Help needed, mass coral dying

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 08:00 AM

So over the past few days I’ve noticed that many of my corals have been dying. Sps has what appears to be RTN with tissue peeling off, chalice also skin peeling off, cyphasterea has lost the newly encrusted but around it, one of my acans is losing tissue as is my trumpet coral. Parameters are:
Alk 8
Ca 480-490
Nitrates 0
Sg 1.026 or 35
Phosphate was tested with salifert and came up as zero but I don’t think it’s accurate.
I’ve noticed some bubble algae which is why I think there is some phosphate. I started up GFO last night In a reactor but if anything I noticed a little more decay this morning. I haven’t tested Mag but I am 99% sure that that isn’t the problem because I don’t dose mag only do my water changes. Anyone have any ideas? This has really put a bummer on me.

BrettDS · 04/04/2018, 08:16 AM

How old is the tank? Have there been any changes made to the tank recently? Any chance that something might have gotten into the water? Maybe someone cleaning nearby accidentally sprayed a chemical too close to the tank or a kid put something in the water? Have you done an ammonia test? If something died and caused an ammonia spike that could cause more die off.

If you haven’t yet I would suggest doing a very large or several large water changes in case something toxic did wind up in the water.

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrettDS

How old is the tank? Have there been any changes made to the tank recently? Any chance that something might have gotten into the water? Maybe someone cleaning nearby accidentally sprayed a chemical too close to the tank or a kid put something in the water? Have you done an ammonia test? If something died and caused an ammonia spike that could cause more die off.

If you haven’t yet I would suggest doing a very large or several large water changes in case something toxic did wind up in the water.

Tank is just under 6 months. Only thing of note is about a week or two ago I had to drain the tank for roughly a little less then an hour because I had to catch a fish so the sps had some time out of water. No chance that anything has gotten into the tank. All fish/ inverts are accounted for but I can do an ammonia test when I get home. I did a 20% water change yesterday I can possibly do another one tonight.

BrettDS · 04/04/2018, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reilly2524

Tank is just under 6 months. Only thing of note is about a week or two ago I had to drain the tank for roughly a little less then an hour because I had to catch a fish so the sps had some time out of water. No chance that anything has gotten into the tank. All fish/ inverts are accounted for but I can do an ammonia test when I get home. I did a 20% water change yesterday I can possibly do another one tonight.

6 months is still a pretty young tank, but that should be ok. But I’m definitely concerned about your corals spending close to an hour out of the water. If the lights were on and/or there was some air movement that definitely could have dried out and killed or damaged them. I suspect that is the cause of this issue.

If that’s the case, all you can do now is provide good water quality and hope that they start to recover.

In general I wouldn’t want to see them out of the water for more than 10 or 15 minutes tops and I would probably try to periodically spray them down with salt water during that short time to make sure they stay wet.

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrettDS

6 months is still a pretty young tank, but that should be ok. But I’m definitely concerned about your corals spending close to an hour out of the water. If the lights were on and/or there was some air movement that definitely could have dried out and killed or damaged them. I suspect that is the cause of this issue.

If that’s the case, all you can do now is provide good water quality and hope that they start to recover.

In general I wouldn’t want to see them out of the water for more than 10 or 15 minutes tops and I would probably try to periodically spray them down with salt water during that short time to make sure they stay wet.

That was a concern but for that week after I left the lights at 40% of their normal intensity. Also some of the coral that I’m having problems with. Chalice, trumpet, acan, cyphastrea. Weren’t out of the water when I drained the tank ( it wasn’t completely drained, probably around 85% was taken out)

Uncle99 · 04/04/2018, 12:01 PM

The tank is quite young for SPS.
Magnisum at a level of 1350 (ish) is critical as it prevents the Alk ions from attaching to the Calc ions quickly, it acts as a buffer between the two, so that corals can have a steady supply for calcification....

Too much (above 1400) and too little (below 1200) can be problematic.
I would check this parameter.

Also nitrates and phosphates at zero are not good for corals, they need an uptake of both....nitrate 2-4 ppm, max of 5ppm, phosphate at .03-.05

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

The tank is quite young for SPS.
Magnisum at a level of 1350 (ish) is critical as it prevents the Alk ions from attaching to the Calc ions quickly, it acts as a buffer between the two, so that corals can have a steady supply for calcification....

Too much (above 1400) and too little (below 1200) can be problematic.
I would check this parameter.

