Help! Is my torch and Brain dying?

[nemolovestoswim]

Took over a Red Sea Reefer 250 tank from my friend who is exiting the hobby;
Added these new corals and they looks to me not doing very well; Torch has some brown parts appearing and the brain seems to have shrunk

Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 25.2C
pH 8.4
Ammonia 0.50ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 40ppm
kH 12? (used API but add till cannot see)

Any advice most appreciated!

 

[Timfish]

Alkalinity seems high. What's your phosphate? Do you have other corals? If so can you post pics of them also?

 

[Tamberav]

Ammonia 0.50 real? How long has the tank been set up at your house?

Need to get some better test kits and figure out what your alk actually is.

 

[nemolovestoswim]

Thanks for replying.
Tank about 6 months old. Unfortunately, ordered but no alk test kit yet.

Did a 30% water change and retested:
pH 8.2
Ammonia 2ppm
Nitrite 0pm
Nitrate 40ppm
kH - 13? (API test kit - colour changed on 13th drop; sorry im noob)
SG 1.025 / 25.5 C

is ammonia the culprit?

 

[olonmv]

Ammonium way too high.

 

[olonmv]

Try running some bacteria. Stability by seachem worked well for me to help keep Params in check.

 

[olonmv]

Small consistent water changes helps control the nitrate.

 

[Tcook]

Was tank at you friend's house for 6 months and you just moved it to your house. Thus hasn't even cycled yet?

 

[olonmv]

Was tank at you friend's house for 6 months and you just moved it to your house. Thus hasn't even cycled yet?

may have been cycled and went through another cycle event with the move.

 

[nemolovestoswim]

Thanks for the inputs. Torch is gone

Guess I was too rushed to add corals. Will wait out for much longer before adding.

 

[olonmv]

If there is even a bit of flesh left, it’s not a total loss. I was able to get a candy cane back to its full glory after returning from a 2 week trip that had gotten nearly stung to death by a mini carpet nem. Adding bacteria should def help get that ammonia down.

 

[olonmv]

Pics are from when we returned to about a lil over a month ago. Work in baby steps. I’ve found that small changes in tweaks goes a long way. Much luck! You got this!

 

[Cool tangs]

All your paramters are really high!

They are bleaching due to stress.

I dont understand high alk! I run my tank around 7.5-7.7 alk. Goal was 8Dkh but seems more stable around this mark.

Salinity is on the high side, id shoot for 1.025 this will give you some leeway.

Niterates are getting a bit on the high side, but most lps and softies be fine in that range.

Alk is prob one of the most vital chemistry!

I'd cust your losses and do some water changes to get that alk down before getting more.

Same as temp your close to riding the high side get that more inline around 24c

If your mixing salt, make sure you use RODI water and get a salt with a dkh around 8 when mixed up to 1.025 salinity. I made the mistake of purchasing redsea pro coral salt once! I dont mix anymore though, i use natural water streight out of the ocean now days.

Goodluck and happy reefing!

P.s dont let these mistakes turn you away, just go slow, buy cheaper coral until you get it right

 

[Tamberav]

The tank has been at your house for 6 months? or when did you move it?

If you moved it recently and disturbed the sand, that could be the cause of the ammonia. Ammonia needs to be 0 and I would run alk 8-9.

Your fish may start suffering next.

 

[nemolovestoswim]

All your paramters are really high!

They are bleaching due to stress.

I dont understand high alk! I run my tank around 7.5-7.7 alk. Goal was 8Dkh but seems more stable around this mark.

Salinity is on the high side, id shoot for 1.025 this will give you some leeway.

Niterates are getting a bit on the high side, but most lps and softies be fine in that range.

Alk is prob one of the most vital chemistry!

I'd cust your losses and do some water changes to get that alk down before getting more.

Same as temp your close to riding the high side get that more inline around 24c

If your mixing salt, make sure you use RODI water and get a salt with a dkh around 8 when mixed up to 1.025 salinity. I made the mistake of purchasing redsea pro coral salt once! I dont mix anymore though, i use natural water streight out of the ocean now days.

Goodluck and happy reefing!

P.s dont let these mistakes turn you away, just go slow, buy cheaper coral until you get it right

Thanks for all the comments guys. much appreciated.

-Unfortunately i use red sea pro salt - the high alk probably comes there, what other salt would you guys recommend?
-Noted on temp - will bring down more.
-brought down Salinity to 1.025
-i moved the tank 1mth back. I think the dirty sand might be a cause of high nitrates; I remove quite a bit yesterday when i did a 30% water change.
-added some bater7 yesterday to try to reduce ammonia. just tested - at 0.5ppm

 

[Cool tangs]

if your using redsea just get the blue bucket salt for now and its cheaper.

Do you have any lifestock?

Id do a really big water change to get your parameters down. Get it stable for a bit.

Amonia will always spike when adding new lifestock, its just your bioload adjusting.

I guess once you have all this in line what type of lighting do you have and do you have a par meter? Even just a cheap seneye.

Get another cheapy LPS and see how you go, you should be able to get away with just weekly or bi-weekly water changes for now. Once you get the hang of it and things are doing well then progress into more corals and equipment, etc.


We all learn in this hobby and we learn pretty quick from our mistakes as it can get expensive when we stuff up! Most reefers have all been there!

Hope this helps

Oh and this hobby can be so confusing in the start as there is so much mis-info on this hobby out there! Scrap BRS tv on youtube and watch tital gardens, his voice is super soothing and he has really simple explanations. Natural saltwater levels is a good starting point

 

[nemolovestoswim]

Haha spot on on BRS. i saw one video on easy corals and they mentioned torch. $100 lesson...

Plentiful lifestock inherited from the previous owner. will be giving/selling it away to reduce bioload.