Is salinity enough to kill a torch coral overnight?

[germs101]

I bought a torch coral two weeks ago. It didn't look as great as it did in the store (expanding), so I did a 50%water change last night to hopefully perk it up. I just checked on it, and it was completely brown jelly. I'm trying to pinpoint what caused it's death. Here are the results of my water quality I just checked:
pH 8.2
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphate 0
Calcium 480 ppm
KH 10-11 dkh
Salinity 1.03

I was surprised at the salinity. I keep it at 1.025. It's a 10 gallon tank, so perhaps I misread the salinity of my new saltwater, and that's what caused the rise. I've received corals in water that was 1.03 before, so although I'd never keep my water that high I'm surprised it would kill the torch so fast. Any ideas?

 

[Mal11224]

The salinity may not have been the main culprit. LPS usually fair well in lower salinity. I think your issue is your relatively high alkalinity. You have no nitrates in your tank and your alkalinity is way too high. Euphyllias need nitrates to survive. You need nutrients in your tank and you may need to gradually get your alk a little lower. Perhaps in the 9s.

 

[germs101]

The salinity may not have been the main culprit. LPS usually fair well in lower salinity. I think your issue is your relatively high alkalinity. You have no nitrates in your tank and your alkalinity is way too high. Euphyllias need nitrates to survive. You need nutrients in your tank and you may need to gradually get your alk a little lower. Perhaps in the 9s.

Perhaps I need to research some new salt mixes with lower alkalinity. I have been dosing phytoplankton for the feather duster, and I do feed the shrimp pellets. Why such a sudden death though? I wish I had tested the water before the water change.

 

[Mal11224]

How old is your tank? You did a 50% water change on a small tank. That may have had something to do with it especially if your parameters were different prior to the water change. may have caused an alk spike.

 

[germs101]

How old is your tank? You did a 50% water change on a small tank. That may have had something to do with it especially if your parameters were different prior to the water change. may have caused an alk spike.

It's been running for over a year.

 

[Palyzoa]

Are there any other live stock in the tank, if so, how are they doing?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

If you did a big water change with water of an extremely different salinity. Yea. In think that could do it.

 

[germs101]

Are there any other live stock in the tank, if so, how are they doing?

Cleaner shrimp and a feather duster. Both seemed fine.

 

[Palyzoa]

How do you measure your Salinity?

 

[germs101]

How do you measure your Salinity?

A refractometer, although, it was newly mixed saltwater. I've never had a problem with just mixed water, but I've put it in larger tanks.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Dang. That's frustrating.

Just a kinda pro tip. Measure your salt in grams on a scale. It's probably on the box. IO is 800 grams to 5g.
Try to figure out where 5g is in your bucket
It measures consistent salinity every time. I almost don't test.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

It got a bacterial infection probably due to transporting it home a smashed itself.

 

[germs101]

The feather duster in the tank that was purchased the same time as the torch just died. The only thing left is the cleaner shrimp. Something must be very off.

 

[Tyler_Fishman]

Sometimes I get wierd readings with my refractometer I calibrate my refractometer with each use just to be precise, if you add the 35ppt solution it tends to slowly go up or down from the 35 point, once I read 1.030 when it was really 1.025

 

[nkyreef]

I agree with @Tyler_Fishman in regards to the calibration fluid. I used to use RO/DI water to calibrate to 0.0 (that's how the person who I bought the tank from told me to do it). Once I calibrated with the 35ppt solution (< $10) I noticed my refractometer was way off.

 

[germs101]

I agree with @Tyler_Fishman in regards to the calibration fluid. I used to use RO/DI water to calibrate to 0.0 (that's how the person who I bought the tank from told me to do it). Once I calibrated with the 35ppt solution (< $10) I noticed my refractometer was way off.

I was using the RO water as well. I guess I'll buy the fluid!

 

[Instigate]

Sometimes I get wierd readings with my refractometer I calibrate my refractometer with each use just to be precise, if you add the 35ppt solution it tends to slowly go up or down from the 35 point, once I read 1.030 when it was really 1.025

Are you using the same light source every time? I don't think calibration should be required that often. Different light can give you different readings.

 

[germs101]

Are you using the same light source every time? I don't think calibration should be required that often. Different light can give you different readings.

It's not the same light source. I ordered the fluid today, so I'll see if the refractometer reads 0 when that comes in.

 

[Instigate]

It's not the same light source. I ordered the fluid today, so I'll see if the refractometer reads 0 when that comes in.

Mine was like .003 off before calibration and I was taking readings with the sunlight and with a CFL bulb and was getting very different results. After calibration I obviously only use the same light source I used for calibration for reading the refractometer.

 

[nkyreef]

Using the same light source is a good point. Typically when I calibrate mine @ 35ppt, I then measure my tank water right afterwards all in my makeshift lab in the basement.