Reef Central Online Community

Reef Central Online Community (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/index.php)
-   The Reef Chemistry Forum (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=112)
-   -   Help SPS corals dying slowly (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2628347)

Staisman 03/11/2017 02:14 PM

Help SPS corals dying slowly
 
I have 75 gal tank with 55 gal sump. You can see my build in the signature. I have my tank up for almost 3 years now and just recently start having issues.
First my huge Monti started to develop white spots, then it bleached completely. I had couple different SPS frags for 5 months now and they are all dead now. On the other hand my LPS doing fine.

My parameters are stable:
Alk - 8.4 dkh
Cal - 450
Mag - i dont test unless first two are not in range
PO4 - 0.4
NO3 - i need new test so I don't know right now. But i am doing 3 ml of NoPox everyday.
PH - from 8.25 to 8.40 by the end of the day

After a 20 gal water change coral doing better for couple days and then stay closed and slowly dying.

Here are couple pics.

http://www.sgroupfitness.com/pics/prob1.JPG

http://www.sgroupfitness.com/pics/prob2.JPG

http://www.sgroupfitness.com/pics/prob3.JPG

http://www.sgroupfitness.com/pics/prob4.JPG

http://www.sgroupfitness.com/pics/prob5.JPG

Staisman 03/11/2017 02:16 PM

Where should i look for a problem?

bertoni 03/11/2017 07:29 PM

Does the tank have a skimmer? I might try running some fresh carbon and a PolyFilter. The PolyFilter will turn blue in the presence of copper and will adsorb other metals, as well. In theory, the phosphate level is rather high, which could be an issue, but that's hard to predict. Some people seem to be successful with higher phosphate levels and stony corals.

Those parameters otherwise are fine, although I might check the temperature and SG. If a LFS could run some tests, a second opinion might be useful. It's rare, but test kits can fail and cause problems with their false results.

ric167 03/11/2017 07:51 PM

besides your nutrients I did notice Aiptasia killing your acro on the 2nd pic

ric167 03/11/2017 07:58 PM

I also noticed a lot of Vermetidae snail/worm which is a sign of high feedings...they can grow on corals and basically stressed the coral

ontop27 03/11/2017 08:52 PM

Same issue here. Your phosphate is high like mine. What's your nitrate at? Starting to wonder what happens with zero nitrates because then the no pox won't work on the phosphates. Does it just hang around haha? I did start dosing nitrate and my stuff is starting to look slightly better

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

scuzy 03/11/2017 08:58 PM

Help SPS corals dying slowly
 
I had similar issue and it was the chloramine in my water that the rodi didn't filter. Check for total chlorine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BigJohnny 03/11/2017 10:03 PM

Hm. Do you qt corals? Have you had .4 po4 for a while? When did you start dosing no3po4x?

You said you had various sps frags for 5 months, do you mean you had them in your tank for 5 months or have had various frags over the course of 5 months? How long do they last on average?

How are the acros dying? STN, RTN, from the bottom up, from the top down, random spots?

I would confirm your alk with another test kit, calibrate your refractomer and check your salinity, test your rodi for total chlorine (brs sells kit but I think you can amazon prime). Run some carbon in case there is a contaminate. Polyfilter is not a bad idea either and may give you some info. After confirm alk and salinity you can do large water changes since the 20g helped (to rule out contaminates)

Any changes in the tank or lighting or salt mix in the last few months?

How old are your bulbs if t5? Old bulbs can change spectrum and kill acros, happened to me and switching to new bulbs had astonishing results. Not only in terms of coral health (acros in particular) but also had some algae and cyano that went away.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Staisman 03/12/2017 07:16 AM

I am sorry I made a mistake, PO4 is 0.04

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJohnny (Post 24999341)
Hm. Do you qt corals? Have you had .4 po4 for a while? When did you start dosing no3po4x? I was dosing NoPox manualy for a year but only couple month ago started dosing via doser. I do not QT corals only Fish, but I dip corals before put them in the tank

You said you had various sps frags for 5 months, do you mean you had them in your tank for 5 months or have had various frags over the course of 5 months? How long do they last on average? I bought them 5 month ago, some were OK for couple month some Died after a month another after a 4 month now I have only 2 left. The acros on the fisrt picture are from my first colony which now is dead but was thriving about a year.

How are the acros dying? STN, RTN, from the bottom up, from the top down, random spots? They would stay close, no polyps, an then would just cover with algae slowly.

I would confirm your alk with another test kit, calibrate your refractomer and check your salinity, test your rodi for total chlorine (brs sells kit but I think you can amazon prime). Run some carbon in case there is a contaminate. Polyfilter is not a bad idea either and may give you some info. After confirm alk and salinity you can do large water changes since the 20g helped (to rule out contaminates). I am running a carbon all the time. My FCI and TCI are at 0. My RODI water usually 0 but when it gets to 002 I change my sediment and filters. My Salinity is at 26 but I had recently a dip to the 24. I brought back up slowly.

