help!! i'm dieing

[andydavis141]

my coralline algea on my rock and sides of my glass tank is dieing in a fast large porportion. whats going on? why would this happen? anybody ever experience this? this is not cool i saved all this rock several years ago. this sucks i'm going to test my water i'll get back to u. thanks for any help!!!

[hgbarwick]

We need water params and such.

[andydavis141]

my temp is 78.6
i did a 10% water change 3 days ago
ph is 7.9
no nitrates measureable
no test for phophates
anything else?
all my fish and lps sps and polyps and shrooms appear to be ok ???

[clevername]

well testing for the basics is first ANN and PH. Looks like your PH is very low for a coral tank. Any reason why?

Also what about ALK, calcium and magnesium?

For us to help you we need to know the problem and your water params......

[Peter Eichler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9518617#post9518617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by andydavis141
my temp is 78.6
i did a 10% water change 3 days ago
ph is 7.9
no nitrates measureable
no test for phophates
anything else?
all my fish and lps sps and polyps and shrooms appear to be ok ???

How about carbontae hardness, magnesium, and calcium?

[SDguy]

What's ANN?

That pH is OK, assuming other parameters are normal. My tank never runs much over 8.0, down to 7.8

Yeah, we need Alk, Ca, and Mg readings.

[alan214]

Have you changed your bulbs lately or the length of your photoperiod?

[vessxpress1]

Many people have coraline die offs. It comes and goes. Sometimes new bulbs will burn it off. Usually, it's attributed to a major drop in Alk or magnesium. If your pH is that low, I'd venture to say your alkalinity is not real high right now either.

[scottwhitson]

Do you have an urchin? The long spines eat coraline.

[DouglasTiede]

Black Long Spines actually help coraline grow, they spread the spores and it flourishes like crazy. I love mine for that

[andydavis141]

right on. i don't have a calcium or mg test. i changed 2 of the 3 MH bulbs in the beginning of feb. i'll go test my alk.

[scottwhitson]

Well my black long spine did not help coraline growth as he would pass over it he would scrape it off with his mouth and eat it. You could watch him do it on the front glass. Before we got him the entire back glass was covered with purple coraline. After he would go over it it was white or not even there.

[Lion_Babe]

Hmm, all the one I have had over the years help it grow, you can see them move through it and it covers them and spreads the spores.. I guess I could be wrong... or perhaps I am mistaken :)

[wojo]

my guess is low Ca and low Mg...

[vanmo92]

Coraline is calcium dependent, if you haven't changed water lately then I would do that because the salts replenish the calcium somewhat. If you do really have low calcium and regular water changes are not doing it either:
A. Get a salt with more calcium if you don't already (IE reef crystals)
B. Get a calcium additive.