All Sps dying

[ycnibrc]

2 going on 3 years old. I've been doing aminos for 4 months now and they have never made my nitrates go up for some reason and I've tried dosing more than it recommends for a week to see if that would help, but nothing.

Amino is Coral food. If your parameters are good then your tank is lacking bacteria diversity. Do u start with dry rock? If you are then your tank only have the nitrosomonas and nitrobacter bacteria for converting amonia to nitrite and nitrate. I have a thread discussing your tank problem u can read more if you like.

Why cant u keep sps?

Look, check it out... @ycnibrc is giving everyone who’s willing to listen an idea of what he feels works for him. Is he the Acropora authority? No. Is he an expert? No. Is anyone here an Acropora expert that knows each and every single aspect of Acropora, down to the genetics or biology or has...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Neoalchemist]

This sounds and looks like what a lot of reefers are leaning toward these days to explain these unexplained "tank crashes" where all or most acros are dying and others appear fine, but all tank numbers look pretty good. I've had it happen before. Never did nail it down.
Lately I've been seeing talk and theory and even new products in one case, that claim a Viral or bacterial disease attack that rips through colonies a period of time after a stress event.
In some of these cases aquarists are using a Chemi clean treatment for its antibacterial properties to halt the disease cycle with what appears to be some success. And as I mentioned earlier one company even recently released a product to fight this. I'll try to find a link and post back.

 

[artieg1]

+1 on ensuring robust flow. And I've had terrible results with GFO, personally.

 

[Neoalchemist]

Triton's RTN-X (Rapid Tissue Necrosis Inhibitor), STN-X, and CYA-NO

Triton seems to have quietly launched a few new exciting products aimed at inhibiting RTN, STN, and Cyano (which they say all do not contain antibiotics). Has anyone tried these out??? Interested in hearing what folks experience is with these. Link below for reference...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[BaldyBob]

When I remove GFO, should I do it all at once or gradually, and should I try to keep phosphates around .1? will fluctuating nutrients cause issues?

 

[ThePurple12]

I appreciate all the replys, guys. This is really driving me crazy. I will try getting my nitrates up. Other than feeding more and getting more fish, are there any products that you guys recommend to get no3 up?

You can feed your corals something like Reef Chili. This wil raise nutrients and feed your corals!

 

[BaldyBob]

You can feed your corals something like Reef Chili. This wil raise nutrients and feed your corals!

I do feed benepets and reef roid mixture 2 times a week. Maybe I should feed more?

 

[yepreef]

it could be likely youre having issues with no N and P and too high of alk. Lower your alk to 7.0-7.5 tops and get NO3 registering. Test your PO4 again and make sure it’s really above 0.03 ppm. Remove your gfo or cut the amount used in half if it’s lower than that. Sounds and looks like they’re nutrient deprived.

also, how clean is your source water? How old is your tank? Have you par tested your tank?

this

 

[mattdg]

It stood out to me that your flow seems very low for a 150 gallon SPS dominated system. The look of your coral sort of indicate that as well. The Nero 5 is a great pump, but it would take several more of them to get that water moving properly. Looks like you have two additional 2100 GPH pumps as well. If it were my system I'd be adding a Gyre or a couple MP40's to increase volume exchange and then go from there.

 

[BaldyBob]

it could be likely youre having issues with no N and P and too high of alk. Lower your alk to 7.0-7.5 tops and get NO3 registering. Test your PO4 again and make sure it’s really above 0.03 ppm. Remove your gfo or cut the amount used in half if it’s lower than that. Sounds and looks like they’re nutrient deprived.

also, how clean is your source water? How old is your tank? Have you par tested your tank?

When I remove GFO, should I do it all at once or gradually, and should I try to keep phosphates around .1? will fluctuating nutrients cause issues?

 

[SeaDweller]

When I remove GFO, should I do it all at once or gradually, and should I try to keep phosphates around .1? will fluctuating nutrients cause issues?

If I were you, seeing how your PAR is good, your flow *might* be an issue (I have great growth for many acros in low light and flow, but not saying this isn't the issue), I'd tackle the PO4 first (although ICP shows 0.03, which should be enough). I'd remove all the GFO and replace it with 1/3-1/2 the amount for now IF you need to run it. How much fish do you have and how often are you feeding?

to give you an idea, in my 240 I have 35 fish and feed 6+ times a day. I don't suspect its your flow for now.

