All my LPS corals are bailing out...

[duberii]

I started losing corals a couple months ago but didn't think too much of it because it was only one or two, and I kinda thought something was eating it or something (Not impossible since I have a decorator crab, a fire shrimp that likes to rip food out of corals). Now I'm seeing 3 or 4 more corals with the polyps hanging off their skeleton. I tested my water for alk and calcium (I'll test the rest when I have time- I've had stable undetectable of nitrates ammonia and nitrites for a while, and I have a refugium and a bioplastic reactor and a skimmer to keep them down, so i doubt that's the issue). They were both a little low (for reef tanks), with calcium at 400 ppm and alk at 7dkh (I'll be adjusting my dosing schedule to bring those back up). I'm starting to think it's something bacterial or something, because itt's been bouncing from one coral to another. Half of my corals are doing well, showing consistent growth and growing new heads, then they start closing up and then bail. It's happened to my micromussa, my bowerbankii, a head of my duncan, my cynarina, and is starting up with my button scoly- any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JSchwarz]

The undetectable nitrates may be the the issue. Do you test phoshates? A refugium and biopellets together could be lowering them too much.

 

[duberii]

The undetectable nitrates may be the the issue. Do you test phoshates? A refugium and biopellets together could be lowering them too much.

I do test phosphates- those are undetectable now too (undetectable to me is via API test kits and not anything super precise), though the issue started when I had higher phosphates. I am a super heavy feeder, and target feed all of my corals multiple times a week. That's how I compensate for the lower nutrients

 

[Rmckoy]

I agree with above . 7dkh and 400 cal
Is good and in the ball park go where I maintain my system .

I’d test nutrients ....
it’s possible the phosphates and or nitrates have bottomed out at 0 starving corals .

keep in mind . Euphyllia and known to get bjd ( brown jelly disease )
Which will eventually kill the colony

 

[duberii]

I agree with above . 7dkh and 400 cal
Is good and in the ball park go where I maintain my system .

I’d test nutrients ....
it’s possible the phosphates and or nitrates have bottomed out at 0 starving corals .

keep in mind . Euphyllia and known to get bjd ( brown jelly disease )
Which will eventually kill the colony

oddly enough my frogspawn is one of the corals doing really well- and that's one I hardly feed. For whatever reason it seems to be the corals that are easy to feed- maybe I'll try switching up my food as well.

 

[Gtinnel]

I agree with the others who have said that you don't want to keep nitrate or phosphate at 0. In my tank I was never able to keep corals alive for very long when my nitrates were zero.

Your issue may be a pest/infection of some kind but 0 nitrate and phosphate is not helping the corals.

 

[vanpire]

What are the temps in your tank? I have had issues when temps were 79 and higher.

I agree with nitrates and phosphates as LPS likes a dirtier tank. Try to directly feed them also.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Was going through the same thing. Sent in an ICP which is pending for end of the day, polyfilter and large water change and the bailout stopped. Could be rust or another containment.