My SPS are in trouble, help

hatfielj · Nov 19, 2014

I can't figure out whats going on with my tank. All of my acros and montis have lost polyp extension and are starting to look bad. One of my monti's actually rtn'd yesterday. Everything was doing perfectly up until about a week ago when I started noticing less polyp extension and my skimmer suddenly started going crazy. This has progressed since. I did just add another tank to my system to use it as a refugium. Its been plumbed in for about 2 weeks maybe. I had some macro algae in there that started to die off so I took it all out. I've also added a few ceramic frag racks in the last couple of weeks. I've been trying to do large water changes in an attempt to curtail whatever is going on, but they don't seem to be helping. Today since things are still looking bad I turned off the new refugium so its no longer running. I'm going to do another water change tomorrow.

My parameters were okay yesterday when I checked them. I tested for phosphate and it was undetectable. I tested for nitrate and it was just barely detectable. Copper was undetectable. Ca, Mg, and Alk were all within normal limits. I just don't know what else to do. I'm waiting on my Triton results for my salt mix which I sent in about a week or so ago.

Do you think it was all from the new refugium and dying macro algae? If so, I'm never trying that again. I really hope I can stop this from progressing any further. I have a lot of really nice acro frags/mini colonies that were starting to take off. They still have their nice color, but the polyp extension is poor and some of them occasionally extend their guts? Something is seriously irritating them, but I just don't know what!

EW_Fish · Nov 19, 2014

Dumb question but...Have you check for AEFW and Red Bugs?

rworegon · Nov 19, 2014

Have you added any new livestock recently? Was the tank you added as a refugium new or was it used, and if it was used do you know its history? +1 on checking for pests. Since a monti was one of the casualties, check for monit eating nudibranchs. How was the refugium plumbed into your existing system? Any new pumps, tubing, etc?

ritter6788 · Nov 19, 2014

Was the sump newly siliconed?

camelcruiser · Nov 19, 2014

Definitely something with your water I doubt all your sps would be effected by different pests all at once. Was that new tank used as a QT tank at one point? If so that probably your problem.

Zero Nitrates · Nov 19, 2014

Might have been the ph swing from adding a refugium then getting rid of the refugium. Cutting frags of the corals that are not looking good can help you start a new colony if things go south.

hatfielj · Nov 19, 2014

I haven't added any new corals. The sump was a brand new acrylic eshopps sump. The tubing was all new too. The only live things I've added was the macro algae, which I have since gotten rid of. No AEFW or red bugs. I've had them before and know what to look for. Plus, the corals were doing really well and very colorful with great polyp extension. This happened too fast to be pests.
I just checked my parameters again and they were
Alk 7.9
Ca 435
Mg 1400

And for what its worth, my zoas/palys, LPS are looking more or less fine/normal

EW_Fish · Nov 19, 2014

Alk swings?
What was your alk when you tested before??
Also bump your alk up(Unless your runing ULNS)

ritter6788 · Nov 19, 2014

Skimmer going nuts makes me think some contaminant got into the tank.

EW_Fish · Nov 19, 2014

ritter6788 said:
Skimmer going nuts makes me think some contaminant got into the tank.

...I read right over that... Did you add filter socks?

hatfielj · Nov 19, 2014

No filter socks. I'm wondering if the macro algae released something as it started to die off? I don't run carbon or GFO and don't know if either of those would help?

I'm thinking contaminant too, but you'd think with all the water changes I've done (probably 40% total) that things would be looking better by now?

My parameters were more like Alk 9, Ca 415, Mg 1350 a couple of weeks ago. The drop in Alk is because the salt mix I use has a lower alkalinity. I'm going to slowly raise it back up. Alk swings could be a problem I suppose but its not that drastic?
I'm really curious to find out what my triton salt mix results are to see if there's possibly a contaminant in the salt mix? I'm thinking of sending another full tank Triton test in tomorrow. Even though I won't get the results for a couple of weeks at least I'd be able to see if something was off?

EW_Fish · Nov 19, 2014

hatfielj said:
No filter socks. I'm wondering if the macro algae released something as it started to die off? I don't run carbon or GFO and don't know if either of those would help?

My parameters were more like Alk 9, Ca 415, Mg 1350 a couple of weeks ago. The drop in Alk is because the salt mix I use has a lower alkalinity. I'm going to slowly raise it back up. Alk swings could be a problem I suppose but its not that drastic?
I'm really curious to find out what my triton salt mix results are to see if there's possibly a contaminant in the salt mix? I'm thinking of sending another full tank Triton test in tomorrow. Even though I won't get the results for a couple of weeks at least I'd be able to see if something was off?

Alk swing could make them mad but as ritter stated your skimmer was going nuts for a reason. It could be one or the other or both.

Ike · Nov 19, 2014

Did your salinity drop from your skimmer overflowing? Have you tested this with a properly calibrated refractometer? Was it caulerpa that died off?

rworegon · Nov 19, 2014

Where did you get the macro? Skimmer going nuts does indicate some kind of contaminate in the water.

afamousjohnson · Nov 19, 2014

+1 Thats what i was gonna say - check salinity. I would recomond carbon to help in the case something is in the water.

afamousjohnson · Nov 19, 2014

Believe macro can go sexual in a tank and cause issues but a rare thing i think. Might be worth a read

hatfielj · Nov 19, 2014

Salinity is okay. It was cheato and ulva that were dying. I had some red algae that looked ok and is now in my qt tank. I did also get a diatom bloom in my new refugium.

Keithcorals · Nov 20, 2014

With the skimmer going nuts and all stony corals being effected in a short amout of time I'd think it's most likly some sort of contaminant. I've had chaeto die in my SPS system without the same effect so possibly the other algae but I'd still think it's more likly that something was accidentally introduced. I'd add carbon even if just for a few days to see if it helps

hatfielj · Nov 20, 2014

I was seriously afraid to go downstairs and see my tank this morning. I was prepared for the worst. Fortunately, however, things look "ok." Polyp extension is still poor, but no rtn as far as I can see. So, I'm hoping by turning off the refugium things will turn around. I am going to do another water change today as well. I'd run some carbon, but I don't have any apparatus to do so at the moment. I may try to rig something up though. Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I'll keep this thread updated.

jservedio · Nov 20, 2014

hatfielj said:
I was seriously afraid to go downstairs and see my tank this morning. I was prepared for the worst. Fortunately, however, things look "ok." Polyp extension is still poor, but no rtn as far as I can see. So, I'm hoping by turning off the refugium things will turn around. I am going to do another water change today as well. I'd run some carbon, but I don't have any apparatus to do so at the moment. I may try to rig something up though. Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I'll keep this thread updated.

Run to the LFS and just grab a regular ol' media bag to toss the carbon in. It doesn't need to be a reactor or anything special, just a bag of carbon hanging somewhere in your sump.