Is it normal for corals to randomly die

[Jvesche20]

I have probably 75+ different types of corals in my tank. Some older than others. Im transforming to mainly sps corals. I have a lot of acros that sit on the top of my tank and plenty of zoas that are in a garden and on the frag rack. I got some montis and a few lps. Its not often that my frags just die out of no where but its happening. Some of my acros are growing like weeds while others just die out of no where after having it in my tank for 5 months or so. I also have a monti bloody marry that is deciding to start to bleach. All my parameters are in check no spikes. I use a doser and check it every so often. I dont know if theres something that I'm doing wrong or if its normal for smaller frags sometimes to just get nuked out of nowhere. My tank is mature with plenty of fish.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I have probably 75+ different types of corals in my tank. Some older than others. Im transforming to mainly sps corals. I have a lot of acros that sit on the top of my tank and plenty of zoas that are in a garden and on the frag rack. I got some montis and a few lps. Its not often that my frags just die out of no where but its happening. Some of my acros are growing like weeds while others just die out of no where after having it in my tank for 5 months or so. I also have a monti bloody marry that is deciding to start to bleach. All my parameters are in check no spikes. I use a doser and check it every so often. I dont know if theres something that I'm doing wrong or if its normal for smaller frags sometimes to just get nuked out of nowhere. My tank is mature with plenty of fish.

What is your parameters? What lights and settings?

 

[Jvesche20]

Alk 9.5
Calcium 450
Phosphate .05
Nitrite my test kit is bad so it reads 0
Same with nitrate
I do weekly water changes.
I can test magnesium when I get home if that’s super important. I was always told only worry about that once per month. Can’t remember what it tested last time I checked.
Am I missing anything?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Alk 9.5
Calcium 450
Phosphate .05
Nitrite my test kit is bad so it reads 0
Same with nitrate
I do weekly water changes.
I can test magnesium when I get home if that’s super important. I was always told only worry about that once per month. Can’t remember what it tested last time I checked.
Am I missing anything?

N03 if it's low in conjunction with po4 at that value, could cause stress. Could.

Are you dipping everything before adding to your system?

When they die out, do they RTN/STN?

 

[Jvesche20]

Rapid is how fast? Some I notice the coral has a white spot then it slowly takes over. If the coral is big enough then I’ll frag it. I’ve only had like 5 or 6 corals die in 8 months or so so it’s not like they are all dying slowly just a few every month or 2. I just don’t wanna buy an expensive coral down the road and have it die.

Yes I’m dipping all the corals with revive Coral cleanse or bayer.

Should I start to increase N03? I only have api test kit never really thought to get a better test kit for that item. Have Red Sea and hanna for other test kits.

I dip the corals when I notice they are dying and never noticed anything come off.

I was scared when my AOI decided to have one of the heads wouldn’t come out for a few weeks then when it did it lost color. Then out of no where that frag just starting growing heads like crazy.

I also added a new light system in the last few Months. Could this be the issue? Maybe my kessil intensity is too high for having a hybrid system. Not really sure the issue

 

[AngryMike2016]

Get a better test kit; API has big margins of error. I like the Red Sea nitrates.

I too had a lot of issues with my SPS until I got my nitrates and phosphates up. I presently have ~5 no3, and ~0.1 po4.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Get a better test kit; API has big margins of error. I like the Red Sea nitrates.

I too had a lot of issues with my SPS until I got my nitrates and phosphates up. I presently have ~5 no3, and ~0.1 po4.

Yep. Agreed

 

[Timfish]

I love API's pH and Alkalinity kits but thier Nitrate test kit I've found can go bad surprisingly quickly. Keep in mind when researchers look at the corals holobiont and internal biomarkers it can take months and months for a coral to recover from a stress event. Frag size also is important with one study showing significant differences in long term survival between >5cm and <5cm. Sadly, we cannot use either color, growth or polyp extension as indicators of health.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk is a little high. bright lights rarely go well with many acro.
Have you changed salt brand or type of water?
My first suggestion. . . . Not knowing accuracy of your test kit, take a water sample to a trusted LFS and have them test as many parameters as they can for you to see what readings they get and how they compare with your tests.
Once you have those readings, you will know what direction you need to go with any adjustments, , , , , without chasing any parameters.
Any pictures may prove helpful also.
Buy the Best test kits and equipment you CANNOT afford. . . . Meaning buy it once and have the most reliable resources possible.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Rapid is how fast? Some I notice the coral has a white spot then it slowly takes over. If the coral is big enough then I’ll frag it. I’ve only had like 5 or 6 corals die in 8 months or so so it’s not like they are all dying slowly just a few every month or 2. I just don’t wanna buy an expensive coral down the road and have it die.

Yes I’m dipping all the corals with revive Coral cleanse or bayer.

Should I start to increase N03? I only have api test kit never really thought to get a better test kit for that item. Have Red Sea and hanna for other test kits.

I dip the corals when I notice they are dying and never noticed anything come off.

I was scared when my AOI decided to have one of the heads wouldn’t come out for a few weeks then when it did it lost color. Then out of no where that frag just starting growing heads like crazy.

I also added a new light system in the last few Months. Could this be the issue? Maybe my kessil intensity is too high for having a hybrid system. Not really sure the issue

With RTN, as the name implies, tissue loss is sudden. STN is slow. RTN can happen very quickly, overnight or in a day or two. STN can take days or longer.

What has been your rate of decline with a coral that has died? Slow or sudden?