Coral help

[Tiwo]

So this weekend i went to the BAR frag swap, i picked up 16 frags (got some from swap and my friend brought me some). I had to drive 2ish hours to get there and 2 ish hours back so the coral ect. was in containers for 2-3 hours as i also went to a LFS and got something to eat. they looked fine when i was acclimating and dipping them. However when i woke up 5 of them were dead (mostly stony ones, 1 mushroom) and a few are dying right now.

I also got a clown fish and coral beauty from the LFS.

When i woke up i did a 30% water change, i have a 40 breeder but it only holds about 30g because of rock and sand ect.

This is the parameters of the night i got the coral and fish.
Salinity: 1.025
ALK: 10
CA: ~500
didn't test others

Mornings parameters (after water change):
Salinity: 1.026
Nitrate: ~1
Phosphate: ~0
ALK: 12

These are my first corals, i had 1 clown fish and no coral in the tank before adding the things above.

The only thing that is really kinda "wrong" with the parameters is the alkalinity. Does anyone know what is happening ?

[WLachnit]

The alk is on the high side for sure. When you say dead and dying, what do they look like? Pics would also help.


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[thegrun]

The alkalinity numbers are what jumped out at me also. While it is certainly possible to keep corals in alkalinity that high, if the coral came from a system like mine which runs at a steady 8.2 dKh, placing it in a system with the alkalinity at 12 would certainly kill it from the shock of suddenly being placed in water with much higher alkalinity. If the water got too hot or cold during transportation that could kill it also.

[Tiwo]

[Tiwo]

ya that makes sense... i think the shock is what did it thanks for the reply, would you recommend anything? like keeping it steady at 12 or try to bring it down somehow ?....

[WLachnit]

I would try to bring it down. However, typically you don't want to move it much more than 1dkh per day. In this case, not sure if it still applies.

A couple of those might come back if you are willing to be patient.


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[NYCBOB]

Ur tank might be too new. How long has it been set up? Sps isn't a beginners corals.

[Tiwo]

I think the problem is my salt, it's alk is 11

I'm planning to get a different kind of salt with a lower alkalinity and slowly switching over


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[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Tiwo

I think the problem is my salt, it's alk is 11

I'm planning to get a different kind of salt with a lower alkalinity and slowly switching over

FYI.. Its not so much the specific value but the swing that might be the problem
Many salts have higher alk for a reason (so that they attempt to replenish whats been consumed)..

example..
You decide you want to maintain an alk of 11 in your tank (7-11dkh is the typically recommended range.. )
So you get a salt mix with an alk of 11.. Well over 1 week your corals consume 1dkh so its now down to 10.. Now when you do a 30% change with fresh 11dkh your new alk is only 10.33dKH and next week 9.66,etc... so thats not helping..
But if your salt was 13dkh your 30% change would put you right back at your happy 11dkh each week..

[Kremis]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

FYI.. Its not so much the specific value but the swing that might be the problem
Many salts have higher alk for a reason (so that they attempt to replenish whats been consumed)..

example..
You decide you want to maintain an alk of 11 in your tank (7-11dkh is the typically recommended range.. )
So you get a salt mix with an alk of 11.. Well over 1 week your corals consume 1dkh so its now down to 10.. Now when you do a 30% change with fresh 11dkh your new alk is only 10.33dKH and next week 9.66,etc... so thats not helping..
But if your salt was 13dkh your 30% change would put you right back at your happy 11dkh each week..

a higher alk salt later on would most likely be better, but in this case hes just starting out = nothing to consume the alk. alk would stay at 13, which isnt good. I think the best thing to do right now is to purchase a salt mix that has a lower alk (8-10) and then later on, when there are a lot of corals using up the alk, switch back to the other salt mix.

[heathlindner25]

I'm thinking the temperature got your coral .I always bring a cooler with an ice pack if it's going to be warm .