Giving up I think.......

bluering09

Member
Ok here is my problem, everyone I ever known makes fun of me(think I m a wierdo) because I love fishes and while arguing with my lil bro yesterday I kinda start thinking if I m wasting my time trying to be good with saltwater. The follow are the names and amount of corals that I have lost a lil bit under a year, for different types of reason most of them being red slime.
3 Elegance Corals:
$60, $55, $70
2 Frogspawns:
$60, $35,
4 Zooas:
$35, $25, $40, $20
1 Kenya Trea:
$14
2 Xenia:
$35, $18
1 Blue Clam:
$25
at this point I have 1 zooas 1 legance coral and mushrooms that are doing perfect, I also have about 3 pieces of rocks with different types of mushorros and Kenya like coral in a different tank because they are full of red grass thing that I cant seems to get it off.
So here is my deal, honestly m I really wasting my time, money?
I love the aquarium world, my dream has always to have a nice reef tank and be good at this hobby but being cheap is killing me(my corals).
 

paintballer768

Active Member
Okay lets try to figure this out. Tank specs (especially lighting)? Water parameters? Pictures of mystery red algae?
The clam and the elegance require metal halides or great T5s. The frogspawn also requires decent lighting, minimum being a high wattage power compact set or so. We'll figure this out though.
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
We could use a little more information about your tank...
Water parameters... nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, pH, dKH, etc.
Also, your equipment. What kind of protein skimmer are you using? What is your internal flow rate? What type of lights are you using? Are you running carbon in your system?
 

air_putih

Member
thats alot of money-loss if you asked me...
but hey,this hobby is not cheap..dont let anyone let you down...youre doing a good job,but please let us know about your tank,equipment,water and everything
 
T

tizzo

Guest
thus far, to be blunt, you have been wasting your time and money.
when you posted this thread is going to be the beginning of a new light in this hobby.
Being a hobbiest does not mean buying and housing corals, but rather buying them, observing them, and making the necessary changes needed to keep them healthy and happy, before you buy more.
when your corals die, research why and correct that problem. There is always a reason, and sometimes it takes a while to figure out why.
because your asking, NOW your on the right track.
now it gets tough, but then it gets rewarding.
 

groupergenius

Active Member
Bluering, by your own admission, you would love to have a awsome reef tank.
Well, like anything else, if you love it, you have to work at it. Patience and understanding goes a long way. Determination is the key and if you give up on it, it will give up on you.
Dang, I sound like a marriage counselor or something.
 

nacl freak

Member
I'm a newbie also < than a year . These very kind and knowledgeable [SEASONED]members have given me a saltwater saavey that on my on would have taken years to aquire! Read the forums .Browse the forums, read about other peoples mistakes and accomplishments. Your time and money will be rewarded with a most beautiful eco system.
NOW, list your tank, parameters and wattage of lights. [PC's,T5HO, MH] Take encouragement .
They are here to help.
 

bluering09

Member
its a 24g Aquapod
1x32w SunPaq
Dual Daylight & 1x32w SunPaq Dual Actinic
2 Nocturnal Blue, pump flow is 290 gph
my cooling fan is not longer working.
 

kwolfskill

Member
Include salinity and temp with your water parameters. Also, what do you feed, how much, do you feed your elegance coral, and what is currently in the tank.
Sounds to me if you are always fighting cyano (red slime bacteria, not the same as your other problem of red hair algae) you might not have enough flow (you might also need more lighting especially for a clam).
Keep your chin up, no tank is perfect, they all take work. If you want to have a great looking reef, then you can make it happen.
 

bluering09

Member
ok here we go sorry for the way.
I test my water with API 5 in 1 Aquarium test Strips, for both fresh and saltwater aquariums.
Nitrate: 40 , Nitrite: 0 , PH: 7.5-8.0, KH: 40, General Hardness: 180
 

air_putih

Member
^
i think you might want to get a Test Kit...not just test strips...lots of experienced people dont recommended strips..
 

rebelprettyboy

Active Member
strips suck and are not accurate~ Get rid of them and buy some real test kits...
Get your nitrates down, KH up, Id raise the PH,
What all do you have in your tank fish wise
 

coral keeper

Active Member
What is your salinity, temp, stock list like fish, corals, inverts, live rock, sand(live sand?), do you have micro algae? What kind of salt do you use? How old are your bulbs and how long was this tank setup? Ignore your friends and wait till your tank is full of corals and inverts and a few fish and your friends will be drooling at your tank.
 

bluering09

Member
Here is the fish list:
1 Royal Gramma
1 Dotty Back
1 Yasha Goby
1 Gobby (Orange Dotts)
2 Densels
Coral List:
1 Elegance
1 Mushorom slat(big slat)
1 Zoos rock (mix)
Salinity is 1.024 or 32
Inverts list:
12 Astrea Snail
50 Blueleged Hermit Crabs
10 Nassarius Snails
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
I got the tank in October of last year it has no sand and I have some purple alge growing in the back of the tank and front glass too.
the last pict is of the red zoos which I want to buy. but decided not to. Its a $65 dollar coral and my friend is giving me for $25, but like I said I didnt buy it cause I want to make sure that I m not just spending money everytime I see something I like. By the way Every 2 days I add few drops of calcium liquid in the tank, iodine every other week. I add essential elements every water change.



 

mscarpena

Member
Originally Posted by rebelprettyboy
http:///forum/post/2502054
strips suck and are not accurate~ Get rid of them and buy some real test kits...
Get your nitrates down, KH up, Id raise the PH,
What all do you have in your tank fish wise
I agree. Also test for calcium. Are you using Ro water. Also ever try using a red slime remover if your issue is red slime. If it continually comes back then you probably have too many fish and are feeding too much. Also do you have a protein skimmer and how much water do you change.
 

condyman

Member
I think you have too many fish, specially if you want to establish a 24g coral tank. you are probably overfeeding causing the red slime. you are gonna need to have perfect parameters to have alot of coral in such a tank. upgrade filtration, improve water flow and get rid of some live stock. maybe trade it in @ lfs for some small frags
 
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