Corals dying

[lilfish717]

This past week has not been the best for my tank. I'm not sure why. It's been up 5 months. I have mostly lps. Slot of my corals are losing tissue and this started a week ago. I'm not sure what to do. I'm having a bad algae bloom that's been around for almost a month now. I have Ali test kit and some test strips. I can measure kh,nitrite,nitrate,phosphate,ph(but isn't a good test at all)have an ammonia safe alert but I don't feel like it works,salinity,and calcium. I have a high nitrate tank, 0 phosphates,0 nitrite, ammonia is reading 0, calcium is always between 400-500,kh is also very high, around 13dkh. I had a very low key swing a few weeks ago. I recently let my salinity creep up and I think this may be the cause. Can someone help me please as to what the problems may be for my lps losing alot of their tissue. If you guys say it may be this or that parameter and give me a good test I will go buy it this weekend. This will really discourage me if I lose everything I have in this tank. I also just realised I have a condy nem that took a trip about a week ago if this may be the cause. Please help me.

 

[George81]

Start by posting the parameters of you’re tank, what kind of lights, where the corals are and what kind of lps you have.
Ph
Alk
Calcium
Nitrate
Phosphate
Temp

Zero phosphate isn’t good. And the kh is pretty high. I keep my coral qt tank at about 8.5-9.

Get some parameters with the kits you have and then go get some Red Sea or salifert test kits.

Pics would also help

 

[Auto-pilot]

Hey lilfish I agree with George, it would help to see your current parameters layed out a little clearer. With that being said your Alkalinity is super high and you have low nutrients. That needs to be brought down slowly, I keep mine at 8 and it works out great for me. I would say that your alkalinity quite possibly causing this issue.

 

[Tamberav]

What just high nitrate? How much?

You say 0 phosphates but I don't think we know what it is since you are using API and strips to test it.

Red sea...salifert...and Hanna are good.

 

[Hemmdog]

Also need to know your magnesium. And calcium going from 400-500 is really bad. That’s going from the minimum to max of what is acceptable, it shouldn’t be changing value at all, if it changes value your corals will be stressed, if you keep changing values or let salinity get messed up your tank will die.

RODI water I hope ?

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Zero phosphate but high nitrates sounds off, buy a Hanna checker and retest would be my advice. A ICP test would also be a good idea.

What are your current methods of doing/feeding/aminos etc. With those swings something seems off as well.
The high KH could also be contributing to your problems.

Could you take a bunch of pictures of your set up and corals? Sometimes that helps in identifying the problem.

Edit: I just saw your other thread about your high nitrate. So apparently you’re using tap water with a baseline of nitrates at 40ppm and have feedings over a 100ppm?
You really need to get a RODI filter asap, with those readings (and all of the other crap in tap water) corals don’t really have a chance.

So getting a a good rodi is where I would start.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Grab a water sample and take to a trusted LFS and have them test it to compare with your API kit and give you and us an idea of your current parameters.
Additionally, how strong is your water flow and what lighting are you using. Hopefully you don't have them at high white intensity which can bleach them.

 

[lilfish717]

Sorry, didn't see all these replies to my post. I've been waiting for someone to reply and just seen the notifications. I'm getting on posting paras now, thanks.

 

[lilfish717]

Salinity- 38ppt, slowly lowering back to 1.026 ppm or 35ppt(where I like to keep it)
Phosphates-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20
Dkh-12
Ammonia-reading 0 on my safe alert.
Calcium-560ppm
Also lights are normal Chinese black box normally ran 50% blue and 25%white, currently shutting whites down to 10% tomorrow to try and get rid of some if this algae. It's the algae that blankets everything and everything is covered and glass is covered. It stinks and is greenish. What's that called? My tank is a 55 tall corner tank.

 

[Auto-pilot]

Ok it looks like your parameters are a little out of whack right now. If I were you I would not dose any calcium or alkalinity right and bring those down. Your phosphates shouldn't be at zero but I'm not sure that is your problem right now. Get a RODI system, they are important and where some people make it without one not filtering your water is like playing with fire. Your corals are probably stressed and dying due to multiple reasons, one major thing that will help your corals recover is stability. Work on dropping your alkalinity and keeping it stable.

 

[lilfish717]

Ok it looks like your parameters are a little out of whack right now. If I were you I would not dose any calcium or alkalinity right and bring those down. Your phosphates shouldn't be at zero but I'm not sure that is your problem right now. Get a RODI system, they are important and where some people make it without one not filtering your water is like playing with fire. Your corals are probably stressed and dying due to multiple reasons, one major thing that will help your corals recover is stability. Work on dropping your alkalinity and keeping it stable.

I do plan on getting one I just never it it on the "right away" lost when I started my tank. Maybe I will have to bump that up then. This could be the reason even though they were doing good for a few months now?

 

[Auto-pilot]

I do plan on getting one I just never it it on the "right away" lost when I started my tank. Maybe I will have to bump that up then. This could be the reason even though they were doing good for a few months now?

Maybe, the quality of our tap water Is always changing, but I would say its your alkalinity being too high your salinity being too high calcium being high and the fact that your parameters are so unstable. Stability is the name of the game when it comes to coral

 

[MnFish1]

I would start by posting - not your current parameters (though thats really important) - but what might have happened before your coral started looking bad... Did the Temp suddenly increase (weather) - etc etc. If there is a problem with your current parameters that will assuredly help - but - what happened before and after? A water change? think on it

 

[Softhammer]

Do regular proper water changes. Chasing parameters is a fools game.

 

[Auto-pilot]

I think that as long as you can safely do so maintaining proper parameters is important, stability is number one though. A DKH of 13-12 is pretty high. MnFish is right though something changed that is killing your coral,

 

[fity2pounder]

I'm far from the most experienced of hobbyist on this forum, but here's my two cents: RODI is a MUST!! If you can't afford a unit or get one soon, see if you can buy some RODI or premixed saltwater from your LFS. Then I would do a large water change (maybe 20-30%?). This should help level out your parameters faster than waiting for the coral and algae to intake the elements that are out of balance. Regarding why the coral could have been doing well for a few months and now dying...they could have been healthy to start with and it simply took them a while to be fully affected by poor water conditions (especially if using tap water...a big no no lol). Many times there will be algae blooms on new tanks (within the first 6 months or so from my experience). Use your hands to pull out as much algae as you can so that it can't continue to spread as quickly. I know these are very basic things, but many times it's the basics that cause the most issues if neglected. I hope that helps. Good luck!!