Euphyllia not lasting

[itselenababe]

Tips on how to prevent euphyllia from dying? They’re always great for the first while but then start to go downhill after a month or so. I just lost the tiniest $350 torch I’ve ever seen as well my favourite frogspawn and my frammer is barely hanging in there

Knock on wood my torch in my other system is doing well and since moving the frammer to that tank it seems to be coming back a bit but this is super frustrating

 

[DonTavo27]

I’d ask what your parameters are, but I’m currently going thru the same issue on some of my gold Torches and haven’t checked my parameters or done a water change in a couple of months lol

 

[itselenababe]

I’d ask what your parameters are, but I’m currently going thru the same issue on some of my gold Torches and haven’t checked my parameters or done a water change in a couple of months lol

Same lol. We have a tank tech who does all that for us now but we’ve been busy and keep forgetting to reschedule for him to do maintenance

In the meantime I’ve resorted to the api dip sticks which are pretty much useless but I’m terrified of using the testing drops

 

[Mycetophyllia_Master]

I’d ask what your parameters are, but I’m currently going thru the same issue on some of my gold Torches and haven’t checked my parameters or done a water change in a couple of months lol

“haven’t checked my parameters or done a water change in a couple of months”

Well I may know why you are losing torches :/

 

[ADAM]

If water parameters are in stable and in normal range for a reef, and no signs of pests, it’s very likely metal contamination in the water. Metals always seem to be a slow burn out rather than a more quick death like ALK or temperature swings usually cause.

But more info on the water parameters, system set up, and appearance of the corals as they wither would really be needed to help much more than an educated guess.

 

[itselenababe]

If water parameters are in stable and in normal range for a reef, and no signs of pests, it’s very likely metal contamination in the water. Metals always seem to be a slow burn out rather than a more quick death like ALK or temperature swings usually cause.

But more info on the water parameters, system set up, and appearance of the corals as they wither would really be needed to help much more than an educated guess.

Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if it was metal or something

I’ve drank tap water my entire life until moving to this apartment building. The water tastes...weird, so we’ve resorted to bottled water. same with some of the other other neighbours. I guess things like this are just a “first apartment” right of passage

 

[ADAM]

Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if it was metal or something

I’ve drank tap water my entire life until moving to this apartment building. The water tastes...weird, so we’ve resorted to bottled water. same with some of the other other neighbours. I guess things like this are just a “first apartment” right of passage

I’d get something like Cuprisorb and run that in the sump/filter chamber and see if you don’t get an improvement in a few days. If a torch, or any coral, gets to a certain point of stress it’s very very hard to make a full recovery.

I’d think metals in your situation using bottled water. An ATI ICP analysis would probably be a good idea to look into. ATI also includes and test for your fresh water (RODI/bottled/etc) and your aquarium water. Whatever water you’re using for top off and water changes would be tested and could likely be where you’re introducing metals into the water.

Pump impellers and rusted magnets are often areas to check when metal pollution is found or thought to be the root of issue.

 

[itselenababe]

If water parameters are in stable and in normal range for a reef, and no signs of pests, it’s very likely metal contamination in the water. Metals always seem to be a slow burn out rather than a more quick death like ALK or temperature swings usually cause.

But more info on the water parameters, system set up, and appearance of the corals as they wither would really be needed to help much more than an educated guess.

Nvm the frammer isn’t happy apparently. Here are some pictures, I moved it back down to the sand to see if maybe it didn’t like the light up there

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Upon arrival of new euphyllia qt tank with dose of chemi-clean for a few days. Then water change and give it a month or so to make sure healthy before adding to display.

I think shipping of euphyllia is rough on them. Some say higher ALK helps with brown jelly. I tend to agree.

EDIT: sometimes there is just nothing you can do.. the damage was done weeks ago and manifests itself after you get it. Getting aquacultured in the store euphyllia is higher success IME... with wild ones, if one gets sick--it spreads.

 

[Tamberav]

I’m terrified of using the testing drops

Huh… why? You just count drops..

 

[MaxTremors]

I feel like if you’re depending on a maintenance company to do all of your testing and maintenance, you probably should just have a FOWLR tank. Keeping corals is too demanding and too much of a hands on hobby to depend on someone who comes by every two weeks, who doesn’t observe the tank daily, and who can’t trouble shoot in real time. There is a disconnect here, when troubleshooting, should we be talking to the person who maintains the tank and has the knowledge and ability to test and take action, or the person who observes the tank each day? Neither person is in an ideal position to help these corals recover.

My suggestion, and I don’t mean to sound harsh, but it’s just what caring for these animals entails, would be to start caring for the corals yourself or switch to FOWLR. It wouldn’t be acceptable if you were keeping any other exotic animal if you had someone come by every few weeks to take care of it and you were unable or unwilling to do anything to help it between maintenance visits if it’s health took a turn for the worse. Again, don’t mean to be harsh, but these are living animals, if you want to keep them, they really need someone in the house that’s there daily that’s able to test water and properly troubleshoot when there is an issue.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Mine did thay but I found the secret. LOW LOW FLOW super low like unbearable low.

 

[Koty]

In my mixed experience, its the stability of alkalinity that should be in the 9 KH range although I had a lead contamination based on an ICP test (although my KH stability was not great). Since i started monitoring KH almost daily and supplementing with kalkwasser (half a teaspoon rode slurry) when it gets below 9 they seem to survive. However as my tank entered fallow my 4 head torch's tentacles got extra short. I was advised that its a NO3/PO4 reduction of the now fishes tank.

 

[itselenababe]

Huh… why? You just count drops..

A lot of them are corrosive and I’m accident prone haha

 

[Koty]

sorry for the typos:
(half a teaspoon RODI slurry); fish-less tank

 

[ADAM]

—- I’m terrified of using the testing drops

Get some Hanna checkers! Phosphate (Hi774 is my preferred), Nitrate HR, and ALK tester. Maybe Calcium also, but you can dose calcium according to ALK consumption in most all cases.

With these “drop-less” testers you can check in between the water changes and maintenance provided by the service company. 1-2 weeks will be to long in between routine testing and maintenance if you want more than basic soft corals. The cost of the testers would be less than a nice torch nowadays.

I would send an ICP test at least every quarter to check against your testing and to make sure pollutants are present. I prefer ATI from experience and they check your top off water also which is a big plus to me.

 

[itselenababe]

Get some Hanna checkers! Phosphate (Hi774 is my preferred), Nitrate HR, and ALK tester. Maybe Calcium also, but you can dose calcium according to ALK consumption in most all cases.

With these “drop-less” testers you can check in between the water changes and maintenance provided by the service company. 1-2 weeks will be to long in between routine testing and maintenance if you want more than basic soft corals. The cost of the testers would be less than a nice torch nowadays.

I would send an ICP test at least every quarter to check against your testing and to make sure pollutants are present. I prefer ATI from experience and they check your top off water also which is a big plus to me.

I’ll definitely look into those, thank you!!

 

[ccole]

Are you using RO/DI water? If you're not, that could definitely be the problem. Do you dose anything to keep your alkalinity/calcium up? You need stable alkalinity and if you're not dosing anything and haven't done a water change in a few weeks, it very well could have decreased into dangerous levels.

How about phosphates? Do you know what those are?

I've dripped the testing reagents on my hands before without injury. Some stained a little, but nothing serious happened. If you're really worried, you could look into some gloves. Even some Hannah checkers have liquid reagents (alkalinity, for example).

 

[itselenababe]

Are you using RO/DI water? If you're not, that could definitely be the problem. Do you dose anything to keep your alkalinity/calcium up? You need stable alkalinity and if you're not dosing anything and haven't done a water change in a few weeks, it very well could have decreased into dangerous levels.

How about phosphates? Do you know what those are?

I've dripped the testing reagents on my hands before without injury. Some stained a little, but nothing serious happened. If you're really worried, you could look into some gloves. Even some Hannah checkers have liquid reagents (alkalinity, for example).

No just tap water. Our city has really good water so our tech doesn’t deem it necessary. I’ve been dosing a bit of calcium/magnesium/strontium, but mainly the alkalinity

no clue what the phosphates are at. I’m going to bring water to the lfs to test tomorrow. Honestly I completely forgot that was a thing until today

this is true but my acrylic nails make using gloves even more difficult lol. Good to know about the Hanna checkers though. If the lfs will test the water for me I’ll probably just keep bringing some frequently until our tech comes over

 

[homer1475]

Tech doesn't think RO/DI is needed? I would be getting rid of that tech.

Do you have copper pipes in your home? Do you know exactly whats in your water? Does he at least treat the water with some form of conditioner? All good reasons to use RO/DI. Tap can be used, but if your having issues, ruling out the water through RO/DI is a good place to start.

Sure your water may be great for drinking, but do you know exactly whats in it? Almost every municipality used some form of chlorine to disinfect the pipes from time to time, if not all the time. You do realize some arsenic is ok to have in your drinking water? Along with many other things thats ok in small amounts to drink, but in no way will be OK for your tanks inhabitants.

I have really good water to(24TDS incoming), but would not use it in my tank without first filtering it through RO/DI. They add fluoride, chloramines, and I'm sure many other things I do not want in my tank.