Corals start out good then die

[jcolliii]

i just add this to my tank for coral food

Red Sea Reef Energy Plus (AB+) 1000ml

An all-in-one superfood that will have your corals thanking you, delivering better growth, higher resilience, brighter colors, greater ease of use with automatic dosers, and minimal over skimming

charterhouse-aquatics.com

Not familiar with that, but if it's a dense liquid, I would suggest dropping some onto the mouth of the coral you have left and see if they'll eat it. Reefbuilders had a good video in their feed a year or so ago on coral feeding, maybe taking a look over there for that could be helpful.

 

[SillyReef]

i just add this to my tank for coral food

Red Sea Reef Energy Plus (AB+) 1000ml

An all-in-one superfood that will have your corals thanking you, delivering better growth, higher resilience, brighter colors, greater ease of use with automatic dosers, and minimal over skimming

charterhouse-aquatics.com

I've used this as well. Looks really cool but I never noticed anything positive. When I dose too much ammios it seems to be bad. I like reef roids and then just a good frozen mix.

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Alk at 7.4 is completely fine if it’s stable. It’s almost exactly the same as NSW.

Yes, but it's good to have a little swinging room there. At least my Alk gets depleted in a few days, so i try to keep mine just above 8 or so.

 

[outhouse]

so could it be my 0 nitrates that are causing the corals to slowly decline

heck no

 

[MaxTremors]

Yes, but it's good to have a little swinging room there. At least my Alk gets depleted in a few days, so i try to keep mine just above 8 or so.

Yeah, I do the same, but there’s nothing inherently wrong keeping your Alk at 7.4.

Also, having true, absolute zero nitrates will absolutely cause corals to slowly decline over time and eventually die (much the same way that nitrates that are too high will cause a slow decline). The zooxanthellae in corals’ tissue need both nitrates and phosphates to survive (photosynthesis cannot happen without them).

 

[outhouse]

Yeah, I do the same, but there’s nothing inherently wrong keeping your Alk at 7.4.

Also, having true, absolute zero nitrates will absolutely cause corals to slowly decline over time and eventually die (much the same way that nitrates that are too high will cause a slow decline). The zooxanthellae in corals’ tissue need both nitrates and phosphates to survive (photosynthesis cannot happen without them).

Not true in any sense. Corals thrive in clean water, the same way they thrive in the ocean which has no detectable nitrates. I have never had detectable nitrates yet growth outstanding. Biggest decline in aquariums on this forum, is the uneducated who try adding crapbto their water chasing numbers they don't understand and killing their own coral, when factually water changes could turn their failing tanks around

 

[MaxTremors]

Not true in any sense. Corals thrive in clean water, the same way they thrive in the ocean which has no detectable nitrates. I have never had detectable nitrates yet growth outstanding. Biggest decline in aquariums on this forum, is the uneducated who try adding crapbto their water chasing numbers they don't understand and killing their own coral, when factually water changes could turn their failing tanks around

I’m not going to argue with you, this is all I’m going to say on the matter, but do me a favor and read up on how photosynthesis works. Also, NSW doesn’t have absolute zero nitrates and phosphates (nitrates range from 0.1 to 2.5ppm, phosphates 0.005 to 0.03), there is actually quite a bit, it’s the same ‘heavy in, heavy out’ nutrient cycle that we often strive for in keeping reef tanks. But it’s not undetectable, it’s not zero, there are quite a bit of nutrients in NSW, but they’re just used nearly quickly as they’re produced (by photosynthesizing plants and algae, corals, bacteria, and all manner of organisms). Without nitrates and phosphates in NSW (or in a reef tank) there is no photosynthesis, there is no nitrogen cycle, there is no life. Corals in truly low nutrient systems (I don’t mean ULNS, I mean close to true zero) look pale, emaciated, and generally unhealthy, they don’t thrive and often don’t survive.

And no one said anything about chasing numbers (though I’m confused by the contradiction in your logic, you’re arguing that we should be striving for zero nutrients, but then say that we shouldn’t be chasing numbers).

 

[Jonas Bergkvist]

Not true in any sense. Corals thrive in clean water, the same way they thrive in the ocean which has no detectable nitrates. I have never had detectable nitrates yet growth outstanding. Biggest decline in aquariums on this forum, is the uneducated who try adding crapbto their water chasing numbers they don't understand and killing their own coral, when factually water changes could turn their failing tanks around

I’m pretty sure you have some Nitrate and Phosphates. Only small amounts, and obviously it’s good for your corals.

I think a decade ago ”all” reefers had a common beleife that N & P should be absolute 0.

Now it’s more like a fact all thing living need at least some of it to live. I bet all living things on the planet needs some of it, or they would suffer.

