Euphyllia corals shrinking up

bluerider098 · Jan 7, 2023

cedwards04 said:
I'm not opposed to doing some waterchanges to bring nutrients down to acceptable levels, but I know if I don't correct the issue causing the nutrient spike, they are just going to bounce right back up again. I'd need to order some salt, I don't have much laying around and honestly is pretty terrible as far as what I'm shooting for parameter wise. So using it would set me back a long ways on my trace element corrections. I guess that's my main reason for apprehension on waterchanges. I may have to suck it up and just do it though. It's a small tank so we aren't talking about a lot of money here.

Doing a large waterchange would restore your trace elements to correct levels if using a reputable reef salt. That's the reason I recommend it.

IslandLifeReef · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
I'm not opposed to doing some waterchanges to bring nutrients down to acceptable levels, but I know if I don't correct the issue causing the nutrient spike, they are just going to bounce right back up again. I'd need to order some salt, I don't have much laying around and honestly is pretty terrible as far as what I'm shooting for parameter wise. So using it would set me back a long ways on my trace element corrections. I guess that's my main reason for apprehension on waterchanges. I may have to suck it up and just do it though. It's a small tank so we aren't talking about a lot of money here.

As others have said, a water change will only help with trace elements if you are using a reputable salt.

Do you know the cause of your nutrient spike? Didn't you say that you have reduced the amount of nutrients you put into the tank, or did I misunderstand?

The nutrients aren't being created out of nothing. Either you are adding too much food, which I don't think is the case based on what you have posted, or something that was living in your tank died and is decomposing. I tend to lean to the second cause, that is why I recommended vacuuming the sand well along with your water changes. Hopefully, vacuuming would remove any waste that is decomposing in your sand bed, causing your nutrient spike. Several large water changes will reduce the amount of NO3 and PO4 in your system. If you think that the Cipro killed the bacteria that consumes NO3 and PO4, the water changed will get your system back to a level you are happy with and allow your tank time to redevelop those bacteria. A water change will also help remove any remaining Cipro that may be preventing that bacteria from developing if that was indeed the cause of the problem.

cedwards04 · Jan 8, 2023

Tested again last night and my nutrient spike is back under control now. Dosing bacteria and a carbon source helped get things back on track. I'm currently sitting at no3 1ppm and po4 0.01ppm. I've backed off on the carbon dosing a little and increased feeding a little to start getting things back to normal.

It seems everyone wants to focus on the nutrient spike that I mentioned, all while ignoring the actual issue I posted about. I appreciate those trying to help, but can we focus on the real issue, which was trying to figure out what caused the euphyllia to shrivel up and die? This occurred long before the nutrient spike. These euphyllia were well established. I had them almost 2 years. Nothing else in the tank was effected.

Dave1993 · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
Tested again last night and my nutrient spike is back under control now. Dosing bacteria and a carbon source helped get things back on track. I'm currently sitting at no3 1ppm and po4 0.01ppm. I've backed off on the carbon dosing a little and increased feeding a little to start getting things back to normal.

It seems everyone wants to focus on the nutrient spike that I mentioned, all while ignoring the actual issue I posted about. I appreciate those trying to help, but can we focus on the real issue, which was trying to figure out what caused the euphyllia to shrivel up and die? This occurred long before the nutrient spike. These euphyllia were well established. I had them almost 2 years. Nothing else in the tank was effected.

Any equipment gone rusty in the tank? could someone have put something in the tank without you known do you have kids?

cedwards04 · Jan 8, 2023

I checked all the cords and equipment. I dont see anything. I do have an 8 yr old daughter but she knows better than to put anything in the tank.

BanditMan15 · Jan 8, 2023

IMO I would keep your No3 up. Those types of corals thrive better with higher No3. "Dirtier Tank" Cipro is only an antibiotic and shouldn't mess with parameters like that. With that being said how did you dose the Cipro and what dip do you use? May be better to take the suggestions and do WC and stop dosing so much to try for near perfect parameters in such a new tank. JM2C

IslandLifeReef · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
Tested again last night and my nutrient spike is back under control now. Dosing bacteria and a carbon source helped get things back on track. I'm currently sitting at no3 1ppm and po4 0.01ppm. I've backed off on the carbon dosing a little and increased feeding a little to start getting things back to normal.

It seems everyone wants to focus on the nutrient spike that I mentioned, all while ignoring the actual issue I posted about. I appreciate those trying to help, but can we focus on the real issue, which was trying to figure out what caused the euphyllia to shrivel up and die? This occurred long before the nutrient spike. These euphyllia were well established. I had them almost 2 years. Nothing else in the tank was effected.

Ok, you said that those corals had died in your post yesterday and that you were trying to figure out what was causing your nutrient spike. You even said that everything else in the tank was fine. So, the current issue was the nutrient spike. You stated yesterday that your PO4 was 0.2 and that your NO3 was so high is wasn't readable on your RedSea test kit. You also have stated that you do weekly ICP tests, which should show both NO3 and PO4. I find it hard to believe that your NO3 and PO4 have dropped that much in one day or even one week based on what you have said you are doing and how you are testing. Saying that we should get back to the issue and that we are side tracked is a red herring.

