Shrooms need help

[wildernet]

For the last few weeks I have noticed that my mushrooms and Richordia are not doing so hot. They are all shriveled up. THey are not dying but they are not happy for sure. Also my Richordiar are cupping up and stretching out like they are trying to catch something. I have moved them around the tank and tried different things and not much is helping.
I have a 40 gal breeder tank with two 55w actinic bulbs and a 175w MH bulb.
My Ammonia is about 40ppm and Nitrates are at .5. There are no traces of nitrites in the water. I am running a Euro reef ES8-1 skimmer on the tank so I am not sure why the ammonia is so high. I am not sure what to do from this point. Here are some pictures of what I am looking at.

[cwschoon]

You must find out what is causingthat ammonia. Is your test kit accurate?

[wildernet]

I have recently moved. It started right before that and has not stopped since. I thought it was from overfeeding but I only feed once a day now and no change. I have just rearranged the rock to see it is a flow problem. I am also in the processes of getting new test kits to make sure of the accuracy.

[Zepplin]

First and foremost wildernet... WELCOME TO REEF CENTRAL! :)

I'm sorry your tank is having problems. The ammonia level probably has something to do with your mushrooms unusual behavior. Some background questions might help the other board members and I asses the situation.

How long has this tank been up?

How long have you owned the mushrooms/ricordea

Besides the ricordea, is anything else in the tank acting strangely?

Have you made any recent additions (fish/coral/equipment)?

Do you use RO water?

How often do you do water changes, and how much water do you replace?

Do you add trace elements or supplements to your water such as iodine or Bionic?

Personally, if you haven't already, I'd do a generous water change. I'm really not sure why your ammonia levels are so high. We'll try to figure it out though. Anyone else have suggestions or questions for wildernet?

-Meg

[cwschoon]

short term.....try ammoloc by api or prime by seachem allonw with water change.

[wildernet]

Tank age: 1yr
Adds: Kent Tech 1-Iodine, Kent Liquid reactor.
I do use RO water
Only the Richordia and the shrooms with the problem. I just added a frogspawn.
I also added a ER ES 8-1 skimmer.
Ihave had the shrooms for about 6 months.

This may help.
This all started (the messed up levels) when I added some Coral Vital. They have not been good since. That has been about 3 months. I know that this product will throw off the readings but for how long?
By the way, thanks for the welcome.

[cwschoon]

I experimented with coral vital DNA (there is a difference) from the same company with no problems. My shrooms responded well.

[pathos]

agree with zepplin on the h20 change. personally i'd not add any other chemicals; just a 10-15% water change with a RO/DI filter. that's it. what's your salinity?

pathos

[wildernet]

OK folks I went an bought a new amonia test yesterday. I made a big goof. The before mentioned 40ppm ammonia was not correct. I listerd them backwards. The ammonia is actually .25 and the Nitrates are about 40ppm.

[Zepplin]

That makes more sense. Here are a few more follow up questions for you. Although, I'd still encourage a healthy water change. Nitrates will be easier to deal with then ammonia.

What fish currently inhabit the 40, and what's your feeding schedule?

Do you have a DSB? If not, how many inches is your sandbed?

What is your waterchange schedule, and how much water do you replace in the process?

How old are your RO/DI filters? Do you have a TDS meter?

-Meg :)

[jiperalta]

Get your water parameters right first. That should take care of it. It sounds like your tank probably recycled when you moved.

Your mushrooms look like they are culling, or straining water past its mouth to feed, in those pictures. If they do this when you add brine shrimp or small particle food, then no worries.

If they still remain shriveled, then redirect flow away from them. If that doesn't work, shade them more.

But get your water parameters set first.

[mcsock]

I noticed when I added coral vital, I did get a minor amonia spike also. It shot up to .4ppm the day after I used it for the first time. I am just letting things settle down and will add it again. But at .4ppm I saw no problems on any of my corals or fish

[wildernet]

Well I am happy to report that afer a 15% water change my amonia is down to 0 and the nitrates are at about 20. Shrooms are still looking the same. I have tried a different spot in the tank to see if that wil help.
Zepplin
I do not have a DSB. It is about 1.5 in.
Currently I have the following in the tank
Purple tang, Hippo tang, 2 black occ. clowns, 8 line wrass, lawnmower blenny, 4 brittle stars, 1 sand star, about 20 snails a few hermits and two bubble anemones.
I feed them at about 10pm each night.
I change water @ 15% every two weeks.
I am changing the filters tomorrow but the RO filter is only about 6mo old.

[Zepplin]

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

Did you say this is the stock list for a 40 gallon?

You listed a...

1.) Purple Tang

2.) Hippo Tang

3.) Pair of clowns

4.) 8 line wrasse

5.) lawnmower blenny

This is a LARGE bio-load for a 40-gallon tank. Most people advocate a minimum tank size of 75 gallons for a single tang. How long have you had those fish? They through no fault of their own might be the cause for high nitrates in your system. If you do some research (my search button-top of page), you'll find about 10,000 threads discussing this very topic.

A DSB is also helpful when it comes to controlling nitrates, and in such a packed tank it would have been extremely helpful. I recommend you find a home for at least one of those tangs. I'm glad your on a persistent waterchange schedule though. I was worried your RO/DI filters might have gone south, but 6 months old isn't bad at all.

-Meg :)

[chet-tonja]

Not to bash anyone, but that tank is extremely over loaded. It's just a matter of time before you start losing corals and fish. That size tank shouldn't have any tangs in it IMO. Water changes will keep everything in check for a while, but those tangs will get big and you will have some problems.

[wildernet]

Both of the tangs that I have are very small. I also have a deal worked out with one of my LFS that I can take them to him for store credit when they are to big. At that time I will get small ones again. The hippo is only about 1.5 in and the purple tang is only about 2 in long. I have never had a problem in the past with them. I will also soon be upgrading to a 92 gal tank.

[Zepplin]

I am glad to hear you've worked out such a deal with your LFS, but I'd still be reluctant to keep 2 tangs, whatever their size, in a 40 gallon tank.

The upgrade to the 92 gallon sounds like a good idea. When you set up that tank, I'd suggest adding a DSB first thing.

I believe you stated that this water chemistry issue began before you moved your system. I've moved my tanks a couple of times, and one thing is for sure; tanks don't like to be moved. You inevitably get some die off in a tank move. Die off from liverock, disturbed sandbed (though your sandbed is shallow). I think the move of this already disturbed tank exacerbated your problems. Nothing happens fast in marine tanks. It may take awhile to get your water chemistry back to ideal conditions. I wouldn't add any new livestock until you get this worked out, and I wouldn't add any new fish period. Your list of fish, is a stock list suitable for your 92 gallon and then some.

I'm pretty sure the mushrooms will improve when the water conditions improve. I've got mushrooms under all different lighting and current in my tanks, they are pretty adaptable in those capacities. Stay on your water change schedule religously. You could even think about stepping up the amount of water you replace in each water change.

-Meg :)

[Sallylightfoot]

Originally posted by mcsock
I noticed when I added coral vital, I did get a minor amonia spike also. It shot up to .4ppm the day after I used it for the first time.
If you read on the bottle of coral vital it will state that some test kits will show a false read. You may want to check this out closer. I use the DNA so not sure if its the same or not.