Corals in trouble

[Ernie C]

Sorry for the long post. Way too many variables but some corals are taking a nose dive while others seem ok and not sure where to start. A lot of changes over the last three weeks so no clue what is the problem. House got tented for termites, couldn’t move the tank and it was sealed with plastic . No losses. All fish, snails, shrimp, etc still alive and healthy. Ph dropped to 7.4 over 48 hours though. Added carbon and did a 20% water change after. Also added a third hydra light when I put the lights back on. Things seemed fine and then 2 weeks later noticed some corals going pale and then dinos started popping up. Trying to keep everything stable but not sure if I should do more water changes. I’m dosing No3 and po4 cause they tend to zero out. All parameters seem good. Using Kalk to stabilize ph, mine tends to dip to 7.8 temp 77-78, cal 480, alk 9-10, mag 1300. Some
Corals seem fine others are going pale. Have like three acros that seem fine with normal polyp extension, giant bubble that’s fully open sunset Monty deep neon orange with polyp extension but leptos on the bottom going pale and acans open and then close up and some Zoas also look unhappy. Any thoughts.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Possible Ammoina spike due to lack of oxygen would be my guess.

Water Changes. Both for ammonia and for possible contaminants.

 

[Ernie C]

Possible Ammoina spike due to lack of oxygen would be my guess.

Water Changes. Both for ammonia and for possible contaminants.

Ok. Water change done this am. Guess just have to keep testing water and give it some time. Any other suggestions? Wet skimming, carbon, keep no3 and po4 up, less light?

 

[jda]

I would not chase the N or P at all, but I doubt that is the problem either way.

It can take weeks for corals to show signs from stress - they can use reserves of energy to hang on. It can also take them weeks to bounce back.

Dinos can come and go - it is probably totally not related to any of this.

You need to balance doing the need to do something with doing nothing. Chasing a parameter can sometimes lead to more harm than good.

 

[Mical]

Besides Saltys suggestions I'd back your lights down a little then SLOWLY bring them up over a week or two. Adding one might have shocked them + what they've been through.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Some ideas for n and p. As bottoming out nutrients could cause both coral issues and lead to dinos.
-If carbon dosing stop, be it bio pellets or vinegar
-reduce the photo period in fuge or algae reactor.
If none of this applies to your tank
-change your filter sock a little less often, ie if changing every 3 days try once every 5 or 7 days.

 

[Ernie C]

Besides Saltys suggestions I'd back your lights down a little then SLOWLY bring them up over a week or two. Adding one might have shocked them + what they've been through.

I have hydras, could I use the acclimation mode and reduce by 30% or should I reduce more. Thank you all for your help!!!! I dont know how people managed before these forums.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would not chase the N or P at all, but I doubt that is the problem either way.

It can take weeks for corals to show signs from stress - they can use reserves of energy to hang on. It can also take them weeks to bounce back.

Dinos can come and go - it is probably totally not related to any of this.

You need to balance doing the need to do something with doing nothing. Chasing a parameter can sometimes lead to more harm than good.

Agreed.

If it’s one thing hat caused the event.
I wouldn’t mess with or adjust anything else. Deal with the issue at hand.
if you stub your toe why stop eating bread.

 

[Ernie C]

So everyday dinos get worse and corals get worse, some look like they won’t recover. The only thing out side of the tenting and additional light was a water change and activated carbon being added after the tenting. I did get my water from a different LFS but can’t imagine that’s a smoking gun. I read water changes fuel dinos. Should I consider more water changes? Fish snails and shrimp all seem normal as well as some other corals. What do you all think?

 

[Backreefing]

May add more turbos to help with the dino problem . how are the fish ?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

So everyday dinos get worse and corals get worse, some look like they won’t recover. The only thing out side of the tenting and additional light was a water change and activated carbon being added after the tenting. I did get my water from a different LFS but can’t imagine that’s a smoking gun. I read water changes fuel dinos. Should I consider more water changes? Fish snails and shrimp all seem normal as well as some other corals. What do you all think?

Are you using gfo or carbon dosing?

 

[Ernie C]

No gfo or carbon dosing. Been watching the snails as dinos can kill them but no deaths yet. Fish all seem happy and hungry. Active copepods on the glass too.
Only dosing Kalk as top off to maintain elevated ph at 8.25 now.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

No gfo or carbon dosing. Been watching the snails as dinos can kill them but no deaths yet. Fish all seem happy and hungry. Active copepods on the glass too.
Only dosing Kalk as top off to maintain elevated ph at 8.25 now.

