IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP!

[Jim C]

So I am in desperate need of help to say the least. This is a long post so I apologize in advance. A week ago I took my existing 150 gallon tank and transferred everything in it to my new 125 gallon tank. I took all the fish, coral, and rock, put them in aerated garbage cans for a few hours as I moved out the existing tank and plumbed the new one. The only thing I did not transfer was the sand, as I thought it would be better just to use completely new. So after I plumbed everything, I put all water and livestock into the new tank, and things looked good. However, as the days have progressed, all 7 of my monti caps have slowly faded into a dull gray color. My hammers and torches are sort of open, but have not fully extended like they used to.

The lights are an 8 bulb ATI T5 unit hanging 14 inches above the water. The only thing different from the old tank to the new is the fact that I added a Gyre XF250. I thought maybe too strong flow, but it is only running at pulse mode between 10-20%. My once vibrant reef is dying in front of my eyes and I have no idea why. The only bright spot is that the fish are fine.

Parameters are as follows:
Temp 80
pH 8.1
Salinity 1.025
Alk 8.0
Cal 410
Nitrate: 3 ppm
Phosphate: Close to 0 per API test kit

 

[Jim C]

Any ideas?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

dang!!!!

first how much light did the old tank get. the same?
no other changes to the system?

#reefsquad

are you or can you run an agressive carbon via reactor or canister?

 

[Jim C]

No changes to light. If I don't have a reactor would putting carbon in a media bag be enough?

 

[twilliard]

There is a problem that can be encountered when disturbing a tank substantially. That is the release of toxic sulfur dioxide's. Did the old tank smell bad when tearing it down?
These dioxide's have severe consequences to corals.

 

[brandon429]

among variables listed the light intensity can be dropped and have the least harm to the system. its always a compounding effect to have X irritating the system with full-on intensity lighting in play

until discovered if it was my tank that light power would drop substantially. production intensity lighting isn't for stress periods/cause hunting imo

can you post a full tank shot so we can see other details if applicable

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

There is a problem that can be encountered when disturbing a tank substantially. That is the release of toxic sulfur dioxide's. Did the old tank smell bad when tearing it down?
These dioxide's have severe consequences to corals.

yes, but would affect fish too yea?. its really weird, grey coral?
def feels like a toxin/contamination.

No changes to light. If I don't have a reactor would putting carbon in a media bag be enough?

it would be best in an area of high flow. Gfo would be a good call to as it will pull toxins and sulfer dioxide too if thats the case.

did you use soap in the holding tanks?

among variables listed the light intensity can be dropped and have the least harm to the system. its always a compounding effect to have X irritating the system with full-on intensity lighting in play

until discovered if it was my tank that light power would drop substantially. production intensity lighting isn't for stress periods/cause hunting imo

can you post a full tank shot so we can see other details if applicable

agreed.

 

[twilliard]

yes, but would affect fish too yea?. its really weird, grey coral?
def feels like a toxin/contamination.


it would be best in an area of high flow. Gfo would be a good call to as it will pull toxins and sulfer dioxide too if thats the case.

did you use soap in the holding tanks?


agreed.

When I was playing around with dioxide's fish had little change to exposure but corals sure take a hit.

 

[Triggreef]

Check ammonia? Any abnormal cloudy to the water?

Check your po4? A sudden and likely total loss of po4 could certainly cause a like scenario. I'd drop lighting slightly to relieve some stress and let them recover.

 

[Triggreef]

#reefsquad for help

 

[Jim C]

FTS---approximately 5 days ago, monti caps seen in pic are now completely gray.

 

[Jim C]

There is a problem that can be encountered when disturbing a tank substantially. That is the release of toxic sulfur dioxide's. Did the old tank smell bad when tearing it down?
These dioxide's have severe consequences to corals.

The tank did not smell until all the water was drained and I was left with just a deep disgusting sandbed. However, I made sure that the sand was not stirred up until all over the water was drained out.

 

[CodyRVA]

+1 on PO4, and contamination from your holding containers. Did you add any bottled bacteria to supplement your losses? You mentioned this was a new 125, any chance you could have an issue with this new system?

 

[Jim C]

yes, but would affect fish too yea?. its really weird, grey coral?
def feels like a toxin/contamination.


it would be best in an area of high flow. Gfo would be a good call to as it will pull toxins and sulfer dioxide too if thats the case.

did you use soap in the holding tanks?


agreed.

Nope. No soap was used in handling the tanks.

 

[Jim C]

+1 on PO4, and contamination from your holding containers. Did you add any bottled bacteria to supplement your losses? You mentioned this was a new 125, any chance you could have an issue with this new system?

I did add two bottles of Bio Spiria after the transfer.

 

[Jim C]

Also if it helps...so two days after the transfer a couple of the monti caps were paling. It wasn't too bad so I did not think anything of it. The next day, I added the green monti cap seen in the pic above. A couple of days later that new coral is now completely gray. So I think it is telling that even a coral that was not present during the transfer still faded very quickly.

 

[CodyRVA]

I did add two bottles of Bio Spiria after the transfer.

What about this new system, has it been used before? Any chance you have a contamination issue here, electrical problem, etc, etc?

 

[Jim C]

What about this new system, has it been used before? Any chance you have a contamination issue here, electrical problem, etc, etc?

The tank is completely new. Nothing electrical has changed since my previous tank.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I agree with putting carbon in ASAP. Without any significant changes in equipment or parameters, my next bet is some kind of toxin which carbon should pull out.

 

[Jim C]