Issues with corals and additives.

[DarthVaderReef]

Good Morning.
Tank. 90 aga. 15 gallon sump and 10 gallon refug. Tank has been up for 4 years. I did as most do, purchased gsp 4 years ago and lost the battle with gsp taking over almost all rock losing some corals. After some research, I moved corals I could save to refug and took it offline and treated tank with Thomas Laboratories Fish Bendazole Fenbendazole to remove gsp. After two half doses, all gsp were gone. I removed sheets of them and rock was clean. Did a 100% water change and dosed brightwell microbacter7. Added shrimp and watched ammonia level. Two weeks later, no ammonia and added fish back slowly to tank. Fish are all good for that past 4 months. Also have been running carbon for 4 months changing it every 2 weeks. Started adding corals back 3 months ago and they do not look well and are slowly dying. Everything is in line for what I can test:
po4: 0.04 -0.1ppm Hanna ULR
Nitrates: 2-5ppm Salifert
Alk: 8.2-8.4 dkh Hanna
Calc: 420-480 Redsea Pro
Mag: 1200-1280 Redsea Pro

Observations:
Corals look terrible and some tissue loss.
The tank is not using any alk or calcium. I have not changed water in a month.
Stopped dosing microbacter7 when po4 and nitrates dropped to lower levels above.
It is like my tank is frozen since treatment with Bendazole Fenbendazole.
Purchased new test kits at the end of January just to make sure nothing was bad on all the test kits.
Chaeto looks good and is growing. Light has been shut off for a few days since nitrates and po4 were low.

Questions:
Has anyone seen similar results?
Should I do a reboot?
What else should I try? Was thinking about doing a Triton test.

 

[SPR1968]

To start with I would get a different magnesium test kit because the magnesium level is on the low side and the Red Sea test kit is notorious for giving high readings, were as it’s giving a lowish reading in your case. It’s also very easy to get tests errors with it due to the number of steps.

Magnesium has an important role with its interaction with calcium and alkalinity (and your tank isn’t using any as you say) and if it’s low it can cause a sorts of issues with corals.

I can recommend the NYOS if you can get it, it’s very accurate and simple

Just my initial thoughts as your other numbers look ok, maybe increase the nitrate a bit for more coral food and I assume the salinity is ok

And welcome to R2R as well!

 

[DarthVaderReef]

Thank you.
I have a salifert calcium, salifert magnesium and salifert alk test that should be delivered today. Was thinking about getting Nyos nitrate test with the BRS video I saw in the past. Will look at other test kits as well.
Salinity is fine. I test with refactometer and tested with test solution every month. Only had to adjust it a handful of times.

 

[BeejReef]

why no water change in a month?

barring anything particularly insightful to say, that would have been my first impulse.... maybe flush out the remnants of that gsp treatment?

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

+1 On the MAG.
+1 on water changes
Seems as if the treatment is still having an affect. Could take a while to get out with it seeping into the rocks. Send off for ICP testing and see if there is some other underlining problem. Could just take time. Hope things rebound!

 

[DarthVaderReef]

I did two huge water changes after the treatment 4 months ago. Nitrates and Phosphates dropped very low so I stopped doing water changes to see if Nitrates and Phosphates would come back up. Did not want Dino's to appear. Blew off rock and vacuumed sand bed to get all medication out.

Planning on doing a 10%-20% WC in the morning. Unless you think I need to do more.

Got my new test kits yesterday and tested yesterday afternoon and this morning.
magnesium: 1350
Calcium: 440
Alk: 7.8 Hanna still shows 8.2

Not sure why the system stalled like this with Bendazole Fenbendazole.

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

That MAG # is better! Yes, 15%-20% WC will do. I would still send off for ICP orTriton test. I followed my test kits (red sea, salifert) to a "T" and after sending off for testing my MAG was off (low)! I had to switch to Aquaforest kit for MAG test. It was the only one that would come close to ICP #'s for me but that's mine. Still it may reveal something you haven't looked for or thought about. I try to send off for testing ever 4-5 months or so for piece of mind. Helps keep things stable.

Or the treatment fully restarted your system and your tank needs to "remature" again!!

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

oh, and Welcome to R@R!

 

[DarthVaderReef]

Update: Did the water change and still not using up alk or calcium. I tested for nitrates and phosphates and they were low Nitrates were 0 and phosphates were .01. Started adding nitrates till I got to 10 and feeding more to bring up phosphates. Did 2 more water changes and started to get Dinos while bringing up nitrates and phosphates. Dosing Dr Tim's Waste away and and watching Nitrates and Phosphates. Also, stopped dosing amino's every week. My phosphates are now 0.03 and Nitrates are 10. This morning, I tested alk and it is finally down .1 dkh from Saturday. I think I am on the path to balance again. Thank you.