Losing my Chalice corals - Help!

Drew in Texas · Dec 4, 2019

Parameters 12/4 for my 150g tank, approx 7 years old...
Salt 1.022
PH 7.82
Phosphate .25
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia .25
Alkalinity 7.9
Temp. 77°F

Sorry, I don't have a way to measure mag.

These are not too outside the norms for this tank, which are rock solid most of the time. Salt is normally .020-.024; Ammonia is usually zero so it's a little high. Use reef roids intermittently and brine.

Obviously my Hollywood Stunner is dying. This is new, and progressing too fast for my liking. Any help (sooner rather than later) would be greatly appreciated.

Retro Reefer · Dec 4, 2019

Besides the ammonia, The biggest thing that sticks out to me is .25 Po4 and 0 nitrates, I would get the phosphate down and nitrates up.. you really need a mg test, hard to set your cal & Alk without having your magnesium right.

anything change recently with your lighting? Mine doesn't like to much light.

Drew in Texas · Dec 4, 2019

No change to the lighting. It's on the bottom, with sunlight to that side blocked.

Leadfooted · Dec 4, 2019

CA levels please? My hollywood's a huge indicator for low CA. If my CA gets below 400 the skin of the hollywood shows signs of trouble.

Duffer · Dec 4, 2019

a couple of things.
1. what is your calcium? Try to also get a mag test, if not at least if possible go to a lfs and get them tested.
2. nitrate at 0 may not be helping, try to get that up some.
3. I find in my tank my corals seem to like salinty at 1.26

Leadfooted · Dec 4, 2019

Retro Reefer said:
anything change recently with your lighting? Mine doesn't like to much light.

I agree, especially with the center peeling , any changes to light?

McDam · Dec 4, 2019

Typically the only problem I have had with chalices was a lack of nutrients. Other than that they are typically happy and like dirtier water. And usually, with a lack of nutrients, they seem to recede and deflated from the edges. Yours looks more centered. Have you had an increase in lighting recently or an alk spike within the last month or so?

Try to feed more and bring up your nutrient levels to a detectable amount of nitrates, reef roids after dark will do. Try to get a magnesium reading and dose accordingly, it may not be an issue but in my experience, it seems to aid in recovery.

Some amino's wouldn't hurt either.

Small steps, it's not on its way out yet.
The remainder of the tissue looks healthy.

tankstudy · Dec 4, 2019

I would double check that ammonia first. It may appear low but 0.25 ppm will damage corals, especially sensitive ones.

Drew in Texas · Dec 4, 2019

Leadfoot- light question asked and answered above.

Having the lfs test a water sample for mag and ca this evening. I'll update when I have the answers. Will also pick up mag to dose. Seifert and Hanna testers bought thru Amazon an hour ago. Will be here next week. Hopefully the lfs can help slow the degeneration.

Drew in Texas · Dec 4, 2019

A common thread I see here is light. My light has been static for 3 year (High end led), and the coral hasn't been moved in months. I will move it to somewhere a little darker if I need to. Do I dose with mag first, or just move it?

Dj City · Dec 4, 2019

Have you tested your mag yet?
If there have been no changes to lighting I would not suggest moving it.
Don't dose mag unless you know your mag level!

My best advice would be to do a largish water change.

Drew in Texas · Dec 4, 2019

*12/4, 1750hrs (CST) update*

Won't be able to make it to the lfs tonight. Have a water sample - we'll be there when the doors open at 10am. The sample is big enough for them to test all parameters. I'll post them when I have them.

I genuinely appreciate the input. Despite having been in the hobby for a few decades, there are a lot of things (sick corals for example) I still struggle with. I've been blessed with larger tanks (the 150 I have now is the smallest I've had in a long time), and they tend to keep themselves with regular care and feeding. I can go many years with no issues at all, then velvet will kill all my fish. Then several more years pass and I get a coral die off (one chalice dead, months later, another now sick). It's a great thing to have resources such as y'all to fill in the gaps. Thank you.

Dj City · Dec 4, 2019

Some things stay the same.
Water changes tend to get systems back to the right balance.
If something is wrong with the water, chalice coral tend to let you know.
A good water change or two might set things back to right.

Drew in Texas · Dec 5, 2019

We do a 20% water change every other week, and have done an additional since the coral started showing signs of distress. In the last 3 weeks there's been a 50% water change. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt.

Zoajohn · Dec 5, 2019

I had this issue in my nano. Was not a nutrient problem, wasn’t a calcium/alk problem, nor lighting. I think it was a contaminant or microbial issue. It started out of nowhere following a Dino outbreak after 5 solid months of growth. Nonetheless I don’t try chalices in it anymore. I hope you find a solution

Dj City · Dec 5, 2019

It's good that you have done the water changes.
It would probably be a good idea to run some fresh carbon as well.

Saltyreef · Dec 5, 2019

I would switch your salt to blue bucket. Rscp mixes at a way high alk and your corals may not like the swing. Get your MAC in order.

For me and my experience, my chalices didnt like alk below 7, and are sensitive to swinging parameters from water changes with pro salts. Youll do just fine with blue bucket and your parameters wont swing as hard from a water change.
Ive lost a good deal of them over the years and have grown some beauties. Some more sensitive than others.

I recently switched from RSCP to blue bucket myself.

Drew in Texas · Dec 5, 2019

12/5/2019 - 10am update:

Testing at lfs: they said they don't test for mag. Water sample taken at 9am this morning.

Last evening, Reef Roids and Buffer added to fuge.

Ph: 8.1
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: .20
Phosphate: .25
Ca: 260
Na: 1.020

I ordered a Hanna calcium tester and a mag test kit via Amazon yesterday. They said it will be here on Monday.

sde1500 · Dec 5, 2019

Is that an API test kit for ammonia? Hopefully a false positive, a mature tank should never have positive ammonia levels. Your salinity seems to be trending the wrong way, down. But if that calcium level is accurate it is almost certainly the problem. Far far too low.

bryanfuel · Dec 5, 2019

Drew in Texas said:
12/5/2019 - 10am update:

Testing at lfs: they said they don't test for mag. Water sample taken at 9am this morning.

Last evening, Reef Roids and Buffer added to fuge.

Ph: 8.1
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: .20
Phosphate: .25
Ca: 260
Na: 1.020

I ordered a Hanna calcium tester and a mag test kit via Amazon yesterday. They said it will be here on Monday.

Ahhhh, I think you found your problem with that ca! Which is weird since you’re using black bucket. Do you notice any precipitated calc build up near the top of the tank. Either way I would start dosing calc.