Carpet Help

[Frans]

Hay guys,
I need some help and advice with what to do next. Lynn (lcstorc) brougnt home this anemone three days ago. It went from this...



to this in just three days.



Should I pull it?

Please advise....

[Woodstock]

No, I would not pull it but definately keep a close eye on it. It still looks like it might make it.

Keep in mind that anemones can appear deflated and dead-like only to bounce back a day or so later to their normal self again.

[meandean45]

Hi Frans!
What Woodstock Says!!!! Carpets have a way of looking like crap one day, and making a big change for the better at any time. In your' pic, it looks like her stomach is partially inverted, she may just be getting rid of some food that disagreed with her.
Regards,
Dean

[BoomerD]

I don't remember how old the tank is...what about some water test parameters?
COULD be just adjusting to your tank...or could be dying...hard to tell for sure, but, as Woody said, they have a way of looking great one day, then looking like they are "1 tentacle in the grave" the next...then bouncing back the day after that...
Keep a close eye on it, and if it doesn't bounce back in a day or so, it will be time for the "smell test"...bring a strong stomach, because if it has died, it will stink...HORRIBLY...

[Frans]

Thanks guy's... I'll keep an eye on it to night and run a complete set of test with an update to this Post tomorrow.

Chears....

Frans

[Snelly40]

if u do the smell test, dont hold it too close, and that smell will stay with u for the rest of the day,,, phewwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Frans]

FYI, I pull the carpet out today a did the smell test. Oh Boy.... the house still smells. Needless to say may he rest in peace?

Originally Posted by BoomerD

I don't remember how old the tank is...what about some water test parameters?
...

Tank parameters prior to time of death and with lights off this morning were as follows:

Temp 79.4
Salinity 1.023 or 32%
PH 8.0 (lights off over night and time of testing)
Nitrate 2.5
Ammonia 0.25
Calcium 400
Phosphate 0.2
Magnesium 1280 (S/B 1170?)
CaCO3 125.0
Mequ/l = 2.5
PnCo2 = 1.7
dKh = 7.0

The tank has been up and running for 13 months.

125g plumed together w/25g pod
30 g sump is filled with live rock houses a Protean Shimmer
2.5 too 3 inch crushed coral/sand bead mixture.
The 125g has a built in sump with an 8 inch deep sand only bed.
The 25g pod for our sea horses has a 3 inch deep sand only bed.
Mag drive 18.
Maxi jet 1200
Fluval 404
36 watt UV sterilizer

Lighting
Coralife with 3 150 Watt 10,000 K XM Metal Halide and 4 96 watt actinic

Does any of this sound life threatening to a carpet?

[Warnberg]

Not good Ammonia 0.25 should be zero, might be because of the death... what is your nitrite level?

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Warnberg

Not good Ammonia 0.25 should be zero, might be because of the death... what is your nitrite level?

I ran out of testing solution for Nitrite, so for now it's unknown. As soon as I pulled the carpet I replaced ~ 32 gallons of water. I'll perform another series of test tonight and hopefully the water change and cycle time will bring down the ammonia.

[BoomerD]

The measurable ammonia caught my eye as well. Most likely, the small ammonia spike is from the dead anemone, but otherwise, the parameters look pretty good.(alk is a little low IMO, but still well within the acceptable range.)

[Charlie97L]

i think nitrate at 2.5, or if i'm reading correctly, 25 ppm is quite high for a reef tank. mine has never gone above (or even close) to 10 ppm.

what are you running in the canister filter? the bioballs/cubes/rings sometimes can make nitrates increase if they aren't changed regularly. honestly, i would ditch it.

also, what kind of skimmer are you running? it may be underpowered for your gallon capacity, and not removing enough stuff, which could also be a reason for the high nitrates.

[Woodstock]

I am very sorry about the loss Fran.

I too beleive the ammonia spike is due to the dieing anemone. Good thinking doing a water change Fran!

I recommend slowly increasing the salinity to 1.026 (35ppt).

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Charlie97L

i think nitrate at 2.5, or if i'm reading correctly, 25 ppm is quite high for a reef tank. mine has never gone above (or even close) to 10 ppm.

what are you running in the canister filter? the bioballs/cubes/rings sometimes can make nitrates increase if they aren't changed regularly. honestly, i would ditch it.

We agree that the Fluval was a mistake and simply run it empty. On occasion we might through in a bag of charcoal or Phos-Ban. So in reality it’s a real expensive way to slightly increase flow.

My nitrates actually tested out to 2.5ppm not 25ppm. Sorry for any confusion. The only time we ever saw anything that high was during startup. After about six months it simply dropped to 0 with an occasion spike to 2.5 or 5.

Skimmer wise we are running an ASM G-1X. It was rated by the manufacture for a 150g system. However after several discussions here on RS it’s probably closer to 110 or 120g.

[billyr98]

G1x is pretty small skimmer.. Asmskimmer.com rates them at 75g tank...
But that is just their opinion not the manufactor advertise suggestion...

Sorry about the carpet!

[Frans]

Sounds like daddy needs a bigger toy... Oh honey....