Help! Why is it Dying?

[AlyHarper]

Hey yall! My corals are all over the place and I can't figure out why?! My GSP all but died, but now it is doing much better with more frequent water changes. My birds nest and Zoa actually started to look bad as my GSP got better. And I just can figure out why. (This has been a time frame about 3 to 4 weeks) I was dosing for PH and Calcium but was recommended to stop the marine buffer so i havent dosed either in the past 2 water changes. Here are Parameters and photos.

24gallon tank established 2 years
Ph 7.8
Ammonia 0.50ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Kh 10.5
Calcium 300
Phosphate 0
Salinity 1.023

I dont have anything to test my magnesium yet, and my protien skimmer has been working on and off. It'll run for 2 days and stop for a day and start running again. That has only been about a week (Haven't figured out best option for a new skimmer yet)

 

[Oldreefer44]

Several things:
24gallon tank established 2 years
Ph 7.8 7.8 is at the low end of acceptable ideally would be closer to 8.2 but
Ammonia 0.50ppm: Should be 0.00
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm: Should have some present
Kh 10.5
Calcium 300: On the low end should be closer to 400
Phosphate 0: Should have some present
Salinity 1.023: Should be higher, closer to 1.025
That being said I would start by verifying that your numbers are correct by taking to an lfs, using a second test type or even an ICP test.

 

[RedFrog211]

0.5 ammonia is the most probable cause, and should not be detectable In an established reef. Have you done any major water changes or made any huge changes recently?

 

[AlyHarper]

0.5 ammonia is the most probable cause, and should not be detectable In an established reef. Have you done any major water changes or made any huge changes recently?

I started using RODI water for my water changes instead of priming my faucet water. That's why I started dosing for PH and Calcium. After a couple of my clean up crew died, I talked with a local place who said my PH marine buffer that i used to off set the low PH, could be causing my KH to spike. Should I go back to using prime on my faucet water instead of the RODi?

 

[AlyHarper]

Several things:
24gallon tank established 2 years
Ph 7.8 7.8 is at the low end of acceptable ideally would be closer to 8.2 but
Ammonia 0.50ppm: Should be 0.00
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 0ppm: Should have some present
Kh 10.5
Calcium 300: On the low end should be closer to 400
Phosphate 0: Should have some present
Salinity 1.023: Should be higher, closer to 1.025
That being said I would start by verifying that your numbers are correct by taking to an lfs, using a second test type or even an ICP test.

Do you trust the Hannah Test kits? I have the Sulifret brand but can't be 100% sure they are accurate.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you trust the Hannah Test kits? I have the Sulifret brand but can't be 100% sure they are accurate.

I only use Hanna.
With the ammonia level which is elevated, you should be seeing nitrate and zero raises concern.
Raise salinity and Phos best at .04-.08
ph at 7.8 ok as long as it is stable and not up and down. At 10.5 kh, your ph should be a little higher though
I dont think the ammonia is the cause but use of tap water would be likely in addition to low salinity and possible nitrate.
Seeing that you listed Nitrite which is of no significance in saltwater unless sky high, can I assume you are using Api kit also?

 

[AlyHarper]

I have the api reef kit (ph, nirates/nitrite, and ammonia) and the sulifret for calcium phosphate and KH. But I have not been using primed tap water for 6 to 8 months now. My husband ran a 5 stage rodi we have been using. I was Using marine PH buffer and reef advantage calcium (both searched brand). Until about a week ago when I stopped using them because someone more experienced said they believed it might be the cause of my GSP not doing well.

Could this all be because of a insufficient amount of clean up crew?

 

[Oldreefer44]

CUC would have minor impact. My recommendation would be to start a series of water changes of 10 to 15% every 2 to 3 days and retest. This should gradually put parameters back in line and enable you to stop dosing for the time being. Once parameters are back in line dose accordingly.