Corals dying

[Pcreefer]

For months now all my corals are dying all parameters seem in check besides nitrates .50 and phos .30 here's a pic was great yesterday and today half dead don't understand

 

[jason2459]

Can you give us all parameters you've tested? Calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, salinity, temp, pH, etc

How much flow and lighting do you have?
Anything changed recently? Past couple weeks? Month?

 

[Pcreefer]

 

[Pcreefer]

Alk 7.8 phos .30 nitrates.50 cal 410 mag 1200 all test with salifert and Hanna checkers temp 78-80 salt 1.025

 

[twilliard]

Recent triton ICP by chance?
heavy metal issue possibly

 

[jason2459]

I would not do anything drastic. Don't Panic.

Get your tests done.

Add a polyfilter (not polyfil). Change out your GAC or add some.

I'd hesitate to do a water change until you test that water to.

I'd also pick up a copper test kit and test the tank and water change water.

 

[jason2459]

Alk 7.8 phos .30 nitrates.50 cal 410 mag 1200 all test with salifert and Hanna checkers temp 78-80 salt 1.025

Phosphates .3? Or .03?

What was it at the last time you tested it?

How are you fish, snails, crabs, shrimp etc looking and acting?

 

[Pcreefer]

Dosing to bring mag to 1350 running brs Gfo and bio pellets ph 8.2 to 8.6 some reason last 3 weeks ph went high was stable 8.0 to 8.2 can get some calibration solution to double check and using ro/di water 0 tds

 

[jason2459]

I personally would not dose right now. 1200 Mg I doubt is the cause for the sudden bleaching

 

[Pcreefer]

Phos 0.30 been doing about 100 gallons water change weekly to bring down I haven't did one in 3 weeks cause of holidays

 

[Pcreefer]

Why test for copper I haven't done anything with copper?

 

[Pcreefer]

Where would heavy metals come from

 

[Pcreefer]

What you mean triton ice?

 

[Pcreefer]

Icp

 

[jason2459]

Why test for copper I haven't done anything with copper?

Where would heavy metals come from

Accidental addition. Could be something dropped in or from the source water. Could be something contaminated like years ago a popular GAC leached copper into tanks causing coral loss across the country. Many ways.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

What lights are you using?
What coral dip are you using?
Is that .5 ppm nitrates? (that would cause it; you're probably hitting a hard zero between tests=death)

 

[Pcreefer]

Haven't added any coral in a year plus reefbreeder light set at 40 percent nitrates are .50 I know it high been doing 100 gallon plus water changes weekly

 

[teller]

I may be wrong but these 100 gallon water changes can be the problem. Huge water changes may promote large instability to the system.
50 ppm of nitrate is high, 0,5 ppm is not.
Even with 50 ppm, the lowering process should be gradual to assure stability. Also I prefer you lower nitrates by means of available processes like Vodka/Vinegar dosing, ATS, Macro Algae, etc, why? because in these cases is the system itself who auto-regulates and control the level of nitrates.
With large water changes you may lower and in a week or so you may come up with the same previous high level.

 

[jason2459]

What size tank is this?


I just noticed the corals have been dieing for months part. I was thinking this was very recent.

It's probably a good thing you stopped doing such large water changes. Depending on percentage of that water change that can throw your parameters for a loop especially alk which could cause those bleaching events.

 

[Pcreefer]

350 gallons I started vodka dosing but corals started to dying so I started doing large water changes I currently have a bio pellet reactor running (phos ban 150 it small I don't think it's enough for my tank size) have some Cheato and running some Gfo .alk 8.0 cal 420