Having trouble with my nano?!?

[tlsohio]

It's been awhile since I've posted. I'm having trouble with my 26 g nano and am looking for some advice. I should first tell you that this is an established tank that has been up and running for about two years with livestock that has been flourishing until about a month ago.
These are my water parameters: 2.5 NO3 (Nitrate), 0.0 PO 3-4 (phosphate), 480 ppm Ca2+ (calcium), 9 dKH KH (carbonet Hardness).
All seems well as far as test results, but corals are not fully extended, some zoos not open at all and clam is not happy, not fully open. Fish seem to be eating fine, not sure what the deal is. I have done two water changes in two weeks, the first was a 25% change with no improvement and the second week, yesterday I did a 50% change and still not much change, maybe a bit better, but that could be wishful thinking.
Could the bulbs be the issue they are about 6months old they are Power compacts and this nano came with the typical lid with the pc lights in it, are aprox 14" in length.
I use Kent Marine supplements as follows:
Coral Vite, Tech 1, Strontium & Molybdenum, Liquid Calcium and lastly Essential Elements. Any thoughts ?.?//

 

[btwk12]

i would say the lights! i cant believe you keep a clam under pc's! how long have u had it? and you didnt say what your ammonia was, did something die recently?

 

[meowzer]

why do you do all that dosing? Your phosphate levels are not very good either.....what do you feed and how often? what do you use for filtration? Waht do you use for water (RO or tap)?
AND YES....how long has the clam been in the tank?

 

[tlsohio]

I have decided to remove the factory lid and hang a pendant HQI over the tank and see if my corals are happier, hoping that light is the issue and I have never been a fan of PC's so the change makes sence.
My phosphates are at 0, I may have confused you with the scientific abreviation PO 3- 4. No amonia and no nothing has died.
I have had that clam in there for almost a year. I found a deal on clams and that was the only place I had to put that one and it has done very well, until now, so I have left it there.
As far as feeding, I feed a combination of flake and frozen foods. I feed this tank conservatively about everyother day and only dose on water chages because from what I have read and understand the water become depleted of the additives that I have chosen, and the only way to replace these esential nutrients is to dose.
I have a nano skimmer on this tank, but frankly I think it is worthless, but due to the design of the nano I'm limited on filtration. This tank it does skim the water and then it goes through some floss and of course there is the live rock.
The water is RO DI

 

[meowzer]

I bought all those additives in the beginning too.....Then I found this site, and was told DON'T DOSE what you do not test for......your calcium seems great, so why dose more???
IMO, as long as you are doing regular water changes, you do not need all that dosing.....IDK why the clam would do well for a year, and then all of a sudden start doing bad

also, personally...I would lose the flakes....I have some (from the early days) I use them as a snack periodically.....what types of frozen foods do you use? Do you use any vitamins?

 

[tlsohio]

I use those supplements on all three of my tanks, for some reason one of my tanks tests a little low so I periodically have to dose that tank with the calcium. I should not have listed that one for this tank, sorry for the confusion.
I cannot remember the name of the company that makes the frozen food that I purchase at my LFS and I must have thrown away the packaging, but it is a variety pack and I know that there is mysis, brine, algae and there are other ingredients, but I do believe that the food includes vitamins. There are four different combinations. If the food does not include vitamins, what would you suggest?
But it is not only the clam that is not doing well, if you look at the picture, you'll notice that the zoos are closed and the shrooms and ricordia are small and the elegance at the bottom right is barely recognizable.
I am totally stumped.....I have been working on the tank tonight and took the lid off and hung a pendant 175w 10k that I had on a shelf. I will see if anything changes tomorrow when they get a taste of this new light. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks so much for all your thoughts, I appreciate the input. Tracy

 

[meowzer]

is it saltwater multipack? I use that...that's good
For vitamins I use Selcon, vita-chem, zoecon......if you got one get selcon....maybe use a couple drops 1x a week
WAIT!!!!...you have pcs.....and just hung a 175w MH....you will burn them...you have to acclimate the lights to your tank....SLOWLY
pcs-mh=BIG CHANGE ......can you raise the light up high, and put a screen on top....then after a week, lower the light a little, one week do it again...etc...etc

 

[tlsohio]

Yes, it is a salt water multi pac.
I have hung it about 2 ft from the tank top, I think that will be high enough to start. I never thought of a screen, good idea, I'll do that too!!
The supplement that I use "coral vite" contains many vitamins & minerals: A,B1,B6,C,Iodine,Iron,Magnesium,Potssium & Strontium. What vitamins does the supplements that you are using contain?

 

[meowzer]

I don't use supplements...BUT let me look at the vitamins jars...WHOA...too many things to type...lol
BUT I only use one of them once a week now...maybe a drop or 2 of selcon OR zoecon OR vitachem in their food...I soak the food with hte drop or 2 of vitamins for a little while before feeding
coral vite goes in the water...doesn't it?
p.s. I use to feed all the vitamins daily....I was told that was wayyyy too much...BUT since I still have so much..lol...I use a little 1x a week

 

[tlsohio]

Ya, the Coral Vite goes in the water. Do you think that absorbing the vitamins through water is less sufficiant than mixing a drop in the food? I never really thought of that debate, maybe we should start a thread...lol. Well, I'm in Ohio and it's late so I'm headed to bed. Thanks for chatting with me, I'll keep you updated on whether the light helps fix my problem. Good night

 

[gavinol]

Hello would you tell me which type of lighting require for that?
rabbit runs

 

[tlsohio]

I have a current aqua pod and the one I have came with 2 - 14" Power Compacts, I have never cared for PC's, so I just removed the lid with the PC's and hung a 175 w 10K Metal Halide pendant over the tank and corals are improving. Hope this helps.