Water changes in a 6 gal nano

[btodd43]

Hello all- In my 6 gal I am wondering if a 1 gal/week is too much or I could be shocking the system? The corals are dieing,And Everything else(perameters,feeding) are good. Stock lighting, I use Tropic marin ,mix for 24 hours with a powerhead.Any clues?
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Mercedes 250

 

[Anonymous]

Unless you're dumping ice cold tap water right on the corals or something, it's probably not the issue. I might even go up to 2g a week changed out.

 

[btodd43]

Thats what I thought too. My wife likes to play decorator too much and is constantly moving things around-I'm thinking thats whats doing it-stressing the corals- it's the only thing that could be doing it ?
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Mercedes Axor

 

[AdidaKev]

Yeah, the less moving around of the corals, the better. Also, make sure the corals are getting adequate water flow.

 

[Anonymous]

Bill,

It maybe that your make up water isn't the same salinity/pH/temp as your tank water. (Btw, I like to age my nsw for a few days if not a week or more. That way I can really sock the oxygen to it.) Flow is also a consideration. It could be the lack of a skimmer, it could be anything?

I know that for the first 6 months, that I couldn't keep any coral alive. I don't know why, that's just the way it was. It may well be the case for you. I know that's no comfort to you, but just give it time.

Now, I can not for the life of me grow soft corals. They just don't like me. So I switched to lps, which do much better for me. I've also gotten into zoa's which are doing somewhat well in my system. It drives me crazy not being able to have what I want in my tank/s. Maybe your system will be better off as a softy tank.

Anyway, aren't you going into a larger tank? Things will be easier with a larger volume of water, less flucuations in the daily params. And none of the constrates that those darned nanocube have.

 

[Anonymous]

You said 'stock lighting' do you mean one small light?

And what types of corals, also, are you using RODI for water changes?

B

 

[Anonymous]

Bingo, they're listed in his sig. Read man, read! :lol:

 

[btodd43]

Yeah Knowse-I will age my water longer-thanks- yes we are looking into a 55 gal turnkey system soon.Bingo- Yes we use Ro/DI. Stock nano lighting,The one that comes with the nano,Corals we have are in my signature.
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Healthy Living Forums

 

[Anonymous]

I know that the last thing you want to do is have to buy more equipment, but to me they're just things I can't live with out. A refractometer, a pH probe and the ro/di unit. All help with keeping the make up water the same as the tank water, and all have been a life saver for me. Another thing that I have on my build off tank, and I'm setting up on my 29, is a float switch for auto top offs.

 

[btodd43]

We got the refractometer, because my hydrometer was giving me false readings (fluctuating) I'm trying to talk my wife into the RO unit . I am buying my water at a water store for .25 a gallon How do I know if it is any good? It tastes ok?Got a All Glass heater because my visa-therm decieded to just stay on untill I almost had coral soup one morning-so I did the worst thing imaginable-freaked out and put my water change water in right away to cool it down - to cool to soon-had alot of deaths.My PH stays at 8.0 like a rock so I guess that is ok? Stability is the key right?
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Law Discussion

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah it's really hard not to monkey with stuff but I learned the hard way that corals take upwards of a month to really settle into their location. Also you still have not described your lights. What type of bulb, what heat/spectrum, how many watts etc.

Water conditions and lighting are the two most dominant factors in any coral's livelyhood.

 

[btodd43]

Hi- It's the stock bulb that comes with the 6 gal--18w 50/50 CF
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Honda NS500

 

[Anonymous]

k if your water params are solid then my guess is water current and rearrangement are having a detrimental effect on the corals.

 

[btodd43]

Yeah thats what we are thinking just LEAVE IT ALONE.Huh?
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Honda CR125M

 

[Anonymous]

it's tough man but stay strong!!!
---> i am a reformed constant fiddler and ne'er leaveitalone'er

 

[Anonymous]

your PH is low. Shoot for 8.4 also check your alk.

Are you target feeding that tubastrea? Also, the calaustrea and the euphilia like more light. How high up in the tank are they?

Does anyone around you have a TDS meter so you can check the RO water you're buying?

B (who just got done fiddling with his tank)

 

[btodd43]

I was told a PH from 8.0-8.4 is fine, I really don't want to dump buffer in,It just seems to go down the next day- could it be a flow direction problem ? should I point flow down toward bottom more ? Alk is solid at 3.8. Yes we are target feeding the tubastrea Mysis. The other corals are up pretty close to the light. No TDS meter. Should either buy one or just get the RO unit.
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Mercedes MB100

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, both would be great!

Ppl here are getting ro units from hd, lowes and sams. I don't know anything about them. When I got mine airwaterice.com I got the unit (225. shipped) that came with a tds. Killed to birds with one stone.

reformed constant fiddler and ne'er leaveitalone'er

would make a great sig :lol:

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Eclipse 6 tank?

 

[btodd43]

nano cube 6
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America's Next Top Model Forum