Coral Help!!

[teal93]

I have had this coral for about 6 weeks. Up until a week ago he was doing great. Have had my water checked at 3 different reputable LFS, all said water not a problem for the coral. I have a 55 gallon tank, with a 4x65w power compact. Any additives that anyone suggests to put in???
I would love any suggestions in keeping this living...
thanks

 

[chrisarc]

Picture is kinda blurry, looks like a leather. Post your water parameters so we can help.

 

[teal93]

Yeah picture is blurry, sorry.... hang on just a minute and I will get parameters

 

[teal93]

Salinity 1.023, ammonia 0 ppm, nitrate 0 ppm, nitrite 0.25, ph 8.0

 

[sweetdawn]

do you have your nitrate and nitrite reversed?

 

[teal93]

no, just double checked

 

[chrisarc]

hey Teal, you need to bring your salinity up to 1.025 and you shouldnt have any nitrites in a cycled tank.

 

[teal93]

ok I will start there. My tank has been up and running for about 9 months now, guess that would be part of the problem, the nitrites. Thanks

 

[chrisarc]

Your test kit might be off. What are you using to test for nitrites? At 9 months you should not have ANY nitrites!

 

[teal93]

using the aqaurium pharm master test kit in the box.

 

[chrisarc]

Hey Teal post all you you can about your tank. Live rock? Water movement? Substrate? Protein skimmer? Fuge? Livestock?

 

[teal93]

about 50 lbs of live rock, running a rena xp2 canister filter with spray bar and a penguin umm 300?? hang on, sea clone 100 protein skimmer, 2 inch of crushed coral, 2 inch of live sand. No refuge. Currently a yellow tailed damsel, 3 spot damsel, mandarin, percula clown, and a striped tang. Numerous snails, crabs, 2 peppermint shrimp. Lighting is an odyssea 4x65 PC. 2 actinics and 2 10000 bulbs, that I run about 8-10 hrs a day, just actinics for an hour alone and an hour alone before turning off. Just re tested and my nitrite and nitrates are 0ppm.

 

[teal93]

also have a maxijet 600 I think it's 600, would have to go double check.

 

[teal93]

here is hopefully a picture that is not so blurry...

 

[chrisarc]

I figured you had no nitrates. You should get rid of that crushed coral though.IMO crushed coral has no place in the saltwater hobby. Hows that Mandarin doin? You need a really stable mature tank with alot of live rock to keep one successfully. Is that a Colt coral?

 

[teal93]

I was thinking about getting rid of the crushed coral. My madarin is doing really well so far, have had him about 3 months. I could not tell you exactly what the proper name for the coral is, all I know is that it is a leather.

 

[chrisarc]

Hey Teal, Can you post a full tank shot? I love seeing other peoples tanks.

 

[teal93]

well I can't figure out how to get a full shot in, with the size restriction.