Parameters are happy, corals are not.

alpdruje · Mar 9, 2022

Hello! So I have a 13.5 gallon all in one nano tank, and I am having problems. I’ve had this tank for about 2 months, but I have a 30 gallon that I’ve had for about 6 years which is only a fish tank due to aggressive corals hitchhiking into my tank a few years ago and taking over.

13.5 gallon tank set up and history:
we cycled the tank for about 3 weeks with Red Sea salt coral pro salt, CaribSea live black substrate (it’s like volcanic rock) and live rocks. Our parameters came back as perfect so we added some clean up crew for the next 3/4 weeks and let that cycle. Just some scarlet crabs and an urchin. They are thriving. Parameters this whole time have been great, and we tested the water with a fire fish, he did great until a few days ago and passed suddenly. We got him out, but now my recently added coral is not doing well. We have had the water tested (at a fish store) multiple times over the past few days for our water parameters to come back with nothing wrong, except our ph is a little low. We did add some Stax rocks to the tank the same time as our coral, and since then have been struggling with everything.

We have tried everything we can think of, have constantly tested and are fighting a ph drop. We tried a 30% water change last night, so I do not have an updated parameters sheet, but my ph is still dropping like crazy, trying to hover at around 7.9. All my coral are closed up and I lost a clover and one of my hard corals. I’m not sure what else I can do at this moment.

Parameters from the last test before the water change:

ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 1
Gh: /
Kh: 179ppm/10
Phosphate:0
Calcium:440
Magnesium:1280
Salinity: 1.025

these parameters are what we have consistently been at for all but the first week of tank set up. My PH as of right now is 8.2, however I woke up to it being 8.1 when it was 8.4 last night after the water change.

Unitylover · Mar 9, 2022

Your nitrate seems a little low, maybe let it build up

Sharkbait19 · Mar 9, 2022

Firefish likely passed due to disease or poor acclimation.

What kind of corals? Most need much more stable tanks, so it wouldn’t surprise me they are doing bad.
I agree that nitrate and phosphate could be a bit higher, corals feed off of them.

SeaworthyAquatics · Mar 9, 2022

0 phosphate is not good and probably one of the main issues. Almost everything in the tank needs it. Nitrate and magnesium also a bit low.

Nate Chalk · Mar 9, 2022

.1-.3 phos
10-15 nitrate

Lost in the Sauce · Mar 9, 2022

With those parameters, my tanks would look like a Wreck. Your Nitrates and phosphates are very low, and mag is quite low as well.

Depending on what type of corals, plus a new tank, this may be your issue with the Corals.

Fire fish is another story. Nothing there should be killing fish or even close to it.

Drummingbaker2010 · Mar 9, 2022

what are you using to buffer your ph? I would recommend that you add your ph buffer to your water you be using for your water change. I ran into this problem myself. If you don't do that, you will have high spikes mixed with severe ph drops in your tank, until all the water if fully mixed into your tank and then it should balance out not stressing out your animals or yourself. Have you dosed any iodine? Corals need that for their growth. I'm not sure how many coral you have in the tank, but I would check on that as well. I hope this helps

Drummingbaker2010 · Mar 9, 2022

it is best to keep your nitrates around 5 ppm and phosphates around .25 ppm if using the API test kit. There are others available that can be munch more specific, but you are usually in good shape with parameters within that range. if they are at absolute 0, then yes you need to boost those back up a little. calcium is good between 400-600, but not recommended to be more than that.

Drummingbaker2010 · Mar 9, 2022

another question is do you have any nitrate and phosphate consuming macro algae in your tank? If so, that is another reason to boost your levels back up. Best of luck

BrandonS · Mar 9, 2022

Imo the alk is high. 10 is a bit high in most cases. What salt mix are you using? Do you happen to know what test kit brand the fish store used? If you can take a test of freshly mixed salt water vs the water in your tank this can show if there is anything in the tank leeching into the water.

edit:just read you are using coral pro. I would stick to blue bucket. unless you have a packed sps tank and are striving for fast growth you don't need the elevated parameters.

BrandonS · Mar 9, 2022

you also have to look at your lighting depending on the coral types you could be giving them to much or not enough light. does the store have a par meter to rent? also pictures are always helpful. of the tank setup and corals.

Tamberav · Mar 9, 2022

higher alk, 1 nitrate, 0 po4?

bit more nutrients and lower alk imo.