Any changes in the tank or lighting or salt mix in the last few months?
I had BML lights for 2 years and 6 month ago added 2 T5 bulbs

How old are your bulbs if t5? Old bulbs can change spectrum and kill acros, happened to me and switching to new bulbs had astonishing results. Not only in terms of coral health (acros in particular) but also had some algae and cyano that went away. About 6 month

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


Staisman 03/12/2017 07:21 AM

double

Staisman 03/12/2017 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric167 (Post 24999179)
I also noticed a lot of Vermetidae snail/worm which is a sign of high feedings...they can grow on corals and basically stressed the coral

Where do u see them?

scooter86 03/12/2017 08:32 AM

Had a similar situation years ago. Turned out I wasn't paying attention to my TDSfrom my RODI.The cartridges need to be changed.Check the TDS coming out of your RODI.

Zalick 03/12/2017 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuzy (Post 24999257)
I had similar issue and it was the chloramine in my water that the rodi didn't filter. Check for total chlorine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1

Check your total chlorine levels both in the tank and with your finished RO water.

Staisman 03/12/2017 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zalick (Post 24999692)
+1

Check your total chlorine levels both in the tank and with your finished RO water.

It is 0 for both FCI and TCI

Vinny Kreyling 03/12/2017 10:20 AM

Test regularly for Magnesium, it will cause problems if it falls too low.

kevinl 03/12/2017 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny Kreyling (Post 24999807)
Test regularly for Magnesium, it will cause problems if it falls too low.

+1
I also quit testing Mg, for years it was always 1440, all of sudden it was below 1100.
I use Reef Crystals, a year or so ago I started loosing corals and found that the mixes are very low and inconsistent in Mg.
I'm back to testing each mix & they seem to be coming in around 1300 to 1350, but some mixes still show low 1200's.

anthonys51 03/12/2017 10:57 AM

are you dosing carbon without testing your nitrates?

also you dont seem to have a lot of fish, why are your nitrates so high. what kind of skimmer do you have, maybe its time to invest in a better one ?

also i would test alk, nitrates and phosphates at least 2 times a week. calcium once every 2 weeks and mag once a month. i noticed once i started testing my tank started doing a lot better long term. i used to also have corals do well and grow for 6 months then just die. imo there shouldn't be a need to dose carbon. i know people do it with success, but its just a band-aid for something else that is wrong with your tank. do you have any marco algae.

WiDataTech 03/12/2017 11:02 AM

Check any wetsides or magnets that may have cracks in the casing. I've seen some threads of mp40s cracking and slowly killing off corals.

Staisman 03/12/2017 11:30 AM

jUST TETSTED EVERYTHING:

Mg - 1280
Alk - 9.8
Ca - 470
Phosphates - 0.04
Salinity - 26
FCI - 0
TCI - 0

Alk and Ca little high because I just did another WC

Staisman 03/12/2017 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonys51 (Post 24999845)
are you dosing carbon without testing your nitrates?

also you dont seem to have a lot of fish, why are your nitrates so high. what kind of skimmer do you have, maybe its time to invest in a better one ?

also i would test alk, nitrates and phosphates at least 2 times a week. calcium once every 2 weeks and mag once a month. i noticed once i started testing my tank started doing a lot better long term. i used to also have corals do well and grow for 6 months then just die. imo there shouldn't be a need to dose carbon. i know people do it with success, but its just a band-aid for something else that is wrong with your tank. do you have any marco algae.

I do have a Skimmer, usually there are not much skimmate. It is Reef Octopus Coral Vue

anthonys51 03/12/2017 11:46 AM

Well let's start with testing your nitrates. We can start there first


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bertoni 03/12/2017 04:47 PM

Assuming you mean SG is 1.026, all those numbers are fine. Due to precision problems with hobbyist test kits, the phosphate might be a bit high, but I don't think it's high enough to cause this problem. Water changes seem to help for a bit, from what I understand from your first post, so I'd definitely get a PolyFilter and perhaps some CupraSorb running.

ric167 03/12/2017 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Staisman (Post 24999598)
Where do u see them?

you see all those tubes that for the most part stick up 3rd pic...well if you stir your sand or blow your rocks you will see all of those snails cast a web like mucus to feed...at the same time they reproduce like crazy and soon not even a blenny will help with algae because of them..normally they are red...google them and you will understand I personally have taken down a tank for that reason

jusn317 03/13/2017 07:01 AM

How long have you been dosing nopox? I had a very similar issue couple years ago where all my sps (established and new frags) would slowly decline and die just like yours. After months of trying to figure it out and trying all sorts of things I finally quit using nopox. For whatever reason once I quit dosing it, and the few sps that managed to survive (montis mostly) and all the new frags I have been doing great for me.

Staisman 03/13/2017 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jusn317 (Post 25001083)
How long have you been dosing nopox? I had a very similar issue couple years ago where all my sps (established and new frags) would slowly decline and die just like yours. After months of trying to figure it out and trying all sorts of things I finally quit using nopox. For whatever reason once I quit dosing it, and the few sps that managed to survive (montis mostly) and all the new frags I have been doing great for me.

I was using it for more than a year but never via doser. I put it on a doser just couple month ago.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:21 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.