I don’t understand

Timmo760 · 10/29/2017, 09:03 PM

So I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. All the corals I get except the few zoos I have seem to just wither away. I have a few birds nest, hammer, candy canes, milli, and one other spa not sure of the name maybe a branching monti of some sort.
Water perams
Sg 1.026
Alk 9dkh
Ca 425ppm
Mag 1400ppm
Po4 2ppm
No3 0ppm
45 gal total water

My sps slowly bleach then strat to loose flesh and just go down hill. Growth on everything has stopped. Even a couple shrooms I got have bleached and are getting smaller. I just did a 10 gallon water change. I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong. I start the corals low in the tank. I even put my light on acclimation which it’s down 50% power and slowly over 6 weeks will climb to max set output. I have a dower and an ato. My parameters stay pretty stable so I’m not sure what is going on.

I feed coral frenzy and cobalt coral food. Started adding aminos and phyto so we will see if that helps. And tips or point out something I’m doing wrong will be greatly appreciated.

Gorgok · 10/29/2017, 09:28 PM

What light do you have?

Timmo760 · 10/29/2017, 09:35 PM

It’s an AI hydra 26.

nereefpat · 10/29/2017, 10:08 PM

PO4 = 2ppm? Typo?

0 NO3 could be a problem too. 1-5ppm would be better.

justletmein · 10/29/2017, 10:33 PM

How long does it take for them to wither away? Give us some examples.

outy · 10/29/2017, 11:05 PM

To much light, and I would do large water change.

Stop feeding and adding aminos and phyto tank is bot stable enough.

Tank must be new?

Timmo760 · 10/30/2017, 08:46 AM

Sorry yes a typo. Nitrates at 2 and phosphates at 0. Once I get the coral it takes about a week to turn mostly white and then another week to start receding or loosing flesh. Tank is about 9 months old. So don’t feed coral? For how long? I just had a spike in alk and it’s amost back down to normal. Last night it was still at 10 dkh. I dimmed the light a little more so I hope that helps. Thanks for the input. It’s been frustrating

sde1500 · 10/30/2017, 08:46 AM

PO4 is way too high, and NO3 is too low. Need some balance of nutrients for the tank.

Edit: Seems we posted at the same time. So, nutrient levels seem ok. Balance is also key. An alk spike indicates that there is not balance. Why do you need to dose? My tank has a decent amount of different corals in it and I still haven't had to dose yet.

FoxFace Fish · 10/30/2017, 08:48 AM

Don’t worry I do not understand 99.999% of this hobby either XD

Timmo760 · 10/30/2017, 10:06 AM

My tank was consuming a ton of alk and some calcium for a while so I got a doser to keep perimeters more stable instead of dosing once or twice a day. I thought it was part of why the corals have been getting stressed and bleaching

Timmo760 · 10/30/2017, 10:15 AM

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151612784@N06/076Ab1

FoxFace Fish · 10/30/2017, 10:16 AM

parasites?

Timmo760 · 10/30/2017, 10:27 AM

I was trying to post a picture of my tank. Not sure if I did it right

d2mini · 10/30/2017, 10:44 AM

How long has this tank been up and running?

You could always send off a triton test just to make sure nothing funky is going on outside of what you are testing with your test kits, and making sure your test kits are fairly accurate.

Uncle99 · 10/30/2017, 11:57 AM

At 9 months the tank is not new.
If you are absolutely sure your water is perfect, then as stated above, turn your lights down in intensity. You do not post a temp.....so.....not sure your missing this parameter which is most often the source of many problems.
Feeding? Most corals are photosynthetic so they get most of their food from light.....so feeding becomes more of a nice to have....although most people I have worked with feed way to much. You describe bleaching....so turn down the light

Timmo760 · 10/30/2017, 01:13 PM

Ok sounds good. Thank you. My water usually stays between 78 and 79 F. Ya I’ve turned down my lights a little more just to see how everything reacts hopefully that’s what’s going on.

Timmo760 · 11/02/2017, 09:07 PM

So coral are already starting to look a lot happier. Candy cane is inflated so much during the day and tentacle extension after lights out is insane. I have never seen my hammer extend tentacles so much during the day and birds nest is starting to color up too. Thank you for the help!!

Uncle99 · 11/03/2017, 11:50 AM

Great news!
If corals are not inflated most of the time it's either
Light, water, or being bugged!
Thanks for keeping us updated.

