Corals Not Well. Can't Find Problem.

[sundog101]

My 93 cube is about 2 years old now. Unfortunately, my corals have never done great. Some have died. Others just survive with no growth. When I add coral, they seem to do ok for a few months, then they slowly decline. PE decreases and they begin to shrivel. Sps, lps, softies affected. I've tried to find what could be causing this, but I can't seem to find the issue. Would anyone have advice or input?

Tank Specs
-93 gal cube
-Trigger ruby 30 sump
-About 2 years old
-Flow provided by two gyre 130s. Both are vertically mounted and run intermittently up to around 70%. No visible dead spots.
-Lights are 2 Kessil a360's ramping up to 60%.
-Currently 6 fish

Filtration
-Reef Octopus classic 150 int
-Chaeto fuge in sump with hydroponic light
-BRS carbon reactor with ROX .8 changed monthly
-Previously about 5 gal monthly WC. Recently increased to 20 gal monthly
-BRS rodi system; tds reads 0

Chemisty
-Alk: 9.3
-Ca: 510
-Mg: 1400
-NO3: 5
-PO4: 1ppb
-Salinity: 1.026

One month ago, I decided to do a 100% water change and turn over the whole tank. This was done in a series of 20 WC's over 1 month. Since then I have notice some improvement. So I'm thinking to continue with the water changes, try adding some new coral to see how it responds, and maybe getting a Triton test.
*I did send off a Triton test last year which I'll attach. I'll also add some photos.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/aquaria-administration/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/46798/
Triton results below (link didn't work)

Thanks for the help!

 

[sundog101]

 

[Crabs McJones]

My 93 cube is about 2 years old now. Unfortunately, my corals have never done great. Some have died. Others just survive with no growth. When I add coral, they seem to do ok for a few months, then they slowly decline. PE decreases and they begin to shrivel. Sps, lps, softies affected. I've tried to find what could be causing this, but I can't seem to find the issue. Would anyone have advice or input?

Tank Specs
-93 gal cube
-Trigger ruby 30 sump
-About 2 years old
-Flow provided by two gyre 130s. Both are vertically mounted and run intermittently up to around 70%. No visible dead spots.
-Lights are 2 Kessil a360's ramping up to 60%.
-Currently 6 fish

Filtration
-Reef Octopus classic 150 int
-Chaeto fuge in sump with hydroponic light
-BRS carbon reactor with ROX .8 changed monthly
-Previously about 5 gal monthly WC. Recently increased to 20 gal monthly
-BRS rodi system; tds reads 0

Chemisty
-Alk: 9.3
-Ca: 510
-Mg: 1400
-NO3: 5
-PO4: 1ppb
-Salinity: 1.026

One month ago, I decided to do a 100% water change and turn over the whole tank. This was done in a series of 20 WC's over 1 month. Since then I have notice some improvement. So I'm thinking to continue with the water changes, try adding some new coral to see how it responds, and maybe getting a Triton test.
*I did send off a Triton test last year which I'll attach. I'll also add some photos.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/aquaria-administration/aquarium/auswertung-b/icp-oes/46798/

Thanks for the help!

Everything seems in check, the only thing I can think of is are you using RO/DI water for water changes and top off and how far off the waters surface do you have those kessils mounted and how tall is the tank? I know with my 40 breeder which is 18 inches tall, I had my kessils 6.5" off the waters surface and had them ramping up to about 70% intensity.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Tank looks awful clean for 2 years old.. I had a similar issue with one of my recent tanks because of my desire to run a clean ULN system, I ended up pulling my carbon and feeding more and my tank is doing much better these days.. the other thing is you may want to check your source water for chloramine, my area is now using it 10 months of the year.. you need multiple high performance carbon block filters in front of your membrane to remove it and they need to be changed out frequently

 

[Flippers4pups]

Tin is high. What salt mix are you using?

 

[Sorcha2]

Tank looks awful clean for 2 years old.. I had a similar issue with one of my recent tanks because of my desire to run a clean ULN system, I ended up pulling my carbon and feeding more and my tank is doing much better these days.. the other thing is you may want to check your source water for chloramine, my area is now using it 10 months of the year.. you need multiple high performance carbon block filters in front of your membrane to remove it and they need to be changed out frequently

Prime will also remove the Chlormines and such though there are a lot of other things it may not catch.

 

[PatW]

I wonder. Your parameters look good. I run ALK at about 7.7, Ca at 450, nitrate at 2-4 ppm and phosphates at 8-15 pb. I have found if my phosphates get lower than 5 ppb, things slow down. At low levels, corals even acroporas shrivel, I would take off the carbon dosing, if that does not cause the nitrates to spike. You might think of dosing phosphates.

But it does depend on your system dynamics. One can have low levels of nutrients if there is a bunch of export and a bunch of input. The organisms can sort of grab things as they pass through.

If you have a local coral expert, you might have them give your tank a look.

I don’t consider my system as necessarily optimal. I have a combination of clean up crew, lights, flow, nutrient dosing and nutrient export that my corals do well in. I am beginning to wonder that different reefers find different balance points where their system thrives. Right now, mine works and I am not messing with it.