Also nitrates and phosphates at zero are not good for corals, they need an uptake of both....nitrate 2-4 ppm, max of 5ppm, phosphate at .03-.05

I will test mag once I get home. I know that nitrates have to be higher, I will be feeding 2x a day now. I think I have phosphates actually because of the bubble algae that I’ve seen I just think my phosphate test is picking it up.

mcgyvr · 04/04/2018, 02:22 PM

Nothing posted so far would raise the big red flag..
Being out of the water was the closest you came but one typically wouldn't experience RTN more than a few days after an incident..

What else? think hard..
Are you sure alk has remained stable? (no more than like a .5dKH swing in 24 hours..)

alton · 04/04/2018, 03:04 PM

Are you adding anything to the tank to get the 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate readings? I stripped a tank once to try and kill bubble algae and the only thing I lost was my coraline algae, bubble algae stayed.

Pslreefer · 04/04/2018, 03:55 PM

Too young of a tank for any coral, period, point blank, that is why they are dying.

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Nothing posted so far would raise the big red flag..
Being out of the water was the closest you came but one typically wouldn't experience RTN more than a few days after an incident..

What else? think hard..
Are you sure alk has remained stable? (no more than like a .5dKH swing in 24 hours..)

No I can’t think of anything, past 4-5 days have been steady, have switched up anything regarding the tank. Alk has been constant aswell. Haven’t switched anything up with my routine either.

reilly2524 · 04/04/2018, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alton

Are you adding anything to the tank to get the 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate readings? I stripped a tank once to try and kill bubble algae and the only thing I lost was my coraline algae, bubble algae stayed.

I just yesterday started GFO but this was in hopes to fix the problem (I had the problem before I added the GFO, I only added it because it might help w/ any phosphates that my test isn’t picking up)

04/04/2018, 08:00 AM	#1
reilly2524 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 78	Help needed, mass coral dying So over the past few days I’ve noticed that many of my corals have been dying. Sps has what appears to be RTN with tissue peeling off, chalice also skin peeling off, cyphasterea has lost the newly encrusted but around it, one of my acans is losing tissue as is my trumpet coral. Parameters are: Alk 8 Ca 480-490 Nitrates 0 Sg 1.026 or 35 Phosphate was tested with salifert and came up as zero but I don’t think it’s accurate. I’ve noticed some bubble algae which is why I think there is some phosphate. I started up GFO last night In a reactor but if anything I noticed a little more decay this morning. I haven’t tested Mag but I am 99% sure that that isn’t the problem because I don’t dose mag only do my water changes. Anyone have any ideas? This has really put a bummer on me.

04/04/2018, 12:01 PM	#6
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	The tank is quite young for SPS. Magnisum at a level of 1350 (ish) is critical as it prevents the Alk ions from attaching to the Calc ions quickly, it acts as a buffer between the two, so that corals can have a steady supply for calcification.... Too much (above 1400) and too little (below 1200) can be problematic. I would check this parameter. Also nitrates and phosphates at zero are not good for corals, they need an uptake of both....nitrate 2-4 ppm, max of 5ppm, phosphate at .03-.05 Last edited by Uncle99; 04/04/2018 at 12:07 PM.

04/04/2018, 02:22 PM	#8
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Nothing posted so far would raise the big red flag.. Being out of the water was the closest you came but one typically wouldn't experience RTN more than a few days after an incident.. What else? think hard.. Are you sure alk has remained stable? (no more than like a .5dKH swing in 24 hours..) __________________ Who me?

04/04/2018, 03:55 PM	#10
Pslreefer In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Port St Lucie, FL Posts: 597	Help needed, mass coral dying Too young of a tank for any coral, period, point blank, that is why they are dying.

04/04/2018, 08:16 AM	#2
BrettDS Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Orlando Posts: 1,109	How old is the tank? Have there been any changes made to the tank recently? Any chance that something might have gotten into the water? Maybe someone cleaning nearby accidentally sprayed a chemical too close to the tank or a kid put something in the water? Have you done an ammonia test? If something died and caused an ammonia spike that could cause more die off. If you haven’t yet I would suggest doing a very large or several large water changes in case something toxic did wind up in the water.

04/04/2018, 03:04 PM	#9
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	Are you adding anything to the tank to get the 0 nitrate and 0 phosphate readings? I stripped a tank once to try and kill bubble algae and the only thing I lost was my coraline algae, bubble algae stayed.