HELP my tanks is dying

jelly · Jul 28, 2013

all my sps corals are browning out and are losing tissue and my lps are not looking the greatest.. I don't know what is wrong water test.PH 8.2, mag 1200, cal 390, no3 2ppm, po4 .07, alk 9, temp 80, sal 1.026, even tests for stray current and there was nothing.. im trying to get my mag up to 1300.

jduck · Jul 28, 2013

Parameters seem ok. Has there been a change in Alk recently?

Reefpro · Jul 28, 2013

IMO your mag is way too low, also ck test kits against others. If the kits are older than 6 months they are usually deemed out dated or "spoiled". My best guess is mag is too low and u have some phosphate issues. Are u having an algae bloom? What kinda lighting are you using?

jelly · Jul 28, 2013

I use red sea test kits that are under a year old. I run LED lighting and thinking of going back to MH and t5. my po4 really isn't that high considering some people run theres higher.. im still getting some cyano. im boosting my mg to 1300 and my cal to 430. I haven't had any alk swings so I have no idea whats wrong.. I even called my buddy beefy who has loads of information and he is even stumped..

Mr E Wrasse · Jul 28, 2013

when in doubt, do a couple water changes

jelly · Jul 28, 2013

I did a 90g water change.. its got 220 total gallons

Reefing Madness · Jul 28, 2013

If you've got SPS and LPS, your MAG and Cal are to low. I'd bump those numbers up.
Recently switch lighting?

jelly · Jul 28, 2013

I boosted my mag 1300 and my cal to 430 today.. my lights have been on for a year and a half..

mcarroll · Jul 29, 2013

jelly said:
my lights have been on for a year and a half..

13000 hours on without a break - this maybe your problem. 8 hour on/16 hours off with a lamp timer would be better.

Seriously tho...hopefully bumping up your numbers (+water changes) will fix things.

-Matt

Reefing Madness · Jul 29, 2013

jelly said:
I boosted my mag 1300 and my cal to 430 today.. my lights have been on for a year and a half..

Old lamps could also cause you issues.

jelly · Jul 29, 2013

I run my lights for 8 hours and they are LED and only a year and a half old.. they don't need to be replaced

feh · Jul 29, 2013

What kind of flow do you have?

jelly · Jul 29, 2013

flow is 2 mp40s and and I use my return pump for flow as well

Reefpro · Jul 29, 2013

What test are you using to test phosphate? If API or anything other than something comparable to a Hanna or milwaukie tester I would consider testing again. I can tell you this anytime my mg drops below 1250 I see browning in SPS so it could be just ur mag. While it only takes a day or two to lose color it takes weeks sometimes months to recover. Hang in there

jelly · Jul 29, 2013

yea I used a lab grade po4 hanna tester that my friend uses. if mg below 1250 browns your sps I sure hope that's my issue.. I did boost my mag up to 1300 and cal to 430. I hope it works and I will hang in there.. it just really sucks when things die and more sucks when they are the corals you like that most.. it killed my jedi mind trick and superman monti. my mushrooms looked like crap for the last few days but today they do look better but I didn't think mg and cal levels would affect them much.

mcarroll · Jul 29, 2013

I've been down around 1200 (even 1100 once I think) a few times over the years and I don't remember seeing any side effects...always just found out about it in testing. FWIW.

Still might do the trick - or be part of what does the trick - for you!

-Matt

pumarjr · Jul 29, 2013

Have you changed anything recently? Especially your salt mix?

Reef Pets · Jul 29, 2013

That's a large water change. If you have a lot if rock that displaces water then you may have done more than a 50% water change. That itself can cause a lot of stress. Are you using rodi water? If so are you making the water yourself? Did you have a healthy reef before the issues or have you had problem for a while?

feh · Jul 29, 2013

jelly said:
yea I used a lab grade po4 hanna tester that my friend uses. if mg below 1250 browns your sps I sure hope that's my issue.. I did boost my mag up to 1300 and cal to 430. I hope it works and I will hang in there.. it just really sucks when things die and more sucks when they are the corals you like that most.. it killed my jedi mind trick and superman monti. my mushrooms looked like crap for the last few days but today they do look better but I didn't think mg and cal levels would affect them much.

I know how you feel. I had 2 decent size favia frags; well actually one was more like a mini colony around 15+ heads, bleach on me after my A/C went out and took 3 days to get it fixed. Also killed off my snails which caused a nice GHA bloom. So after about $400 finally realized my snails were mostly gone. I blame the extended high temps on the bleaching though. 86+ F temps... and 90 F temp ambient temps I was pretty stressed myself, not to mention my tank. I'm hoping the favias are going to color back up, but I've given up on my sticks. RTN on several and some bleaching.

jelly · Jul 29, 2013

nothing has changed what so ever. before this happen everything was colored great and was growing at an awesome rate. I do use rodi and make it myself with RC salt. my tank is a 180 with a 90 sump. an 80g water change was done once I seen the issue not before. its only anout 40% of my system total volume of water. never had any ill affects from doing 80g Water changes before. I do them once in a while other wise I only do 40g changes.