Corals are dying in new tank

[Raynn]

Hi, I am new in the hobby.
I started my first saltwater aquarium on 04.09.2023. It is just over a month old. I put a few corals in - sinularia leather, gsp colony and purple star polyp colony.
Firstly, I lost my sinularia leather, then i lost my purple star polyp colony. Also, my gsp is not opening at all.
I bought rocks of the lad who had fish only tank and has been treating fish with copper medication. Is it possible i transfered some copper on the rocks?
I ordered ICP test, which should be delivered on Monday.

My water parameters:
Salinity - 1.025
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 25ppm
PH - 8.3
KH - 8.5
Magnesium - 1050
Calcium - 450
PO4 - 0.6


Any ideas what I am doing wrongly?


Here is some pictures.
I Also attached some pictures of gsp and star polyp colonies on first day in my tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

yes, copper can leach out of rocks.
What kind of lighting do you have? Any powerheads in the tank?

one month is very new for corals, most folks suggest to wait a few months until the tank matures for corals.

The phosphate is very high and the magnesium is low, but this just needs correction, likely not the cause of dying corals. Need more info on your tank to help.

 

[shwareefer]

Copper for sure is coral death. There are products that adsorb it, ie. cuprisorb, but if the goal of this tank is corals you might need to start over with new rock.

 

[tzabor10]

Sorry for your loss

 

[*unique*]

save yourself the headache and just restart the tank dry rock, (cheaper) and just buy a SMALL piece of live rock that doesn’t have any copper exposure .

Also your mag is very low it’s should be around 1300.

 

[*unique*]

No need to get overwhelmed so quick and quit this amazing hobby, some stuff is textbook101 copper and corals do not mix. Just do it right next time at least you know your reason . Many don’t …. Then they quit the hobby and never come back. There’s a reason for everything

 

[Raynn]

I have 2x Radions XR30 g5 and AI Hydra 64HD, and Jebao little Power head. I want to buy some better Power heads shortly. I bought Cuprisorb, should i keep using Cuprisorb, or start with new rock? I am not really fancy to start my tank again. Is there any chance to remove all the copper i have in my tank without starting it from the scratch?

 

[LouisianaReef]

IMO once rock has been exposed to copper it is useless. While you could try and continue to run the cuprisorb to manage the copper that the rock is leaching but copper is deadly to coral and inverts. You have no way of knowing how much copper is in the rock and how long it will take to leach all of it out if ever. I would start over with dry rock and maybe a small piece of live rock sourced from somewhere that you know hasn't been exposed to copper or else you could spend lots of $$$ on corals and invent just to have them die from copper.

Cheaper and easier to start ever if you were to ask me.

 

[tzabor10]

I have 2x Radions XR30 g5 and AI Hydra 64HD, and Jebao little Power head. I want to buy some better Power heads shortly. I bought Cuprisorb, should i keep using Cuprisorb, or start with new rock? I am not really fancy to start my tank again. Is there any chance to remove all the copper i have in my tank without starting it from the scratch?

But if that also doesn’t work, you will also have to start over. Tough call

 

[Raynn]

I will wait till monday, as I should get my ICP test on then. I will take a sample of water, send it to the lab, and wait for results. How would you suggest to start with new rock? What should i do with my fish i have got now?

 

[shwareefer]

2x Radions XR30 g5 and AI Hydra 64HD, and Jebao little Power head

Tons of light and not much flow. What size tank is this?

 

[Raynn]

It is 400 litres tank, 5 feet long.

 

[Raynn]

I forgot to add, I have 3 bubble tip anemones in my tank. Added them when they were very small, they are growing fast and doing well. Should copper kill anemones as well?

 

[exnisstech]

Is there any chance to remove all the copper i have in my tank without starting it from the scratch?

Yes there is. If you click on my aquarium showcase all of the rock in that tank was treated with copper. I used cuprisorb to remove it. I would advise a hanna copper test kit to monitor the copper level. I Can't remember how long it took to remove the copper as it was several years ago. If you go that route I would probably introduce some inverts before coral (cheaper) to make sure they survive just to be sure the copper is gone just as a precaution.

 

[Raynn]

Thank you for your advices lads, you are very helpful. I am full of hopes, i will be able to remove it.
I Also have one shrimp, i can’t remember which kind it is, the one with strips on. It is doing well, I will order Hanna Copper Checker before i get my ICP test results. I have got 250g of Cuprisorb, just need to buy a bag for it. Where should i place it? Also, i have got red sea activated Carbon in my sump for about 2 weeks. Could you let me know, which wave makers would be good for my tank please? Thank you in advance.

 

[LouisianaReef]

Thank you for your advices lads, you are very helpful. I am full of hopes, i will be able to remove it.
I Also have one shrimp, i can’t remember which kind it is, the one with strips on. It is doing well, I will order Hanna Copper Checker before i get my ICP test results. I have got 250g of Cuprisorb, just need to buy a bag for it. Where should i place it? Also, i have got red sea activated Carbon in my sump for about 2 weeks. Could you let me know, which wave makers would be good for my tank please? Thank you in advance.

The Cuprisorb should be placed somewhere in the filtration system that all the tank water flows though. Are you running a sump?

As flow as wavemakers, if budget isn't a problem I would go with some MP40s. I personally use Icecap gyres as they provide decent flow, are controllable as cheap and bit less than MP40s.

 

[Raynn]

I don’t mind to spend a bit more on wave makers, as long as they are worth the money. How many of mp40 would i need for my tank? It’s 5 feet - 400 litres tank. Yes, i have a sump. Please see picture attached.

 

[LouisianaReef]

I don’t mind to spend a bit more on wave makers, as long as they are worth the money. How many of mp40 would i need for my tank? It’s 5 feet - 400 litres tank. Yes, i have a sump. Please see picture attached.

MP40, and even the smaller MP10s are worth the $$ IMO, mostly for the cleaner look of not having cords inside of the tank. Honestly, I would want one on each end of the tank. You could either go with two MP40s turned down some, or two 10s running higher. The 40s would give you more flexibility with the amount of flow.

As for the placement of the Cuprisorb, I would place in inside of your filter sock so it comes in contact with a much flow as possible. You just have to make sure that you change/clean the sock often to make sure the water is flowing though it and not overflowing it.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don’t mind to spend a bit more on wave makers, as long as they are worth the money. How many of mp40 would i need for my tank? It’s 5 feet - 400 litres tank. Yes, i have a sump. Please see picture attached.

I've used Jebaos for years. I have been happy with them and don't plan on spending 2-3 times as much for a fancier brand... nothing wrong with the pricey ones, but if your Jebao is working, then keep it.

Assuming your return pump creates some flow and depending on what you plan to keep, you may not even need to add anything right now. At least wait for the holiday sales

 

[Raynn]

I would buy mp40 then. Regarding a copper in the tank, do you know How long should it take to remove it? I can even wait 6 months or longer before i put any corals in, just dont want to start over, any other recommendations? How can i reduce my PO4? Is red sea NoPox any good? What do u think about microbe lift phos out?