it is T5 lighting system.
though once again i am hindered.
on top of the two clowns being bullied and killed i have now had two fire shrimp die. 1st was 2 weeks ago (not sure if this was my fault) I was ill with flu and did a water change but not sure if the water had heated enough before i put it in)
it had shed its skin the day before and all of a sudden it swam to the top and flipped on its back and fell to the bottom.
2 days ago my other shrimp shed its skin and today it too died on the bottom on its back as well.
when i pulled it out with the net its tail looked broken.
i had done nothing with the tank prior to this one dying so dont think it was me who caused it.
in answer to the other question, i do still have some live rock, but have thrown most of it as it because it was so crap and crumbling.
will be getting more when i can.
my nitrate spike has gone at last, but now i have a nitrate spike so am dealing with this with water change tomorrow (after water warmed with spare heater)
im only looking for ideas on corals untill i know everything else i have left is still healthy.
Nitrate is the end product of the nitrogen cycle as I am sure you know. So other stuff has been leading to the nitrate spike. Perhaps the nitrifying bacteria has kicked in, or the ammonia processing bacteria, or perhaps too much was placed in the tank or too much feeding?
Ultimately your answer comes from testing the water. The LR, crumbled or not, may have been producing more filtration than you thought. Removing it may destabilize the tank. and cause a mini-cycle.
I would say do some tests, post again and do the necessary adjustment and see how it works out.
HTH
L
Most any type of soft coral is going to be a good starter. You have a decent light, correct?
