New to hobby, frustrated!

No problem!
Thanks guys!

I just ordered a refractometer from amazon with one day shipping so I'll check the salinity against that...the torch and anemone look much better...The only things remaining are the sulky leather and the cocoworm remaining forever in his tube (xenia is slowly pinking up and flowing again)

I am still confused about what sparked this whole thing off...An instantaneous tank-wide sulk with no warning that seems to slowly be abating with the carbon and time, which never affected the fish.....still scratching my head about a cause...so weird...

I am beginning to think I cannot keep a clam/anemones and a brain in the same tank due to such vastly different lighting requirements...

For reference, here are my lights:

http://current-usa.com/aquarium-led-lights/orbit-marine-fixtures/orbit-marine/

and

http://www.21ledusa.com/aquarium_led_reefbar_blue_white_4_4_p/rbc573044wp.htm (I have 8 total of these)

Can anyone speak to the skimmer issue? Why would it bubble but not collect much?

Also, do you guys have any opinions on my choice of supplements? Aquavitro fuel and reef roids every few days?

I am also using aquavitro 8.4 to raise the alk...is this ok?

 

You should not be using a buffer Aquavitro and a two part dosing system at the same time, use on or the other but not both.

Alkalinity, the measure of water hardness, the water's ability to maintain a stable pH is a more significant value than pH. Sure check pH occasionally, but you want to be checking Alk routinely and going by that value. A pH of 7.8-8.4 is fine, what you want to do is avoid swings in those parameters. You'll only get in trouble buffering and chasing a pH value. Personally I would use the two part for now until the tank is older and the chemistry stabilizes.

Anything you add supplement wise or feed will affect skimmer performance. I will try to look more closely at your skimmer type.

I think you'll be able to keep what you have once you get more/indepth insight into each corals or inverts needs. Every tank has it's own personality, what you decide you can and not keep will develop over time.

Remember it's how your corals and fish look first, numbers second. Do not by into the hype, numbers have their place and a very important place. If you're doing routine water changes at the very least you'll be fine.

 

Thanks Corailline!

To clarify, I dont use both at the same time. I was using the two part for a while, and then I noticed the brain was doing really poorly...my LFS said my alk was really low at around 5 and suggested aquavitro 8.4 which in addition to raising pH should also raise alk (he said, and after testing, he is right)...I add the calcium half of the two part occasionally...to keep the Ca2+ and other trace elements at a normal level.

With that said, do I need to be using the other coral foods? Are these corals going to benefit much from that stuff? Or am I just adding an unnecessary food that is more likely to dirty my water?

 

Ok well that makes sense and works.

I have not used Reef Roids, but at the first sign of increased algae I would cut back or stop.

If you have enough fish and are feeding them sufficiently you really should not need to feed corals, but I am going to start Acropower so well see.

Some corals like NPS, larger LPS require or benefit from target feedings.

This hobby is full of opposite opinions, tons of contradictory information, one person does it this way and others completely different. You'll only get past this with experience, it's overwhelming but the old adage.

Nothing good ever happens fast in this hobby, means go slow, allow time to see results.


Edit: Sps might benefit from the addition of supplementary foods, but how much they benefit depends on a lot of factors. It's a fine balance between feeding sps and maintaining low nitrate and phosphate levels.

Large polyp corals in my opinion benefit from direct target feedings once a week. Again though you do not want to introduce too much food into any system.

With all that said a lot of hobbyist never purposely feed their corals and have fine tanks.

 

Ok great thanks!
Everything seems to have stabilized. I did another 10-15% percent WC today and the anemone was out as normal (he just moved his foot inside the rock so now at night he physically goes into a cave!) But when lights come on he comes out. The torch is normal. The xenia is probably 60-75% normal...and the coco worm came out this AM...so I am just left with a leather that looks like it is frozen in time haha. I guess I will never know what started all of this...

I now have a wackload of carbon in my system - how long should I leave this in for? And will it leach stuff back in if I leave it for too long?

 

Usually carbon is kept in a system between 2 - 4 weeks depending on the situation. I've even seen it used up to 6-8 weeks. Every tank is different.

 

Glad things stabalized. Also, if you are gonna use a buffer/cacium supplement then try to stick to one brand. I've been using aquavitro for years now and love it. I switched brands once because of a sale and never again. It will help keep things stabalized