tank that i will update. http://community.webshots.com/user/mopar32985

12-03-2005, 08:14 AM	#13
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,253	Crushed coral is fine for fish-only, but not for reef unless it's only just barely covers the bottom, but sand is better for that job anyway.

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