Hard Corals and soft corals dying

[Not an IT guy]

Hey all,

Recently my corals have been slowly dying off. I ran test this past weekend and found out my levels where elevated.

Cal. <500 (Hanna)
Mag <1450 (Sulfuret)
Alk 10.2 steady for months (Hanna and KHD~)
NO3 steady at 12ppm (Nyos)
Phos 30PPB (Hanna)
Salt IORC
RODI BRS 4 stage
ATO water with BRS Kalk.

The corals that have been dying slowly are my fungia, one acro tequlia sunrise, some of my zoas melting, one neptune bounce, birdsnest, and big colony of digita. I did do water changes but I got to the point were my levels where steady dosing AFR and the use of a GHL setup and KH director. I would still from time to time run test just to give me the piece of mind that everything was still on the up and up. Other than trying to fight off the PO4, same as always. Once I started noticing some of my coral dying off, I checked my RODI, change the membranes and cartridges as they needed changing but still not doing well. Latest victim is my green favia that I've had since the beginning of my reefing career 5 years ago now. It is showing skeleton. What else can I do to find this needle in a haystack? ICP test? All my equipment I have also checked to make sure there was no rust or something leaking. I am at a loss here. Fish and Invertebrates are all fine. No losses there.

I appreciate you time for reading this lengthy post and advice.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all,

Recently my corals have been slowly dying off. I ran test this past weekend and found out my levels where elevated.

Cal. <500 (Hanna)
Mag <1450 (Sulfuret)
Alk 10.2 steady for months (Hanna and KHD~)
NO3 steady at 12ppm (Nyos)
Phos 30PPB (Hanna)
Salt IORC
RODI BRS 4 stage
ATO water with BRS Kalk.

The corals that have been dying slowly are my fungia, one acro tequlia sunrise, some of my zoas melting, one neptune bounce, birdsnest, and big colony of digita. I did do water changes but I got to the point were my levels where steady dosing AFR and the use of a GHL setup and KH director. I would still from time to time run test just to give me the piece of mind that everything was still on the up and up. Other than trying to fight off the PO4, same as always. Once I started noticing some of my coral dying off, I checked my RODI, change the membranes and cartridges as they needed changing but still not doing well. Latest victim is my green favia that I've had since the beginning of my reefing career 5 years ago now. It is showing skeleton. What else can I do to find this needle in a haystack? ICP test? All my equipment I have also checked to make sure there was no rust or something leaking. I am at a loss here. Fish and Invertebrates are all fine. No losses there.

I appreciate you time for reading this lengthy post and advice.

While numbers look good, assure salinity and temperature are not elevated
The main reason however this may be happening is release of toxins from both sps and lps which is a mixed reef challenge
Having mixed reefs, I utilize chemipure blue or elite to reduce these toxins
Leathers adds further toxins known as terpenes

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Any lighting changes?

 

[Not an IT guy]

Any lighting changes?

None. If anything I reduced the time T5 are on for the hotter summer days by 2 hrs.

 

[Not an IT guy]

While numbers look good, assure salinity and temperature are not elevated
The main reason however this may be happening is release of toxins from both sps and lps which is a mixed reef challenge
Having mixed reefs, I utilize chemipure blue or elite to reduce these toxins
Leathers adds further toxins known as terpenes

Hmm. I do have a rather large leather I would guess 10 inches in diameter SG is stable at 35-34.5 and temp is at 77.3-78.3

would extra carbon help? I am using the recommended amount for my tank size. 120 plus 30 sump.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hmm. I do have a rather large leather I would guess 10 inches in diameter SG is stable at 35-34.5 and temp is at 77.3-78.3

would extra carbon help? I am using the recommended amount for my tank size. 120 plus 30 sump.

Extra should help assuming toxins are causing this

 

[Jekyl]

Hmm. I do have a rather large leather I would guess 10 inches in diameter SG is stable at 35-34.5 and temp is at 77.3-78.3

would extra carbon help? I am using the recommended amount for my tank size. 120 plus 30 sump.

Do you have a refractometer with actual calibration liquid? As vetteguy suggested be sure of salinity.

 

[Uncle99]

Yes to ICP.
Your parameters are stable and within traditional bands.
These parameters (and light) grow corals.
I would surmise you have something in that water, or testing is not reporting correctly.
Either way, ICP good value for things we can’t test for and would shed some light on the accuracy of our tests.
Yes to carbon.
No to water changes, keep her steady.

 

[Not an IT guy]

Do you have a refractometer with actual calibration liquid? As vetteguy suggested be sure of salinity.

I have two well three different one. Two meters. One recently purchased. One Milwaukee I don’t really use and then the one on the GHL.

 

[Jekyl]

I have two well three different one. Two meters. One recently purchased. One Milwaukee I don’t really use and then the one on the GHL.

Have calibration liquid to verify accuracy?

 

[Not an IT guy]

Have calibration liquid to verify accuracy?

Yes. Got them from BRs. Came with the meter and not expired.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How long were these corals thriving in the tank before going downhill?

 

[Not an IT guy]

How long were these corals thriving in the tank before going downhill?

Fungias have been with me for 5 months, the acro going on a year and favia was my first coral going on 5 years. I have not changed anything other than the tank but that was back in December. I've checked my pumps and heaters, I dont see anything out of the ordinary. My most recent coral dates back to 3months now which are my captn america zoas.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Could be a bacterial pathogen issue, but I think an ICP test from a reputable company is a good next step.

 

[Not an IT guy]

Update: ICP test attached and here are some of the items that came up

We detected elements in your water that can be harmful for your tank.
More information about each element is listed below.
To remedy this we recommend carrying out 6 x 15% water changes with Tropic Marin Pro salt or Red Sea Salt (blue bucket), spread over 6 weeks
Li
Your Lithium levels are too high.

Check for possible contamination source. To help you in your search for the source of error, we have listed them the most common lithium sources (sorted in descending order of frequency):

1. Trace element overdose / contamination
2. Contaminated salts / contaminated magnesium salts
3. Artificial Rock/ Reef ceramics
4. Food
Br
Your Bromine levels are slightly elevated.

Check for possible contamination source. To help you in your search for the source of error, we have listed the most frequent bromine sources (sorted in descending order of frequency):

1. Contaminated salts such as calcium chloride
2. Contaminated trace elements
3. Contaminated salt mixtures
If you have problems in the aquarium you can change 2x 10-15% of the aquarium water, spread over 2-4 weeks.
Monitor with future ICP-OES tests.
Ca
Your Calcium levels are slightly elevated.
Check for accuracy of home Ca test kit, if used.

If you are dosing additional Calcium on top of regular doses, then reduce.

If you are running the Triton Method, then you can reduce the dosage from Base Elements solution No2 and monitor with a reliable home test kit. Once the measurement has dropped back down to 440 mg/l then return the dose back to equal amounts as the other solutions.

Here is a link for those that can open the PDF Results


I can say that I was over dosing AFR when I caught the elevated levels.

 

[Not an IT guy]

After a second test different company the test concluded that my iodine was low. Would that cause corals to start dying and melting?

 

[Uncle99]

Nope.

 

[Uncle99]

After a second test different company the test concluded that my iodine was low. Would that cause corals to start dying and melting?

In your first post you mention “fight off PO4, same as always.”
Not sure what that means as your phosphate is on target.
I might even bump that manually.

Check to ensure your phosphate (and nitrate) is stable and not zeroed out.

Common reason for everything to be unhappy, recede, lose colour, look thinner…..because they are starving.

Some Fungia can be a challenge, especially Helio-Fungia, many of which die before 6 months.