I think your constant tinkering with those corals led to their demise. You dipped, moved, and added Cipro to the tank. You even moved them to a hospital tank when none of that worked. All of this in less than six months. It could have been something else, but sometimes it takes a while for a coral to adjust to a new tank even if most of the items in that tank came from an older tank you had.

Glad you think your system is back on track.

cedwards04 · Jan 8, 2023

I think you are misunderstanding because almost everything in that last reply is simply not true. Do you realize that you are replying to a thread that is nearly a month old? A lot can change in that amount of time. And no, I never said I was trying to figure out the nutrient spike. I stated I had one, and believed it to be from dosing cipro. Which by the way, that's an anti bacterial, so yeah, it kills bacteria. I don't think it killed all of my bacteria, but I do whole heartedly think it killed off a portion of my beneficial bacteria. I began dosing bottled bacteria and mb7 to re establish the bacteria. I dont test daily as I have a life outside of the reef aquarium hobby. My last test prior to yesterday was 1 week ago. At that time, my no3 was off the chart and my po4 was 0.2. After a week of continued dosing with nopox and mb7, along with algae growth in the tank, my nutrient levels dropped. My tank is slammed full of coral which also consume nutrients, so yeah, I think my results could absolutely be accurate.

There has also been another person chiming in with a similar issue to mine, so perhaps you are getting some of what they have said mixed up with what i have said and youre quoting the wrong person?? I dont know, but it doesnt change the fact that you can go back and read what i have said and figure out that most of what you just said isnt true. You may also want to check the dates of the posts, as like i said, this thread is nearly a month old and a lot can happen in that time frame.

cedwards04 · Jan 8, 2023

Honestly at this point I'm done with this discussion. It is going no where productive.

IslandLifeReef · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
I think you are misunderstanding because almost everything in that last reply is simply not true.....

cedwards04 said:
You may also want to check the dates of the posts, as like i said, this thread is nearly a month old and a lot can happen in that time frame.

What did I say that wasn't true. I stated that you posted yesterday that your NO3 was higher than your RedSea test kit goes and that your PO4 was 0.2. I also said that " I find it hard to believe that your NO3 and PO4 have dropped that much in one day or even one week based on what you have said you are doing and how you are testing."

This is what you said yesterday.

cedwards04 said:
I've got green hair algae running wild. No3 is off the chart on my red sea pro kit, po4 is 0.2ppm. I'm up to dosing 4ml of nopox daily and nutrients still won't stay down. I'm also dosing microbacter7 daily. Cipro absolutely destroyed my nitrifying bacteria. Nothing else was ever added to the tank and nutrients skyrocketed immediately following the treatment. There is no other explanation.

Then today you said this.

cedwards04 said:
Tested again last night and my nutrient spike is back under control now. Dosing bacteria and a carbon source helped get things back on track. I'm currently sitting at no3 1ppm and po4 0.01ppm. I've backed off on the carbon dosing a little and increased feeding a little to start getting things back to normal.

It seems everyone wants to focus on the nutrient spike that I mentioned, all while ignoring the actual issue I posted about. I appreciate those trying to help, but can we focus on the real issue, which was trying to figure out what caused the euphyllia to shrivel up and die? This occurred long before the nutrient spike. These euphyllia were well established. I had them almost 2 years. Nothing else in the tank was effected.

You said that you didn't want help with the nutrient spike and were still wondering why your coral died. I told you why I thought they may have died.

So, what was not true in my post?

I was trying to help you. Glad your tank is where you want it now.

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
I know if I don't correct the issue causing the nutrient spike, they are just going to bounce right back up again.

cedwards04 said:
And no, I never said I was trying to figure out the nutrient spike

Now who's not being truthful??

bluerider098 · Jan 8, 2023

cedwards04 said:
Tested again last night and my nutrient spike is back under control now. Dosing bacteria and a carbon source helped get things back on track. I'm currently sitting at no3 1ppm and po4 0.01ppm. I've backed off on the carbon dosing a little and increased feeding a little to start getting things back to normal.

It seems everyone wants to focus on the nutrient spike that I mentioned, all while ignoring the actual issue I posted about. I appreciate those trying to help, but can we focus on the real issue, which was trying to figure out what caused the euphyllia to shrivel up and die? This occurred long before the nutrient spike. These euphyllia were well established. I had them almost 2 years. Nothing else in the tank was effected.

I have had situations where most corals in the tank seem ok, with only a few showing issues. Again doing a large waterchange seemed to bring things back into balance and within days everyone was looking good again. I

n my opinion that should be the first go to when there's an unexplained problem. It's like a reset and t's super cheap to do. (Unless you have a giant tank)

Good luck with your tank.

Cbones1979 · Sep 7, 2024

vetteguy53081 said:
These corals stress very easily and it is likely was due to strong light or flow as well as can be low calcium as they are skeletal coral with polyps
Too much flow and the polyps tear off the skeleton and too little and they shrink. Too much light will cause them to expel their energy source known as zooxanthellae and too little light - they also shrink and even recede

I’m dealing with this although I doubt it’s too little light as they are all in 100-250 but it could be too little flow I guess…