Unusual tank problem

[ChickReef]

This was July 2023. I couldn’t stop it once it attached to the main rock and glass.

 

[ChickReef]

Should I be using the seachem flourish nitrogen?

 

[Naekuh]

i am wondering if she should scrap the glass with her corals in, or if she should pull them out in bucket.

I am wondering what kind of chemicals the xenia will unleash when she pulls out that much, and also worried she might have a crash from removing that much.

I always remember you want to remove slowly and with moderation.
Even when it comes to coraline algae, if you scrape too much off, it can lead to something crashing later down the line.

 

[jabberwock]

Xenia is consuming all your nitrates and starving out the other corals. I would scrape all that off the glass, throw it out, before the massive water change plan

Some people use Xenia in place of macro algae for nitrate control.

Turn off your pumps before you start scraping. Have a net in the other hand to scoop up chunks and bits.

 

[marinesnow]

Should I be using the seachem flourish nitrogen?

No, it has other trace elements (list from Seachem's website is below). I recommend Brightwell's NeoNitro instead: https://amzn.to/3IR9BFd.

The easy and cheap solution is to feed a bit more food. I'd personally go this route.

 

[VintageReefer]

No, it has other trace elements (list from Brightwell's website is below). I recommend Brightwell's NeoNitro instead: https://amzn.to/3IR9BFd.

The easy and cheap solution is to feed a bit more food. I'd personally go this route.

I will also vouch for neo nitro or more feeding

 

[I never finish anythi]

.5ppm phosphate must be an error.
That is way, way high, maybe softies ok with that but stoneys would perish at that level, or, at minimum, not grow.

Hoping you mean 0.05ppm phosphate.

A lonely Stoney coral in a mass of softies who may be excreting turpins to kill it for territory.

Certainly going to lose that battle.

I’d find a better place.

.5 is not that high come on . I've had 1ppm po4 for over a year and my lps did just fine.

 

[Allenh427]

ChickReef you'll be hearing a lot of these "it worked for me" stories, but just stick to the averages and what has worked for most people. I'm not sure about nitrogen flourish but I recommended neonitro. Increasijg feeding never really bumped up my nitrates to where they needed to be (until my tank was stable) so that's why I used neonitro at first. Your Hanna testers should be good, just make sure you follow the instructions perfectly.

Good luck getting rid of all of that Xenia, holy moly.

 

[ChickReef]

NeoNitro has been purchased. How much should I add for 13 gallons? I’ll bump up feeding too and give anything a try. I’ll make sure to turn off pumps and I do have a fish net.

 

[jabberwock]

I am going to recommend that you do not introduce too many variables at the same time. Do one thing at a time. Start by scraping and cleaning. Give it 24 - 48 hours to equalize, test, decide on the next coarse of action.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yes just wait. Get the Xenia cleaned up. Get the alk and ca and phosphate corrected.

Increasing nitrates will be last after all the other stuff is done

the bottle has dosing instructions based on tank size.

 

[jabberwock]

Also, as others have counseled me, adding "miracle cures and fixes" to your tank usually have the opposite of the desired effect. Stay up on your maintenance and water changes. Bottled cures are usually snake oil.

 

[Allenh427]

You are getting pretty good advice, you'll be fine. You aren't having a huge issue with your tank, there are just improvements you can make over time which might take ~2-3 months, so no stress. We are giving suggestions but it doesn't mean 'do it now, urgent.'

You have Neonitro on hand to raise nitrates if needed - which is never bad to have on hand - but the xenia is probably absorbing so much that you'll have to see what happens to your nitrate levels once you remove the xenia.

I think we all aren't exactly sure what removing the xenia from your tank will do in terms of chemicals released from the coral, plus what it will do to your chemistry. You can always remove small patches of xenia at a time just to be safe <- what I'd do. If I were removing xenia, I'd probably run ROX carbon in a mesh bag in my filter just to be precautionary to remove chemicals - but this is me guessing if it was my own tank, I'm not exactly sure what will happen.

With water changes once every ~5-7 days to hopefully to get your alkalinity in the 7.5-9 dkh range and removing the xenia a little bit at a time to help get nitrates in the 5-10ppm range, I'm hopeful in a month or two that your parameters will start to be in the 5-10ppm nitrate, 7.5-9 dkh, 0.02-0.05 (maybe even 0.02-0.1) phosphate range. Don't chase exact numbers, just try to be in the range. And also if you get a reading of say 4ppm nitrates, give it a couple more days of testing to actually see if you are low before you add Neonitro to boost it up. The tank will balance over time.

 

[fersann]

Whats the PAR Level?

Looks like they are burning from to much light. And it will take them about 3 to 6 months to recover from to much light.

If the par level is over 140 on the acan, i suggest lowering it to 60

 

[marinesnow]

NeoNitro has been purchased. How much should I add for 13 gallons? I’ll bump up feeding too and give anything a try. I’ll make sure to turn off pumps and I do have a fish net.

1 ml will increase the nitrate concentration in 1 US-gallon (~3.8 L) by ~5 ppm. Here’s what I recommend:

1. Test your nitrates and write down the number and date.
2. Dose 3 ml (pumps on) and wait 15 minutes then test again. Write down the number.
3. Observe the corals for the next 2 days.
4. Test again in 48 hours. If the nitrates are lower, dose the amount to make up any difference. If no difference, then go back to step 3.

 

[Uncle99]

.5 is not that high come on . I've had 1ppm po4 for over a year and my lps did just fine.

Just fine is not for me, I want rich colour and great growth. At 1ppm, my corals would darken, growth slows, but that’s just my system.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Just fine is not for me, I want rich colour and great growth. At 1ppm, my corals would darken, growth slows, but that’s just my system.

Fair enough. I don't have 1ppm phosphate anymore, I've started to bring it down . It's currently at 0.1 . Bring it down slowly but surly.

 

[Uncle99]

Fair enough. I don't have 1ppm phosphate anymore, I've started to bring it down . It's currently at 0.1 . Bring it down slowly but surly.

.1 is fabulous
I do agree that some run high phosphate very successfully but so far they are all very nature tanks packed with corals.

 

[I never finish anythi]

.1 is fabulous
I do agree that some run high phosphate very successfully but so far they are all very nature tanks packed with corals.

Thanks . How low do you recommend going ? 0.05

 

[Uncle99]

Thanks . How low do you recommend going ? 0.05

I’m ok anywhere between .1-.2ppm, let the system tell you what it can achieve through your normal maintenance routines.

0.05ppm is also Ok but is too close to zero for me. The margin of error can potentially be ZERO which is a real bad number, invites pest type stuff.

By running a .1-.2ppm level, we “know” we have trace amounts available.