Random Chalice die-off

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

I have a high end chalice tank that's been running with no problems for over a year. Just recently I have started to see some dieoff in two of my corals my meteor shower cyphastrea (which I don't really care about) and my JF split decision (which I do really care about). Both had been doing well for several months and none of my other chalices seem to be effected. All of my water parameters have checked out okay 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 10 nitrate (I've never managed to get it below 10 so I doubt that's the problem) salinity is at 1.024. I recently added a juvenile Chevron Tang but I'm pretty sure that he's not picking at anything. Any ideas what might be going wrong?

kingator · Sep 17, 2013

hate to hear that i also lost my split d months back .......whats your alk and mag at ?

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

Alk is around 9dkh Mag is 1300ppm

nayrgaijin · Sep 17, 2013

What about lights? What lighting are you using?
If if it is t5 or halide, time to change them bulbs!

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

nayrgaijin said:
What about lights? What lighting are you using?
If if it is t5 or halide, time to change them bulbs!

I've got the ecotech radion so fairly certain lighting is not the problem.

nayrgaijin · Sep 17, 2013

You are correct, i doubt the led's have gone bad already.
What about calcium? Where is it at?

jedidad · Sep 17, 2013

How long have you had the radions? Maybe they are getting too much light.

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

nayrgaijin said:
You are correct, i doubt the led's have gone bad already.
What about calcium? Where is it at?

Calcium is 450 ppm

nayrgaijin · Sep 17, 2013

That was tested after finding the die off?
Have you done anything different recently?
Last time you did a water change? Have something to check phosphates with?

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

jedidad said:
How long have you had the radions? Maybe they are getting too much light.

Radions have been running for about 2 months now before that I was running a kessil a150w so there shouldn't be too much of a difference in light output since radions are only running on 45% power at the most (its on a 29 biocube). These are my only 2 corals that have been effected. I have finicky chalices like the rainbow crush and crazy clown higher in the tank than the split decision and they are both doing fine. And the split decision was doing fine too until recently.

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

nayrgaijin said:
That was tested after finding the die off?
Have you done anything different recently?
Last time you did a water change? Have something to check phosphates with?

Yes tested everything this morning last water change was about 5 days ago. Going to change about 20% tonight. Don't have anything to check phosphates but using RODI water and haven't noticed any significant algae growth. Would an emerald crab or large red legged hermit go after corals if hungry enough?

Paul C. · Sep 17, 2013

I went through something similar a few months back. Noticed skeleton showing on my 9 eye CB Blue Crush and part of a eye eaten on one of my Dynamites. Sitting on the phone talking to Noucman, I noticed my Halloween crab munching on my Blue Crush. Took him out, and any other blue legged hermits i see on a chalice. Everything returned to normal, and the stress from this lead to the Blue Crush popping 4 new eyes.. Good Luck.

mi_chael3 · Sep 17, 2013

Paul C. said:
I went through something similar a few months back. Noticed skeleton showing on my 9 eye CB Blue Crush and part of a eye eaten on one of my Dynamites. Sitting on the phone talking to Noucman, I noticed my Halloween crab munching on my Blue Crush. Took him out, and any other blue legged hermits i see on a chalice. Everything returned to normal, and the stress from this lead to the Blue Crush popping 4 new eyes.. Good Luck.

Looks like i'm going on a hermit crab purge then. Thanks!

kingator · Sep 17, 2013

also mag is low for chalices i have a heavy chalice dominate tank and run my mag at 1480 -1500 i just recently went on vaca and mag dropped tp 1350 and my chalices was showing signs of stress