 

[BaldyBob]

If I were you, seeing how your PAR is good, your flow *might* be an issue (I have great growth for many acros in low light and flow, but not saying this isn't the issue), I'd tackle the PO4 first (although ICP shows 0.03, which should be enough). I'd remove all the GFO and replace it with 1/3-1/2 the amount for now IF you need to run it. How much fish do you have and how often are you feeding?

to give you an idea, in my 240 I have 35 fish and feed 6+ times a day. I don't suspect its your flow for now.

I don't think it's my flow. When I had polyp extension, they were getting tossed around pretty good. The reason I run gfo is because my po4 would get upwards of .1 to .14. Nitrates always around 0 to 2, but staying steady at 2 right now. I have 12 fish atm, the largest being a sailfin Tang and a foxface, with mostly smaller fish like leopard wrasses and goby's. I feed a large amount 2 times a day. All I'm able to feed due to work.

 

[SeaDweller]

I don't think it's my flow. When I had polyp extension, they were getting tossed around pretty good. The reason I run gfo is because my po4 would get upwards of .1 to .14. Nitrates always around 0 to 2, but staying steady at 2 right now. I have 12 fish atm, the largest being a sailfin Tang and a foxface, with mostly smaller fish like leopard wrasses and goby's. I feed a large amount 2 times a day. All I'm able to feed due to work.

I wouldn't sweat 0.10 ppm PO4, I'd try running less GFO and maybe get an auto feeder if you need it.

From you what you say 2 ppm NO3 and PO4 of 0.03+ should be plenty, but you shouldn't worry if it creeps to 0.10+. SPS have a difficult time without PO4. I'd rather have to deal with *potential* algae issues than dead acros.

 

[BaldyBob]

Also had this show up on my rocks and sand a couple weeks ago.

Forgot to put it in the pics.

 

[SeaDweller]

Also had this show up on my rocks and sand a couple weeks ago.

Forgot to put it in the pics.

some algae or maybe green cyano? I wouldn't worry man. Your N and P levels may be too low, that's really the only thing that sticks out. Were they colorful, then faded/looked dry, then had TN?

 

[BaldyBob]

some algae or maybe green cyano? I wouldn't worry man. Your N and P levels may be too low, that's really the only thing that sticks out. Were they colorful, then faded/looked dry, then had TN?

Don't think it's cyano, but algae all of a sudden? They weren't the best looking after the stump remover, but started to grow and color up again........then this happened, so it's really hard for me to say.

 

[BaldyBob]

Forgot to mention that a few of them turned a dark blue/purple before all this started.

 

[ThePurple12]

I do feed benepets and reef roid mixture 2 times a week. Maybe I should feed more?

Sure, if it raises your nutrients. It would be ideal to feed them every day, but most people don't due to nutrient problems

 

[BaldyBob]

update:

Over the last 3 weeks or so, I started feeding more, and dosing Green Leaf Aquarium KNo3 to raise my nitrates. I was testing everyday with the red sea nitrate kit (high range), and it never seemed to move off 4-8, so I assumed the nitrates were getting consumed. after 2 weeks of this i became suspicious, so i ordered a salifert nitrate test kit. I tested water as soon as it came in and it shows 25ppm nitrates vs red seas 4-8 (hard to read). I have an API nitrate kit as well, so i tested with it and it shows 25+ nitrates. I know API isnt as accurate, but it should give a ball park figure. So, my LPS and zoas have never looked better, but my sps are still suffering, and im assuming it is because i went from 2 to 25 nitrate over 2 weeks. I've been doing small water changes throughout the week to try and get the nitrates down to 10. Should I worry with it or let things be for now? Seems i cant win for losing here lately. Again, thanks for all the previous help and thanks in advance for the future help!

current parameters

Salinity 1.025
Ca 450
Mg 1600
Alk 9.5
Nitrates 25
Phos .08

 

[ReefGeezer]

Nothing really sticks out that would have been causing your issues before the nitrate problem. Do you acclimate new SPS corals to your lights?