BrandonS · Mar 9, 2022

also when you say hard corals do you mean sps?

another thing I would say is don't chase ph at first. just let it ride. buffering ph is a slippery slope. You can do many things to raise ph once your tank is stable without adding chemicals in. I have seen many amazing tanks at less than 8.0 ph.

rmorris_14 · Mar 9, 2022

BrandonS said:
also when you say hard corals do you mean sps?

another thing I would say is don't chase ph at first. just let it ride. buffering ph is a slippery slope. You can do many things to raise ph once your tank is stable without adding chemicals in. I have seen many amazing tanks at less than 8.0 ph.

BrandonS · Mar 9, 2022

alpdruje said:
Hello! So I have a 13.5 gallon all in one nano tank, and I am having problems. I’ve had this tank for about 2 months, but I have a 30 gallon that I’ve had for about 6 years which is only a fish tank due to aggressive corals hitchhiking into my tank a few years ago and taking over.

13.5 gallon tank set up and history:
we cycled the tank for about 3 weeks with Red Sea salt coral pro salt, CaribSea live black substrate (it’s like volcanic rock) and live rocks. Our parameters came back as perfect so we added some clean up crew for the next 3/4 weeks and let that cycle. Just some scarlet crabs and an urchin. They are thriving. Parameters this whole time have been great, and we tested the water with a fire fish, he did great until a few days ago and passed suddenly. We got him out, but now my recently added coral is not doing well. We have had the water tested (at a fish store) multiple times over the past few days for our water parameters to come back with nothing wrong, except our ph is a little low. We did add some Stax rocks to the tank the same time as our coral, and since then have been struggling with everything.

We have tried everything we can think of, have constantly tested and are fighting a ph drop. We tried a 30% water change last night, so I do not have an updated parameters sheet, but my ph is still dropping like crazy, trying to hover at around 7.9. All my coral are closed up and I lost a clover and one of my hard corals. I’m not sure what else I can do at this moment.

Parameters from the last test before the water change:

ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 1
Gh: /
Kh: 179ppm/10
Phosphate:0
Calcium:440
Magnesium:1280
Salinity: 1.025

these parameters are what we have consistently been at for all but the first week of tank set up. My PH as of right now is 8.2, however I woke up to it being 8.1 when it was 8.4 last night after the water change.

ph swings are normal based on many things. Light cycle, consumption of co2 by coral and algae, people in the room breathing co2, organisms in the water and on the rock, etc.. mine swings .3 through the day and even greater if my family and I are home all day like some weekends. And my tank is larger so it'll change slower than a smaller tank.

BrandonS · Mar 9, 2022

also want to add I wouldn't worry about nitrates to much in the beginning. usually fish food adds plenty. if you begin to have dino's or cyano, etc.. then looking at your redfield ratio is good. nitrate ratio to phosphate.

But I would do a big water change without buffering with a non elevated parameter salt using RO/DI water to start.

DeniseAndy · Mar 9, 2022

In a nano, lots of thing have to be right. Make sure you are not getting swings of anything. pH can swing about .3 throughout the 24hr period. Do not chase the number if it is somewhere between 7.9 to 8.4. Temp can range about 2-3 degrees F per 24hrs also.
Salinity should stay pretty consistent, so how are you topping off?
Do you have any algae growth?
Can you post a picture of the tank?
What corals have you tried?
What are your lights?
What is your flow?

mdb_talon · Mar 9, 2022

Dont stress a ph drop of 8.4 to 8.1. It is not killing anything and is pretty normal. Can try to balance out the swing, but not something to stress on from day 1. If you have adequate aeration and appropriate alk levels dont worry about the PH initially.... its not going to go to a range to hurt anything.

mdb_talon · Mar 9, 2022

Drummingbaker2010 said:
what are you using to buffer your ph? I would recommend that you add your ph buffer to your water you be using for your water change. I ran into this problem myself. If you don't do that, you will have high spikes mixed with severe ph drops in your tank, until all the water if fully mixed into your tank and then it should balance out not stressing out your animals or yourself. Have you dosed any iodine? Corals need that for their growth. I'm not sure how many coral you have in the tank, but I would check on that as well. I hope this helps

I think this is generally not good advice unless you want to raise the alk higher than the salt mix before the water change. His alk is 10 and he uses RSCP salt which mixes to 11-12dkh. Adding a buffer to his WC water will increase the variance between his new water and his existing tank water leading to bigger spikes during WC. It will also possibly eventually get his alk above where he wants it.