New tank, dead frags

[Diwrigh]

Build thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/daniels-first-shot-57g-rimless.409349/

So I got my first frags in the tank last night. Tank specs:

57g Rimless- Almost 2 months old
Royal gramma Basslet- 1 month
CUC- 1 month
2 Kaudern's Cardinal- 2 weeks
1 GSP rock- 2 weeks (doing fine)

I got these 7 frags in the tank last night.

1: Sprite Chalice
2: Agent Orange Echinata (Acan I believe)
3: Peppermint Cyphastrea
4: OG Watermelon Psammocora
5: Aussie Acan (possibly mislabeled)
6: Glitter Bomb Favia
7: Neon Green Micromusa

They were in the shipping box just a tad over 24 hours from WWC. I floated the bag for 20ish minutes, then drip acclimated them for about 30 minutes. I dipped them for about 5 minutes, then placed them in the tank. All are along the sand, and I'm running my kessil A360we at 30% (minimum) and they are all not within direct light. I am alternating between two 1400gph powerheads (the cheap ones I know).

When I put them in the tank last night my parameters were:
Temp: 78.1
Alk:8.8
Phosphate- <.01
Nitrate- <0.5
PH- 7.85
Salinity- 1.027

I know phosphate and nitrates should be at 0, and I'm working on getting a skimmer to try and make that happen, but they are pretty close to 0 and I would be astounded if these levels killed the Chalice overnight right?

One of my concerns is that the flow is too much in the tank and that is what killed the Chalice. The others were alive this morning, but were not looking to hot... I took pictures when I woke up this morning, they had been in the tank for 12 hours. Sorry for the not great photos, but I only have my phone and I didn't want to turn the light on early and further stress them.

Any advice? The chalice dying literally overnight is worrying... The following pictures are a before and after for each frag, taken right after putting in tank, and then 12 hours later (overnight, no lights on)

Sorry for the crappy pictures, I know the lighting is different.

 

[JBKReef]

With adding the fish to the tank recently I would be worried you might be going through a small ammonia spike since the tank is so new. Nitrate is low, but did you test for nitrite and ammonia? You mention running a kessil but in the photos on your build threat that looks like a different kind of light. Did you switch them out recently?

I will say I struggle with LPS in my tank thats been established for about 8 months now. The bioload and water quality is key.

Additionally WWC ships a dipping acclamation guide for their coral. They advise to not dip them immediately to not further stress their corals. It suggests to quarantine them for 24 hours or so I believe, and then dip to avoid additional stress.

 

[Michael Naegeli]

Salts a bit too high.

 

[pluikens]

I know you said your tank was almost two months old (which is still too soon) but it looks like your tank wasn't cycled until 7/12. Also, what cycling process did you go through? My thoughts are that you rushed it and these corals are likely lost. Take it slow, enjoy your fish and try some softies in a couple months.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Actually for LPS and softies, your nitrate and phosphate are probably fine where they are. Do you know what your ammonia an nitrite levels are? I agree salinity is a bit high but 1.027 never hurt anything. Take a bit of tank water out and top off with fresh RO/DI water. Am I correct in thinking you only have one 1400 gallon per hour power head on at a time? Are they pointed directly at the corals?

 

[Diwrigh]

With adding the fish to the tank recently I would be worried you might be going through a small ammonia spike since the tank is so new. Nitrate is low, but did you test for nitrite and ammonia? You mention running a kessil but in the photos on your build threat that looks like a different kind of light. Did you switch them out recently?

I will say I struggle with LPS in my tank thats been established for about 8 months now. The bioload and water quality is key.

Additionally WWC ships a dipping acclamation guide for their coral. They advise to not dip them immediately to not further stress their corals. It suggests to quarantine them for 24 hours or so I believe, and then dip to avoid additional stress.

Sorry I should have mentioned I am also running old T5's but I turned them on only for a second last night to take pictures, and today only the kessil is running. I did not test ammonia, and that was probably my downfall. I will test ammonia and Nitrite immediately tonight. And I should have waited to dip, but I dont have a QT tank... Looks like I should have waited to put frags in... :/

 

[Diwrigh]

I know you said your tank was almost two months old (which is still too soon) but it looks like your tank wasn't cycled until 7/12. Also, what cycling process did you go through? My thoughts are that you rushed it and these corals are likely lost. Take it slow, enjoy your fish and try some softies in a couple months.

Yes it finished cycling about then, I used live rock to seed and measured the cycle. You are probably right, looks like I was less ready than I thought Thanks for the help. Is there anything you would recommend doing to have a chance at saving them?

