Euphyllia coral slowly dying

[jaw1990]

Looking for help as to why I am slowly losing my torches, hammers, and frogspawns. They are also losing color. My tank is 16 months old. It has been doing great. Back in January I lost a torch that just bailed. Ever since then I have been losing a coral about once a week. My phosphates used to be around .30-.40 and my nitrates around 15-20. My current parameters are
Ph 8.3
Alk 8.4
Phosphate .
Nitrate 18.8
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 430

I have been running rowaphos to lower my phosphates. Everything is just not as happy as it use to be. I’m thinking it’s bacteria and thinking about trying a cipro treatment but I can’t find much information if cipro will hurt other types of corals. I have a three headed frogspawn that in the last two days has started to melt. One of my scolymia corals is even not getting as puffy.Thank you for any help.

 

[blaxsun]

I personally don't like RowaPhos. Too powdery, and a lot of it ends up in your tank (not that this is the cause). If you can source some Nyos Phosi-Ex it will work way better. TLF Phos-Ban is also another option.

Barring something else, the first thing I'd look at is your PAR to ensure they're getting enough light. A slow decline over a long period is one of the effects of this.

 

[Jekyl]

High nitrate and phosphate, low magnesium would be my guess. 5-10, .03 and 1350. Once in range, keep stable.

 

[Lavey29]

I've used cipro several times with success in LPS tank. Your numbers aren't bad how about flow and lighting par?

Have you done an ICP test to check everything? Maybe something has rusted and slowly killing corals? ICP can determine stuff like that.

 

[bruno3047]

Nice tank. Your sand looks clean but I’m wondering when was the last time you gave it a thorough thorough cleaning? If it’s more than six months you might want to try that. Use a gravel washing system like Python.

 

[Lavey29]

Nice tank. Your sand looks clean but I’m wondering when was the last time you gave it a thorough thorough cleaning? If it’s more than six months you might want to try that. Use a gravel washing system like Python.

Curious how you gravel vacuum the sand when 90% is covered by rocks or coral? I need to do mine too but access is very limited. I just turkey basted and siphon what floats.

 

[mdb_talon]

Your parameters dont seem bad to me...at least nothing thay is going to kill euphyllia(though i dont see a number for phosphate). I agree with Lavey and I would probably try Cipro treatment and also manually inspect for pests.

 

[bruno3047]

Curious how you gravel vacuum the sand when 90% is covered by rocks or coral? I need to do mine too but access is very limited. I just turkey basted and siphon what floats.

When I clean my sand bed I put all the corals that can be moved into a 20 gallon tank half-filled with tank water a heater and a small powerhead. When I’m finished I put them back. Pain but I don’t lose any more corals to “mystery” causes.

BTW. The crap that’s rotting in your sand bed won’t show up in any of your tests.

 

[bruno3047]

Worth it’s weight in gold, and then some.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/python-pro-clean-gravel-washer-siphon-kit-x-large-3028682?

 

[bruno3047]

Every time you clean your front glass, much of that algae material ends up in your sand bed, I don’t care how much flow you have. And it rots there. This isn’t rocket science.

 

[Lavey29]

When I clean my sand bed I put all the corals that can be moved into a 20 gallon tank half-filled with tank water a heater and a small powerhead. When I’m finished I put them back. Pain but I don’t lose any more corals to “mystery” causes.

BTW. The crap that’s rotting in your sand bed won’t show up in any of your tests.

And the tens of thousands of successful reefers who don't vacuum their sandbeds are just lucky I guess....lol....to each his own

 

[Lavey29]

Move them. Or watch them die. Your choice.

When I clean my sand bed I put all the corals that can be moved into a 20 gallon tank half-filled with tank water a heater and a small powerhead. When I’m finished I put them back. Pain in the butt but I don’t lose any more corals to “mystery” causes.

BTW. The crap that’s rotting in your sand bed won’t show up in any of your tests.

Yes the crap rotting on the sandbed does show up in tests. nitrate or phosphate

 

[Auquanut]

just a thought. Looks like you have a lot of corals going on there. Are you dosing any trace elements? When my corals really started to take off, I noticed that some started to decline over time. I started dosing Red Sea Trace at about 2/3 the recommended dose, and everything recovered and flourished. Not saying that this is the answer, just something to consider.

 

[MoreReef]

Looking for help as to why I am slowly losing my torches, hammers, and frogspawns. They are also losing color. My tank is 16 months old. It has been doing great. Back in January I lost a torch that just bailed. Ever since then I have been losing a coral about once a week. My phosphates used to be around .30-.40 and my nitrates around 15-20. My current parameters are
Ph 8.3
Alk 8.4
Phosphate .
Nitrate 18.8
Magnesium 1230
Calcium 430

I have been running rowaphos to lower my phosphates. Everything is just not as happy as it use to be. I’m thinking it’s bacteria and thinking about trying a cipro treatment but I can’t find much information if cipro will hurt other types of corals. I have a three headed frogspawn that in the last two days has started to melt. One of my scolymia corals is even not getting as puffy.Thank you for any help.

Hmmm well that's a bummer. I'm not sure if you're familiar with Kung fu corals on ig. He's san diego based and has been working on an experimental dip that has been working wonders on his torches/hammers... with plenty of documentation to prove his findings... try checking him out... sorry to hear hopefully this helps a bit...

 

[MERKEY]

Is any of your coraline dying and turning white?

 

[jaw1990]

I've used cipro several times with success in LPS tank. Your numbers aren't bad how about flow and lighting par?

Have you done an ICP test to check everything? Maybe something has rusted and slowly killing corals? ICP can determine stuff like that.

I think I’m going to do a icp test and use cipro. What rate or how did you go about using cipro? I’ve had this one frogspawn that’s melting for close to a year so I don’t think it would be lighting or flow.

 

[jaw1990]

Is any of your coraline dying and turning white?

Yes some of the coralline is bleaching

 

[MERKEY]

Yes some of the coralline is bleaching

Definitely run an icp test.

The problem I have with cipro use in a whole tank is you kill off beneficial bacteria.

Dose it back strong if you medicate the whole tank.

I suspect the icp will tell you more and then you can adjust from there.

 

[mdb_talon]

The problem I have with cipro use in a whole tank is you kill off beneficial bacteria.

The only testing i have seen of this showed this was not the case at all and that cipro had little to no impact on what we would consider essential bacteria in reef aquarium.

 

[Harold999]

Bump up your Mag to 1500 a.s.a.p.

FragboxTV on Youtube talks about this issue often. They claim that ~1200 can kill euphyllia, and recommend 1500.