Help SPS dying for the past 9 months

[smh254]

I have a 40b 20g sump/fuge. For flow 1 mp10 and 2 rw4. My sump first section overflow with filter sock, cad lights skimmer, heater and probes. Second section chato, mangrove,sand and rock. Third section. Jebao DC 6000, float switches, and this is where I dose BRS 2part. Tank is 28 months old.
Now for my problem. For the past nine months my SPS have been slowly dying. It's driving me crazy that I can't figure it out.

. Here some pic from a year ago of some of the same corals.

I've had multiple triton test done over the past year with nothing major showing up. Here's my most recent test. The SPS in my tank looked really bad when I sent this test off. I thought something was going to show up.

ALK 7.4 to 7.7 dkh. I dose 16ml CA 14ml ALK daily. Flourish nitrogen when no3 get low potassium and magnesium when it gets low.
Got home today and SPS look worse than ever so I went through and did all my test and everything came back good ALK 135ppm Hanna 7.7 Salifert
Ca 440 salifert
Mag 1320 sal
No3 4 RS 3 nyos
Po4 0 Hanna
Potassium 390
This problem comes and goes and I don't know why. Things will be doing fine for a month and then go downhill for two weeks and then are fine for another month or two and then it happens again. Now it's slowly just going downhill full time. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smh254]

RO/DI zeroTDS all the time. 15g water change every month.

 

[McMullen]

Very difficult to diagnose problem! Are you suffering from an ULNS? I'm assuming alk is stable.

And before you say no, your phosphate is 0. Is nitrate frequently 0 too?

 

[smh254]

ULNS? ALK stays stable test almost every day 7.4 to 7.7 nitrates stay around 2 to 3 but u do have to dose flourish nitrogen to keep them there.

 

[smh254]

Full tank shot from January 15 and today

 

[McMullen]

Ultra low nutrient system

My 'guess' is a nutrient issue. Nitrate/phosphate, starvation.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Sounds like a PO4 limited system, if it's consuming NO3 and you are having to add it, and your PO4 is always 0 then your system is probably phosphate limited. Sometimes you can control your phosphates by feeding extra phosphate rich foods (like pellets and powdered flake food to your corals) and it will help boost phosphate levels, in a phosphate limited system whatever "extra" you expected to end up in the water gets quickly consumed by your bacteria. Making it unavailable. If you get constant zero tests I would consider dosing PO4, it may be a daily thing until you reach an equilibrium. I personally use NeoPhos from brightwell aquatics. But you can also use Na3PO4 (food grade trisodium phosphate). That's what I would try anyway.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Definitely need the #Reefsquad

 

[smh254]

I have never got a reading for po4 on the test I do. Triton test from 4 months ago was .004 and this last one from two weeks ago was .007 so I will try dosing some po4.

 

[Sabellafella]

I have a 40b 20g sump/fuge. For flow 1 mp10 and 2 rw4. My sump first section overflow with filter sock, cad lights skimmer, heater and probes. Second section chato, mangrove,sand and rock. Third section. Jebao DC 6000, float switches, and this is where I dose BRS 2part. Tank is 28 months old.
Now for my problem. For the past nine months my SPS have been slowly dying. It's driving me crazy that I can't figure it out.

. Here some pic from a year ago of some of the same corals.

I've had multiple triton test done over the past year with nothing major showing up. Here's my most recent test. The SPS in my tank looked really bad when I sent this test off. I thought something was going to show up.

ALK 7.4 to 7.7 dkh. I dose 16ml CA 14ml ALK daily. Flourish nitrogen when no3 get low potassium and magnesium when it gets low.
Got home today and SPS look worse than ever so I went through and did all my test and everything came back good ALK 135ppm Hanna 7.7 Salifert
Ca 440 salifert
Mag 1320 sal
No3 4 RS 3 nyos
Po4 0 Hanna
Potassium 390
This problem comes and goes and I don't know why. Things will be doing fine for a month and then go downhill for two weeks and then are fine for another month or two and then it happens again. Now it's slowly just going downhill full time. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Try to dip them for pest. Have you tryed yet? Also have you made any changes?

 

[Sabellafella]

If the p04 is ben that low for that long, all those lps would look terrible so i dont see that being the problem. You could try feeding more tho, that level is indeed pretty(imo dangerously) low

 

[smh254]

Try to dip them for pest. Have you tryed yet? Also have you made any changes?

I've done every thing I could think of. I've dip them in revive no pest. I've dipped in iodine no help. Nothing has changed in the system other than swapping out equipment thinking it might help. The only thing I haven't swapped out that has been in the system the hole time is my ATO float switch apex probes and mp10.

 

[smh254]

If the p04 is ben that low for that long, all those lps would look terrible so i dont see that being the problem. You could try feeding more tho, that level is indeed pretty(imo dangerously) low

I feed a lot. I was thinking about taking my skimmer offline to see if that would help.

 

[smh254]

I do have a pretty large PH swing everyday could this be the problem.

 

[Sabellafella]

I do have a pretty large PH swing everyday could this be the problem.

Doesnt look that bad, from what ive seen an experienced. .3 is average. I dont think its a problem. Also it could be bacteria, id still dip them to see whete it gets you

 

[smh254]

I've done every thing I could think of. I've dip them in revive no pest. I've dipped in iodine no help. Nothing has changed in the system other than swapping out equipment thinking it might help. The only thing I haven't swapped out that has been in the system the hole time is my ATO float switch apex probes and mp10.

 

[Sabellafella]

I know some of those acros are encrusted, but ive snapped colonys off then glued them back. Took about two weeks to all heal up, and you could never tell it happend. Maybe try clipping the dieng tissue?

 

[smh254]

Two weeks ago I snapped this strawberry shortcake and a pc Rainbow off and dipped in revive with no pest. Placed back into the tank and dipped in iodine the following day with no help.

 

[skim]

Just curious, you did not mention any temp. for the tank. What is the temp? and have you had any large swings lately? As for dip you should use like something like RX from two little fishies. You did not mention if you use GAC, you may want to try some as something maybe be releasing something that irritates your SPS as in one of your pic's the SPS is releasing its coat to expel something away. The other thing is do you feed the SPS with any type of Coral food. You may want to remove your Filter Sock for a while and see if if they perk up. They could be starving.

 

[smh254]

Just curious, you did not mention any temp. for the tank. What is the temp? and have you had any large swings lately? As for dip you should use like something like RX from two little fishies. You did not mention if you use GAC, you may want to try some as something maybe be releasing something that irritates your SPS as in one of your pic's the SPS is releasing its coat to expel something away. The other thing is do you feed the SPS with any type of Coral food. You may want to remove your Filter Sock for a while and see if if they perk up. They could be starving.

Temp swings 78.4- 78.9 i do use chemi-pure that goes between the last baffles in my sump. No large swings. I do feed my coral using reef roids, benepets.