Kenya Tree Not doing so well/dying

Discussion in 'Soft Corals' started by stook, Feb 18, 2012.

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  1. NanaReefer

    NanaReefer Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    Your using the API KH test kit right? And your saying that you add 14 drops before it goes from blue to yellow? 14 is still high and I'm wondering if you may have a bad kit. I've never seen RC with a reading that high before :( But I'm not positive that tap water would add that much alkalinity.?? Anyways your now on the right track with stopping all dosing and a new water change. 380 calcium is fine for what you have now. You said it right...stability is key so just work on that through water changes :) Oh and get ride of the perfectionism, in this hobby they'll kill ya! LOL
     
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  3. Inertiatic

    Inertiatic Bubble Tip Anemone

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    I had a ZooMed fixture before my current one and it should provide enough light for your kenya tree. I would recommend upgrading the bulbs as others have said. I noticed a huge difference once I put ATI bulbs in my ZooMed fixture.

    If you don't have access to RO/DI water right now, I would at least get some RO water. If you have any Glacier machines around you, I would buy that. They are generally serviced once a week and give the date of last service. It's only 30 cents a gallon as well.
     
  4. stook

    stook Astrea Snail

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    Yes, thats exactly how i'm testing for alkalinity. I think you might be right with saying that it's a bad test kit because I just tested my tap water and it reads zero for alkalinity.
     
  5. dave decarli

    dave decarli Plankton

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    to young

    give it time man the tank is way to young! dont push it you will (and mark my words) will end up trashing every thing you put in it. theres no alge to speak of. it just cant survive on what you are working with.
     
  6. Anldyxp

    Anldyxp Skunk Shrimp

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    Definitely switch to RO/DI water. I've had S.A Cichlids for years too, and continued to use tap water when I started my 20gallon saltwater tank and started getting bubble algae, cyano and a bunch of other nasty stuff. I switched to RO/DI and everything's been fine since. I don't have a RO system either, I just buy 5 gallons of it once a month from the machine in front of the market.

    What kind of lights are you using in your refugium? My nitrates used to read 10-20ppm with chaeto and weekly water changes. Ever since I switched to a clamp light with a 5100k lightbulb, my chaeto has been thriving and growing out of control. Nitrates are now stable at 0, so I only do a 5 gallon water change once a month to replenish trace elements even though the nitrates are still 0.
     
  7. stook

    stook Astrea Snail

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    I just went out and bought a clamp light from home depot and put a 75watt equivalent CF ~5000K bulb. Before I didn't have any lights in the fuge. Hopefully now the chaeto starts to do it's thang :D
     
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  9. Steve34

    Steve34 Feather Star

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    I'm surprised that people aren't coming here just to learn how to kill kenya trees.

    buy one, get 100 free
     
  10. ZC42

    ZC42 Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    I just wanted to say, from the pics, you have an beautiful tank! It looks like a beach. But I'm not sure if it's good or bad hat you haven't had an algae outbreak yet...I thought all new tanks had to go through several before becoming established? I just hit the 2 month mark and I had a HUGE algae outbreak, I couldn't see into most of the tank. Fortunately reefcleaners helped with that.
     
  11. Anldyxp

    Anldyxp Skunk Shrimp

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    Cool, I use those ones too. Before, I use to have the LED fuge light that was made for the biocubes. Ever since I got the clamp light with the 5100k bulb, the algae has been growing like crazy and nitrates are down to 0. Now I know that the little LED thing I had before was crap! LOL. Yeah give it a week, your nitrates should be in check soon enough ;)
     
  12. stook

    stook Astrea Snail

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    Thank you!!! I've had a small green hair algae outbreak a few weeks ago but my crabs did a nice job at keeping it under control.

    Anldyxp, ha so much for the LED craze. Ok, so i'll be patient and wait for the chaeto to kick in :)

    Here are some pics of my setup. I have very limited room (and funds) so I had to place the sump/fuge right next to the DP. :D

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