LPS dying. Not sure why

[forestsofkelp]

One of my favorites (I think it’s a blasto) is doing poorly. Not sure why. It’s done great for 1.5 years buts it’s been dying ever since a tank move across the street during a remodel (its in the “clean” house). Move was 6 months ago.

we added a protein skimmer shortly after the move as well.

I’ve been feeding it reef roids and moved it to a low light/low flow zone for the last 2 weeks. It gets better PE, but is still losing tissue.

I have asterina but they’ve never bothered corals before. Before I try exterminating those with shrimp, any other ideas? Maybe my nitrates are too low?

77-78deg//1.025 sal // Ca 1400// alk 181 ppm// mg was normal last week but wasn’t able to measure today // nitrates undetectable or 0.3ish depending on the week.

Apologies for the poor photo

 

[Biglew11]

Lps seem to like Nitrates about 5-10ppm phosphates .03-.1ppm. I still can't keep a blasto alive for the life of me. Is calcium really at 1400ppm or is that magnesium? Ca should be around 390-440ppm

 

[forestsofkelp]

thanks. I am not even sure its a blasto...I think it needs a little nitrate best because everything kinda seems to go south once the skimmer was put on.

 

[forestsofkelp]

thanks. I am not even sure its a blasto...I think it needs a little nitrate best because everything kinda seems to go south once the skimmer was put on.

 

[Biglew11]

77-78deg//1.025 sal // Ca 1400// alk 181 ppm// mg was normal last week but wasn’t able to measure today // nitrates undetectable or 0.3ish depending on the week.

Apologies for the poor photo

Is calcium really at 1400ppm or is that magnesium? Ca should be around 390-440ppm

 

[forestsofkelp]

Thanks for catching that. Yes Mg is 1400, my Ca is 480

 

[Biglew11]

I still think low nitrates, what are your phosphates at?

 

[Fish_Sticks]

LPS prefer a bit of dirtiness...

My mixed reef is mainly LPS, mushrooms, alveopora, leathers, trumpet corals... a few acros and montipora, but mainly LPS - they enjoy the dirty water.

In fact, I find my skimmer cleans too well. And I've decided to run my skimmer on a timer - 15 minutes every hour, wet skimmed to overflow back into the sump.

When it turns off, undissolved solids stick to the skimmer lid and cup, but not too many. This allows me to oxygenate the water, and clean it a little, but not too much.

 

[forestsofkelp]

PO unknown, I’ll check this week (tank is at my dads house due to remodel).

I hope it’s nitrates the poor guy is losing tissue fast.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Yeah like above mention, I'd put your skimmer on a timer. Likely a nitrate issue.