Need help!! asap

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

Hello everyone I am new to the hobby and have a big problem. I have had my 25 gallon tall tank up and running for about 3 months now, went slow did it right(I hope), have had no problems until now, I have zoa's, mushrooms, xenia, kenya, and some small poyl, and brain type coral in my tank all my tests are coming back good. I noticed yesterday that my zoa's not looking too good and isn't opening up during the day and today I noticed the mushrooms next to the zoa's is not good either it looks like it is being dissolved and slimy looking stuff on it, I sucked up the slime and half of the mushroom is gone and the rest of the mushrooms are all closed off HELP can anyone tell me what is going on?

Thanks a head of time for all your help.
Kat

SeahorseKeeper · Jul 13, 2012

Could some type of contaminant been introduced to your tank? Can you do a water change and run fresh carbon?

Pkunk35 · Jul 13, 2012

Yes, I think run carbon immediately. Water change too as soon as possible.

fish&corals · Jul 13, 2012

+1 on water change +2 carbon ASAP !!!!

ritter6788 · Jul 13, 2012

Use some Polyfilter also if you can just in case.

What tests have you run?

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

just ran tests again and here is what I got

Ammonia 0
phosphate 0

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

darn wasn't done

salinity 1.024
ph 8.2
alk 300
calcium 400
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

just did water change 4 days ago, should I do again?

could there be a hitchhiker that is causing this or a bacteria of some sort?

Thanks for the replys

revhtree · Jul 13, 2012

Sounds like you got some "brown Jelly" on one of the corals and it spread to the other. We're they pretty close to one another?

Welcome to R2R by the way!!

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

what would the carbon and polyfilter do? don't know if this is a stupid question...

revhtree · Jul 13, 2012

Oh what I was talking about is called Brown Jelly Disease.

revhtree · Jul 13, 2012

Read this: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/corallimorpharians/55965-brown-jelly-ricordia.html

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

yes maybe an inch or so, the zoa's were closed when the mushrooms went in but that is the only thing that has happened (that I know of)

ritter6788 · Jul 13, 2012

Alk 300? Ppm? That's almost 17 dkh! That's your problem if that number is correct. Are you adding anything to the tank like ph buffers?

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

I will and thanks for the welcome, kinda new to this kind of thing. Love all the info on R2R

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

yes I added sea buffer with the water change but on my test strip it says 300 is ideal where should it be? I have a problem keeping my ph up to where it should be don't know why

ritter6788 · Jul 13, 2012

heaven425 said:
yes I added sea buffer with the water change but on my test strip it says 300 is ideal where should it be? I have a problem keeping my ph up to where it should be don't know why

Ok. Stop the buffer completely. It's spiking your alkalinity. Chasing ph in a marine system is a bad idea. Keep salinity, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium in line and your ph will follow. The test strips are horribly inaccurate also. Pick up a liquid test, even a cheap one like API is fine, and keep your alk between 7-10 dkh. The buffer you're adding is raising your alk too high and only has a temporary effect on ph.

300ppm alk is way too high. 125-175ppm is ideal. 7-10 dkh.

I'd do a large water change and get an accurate test kit to measure alk.

SeahorseKeeper · Jul 13, 2012

I would stop relying on test strips. They are not accurate. Get a kit that is titration where you have to get a sample of the water and add drops of the reagent.

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

yes I added sea buffer with my last water change, on the test strip bottle it says 300 is ideal. What should it be?

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

I do also use the titration test and it gives the same reading pretty much but I was told 300 is ideal what the heck... I have already started the water change and will make sure to keep testing til the alk is lower. I don't understand why the bottle says 300 is ideal

heaven425 · Jul 13, 2012

wow really the bottle is wrong how can they do that I have already started doing water change and will get that number lowered, how much damage do you think I have done to my marine life? I do test with both the strip and the liquid. Ok no more buffer thanks for the info really appreciate it.