Try taking the collection cup off your skimmer or just turn your skimmer off. I turned my skimmer off 7 weeks ago and the corals are happier than ever.

 

[Backreefing]

One small suggestion is IMO your alkalinity and calcium are both a little high. Maybe try just to stop the Kalk for awhile and let time bing alkalinity down to 8.5ish and let calcium drop to the low 400s . One thing to consider is with stressed corals they will use less calcium and alkalinity anyhow.
In a nut shell stop doseing Kalk at least for now .
Good luck

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes water can be a smoking gun. What’s the tds is the question.

Some salt mixes have Ammona in them. So doing water changes can sometimes fuel a dino outbreak.
Observation is the best way to determine this with your mix. If it does , add seachem prime.


IMO , slow down on the nutrient dosing , you are likely feeding the dinos as well.

Has he dino been confirmed by microscope? Or just it’s bad bubbly slime and obviously a dino.

 

[Ernie C]

Has he dino been confirmed by microscope? Or just it’s bad bubbly slime and obviously a dino.

Don't have a microscope so don't have confirmation on dinos, but that being said it is long stringy brown threads that appear when lights come on and return a little while after i siphon them out but there are no bubbles. I've stopped dosing and bought some red sea coral pro salt for any future water changes for the time being as my LFS uses NSW. I have my own RO/DI with new filters with TDS at .000

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Don't have a microscope so don't have confirmation on dinos, but that being said it is long stringy brown threads that appear when lights come on and return a little while after i siphon them out but there are no bubbles. I've stopped dosing and bought some red sea coral pro salt for any future water changes for the time being as my LFS uses NSW. I have my own RO/DI with new filters with TDS at .000

Sounds like your on it.
I think it’s gonna just be some time to slowly get it back. Trying one new thing at a time and seeing what happens.
The nutrients zeroing out is concerning. If you haven’t done it already , skipping water changes will help the no3. So Po4 dosing might be what you need to look at.
Pale corals imo are hard to I’d with dino (toxins) and low nutrients.
Are you runnng a fuge , scrubber or Marine pure blocks? I’d remove them.

 

[Ernie C]

Sounds like your on it.
I think it’s gonna just be some time to slowly get it back. Trying one new thing at a time and seeing what happens.
The nutrients zeroing out is concerning. If you haven’t done it already , skipping water changes will help the no3. So Po4 dosing might be what you need to look at.
Pale corals imo are hard to I’d with dino (toxins) and low nutrients.
Are you runnng a fuge , scrubber or Marine pure blocks? I’d remove them.

I’m running a skimmer on the dry side and have some chaeto. Usually don’t have filter socks or any sponges. Have socks in there now to catch dinos when I blast the rocks. I don’t have any sand on the bottom and most detritus settles on the rocks as the flow keeps the bottom free of any detritus. I’m dosing Kalk over night cause my ph is too low even when I air out the house and run skimmer intake from outside the cabinet. If I don’t dose any no3 or po4 it zeros out within a week. My tank is a Red Sea 350 so 70 gallon display and 23 gallon sump. I have a salfin tang, coral beauty, two clowns, 3 chromis, 3 damsels, 1 pseudo chromis, 4 emerald crabs and like 10 astrea snails, 1 banded shrimp. Not sure if I need to increase my bio load

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I’m running a skimmer on the dry side and have some chaeto. Usually don’t have filter socks or any sponges. Have socks in there now to catch dinos when I blast the rocks. I don’t have any sand on the bottom and most detritus settles on the rocks as the flow keeps the bottom free of any detritus. I’m dosing Kalk over night cause my ph is too low even when I air out the house and run skimmer intake from outside the cabinet. If I don’t dose any no3 or po4 it zeros out within a week. My tank is a Red Sea 350 so 70 gallon display and 23 gallon sump. I have a salfin tang, coral beauty, two clowns, 3 chromis, 3 damsels, 1 pseudo chromis, 4 emerald crabs and like 10 astrea snails, 1 banded shrimp. Not sure if I need to increase my bio load

Gotcha.
Well , keep up the fight for sure.

 

[Ernie C]

Gotcha.
Well , keep up the fight for sure.

Just wondering if I should do any water changes or wait and see. Gonna go through water tests again tonight and see if anything has changed but few frags have gone pale/white or are gonners at this point so not sure what went so way off course. All my testing hasn’t shown anything extremely drastic and the fact that not everything has reacted the same way has me Scratching my head.