 

[Diwrigh]

Actually for LPS and softies, your nitrate and phosphate are probably fine where they are. Do you know what your ammonia an nitrite levels are? I agree salinity is a bit high but 1.027 never hurt anything. Take a bit of tank water out and top off with fresh RO/DI water. Am I correct in thinking you only have one 1400 gallon per hour power head on at a time? Are they pointed directly at the corals?

I do not know ammonia/nitrites currently but they weren't too bad about a week ago. I should have tested them last night.. noob I will switch out some RODI water today to bring that salinity down. Correct, I have two 1400 gph power head, but they alternate and are both pointed at the surface. Never on at the same time

 

[Crabs McJones]

I do not know ammonia/nitrites currently but they weren't too bad about a week ago. I should have tested them last night.. noob I will switch out some RODI water today to bring that salinity down. Correct, I have two 1400 gph power head, but they alternate and are both pointed at the surface. Never on at the same time

When you say ammonia and nitrates wern't to bad a week ago what do you mean? In a fully cycled tank they should both be at 0.

 

[Diwrigh]

When you say ammonia and nitrates wern't to bad a week ago what do you mean? In a fully cycled tank they should both be at 0.

Ammonia was less than .25 (sliiiight yellow so couldn't confidently say 0) and nitrate was same, less than .5 but couldn't confidently say 0... It sounds like I'm just an idiot and added them too fast

 

[Crabs McJones]

Ammonia was less than .25 (sliiiight yellow so couldn't confidently say 0) and nitrate was same, less than .5 but couldn't confidently say 0... It sounds like I'm just an idiot and added them too fast

Don't beat yourself up to bad. We all make mistakes in this hobby. Part of our nature All you can basically do now is try to keep your water in good quality and see what pulls through. Unless your local fish store can house them until your tank has cycled completely.

 

[Diwrigh]

Don't beat yourself up to bad. We all make mistakes in this hobby. Part of our nature All you can basically do now is try to keep your water in good quality and see what pulls through. Unless your local fish store can house them until your tank has cycled completely.

So I just got home and did a 5 gallon water change with fresh RODI water, ill test salinity later this evening. I left the powerheads off today and (aside from the chalice which is a goner) they look alright i think?

Also nitrites are 0, and ammonia is juuuuuust a tad yellow so im guessing .10. Obviously I shouldnt have any but hopefully with this water change they can pull through? Should I go ahead and take the Chalice out of the tank? The possibly mislabeled ACAN (6th photo below) doesn't look great either

 

[Crabs McJones]

The last three pictures definitely don't look good. But the first ones the corals actually look like they're doing ok now. I dont know that taking them out will do any good at this point. All you'd be doing is taking them out of on not completely cycled tank and putting them into another im afraid

 

[Diwrigh]

The last three pictures definitely don't look good. But the first ones the corals actually look like they're doing ok now. I dont know that taking them out will do any good at this point. All you'd be doing is taking them out of on not completely cycled tank and putting them into another im afraid

Well the last two im going to leave in, they don't look great but I might as well give them a shot. The chalice though (the third to last, green one that has almost completely dissolved) doesn't look like it has a chance at coming back. I was thinking I should remove it to reduce the chance of further increasing my ammonia from decaying right? Do you think its even worth leaving it in?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Well the last two im going to leave in, they don't look great but I might as well give them a shot. The chalice though (the third to last, green one that has almost completely dissolved) doesn't look like it has a chance at coming back. I was thinking I should remove it to reduce the chance of further increasing my ammonia from decaying right? Do you think its even worth leaving it in?

In my opinion i'd remove it at this point for the reason you stated.

 

[Diwrigh]

In my opinion i'd remove it at this point for the reason you stated.

Okay, removed so sad but hopefully a few of them pull through! Thank you guys all so much for the help

 

[Michael Naegeli]

6th Down is a Favia. Megatron possibly

 

[Diwrigh]

6th Down is a Favia. Megatron possibly

Oh you're very right thats the Glitter Bomb Favia, thank you

 

[Billdogg]

Although it's too late now, I would have left the chalice in. I have had several recover completely from a similar point. They tend to be pretty tough as corals go. The others are doing fairly well as far as I can see.

Good Luck!

 

[Diwrigh]

Although it's too late now, I would have left the chalice in. I have had several recover completely from a similar point. They tend to be pretty tough as corals go. The others are doing fairly well as far as I can see.

Good Luck!

Well darnit I just ain’t doin nothin right today