Please help...Giant toadstool and Montipora my be dying

[Squanto804]

Hello, Hope someone can please help me.

I have a 300 gal mixed reef tank that has been up and running for over a year. Most of the coral were moved over from my old 125 which I had for 4 years so most of them have been with me for quite a while.

Last week I noticed the water getting cloudy and all the corals closing up along with my carpet anenome and multiple bubble tips. I tested everything and the only thing out of normal was a bit low alkalinity. Skimmer is going nuts, and I can account for all my critters and corals so nothing appears to have died.

Did multiple water changes cleaned all filters and changed all media. Water had cleared and all anenomes and fish seem fine and happy but skimmer is still foaming pretty heavy and
my giant toadstool(2.5 feet across)and very large orange montipora (around 2 feet across) seem to be still having issues. The toadstool seems to be shriveling up a bit and looks like it shedding a layer of skin. The montipora which has always thrived, is fading in color.
Was wondering if the toadstool would be going through some sort of regeneration and letting off some sort of toxin as it sheds?

Any help would be appreciated!

Scott

[89Foxbody]

I might be wrong but iirc leather corals will shed their skin periodically to remove any toxins/waste from their bodies. So I'd say that's pretty normal. I can't offer much help on the monti though.

[username in use]

The question is why did your tank get cloudy?

Do you have a clam? Im wondering if maybe a clam or nem didn't spawn. That would make the water milky and also send the skimmer into overdrive. It has the ability to deplete the oxygen in the tank which would cause some unhappiness in your corals.

[Squanto804]

no clams, the spawning crossed my mind but did not think that would cause the stress that seemed to appear.

Thanks

[Squanto804]

Any other ideas?

[Aristarchus]

If you have a drain valve on your skimmer collection cup, hook a hose up and drain it to a bucket and empty it accordingly. My guess is that the pollutants causing the skimmer to go into overdrive will be skimmed out. I know when I use epoxy putty to attach frags it makes my skimmer go crazy and I just drain the collection cup to a bucket and it settles out within a few hours vs. a few days.

[anbosu]

I would keep up on the water changes just to be safe.

Any pics of your corals? Sounds like you have a few monsters.

[zachfishman]

Did you have (key word) a cucumber?

Run carbon.