My Xenia’s are dying !

[FRAGSNFISH]

My Xenias where nice and blooming and today in the morning when the lights came on they did not open . So I turned on my pumps that i use during feeding time and one of them wanted to but did not ..... i did a parameter check and it looks like PH is way low . So i drove to my local pet shop and got a KH test kit and my water is at 9KH . HELP ! by my research i know my KH must be from 9 to 12 and my PH from 8.0 TO 8.3 so what do i do ?

 

[Copingwithpods]

What are your other parameters?

How low was pH?

9dkh is normal and no cause for concern.

In my experience with xenia, when I first started my tank I had "dirty water" high P04 NO3, they loved it and grew quickly. When I transitions to low PO4 NO3 it all died back, polyp bail out, melting, falling apart you name it they did it. Only a small nub survived the switch, now I have a small xenia frag that is doing good but growing very very slowly (fantastic) so check all parameters and know that they can get delicate from time to time.

 

[SPR1968]

We really need a full set of water parameters to see what’s bothering it

Your alkalinity is fine and it’s unlikely pH would be very low in a normal tank but if you could confirm all the test parameters it may point us to the problem

Salinity
Phosphate
Nitrate
Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
pH (just so we can see make sure it’s not this)

I’m assuming there is no ammonia and temperature etc is ok

 

[vetteguy53081]

In addition to parameters, type of water used (RO, tap,etc), salinity and temperature.
Those skeletons in pic looks like that of euphylea

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

Hey thanks for the response I didn’t get no notifications but here are my other parameters

Temp = 78.9
PH = 7.8
Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate =0
salinity=1.024
Alkalinity=9

this was 3/24

3/12 was:
Temp=74.5
PH=7.8
AMMO,NITRITE,NITRATE=0
SALINITY=1.023

i know PH has been low but i didnt want to dose anything into the tank and was trying to raise the ph with air stones, small fan , 2 wave makers moving the surface but still no help.

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

In addition to parameters, type of water used (RO, tap,etc), salinity and temperature.
Those skeletons in pic looks like that of euphylea

Oh i use tap water and treat it with FLUVAL water conditioner. And this would be my tanks 10th week running .

 

[phixman]

The coral shown is an euphyllia of some sort (looks like a frogspawn). Salinity should be 1.025- 1.026, if phosphates read 0 then you have low nutrients since nitrates are 0, try feeding more or getting more fish. Also, you should test calcium and magnesium.

My parameters are:
Temp: 77-78
ph 8.3 - 8.5
Alk : 7
Calcium 420
Magn: 1300
Nitrates 5
Phosphates: .03
Salinity 1.026

Something else to consider, how much light is it getting, what about flow?

 

[James M]

The coral shown is an euphyllia of some sort. Salinity should be 1.025- 1.026, if phosphates read 0 then you have low nutrients sincen itrates is 0, try feeding more or getting more fish. Also, you should test calcium and magnesium.

Temp = 78.9
PH = 7.8
Ammonia= 0
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate =0
salinity=1.024
Alkalinity=9

this was 3/24

3/12 was:
Temp=74.5
PH=7.8
AMMO,NITRITE,NITRATE=0
SALINITY=1.023

The Xenia is on the euphyllia skeleton

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

The coral shown is an euphyllia of some sort (looks like a frogspawn). Salinity should be 1.025- 1.026, if phosphates read 0 then you have low nutrients since nitrates are 0, try feeding more or getting more fish. Also, you should test calcium and magnesium.

My parameters are:
Temp: 77-78
ph 8.3 - 8.5
Alk : 7
Calcium 420
Magn: 1300
Nitrates 5
Phosphates: .03
Salinity 1.026

Something else to consider, how much light is it getting, what about flow?

ok I have been feeding one frozen square of brime shrimp a day i may up the feeding to twice a day .i leave my light on from 8am to 730pm the flow is a medium flow . I have a marineland reef led strip. I have 2 yellow tail damsels 2 clowns 1 flame angel and a mandarin fish i feed tigger pods. Oh i also have a skunk shrimp .

 

[phixman]

ok I have been feeding one frozen square of brime shrimp a day i may up the feeding to twice a day .i leave my light on from 8am to 730pm the flow is a medium flow . I have a marineland reef led strip. I have 2 yellow tail damsels 2 clowns 1 flame angel and a mandarin fish i feed tigger pods.

Make sure it's not getting a lot of flow and not too much light, is it towards the top of the tank?

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

Make sure it's not getting a lot of flow and not too much light, is it towards the top of the tank?

Yes i have it near the top of the tank and the flow is not so bad I like to see it pulse . When it did

 

[phixman]

I don't think anyone knows what causes it to pulse, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't . You may consider dropping it a bit so doesn't get to much light

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

Just in case this is what i been talking about

 

[vetteguy53081]

Oh i use tap water and treat it with FLUVAL water conditioner. And this would be my tanks 10th week running .

Really try to acquire and use RO WATER. IT makes a huge difference. Many trusted stores sell RO water. These units have become Very affordable. Tank likely not fully seeded for such coral.
what type of filter are you using ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Just in case this is what i been talking about

Likely a combination of inadequate water flow, nitrates and lighting

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

Likely a combination of inadequate water flow, nitrates and lighting

well im heading to the shop later today to maybe get something to raise my PH . Hope im not to late .

 

[Eagle_Steve]

well im heading to the shop later today to maybe get something to raise my PH . Hope im not to late .

You do not need to chase ph too much. I have full mixed reef that has been up for 4 years in one room of my house that does not vent well and is heavily used. The ph in that tank sits at 7.8 and is fine. If it was 7.2 or lower, I would suggest worrying.

biggest thing right now for the Xenia is nutrients and good clean water. Water conditioner gets rid of chlorine and things, but not all heavy metals. Soft corals filter the water for food on top of the light they use, so they are more susceptible to those metals. For the nutrients you need them to be detectable in some sort. No3 at 2-5 and po4 at .03 is a good starting point.

 

[phixman]

well im heading to the shop later today to maybe get something to raise my PH . Hope im not to late .

Don't use anything to raise the ph. Do it naturally, just open a window or something, the more fresh air, the better. Ph is also affected by how many people are in that room. Skimmer, sand-beds are among some that help.

Don't worry about Ph for now, it won't affect things too much. It is useful for growth speed when you have SPS

 

[Copingwithpods]

Agree with above do not add pH buffers.

Also stop using tap all together, if you can't get rodi use filtered distilled water.

Also what are your nutrient export methods? I have a hard time believing a whole cube a day isn't yielding detectable NO3 PO4 what test kits are you using?

 

[FRAGSNFISH]

Agree with above do not add pH buffers.

Also stop using tap all together, if you can't get rodi use filtered distilled water.

Also what are your nutrient export methods? I have a hard time believing a whole cube a day isn't yielding detectable NO3 PO4 what test kits are you using?

I use the api salt water master test kit . not because of price but because of ease of use. I have been thinking of getting a rodi system but I dislike the thought of waste water. I've never had a problem before with my tap water . I do have more than 60 pound of live rock and use purigen in my skimmer over flow to reduce nitrites and nitrates . Also all my fish are juveniles so the biggest i have is about 1.5 inches