lolly1
Member
Hello,
I'm getting discouraged and could use some help troubleshooting an issue (or three) with my tank.
I will first preface this by saying my fish and mobile inverts (crabs, shrimp, starfish, etc) seem to be doing GREAT in my 1 year old 55 gallon reef. The problems are (they may or may not be related to one another): I have had an explosion of SEVERAL different kinds of algae lately. I have a very short green kind that sticks to the glass, a dark green hair algae on the bottom, and another purple/maroon-type algae (hairy) that is also growing on my rocks, etc.
The other problem is that my corals are looking AWFUL!! My xenias are super skinny and not pulsing. They look like they are on their last leg...my pink zoos are also looking pretty pathetic (for whatever reason). Even my pink leather--who has been hanging in there through this whole thing--is starting to look a little ill.
Here are my readings and what I have done:
pH: 8.4
ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 15
calcium: 280 ppm (a bit low, I know, but I have just recently switched from Instant Ocean Salt to Oceanic)
temperature: 80
Can anyone give me any ideas what the problem could be an what I can do to help it?? I have tried big and frequent water changes, and the problem just seems to be getting worse (I use RO water). I'm trying so hard to do everything right and my tank just looks like its dying!! I really would like to solve this before whatever it is starts affecting my poor fish!
Thanks in advance for the help...
I'm getting discouraged and could use some help troubleshooting an issue (or three) with my tank.
I will first preface this by saying my fish and mobile inverts (crabs, shrimp, starfish, etc) seem to be doing GREAT in my 1 year old 55 gallon reef. The problems are (they may or may not be related to one another): I have had an explosion of SEVERAL different kinds of algae lately. I have a very short green kind that sticks to the glass, a dark green hair algae on the bottom, and another purple/maroon-type algae (hairy) that is also growing on my rocks, etc.
The other problem is that my corals are looking AWFUL!! My xenias are super skinny and not pulsing. They look like they are on their last leg...my pink zoos are also looking pretty pathetic (for whatever reason). Even my pink leather--who has been hanging in there through this whole thing--is starting to look a little ill.
Here are my readings and what I have done:
pH: 8.4
ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 15
calcium: 280 ppm (a bit low, I know, but I have just recently switched from Instant Ocean Salt to Oceanic)
temperature: 80
Can anyone give me any ideas what the problem could be an what I can do to help it?? I have tried big and frequent water changes, and the problem just seems to be getting worse (I use RO water). I'm trying so hard to do everything right and my tank just looks like its dying!! I really would like to solve this before whatever it is starts affecting my poor fish!
Thanks in advance for the help...
