Coral Problems

[Joe Tony]

How often are you feeding your fish? You could increase nutrients, in other words feed more often. A lot of variables can be involved with this. How long has the tank been up and running? What are you using for filtering? Whatever you do, I would do it slowly. Balancing your parameters is especially hard in a small tank, water makes up for a lot of mistakes when it comes to adjustments. You could add another fish and feed more. You mentioned you dosed? I would think, unless you have a lot of coral, that water changes would be sufficient to replenish coral calcium needs. How are you determining your alkalinity and calcium needs? Have you noticed them falling between water changes and thus requiring supplementation?

I feed a little spoonful once a day, and I don't feed at all on sundays, when I do a water change.

I haven't been as on point with water testing as I probably should have been, but as far as calcium, salinity, and alkalinity, there are some swings, and I'm seeing more and more based on this discussion that that may have been one of the main problems.

Would a pair of clownfish get along well with a yellowtail damsel that's already been there? Would their aggressions balance each other out?

 

[Joe Tony]

How often are you feeding your fish? You could increase nutrients, in other words feed more often. A lot of variables can be involved with this. How long has the tank been up and running? What are you using for filtering? Whatever you do, I would do it slowly. Balancing your parameters is especially hard in a small tank, water makes up for a lot of mistakes when it comes to adjustments. You could add another fish and feed more. You mentioned you dosed? I would think, unless you have a lot of coral, that water changes would be sufficient to replenish coral calcium needs. How are you determining your alkalinity and calcium needs? Have you noticed them falling between water changes and thus requiring supplementation?

You know now that you mention it, my duncan coral was showing a small sign of opening again until I dosed the calcium supplement. Then it closed back up. So maybe I'm dosing too much? I have lots of coralline algae, but the only corals are the mushroon, the candy cane, the montipora, and the duncan, and they're all small frags.

 

[Joe Tony]

I also use a hydrometer for salinity. Is that adequate, as far as accuracy?

 

[Joe Tony]

How often are you feeding your fish? You could increase nutrients, in other words feed more often. A lot of variables can be involved with this. How long has the tank been up and running? What are you using for filtering? Whatever you do, I would do it slowly. Balancing your parameters is especially hard in a small tank, water makes up for a lot of mistakes when it comes to adjustments. You could add another fish and feed more. You mentioned you dosed? I would think, unless you have a lot of coral, that water changes would be sufficient to replenish coral calcium needs. How are you determining your alkalinity and calcium needs? Have you noticed them falling between water changes and thus requiring supplementation?

I don't have a filter, just live rock, a power head, and water changes

 

[iamacat]

I also use a hydrometer for salinity. Is that adequate, as far as accuracy?

Oh boy. Not unless you are post apocalyptic. Get a refractomer or the hanna salinity checker.

 

[iamacat]

I don't have a filter, just live rock, a power head, and water changes

This is starting add up. I’m not sure how to maintain a reef tank with the absolute BARE essentials and not testing.

 

[Joe Tony]

Alright. This has been very helpful. I just have a few questions about increasing nitrate and phosphate levels to a better amount
1. Can I get clownfish together as a pair instead of individually?
2. Will my yellowtail damsel, in this 30 gallon tank, harass the clownfish to death, or will their aggressions balance each other out
3. I once had four fish in this 30 gallon tank, a clownfish pair, a banggai cardinal, and an orchid dottyback. They were all fine for a few months, but at a certain point there was suddenly a spike where one of the fish died, then the others and all the other critters. I assumed there was an ammonia spike because I only had about 25 gallons of water and there were four fish in there that were growing. With this in mind, would three fish--the clownfish pair, and damsel--be too much for this small tank longterm? The tank has also been up and running for about a year and a half now, maybe close to two years.
4. Should I be feeding the tank twice a day and not once a day?
5. Should I do water changes twice a month or even once a month instead of weekly?

 

[sacutshall]

I believe you would be safe to add a few more fish and get a canister filter off Amazon for about 50-100 bucks.

I have a 30gl
12 fish= Bi-color blenny, yellow watch goby & tiger pistol neon goby, royal gramma, 2 firestick goby's, 4 fancy clowns and 1 green chromis, neon dottyback
CUC= 2 cleaner shrimp 4 snail maybe 8 hermit blue &red legs 2 bumble bee snail and added a dozen feeder shrimp they are excellent in CUC
32 frag half sps other half zoas
canister filter approx. 360gph, HOB refuge, one cheap protein skimmer off amazon. 2 power head.
lights 2 kessil A-80 TB

This is what I call minimal.

 

[Joe Tony]

How necessary are filters and protein skimmers though? I know there's some debate about them suggesting they may not be so necessary. And I do have filter feeding clams, feather dusters, sponges, and others that would benefit from the lack of a filter of skimmer more than it being there.

Also, WOW! 12 fish in a 30 gallon tank. I wasn't sure that was possible in the saltwater hobby.

 

[Buffalou]

I hear you man, I've been there. Growing in this hobby is one step forward two back for the most part. I would suggest you go to BRS reef keeping videos and start there. Trust me I've spent tons of money and time stumbling through this. Most local fish guys are looking to make money and try to be helpful but it's on you to do the leg work. BRS 52 weeks of reefing will get you off to a good start. All of us can suggest and give you our opinion but the more you understand the basics and start testing and getting a good foundation of what is required to move forward the less chasing your tail and spending money. Again, I've been down this road. I have had 12 plus fish in a 30 gallon with plenty of softie corals topping off with tap water and prime, and I couldn't understand why I couldn't grow SPS! ten years later and 5 tanks multiply lighting options, RODI water changes and supplementing I'm growing SPS. I only wish I would have educated myself prior to all the stumbling I did. Trust me R2R and BRS ask the questions and do the research. I would just stop trying to do anything huge, think about where you want to be in several years from now with this and then develop a plan to move forward after you do the research. Again I'm not trying to discourage you only inspire you to spend less, and enjoy more. I only wish I would have done the same, although I will say I love this hobby!

 

[Joe Tony]

Well I'm definitely not giving up this hobby. I've come too far and thrown too much money down to just end it all, but I appreciate all of your suggestions. I am also going to be moving in a year or two, and plan on upgrading to a 55 or 75 gallon tank, which will make a difference in terms of water volume, parameters etc.

But as far as the current tank I have, I think I have a decent idea now about what to do
-Buy a clownfish pair
-Feed daily and do water changes monthly instead of weekly
-Cool it with the dosing (iron especially)
-Ditch API and hydrometer and instead get the more accurate hanna test kits to get a more accurate idea of the water parameters, and act accordingly (especially to make sure calcium, alkalinity, ph, and salinity are right)
-Do my best to keep parameters the same as I'm doing water changes


Does that about cover it?

 

[Joe Tony]

Alright then. Well this was really helpful you guys. Thank you all for the assistance