Me as an example: my aquarium water had 0.00 Phosphates (still do every now and then) so i add 5-8 ml when needed. I add it because the few corals i had wasn’t doing well, but better now that they get some.

My system is to ”clean” and i’m still trying to find a balance.

I’m sure you have had your system longer than me, and that you have more experience but i’m convinced nutrients aren’t bad to add if you hit 0.

Edit: i do a 10% waterchange twice each month, to replace what ever is consumed and to get rid of Nitrate for example. It did not help my corals, as my ro water has no phosphates.

 

[outhouse]

This whole nitrates and phosphates thing is a new practice that causes more trouble then its worth. In the past 30 years we understand that you won't hit 0 since most are feeding fish. The happiest my corals have ever been is after 100% water changes and I've seen 2 spawning events with branching hammers, that I used to sell professionally. My tanks made more money then it took to keep them alive. There is a fine balance and to many noobs in this forum go past said correct levels and have tank crashes and or killing their weakest corals. In no way does coral decline in clean new water. And if you have never grown corals successfully, long term.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

i just add this to my tank for coral food

Red Sea Reef Energy Plus (AB+) 1000ml

An all-in-one superfood that will have your corals thanking you, delivering better growth, higher resilience, brighter colors, greater ease of use with automatic dosers, and minimal over skimming

charterhouse-aquatics.com

The best food for your coral is light! Coral get 80% plus of their energy from light. A single Reef LED 90 probably isn’t enough light for a Reefer 350, let alone having is set at 50%. My guess is you are starving your corals. Find a PAR meter, either one someone will loan you, or one you can rent, and test the PAR in your tank.

 

[Dave1993]

The best food for your coral is light! Coral get 80% plus of their energy from light. A single Reef LED 90 probably isn’t enough light for a Reefer 350, let alone having is set at 50%. My guess is you are starving your corals. Find a PAR meter, either one someone will loan you, or one you can rent, and test the PAR in your tank.

i only have 1 coral now and its directly under the light its set on 100% blue 50% white it was fine for about 1 month then closed up same thing that happened to my hammer and other corals just faded away

 

[maleks.reef]

i calibrate my refracto every month

Red sea refractometers are trash. Mine needed calibration after every single use, even if they were 5 minutes apart. I ditched it and got a hannah salinity checker. I think your salinity might be off.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

what should i do to raise nitrates more fish/feed more/stop skimmer?

Add liquid no4

 

[Dave1993]

Red sea refractometers are trash. Mine needed calibration after every single use, even if they were 5 minutes apart. I ditched it and got a hannah salinity checker. I think your salinity might be off.

i use hanna

 

[maleks.reef]

i use hanna

Thats good. Honestly, I have the EXACT same issue with torches and hammers and its been going on for 6 months now and no one could figure out what it is. I found out that my WC pump was rusty, so i assumed heavy metals were the culprit so i use some cuprisorb for a month. Now I got a new hammer with 3 heads, i pray to god this one lives. If it does then the heavy metals truly were the issue. Maybe its the same with your tank?

 

[Dave1993]

Thats good. Honestly, I have the EXACT same issue with torches and hammers and its been going on for 6 months now and no one could figure out what it is. I found out that my WC pump was rusty, so i assumed heavy metals were the culprit so i use some cuprisorb for a month. Now I got a new hammer with 3 heads, i pray to god this one lives. If it does then the heavy metals truly were the issue. Maybe its the same with your tank?

Could be the magnets i have in my tank but i think im just done with corals cba with them spent about £300 on them so far and there all dead i pref the fish anyways had good luck with all my fish so far apart from a goby that just wouldnt eat and died sadly

 

[maleks.reef]

Could be the magnets i have in my tank but i think im just done with corals cba with them spent about £300 on them so far and there all dead i pref the fish anyways had good luck with all my fish so far apart from a goby that just wouldnt eat and died sadly

Check our magnets for any rusts, or your pumps. Also, dont up give just yet. Something is causing your issues, once you figure out what then it will be all good. Plus, you can do softies for now, my tank is 70% softies and I love them. They tolerate and forgive alot and they come in all different shapes and sizes. If you want something like a torch look into toadstools and weeping willows.

Maybe @ReefSquad can help with your issue

 

[ZoWhat]

Time out

How old is this tank? A well established tank that supports corals needs maturity to grow dozens of strain of bacteria for biodiversity. Without that, you're wasting time and money... and killing things

You don't cultivate a fine wine in 45 days, why would you expect to do so with a reef tank?


.

 

[Dave1993]

Time out

How old is this tank? A well established tank that supports corals needs maturity to grow dozens of strain of bacteria for biodiversity. Without that, you're wasting time and money... and killing things

You don't cultivate a fine wine in 45 days, why would you expect to do so with a reef tank?


.

set up since December 2019

 

[Dkmoo]

Ph level?