Coral Disintegrated Overnight

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

Yesterday, it was a nice pretty green with purple spots that looked like eyes. Today, I looked and it seems all the flesh is gone.

alk: 8.99 Hanna
Ph: 8.21 Probe
Phos: .08 Hanna
Nitrate: 5-10 Salifert
Calc: 432
Don’t have a Mg test so possible it’s that?

I also have a hammer that isn’t happy and a candy cane (trumpet) coral not happy.

Tank is 6 months old or so. Live Rock is multiple years old though from a well established tank.

Kind of bummed out. Everything looked great yesterday and today poof.

Tank is a Red Sea 450

I change 5 gal of water every day. I did just change my Carbon to see if there is some type of chemical. I’m sure there isn’t anything I can do at this point, but it’s pretty frustrating. This is my second go at reefing and it’s not looking good. I’ve had this tank for a long time and decided to set it up again at the request of the wife and kids. Now, I’m honestly debating tearing it down and giving it away.

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

Oh Salinity is 33.5 on the Hanna pen, and 34-35 on my calibrated refractometer. I have calibrated the Hanna pen numerous times but it always just reads low. Usually by 2 points.

 

[MoshJosh]

I think changing the carbon was a good move and something I would do/have done when I see changes I can't explain with something else. I might also add some sort of metal remover like cuprisorb just in case.

Temp? Any chance a heater malfunctioned or broke?

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

I live in FL so I doubt the heaters are even coming on. Just bummed. Temp is 79.9 per my INKBIRD

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

Other coral are either mad or fine too.

 

[steveschuerger]

Honestly the rest of the coral don’t look bad at all. The hammer looks a bit unhappy but I’ve had mine do that too for short periods. I’d ease up on water changes. I have a 90 gallon setup and I change either 5-10 gallons weekly. Your parameters look decent, though you might want to bump the nitrates a little as well.

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

Okay, so maybe less water changes? I also change my filter socks every 3 days. Amazing how everything can seem to be fine in this hobby, and then BOOM! Coral death =( I appreciate the advice and more is welcomed, I'm just kind of bummed right now. I really liked that coral. Of course the GSP is fine lol, it's the cockroach of coral.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How long did you have the coral in your tank?
Do you have any coral munchers in your tank?
I agree the other corals don't look too bad, I would say still acclimating, have they been in your tank long?
What kind of lighting and flow in the tank?

Any reason you do 5 gallon changes every day? I'm just curious about that, thats a lot of extra work.

 

[steveschuerger]

Okay, so maybe less water changes? I also change my filter socks every 3 days. Amazing how everything can seem to be fine in this hobby, and then BOOM! Coral death =( I appreciate the advice and more is welcomed, I'm just kind of bummed right now. I really liked that coral. Of course the GSP is fine lol, it's the cockroach of coral.

I’ve killed GSP when I tried it when I was still noobish

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

How long did you have the coral in your tank?
Do you have any coral munchers in your tank?
I agree the other corals don't look too bad, I would say still acclimating, have they been in your tank long?
What kind of lighting and flow in the tank?

Any reason you do 5 gallon changes every day? I'm just curious about that, thats a lot of extra work.

Coral has been in the tank a little over a month or so. I have seen some of my fish picking at the dead/dying coral today, but not sure if that is the cause. Lights are two Nicrew HyperReef 150's. They are on the controller and peak at 80/30 Antic/White. Lights are at that level for a bout 2 hours and then start to come back down with lights off at 8PM. Flow is two Icecap Gyre pumps set to random flow pattern.

I figure if someone with a Nano reef changes a few cups to a gallon a day, I'd do the same lol just on a bigger scale. I work from home, so it's not a big deal to have 5 gal ready to swap out each day around lunch time.

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

I’ve killed GSP when I tried it when I was still noobish

It's the only one I've never killed, that and mushrooms. Maybe I'll just get a bunch of Anemone's lol. I have a Green BTA that likes to live upside down under one of my rocks. It's fat and puffy, but it doesn't seem to like my lights. Possible, I have too much par or too much flow?

 

[steveschuerger]

It's the only one I've never killed, that and mushrooms. Maybe I'll just get a bunch of Anemone's lol. I have a Green BTA that likes to live upside down under one of my rocks. It's fat and puffy, but it doesn't seem to like my lights. Possible, I have too much par or too much flow?

What is your par? I’ve had nems in medium/medium strong flow with no problems

 

[ClearwaterReeferNoob]

What is your par? I’ve had nems in medium/medium strong flow with no problems

No clue honestly. Par meters are expensive lol. I just went with some settings I found a coral farmer using and went with it. I guess that is the next thing I need to look into. This is starting to cut into my race car budget lol. I have too many expensive hobbies!