new2us
Member
Hello everyone - I need help again, please.
Our tank has been set up for about four months now - recently added 270 watts of light, a finger leather coral, and 2 small mushroom rocks. The leather was "shedding" from the root(?)
as soon as we placed it into the tank and never did turn fully mint green even after we have had it now about 10 days but looked fairly healthy as far as the structure. Water parameters were fine at the time. The mushrooms looked GREAT until yesterday. About 3 days ago, we got this HUGE red hair algae bloom that the janitors could not keep up with. 2 days ago, added an Angel and Blenny - did well in the acclimation. Last night, I tested and the nitrates were about 15 and ammonia was 1.0. Did a 20% water change and checked my filtration, turned off the lights. This a.m., ammonia was 3.0 so I did another big water change, added the AmmoLock and Bio-spira and turned off protein skimmer and lights, so I am waiting and hoping........ My problem is that I have no idea where the spike came from! Everyone in the tank has been accounted for. The coral is turning pink though and seems to have some sort of damage to the base - looks like a hold between a "branch" and the main trunk at the bottom. I found some sort of slimey stuff (white) on one of the mushroom rocks and am about to scrape that off - not sure what that could be???
Salinity at 1.022
Temp at 78*
Ammonia still reading off the charts but hoping to be better
by tomorrow. Fish breathing heavier than usual but noone looks panicked or discolored and are still swimming around like normal.
1. Can corals cause an ammonia spike if they are damaged?
2. Is there anything I can try to save this leather coral?
3. Any clue as to whether or not the huge algae bloom could
cause that kind of spike?
4. Do mushrooms put off any sort of slimey substance?
5. Are you not supposed to run a protein skimmer 24/7 ?
Does doing that pull out too much of the "good" bacteria?
We are still new and this is our first attempt at corals at all.
Have had an ammonia spike a couple months back, but knew what caused that one - this is a total mystery and I do NOT want it to happen again!
55 gallon tank w/ 6 fish - each less than 4 inches, 1 coral banded shrimp, CBS, 10 bumble bee snails, 1 turbo (can't seem to keep those alive long), 14 hermit crabs, approx 35 lbs LR (adding a little, cured, at a time) and another 25 lbs base, crushed coral, 2 powerheads, CC, Seaclone 100, Emperor 400 filter.
Any and all comments and suggestions would be extremely appreciated!:nervous:
Our tank has been set up for about four months now - recently added 270 watts of light, a finger leather coral, and 2 small mushroom rocks. The leather was "shedding" from the root(?)
as soon as we placed it into the tank and never did turn fully mint green even after we have had it now about 10 days but looked fairly healthy as far as the structure. Water parameters were fine at the time. The mushrooms looked GREAT until yesterday. About 3 days ago, we got this HUGE red hair algae bloom that the janitors could not keep up with. 2 days ago, added an Angel and Blenny - did well in the acclimation. Last night, I tested and the nitrates were about 15 and ammonia was 1.0. Did a 20% water change and checked my filtration, turned off the lights. This a.m., ammonia was 3.0 so I did another big water change, added the AmmoLock and Bio-spira and turned off protein skimmer and lights, so I am waiting and hoping........ My problem is that I have no idea where the spike came from! Everyone in the tank has been accounted for. The coral is turning pink though and seems to have some sort of damage to the base - looks like a hold between a "branch" and the main trunk at the bottom. I found some sort of slimey stuff (white) on one of the mushroom rocks and am about to scrape that off - not sure what that could be???
Salinity at 1.022
Temp at 78*
Ammonia still reading off the charts but hoping to be better
by tomorrow. Fish breathing heavier than usual but noone looks panicked or discolored and are still swimming around like normal.
1. Can corals cause an ammonia spike if they are damaged?
2. Is there anything I can try to save this leather coral?
3. Any clue as to whether or not the huge algae bloom could
cause that kind of spike?
4. Do mushrooms put off any sort of slimey substance?
5. Are you not supposed to run a protein skimmer 24/7 ?
Does doing that pull out too much of the "good" bacteria?
We are still new and this is our first attempt at corals at all.
Have had an ammonia spike a couple months back, but knew what caused that one - this is a total mystery and I do NOT want it to happen again!
55 gallon tank w/ 6 fish - each less than 4 inches, 1 coral banded shrimp, CBS, 10 bumble bee snails, 1 turbo (can't seem to keep those alive long), 14 hermit crabs, approx 35 lbs LR (adding a little, cured, at a time) and another 25 lbs base, crushed coral, 2 powerheads, CC, Seaclone 100, Emperor 400 filter.
Any and all comments and suggestions would be extremely appreciated!:nervous:
