Gsp and Xenia dying

[robisright]

I recently Bought and set up a used red Sea reefer 170 as an upgrade from my Nuevo 20 that has been running for about 2 years And is heavily stocked The Red Sea has been empty and dry for a few months before I got it I set the Red Sea up and let it run for a few days I added some rock and media from the 20 to help kickstart the cycle and added a few zoa frags a mushroom and an acan all of which were and still are doing very well in the Red Sea a few more days passed and I did a 5 gal water change on both tanks and swapped the water (thinking the Red Sea just had freshly made salt water and which I’m now realizing was probably a mistake) at that time I also added some Xenia from the 20 to the Red Sea and and It died within 24 hours all the Xenia in the 20 took a bit longer but died within a few days also the gsp in the 20 hasn’t opened since the water swap Everything else in the 20 is fine including multiple acros I have three torches that look slightly smaller than normal but not enough to make me worry everything else looks perfect parameters in both tanks are the same and from my tests and the tests of two different lfs are fine and the same as they’ve been for months in the 20 I’ve done some water changes and haven’t seen a change so my main question is what could possibly be in the water that can kill Xenia and gsp but not phase sps? The Red Sea has a scape I made with dry rock and cyanoacrylate super glue perhaps the glue is leaching something? Any input would help I can post before and after pics of the 20 if it helps along with the exact parameters of both tanks

Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

I recently Bought and set up a used red Sea reefer 170 as an upgrade from my Nuevo 20 that has been running for about 2 years And is heavily stocked The Red Sea has been empty and dry for a few months before I got it I set the Red Sea up and let it run for a few days I added some rock and media from the 20 to help kickstart the cycle and added a few zoa frags a mushroom and an acan all of which were and still are doing very well in the Red Sea a few more days passed and I did a 5 gal water change on both tanks and swapped the water (thinking the Red Sea just had freshly made salt water and which I’m now realizing was probably a mistake) at that time I also added some Xenia from the 20 to the Red Sea and and It died within 24 hours all the Xenia in the 20 took a bit longer but died within a few days also the gsp in the 20 hasn’t opened since the water swap Everything else in the 20 is fine including multiple acros I have three torches that look slightly smaller than normal but not enough to make me worry everything else looks perfect parameters in both tanks are the same and from my tests and the tests of two different lfs are fine and the same as they’ve been for months in the 20 I’ve done some water changes and haven’t seen a change so my main question is what could possibly be in the water that can kill Xenia and gsp but not phase sps? The Red Sea has a scape I made with dry rock and cyanoacrylate super glue perhaps the glue is leaching something? Any input would help I can post before and after pics of the 20 if it helps along with the exact parameters of both tanks

Thanks

In essence, the tank even with seeded rock and aged water is in a cycle and subject to ammonia and nitrate spike
These corals you put in are resilient but especially Xenia require nitrates in the water
I would add 1.5ml per 10 gallons of liquid bacteria such as Micro bacter XLM and test water for at least a week
What test kits are you using?

 

[fishguy242]

hi,welcome to the reef,
pics, exact parameters can help get us started.

 

[robisright]

hi,welcome to the reef,
pics, exact parameters can help get us started.

Will take current pics and test again tomorrow

 

[davidcalgary29]

Remember to calibrate your refractometer or carefully check your hydrometer if you're using one. I melted some softies when I used a refractometer for alcohol instead of one measuring for salinity.

You could also have a chemical contaminant. I've suffered a number of bleach accidents (I didn't do it myself!) and I can attest that xenias hate bleach. They'll shrivel up to nothing for a few days, and may suffer some paralysis, but will ultimately recover.

 

[Theulli]

To my shame I have had many GsP frags die one me trying to get them right. Finally added one as the first coral in a new tank and it is hanging in there - like you I was losing GsP in a matter of days and I felt like an idiot because the LFS was telling me they are indestructible!
I came to the conclusion it was nutrient starvation. I had a thriving Xenia colony in the tank the GsP couldn’t grow in - likewise the Xenia outcompeted some chaeto, which also quickly melted while the Xenia happily proliferated. They both like to have a bit of phosphate and nitrate they can chew on it seems

 

[robisright]

To my shame I have had many GsP frags die one me trying to get them right. Finally added one as the first coral in a new tank and it is hanging in there - like you I was losing GsP in a matter of days and I felt like an idiot because the LFS was telling me they are indestructible!
I came to the conclusion it was nutrient starvation. I had a thriving Xenia colony in the tank the GsP couldn’t grow in - likewise the Xenia outcompeted some chaeto, which also quickly melted while the Xenia happily proliferated. They both like to have a bit of phosphate and nitrate they can chew on it seems

If I had to guess i would say it’s chemical I didn’t clean the tank before filling so I’m guessing it or the rock or glue I used had some kind of chemical on it but what still confuses me is how it only affected the Xenia and gsp and not anything else wouldn’t the more sensitive corals be affected more?

 

[davidcalgary29]

If a chemical contaminant is the source of your problem, you'll likely be able to ameliorate the condition by running carbon. Soft corals simply may be the first to show obvious signs of distress to us just because their flesh isn't support by a calcium skeleton, and we can see the whole polyp, but that doesn't mean your "pickier" corals also aren't in a state of distress.

 

[robisright]

If a chemical contaminant is the source of your problem, you'll likely be able to ameliorate the condition by running carbon. Soft corals simply may be the first to show obvious signs of distress to us just because their flesh isn't support by a calcium skeleton, and we can see the whole polyp, but that doesn't mean your "pickier" corals also aren't in a state of distress.

I started running carbon the day before yesterday so hopefully that helps and there’s torches a frogspawn Tons of zoas leathers some sps and a Goni that are showing no signs of stress