Red Alert! Detective needed!!!

[lanshark]

Problem Setup:

All water parms within reason except nitrate testing 50PPM !!!

Temp 79.7
Tank PH 8.12
CR effluent ph 6.6
Calcium 420
dkh 8.6
Mg (not testing lately)
phosphates .10 ppm

Added a pacific sea urchin 2-3 weeks ago, few new corals a week ago.
Been testing nitrates weekly with an API test kit that was 1-1.5 years old... Just bought a Salifert NO3 test kit.

Nitrates been tracking 5-10ppm with the API test kit. This was true a week ago as well. Tested today with the new Salifert kit and what a surprise, 50ppm. ....

I am colorblind and so rather than doubt myself, I packed the two test kits up and went to LFS. We did API next to Salifert. API showed 20PPM, Salifert 50ppm. Salifert kit expires 9/2011, only had a week.

I suspect a few things and need some input please;

a) Found a pile of urchin needles 3-4 days ago and no urchin body so far. I thought a big Maroon Clownfish could have attacked, however, no clear evidence.

b) The attached Soft Coral after a few days didn't like something, perhaps got stung? Won't open for last 3-4 days. Note the two tone color... Is this guy dying? I've moved him to my inline grow out tank with T5's only, as I don't have a quarantine tank setup.....


Getting a 30g water change ready over next 24hours.

Any thoughts? :hmm4:

[rkb]

I'm guessing the urchin took a dirt nap. Judging by how nasty a dead urchin smells I'd guess they are quite the nitrate bomb. How old is the tank and how is it stocked? If it is a fairly new system I could see where an immature bio filter could be a bit overwhelmed by a dead urchin.

[lanshark]

Tank up and running Dec 2006.
I'm thinking urchin decaying somewhere. I believe the pic I attached is a leather of some kind? In it's present state, would it be putting off tons of nitrate? Else, I think the urchin as CSI puts it, in an advanced state of decomposition..... Water change tomorrow and we'll keep an eye on things for sure .....

[lanshark]

Here is a pic of the animal that was closed for more that a week ... Good News... :beer: So, the process of shedding like a snake for this coral, is it normal? Also, could someone id this coral? It's in my grow out tank under T5 only for the time being. Thanks!

[lanshark]

Oops, the pic.