10/29/2017, 09:03 PM	#1
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	I don’t understand So I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. All the corals I get except the few zoos I have seem to just wither away. I have a few birds nest, hammer, candy canes, milli, and one other spa not sure of the name maybe a branching monti of some sort. Water perams Sg 1.026 Alk 9dkh Ca 425ppm Mag 1400ppm Po4 2ppm No3 0ppm 45 gal total water My sps slowly bleach then strat to loose flesh and just go down hill. Growth on everything has stopped. Even a couple shrooms I got have bleached and are getting smaller. I just did a 10 gallon water change. I’m just not sure what I’m doing wrong. I start the corals low in the tank. I even put my light on acclimation which it’s down 50% power and slowly over 6 weeks will climb to max set output. I have a dower and an ato. My parameters stay pretty stable so I’m not sure what is going on. I feed coral frenzy and cobalt coral food. Started adding aminos and phyto so we will see if that helps. And tips or point out something I’m doing wrong will be greatly appreciated.

10/29/2017, 10:08 PM	#4
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	PO4 = 2ppm? Typo? 0 NO3 could be a problem too. 1-5ppm would be better. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

10/30/2017, 08:46 AM	#8
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	PO4 is way too high, and NO3 is too low. Need some balance of nutrients for the tank. Edit: Seems we posted at the same time. So, nutrient levels seem ok. Balance is also key. An alk spike indicates that there is not balance. Why do you need to dose? My tank has a decent amount of different corals in it and I still haven't had to dose yet. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

10/30/2017, 08:48 AM	#9
FoxFace Fish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 435	Don’t worry I do not understand 99.999% of this hobby either XD __________________ FoxFace RabbitFish For Life Everyone in this hobby has made a mistake at least once. Be smart and learn from others mistakes Current Tank Info: Reason I am broke as a joke

10/30/2017, 10:16 AM	#12
FoxFace Fish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Posts: 435	parasites? __________________ FoxFace RabbitFish For Life Everyone in this hobby has made a mistake at least once. Be smart and learn from others mistakes Current Tank Info: Reason I am broke as a joke

10/29/2017, 09:28 PM	#2
Gorgok Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 1,904	What light do you have?

10/29/2017, 09:35 PM	#3
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	It’s an AI hydra 26.

10/29/2017, 10:33 PM	#5
justletmein Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: TX, San Antonio Posts: 2,188	How long does it take for them to wither away? Give us some examples.

10/29/2017, 11:05 PM	#6
outy Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: auburn CA Posts: 4,021	To much light, and I would do large water change. Stop feeding and adding aminos and phyto tank is bot stable enough. Tank must be new?

10/30/2017, 10:06 AM	#10
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	My tank was consuming a ton of alk and some calcium for a while so I got a doser to keep perimeters more stable instead of dosing once or twice a day. I thought it was part of why the corals have been getting stressed and bleaching

10/30/2017, 10:15 AM	#11
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	https://www.flickr.com/gp/151612784@N06/076Ab1

10/30/2017, 10:27 AM	#13
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	I was trying to post a picture of my tank. Not sure if I did it right

10/30/2017, 10:44 AM	#14
d2mini Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 10,344	How long has this tank been up and running? You could always send off a triton test just to make sure nothing funky is going on outside of what you are testing with your test kits, and making sure your test kits are fairly accurate. __________________ -dennis Elos Diamond 120xl \| Elos Stand \| Radion G4 Pros \| GHL Profilux Controller \| LifeReef Skimmer \| LifeReef Sump Photos taken with a Nikon D750 or Leica M.

10/30/2017, 11:57 AM	#15
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	At 9 months the tank is not new. If you are absolutely sure your water is perfect, then as stated above, turn your lights down in intensity. You do not post a temp.....so.....not sure your missing this parameter which is most often the source of many problems. Feeding? Most corals are photosynthetic so they get most of their food from light.....so feeding becomes more of a nice to have....although most people I have worked with feed way to much. You describe bleaching....so turn down the light

10/30/2017, 01:13 PM	#16
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	Ok sounds good. Thank you. My water usually stays between 78 and 79 F. Ya I’ve turned down my lights a little more just to see how everything reacts hopefully that’s what’s going on.

11/02/2017, 09:07 PM	#17
Timmo760 Water dist. Tech Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 205	So coral are already starting to look a lot happier. Candy cane is inflated so much during the day and tentacle extension after lights out is insane. I have never seen my hammer extend tentacles so much during the day and birds nest is starting to color up too. Thank you for the help!!

11/03/2017, 11:50 AM	#18
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Great news! If corals are not inflated most of the time it's either Light, water, or being bugged! Thanks for keeping us updated.