By the way, when I increased my phosphates, my corals were slow to respond. It is in the order of weeks to months.

 

[LuizW13]

Perhaps the ALK in your salt mix is too high for such a clean system? I was using Tropic Marin with dkh at 7-8 and my frags were starting to grow, but coincidentally after a switch to HW reefer with dkh at 10ish my tank started to go down hill and every coral slowly died, not saying that's the cause but it's an observation and possibly a factor. I'm finally done with HW salt and will be placing an order for Red Sea salt to lower my dkh.

 

[Swoody]

PO4 @ 1ppb is essentially 0....perhaps they need a little more to feed on?? you could bring that up to .02-.03 with some Seachem phosphorus easily. Also, have you tried dropping your Alk down a bit say to mid 8's? I mean, I'm just throwing a few ideas out there since you say they have never done well in your tank and these changes will do no harm to your fish. What is your water temp? Is it on a controller that keeps it consistent?

 

[pdisner]

Hey I breed those little black and yellow striped Blennies. I have a group of 5, 1 male and 4 females. Had them almost a year and the conditioning has paid off! Tons of eggs. I’ve been raising them only on apex pods and TDO so far.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Do you put your hands in the tank everyday? The reason I ask is because someone posted about the decline he was having in his tank and it came down to the sunscreen he was using. Apparently one of the ingredients is toxic to corals in the ppb. Outside of that very low nutrients have already been covered.

 

[kp1991]

Maybe your alk is too high 9.3 imo seems a bit high maybe the corals are unhappy with a high dkh are your fish ok noone acting funny if they are might wanna buffer down just a thought

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I would not consider 9 dKH as 'high'. I shoot to keep my alk at 8-9 dKH, some shoot a lot higher.

 

[sundog101]

the only thing I can think of is are you using RO/DI water for water changes and top off and how far off the waters surface do you have those kessils mounted and how tall is the tank?

I use a BRS rodi system. The kessils are about 14 inches off the water. Tank is 24 in high. Maybe I'll try ramping them up some. This does seem like much lower light levels than your setup.

Tin is high. What salt mix are you using?

Reef Crystals

What is your water temp? Is it on a controller that keeps it consistent?

78 degrees controlled by a ranco. Seems to stay really stable.

Do you put your hands in the tank everyday?

I try not to constantly put my hands in the tank. I'd say probably 3 times a week. I also rinse off my arms before working in the tank.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I use a BRS rodi system. The kessils are about 14 inches off the water. Tank is 24 in high. Maybe I'll try ramping them up some. This does seem like much lower light levels than your setup.


Reef Crystals


78 degrees controlled by a ranco. Seems to stay really stable.


I try not to constantly put my hands in the tank. I'd say probably 3 times a week. I also rinse off my arms before working in the tank.

Yeah, those kessils are mounted pretty high off the water for that tank size and intensity. I'd lower them, but keep them at 60% intensity. Shoot for around 6 to 8" off the waters surface.

 

[LuizW13]

I would not consider 9 dKH as 'high'. I shoot to keep my alk at 8-9 dKH, some shoot a lot higher.

9 is on high end for zero to near zero detectable nutrients in the water. The more nutrients you have in the water the higher (to a certain point) your ALK can be. That's why there are salts that have high ALK like Coral pro from Red Sea.

 

[sundog101]

Yeah, those kessils are mounted pretty high off the water for that tank size and intensity. I'd lower them, but keep them at 60% intensity. Shoot for around 6 to 8" off the waters surface.

Ok, I'll try that

9 is on high end for zero to near zero detectable nutrients in the water. The more nutrients you have in the water the higher (to a certain point) your ALK can be. That's why there are salts that have high ALK like Coral pro from Red Sea.

I'll maybe try to buffer that down some or raise nutrients. What makes me a little cautious about raising PO4 is that I do get some fuzzy brown algae on my rocks and sand (which I don't understand since my nutrients are so low). But, maybe that will clear up if other stuff starts growing.

 

[LuizW13]

I'll maybe try to buffer that down some or raise nutrients. What makes me a little cautious about raising PO4 is that I do get some fuzzy brown algae on my rocks and sand (which I don't understand since my nutrients are so low). But, maybe that will clear up if other stuff starts growing.

Apparently when nutrients are undetectable (can't remember if it's Nitrates or Phosphates), but you can be at risk of Dino.

Read this thread: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/adding-nutrients-to-my-system-your-thoughts-on-my-approach.402998/

 

[scottrotton]

I had a similar issue, I had to dose nitrates and phos. Overtime my phos go below 10ppb I lose colour or stn on my sps.

The issues I have sometimes at the start were algae blooms. But I find that you need utility Fish to combat that. I now have 2 tangs, a goby and sea cucumber for sand and my nites are 0.25 nitrate and 5-10ppb phos.

Sounds scary but once you see the corals colour up you will kick yourself for having nutes too low. Then you just have to balance make sure you don't add to many. Also take it very slow

 

[scottrotton]

I also forgot to ask if your using Hanna UL checker if you are 1ppb is in the error range meaning there's a high chance it's 0 ppm.

You have to be over 6 to be sure phosphates are in your tank

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