Some LPS coral are Closed/Melting

danverra · Apr 22, 2020

Hello, a few months ago I purchased some corals for my 20 gallon nuvo and they have been doing great! But recently they started to melt. The zoas and softies are doing good but some of my lps are dying. I thought it was because of lowlight so I switched the light to a vipascectra that I had. The corals didn’t seem to get any better after a week so I decided to do a big 90% water change. That seemed to have made the situation worse and ended up killing my cyphastrea. The other corals are doing alright but are melting more. I don’t know what my alkalinity or magnesium are but I dose “The ONE” by Polyp Lap every week. I don’t know what i could do to bring back my corals!

legrunt · Apr 22, 2020

More details please. How long has the tank been running? Cycled? Any fish?

Dosing something without knowing what you want to achieve is asking for trouble.
Please get a good test kit and test the usual parameters.
Salinity, Alkalinity, Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, Magnesium.

danverra · Apr 22, 2020

legrunt said:
More details please. How long has the tank been running? Cycled? Any fish?

Dosing something without knowing what you want to achieve is asking for trouble.
Please get a good test kit and test the usual parameters.
Salinity, Alkalinity, Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, Magnesium.

I have a pair of clowns and the tank ha sheen running for a year and a half now. I haven’t gotten a test kit but I’m looking into getting one. I just don’t know if there are any cheaper options all of the tests I have found are usually 20-30 per test. The tank is cycled
Because it’s been running for a while now. But I had to do a very big water change yesterday because we thought it might help. Also it’s not all my LPS that are dying but only some mostly towards the right of the tank. I recently added some mangroves too I don’t know if that could’ve affected something

legrunt · Apr 22, 2020

This hobby doesn't need to be expensive, but there is a minimum that should be spent, and one of the most important things you need to spend money on, are test kits. No need to think about looking into getting one. Just bite the bullet, buy a good set right away, and make it a habit to test frequently. Only then will you be able to get a grasp on whats going on.

But to start off with, I would suggest very frequent water changes, until the test kits come in. And stop dosing anything.

danverra · Apr 22, 2020

legrunt said:
This hobby doesn't need to be expensive, but there is a minimum that should be spent, and one of the most important things you need to spend money on, are test kits. No need to think about looking into getting one. Just bite the bullet, buy a good set right away, and make it a habit to test frequently. Only then will you be able to get a grasp on whats going on.

But to start off with, I would suggest very frequent water changes, until the test kits come in. And stop dosing anything.

I’ve been doing frequent water changes for a year and a half now. Everything ha sheen good my corals have been fine it’s just that recently they started dying off. I don’t know if it’s a pest or they need more feedings. I display spot feed each coral once a week.

legrunt · Apr 22, 2020

If you want to rule out pests, you need to examine each coral closely.

However, let's start with a good test kit set.

Saltyreef · Apr 27, 2020

dont get us wrong....you can maintain a small demand system without testing by just performing routine water changes.
you still wont be completely grasping fundementals as @legrunt outlined for you.
we as well as you need to know your parameters to be able to help your system with this issue.

my first guess is alk swing more than anything. possibly maintaining alkalinity too low for your LPS to be happy long term. anything below 7 is generally harder on LPS in my experience.

jkessell · Apr 27, 2020

Get yourself a salifert master test kit. About $100 and is money well spent. That will help you determine what’s going on.

danverra · Apr 27, 2020

Saltyreef said:
dont get us wrong....you can maintain a small demand system without testing by just performing routine water changes.
you still wont be completely grasping fundementals as @legrunt outlined for you.
we as well as you need to know your parameters to be able to help your system with this issue.

my first guess is alk swing more than anything. possibly maintaining alkalinity too low for your LPS to be happy long term. anything below 7 is generally harder on LPS in my experience.

But my other LPS have been doing fine it’s mostly the ones on the right side. Today I lost my acan and my sps has been melting. I think it’s an algae issue because hair algae has been growing on my frags which much be killing them but there’s corals that even even have algae near them and are still melting.

danverra · Apr 27, 2020

jkessell said:
Get yourself a salifert master test kit. About $100 and is money well spent. That will help you determine what’s going on.

Today I bought a Red Sea test kit from BRS should help me

Saltyreef · Apr 27, 2020

Youll want to specifically get alk, cal, mag test kits, make sure youre testing salinity with a properly calibrated refractometer.
Youre hair algae is feeding off of something in the tank....manual removal plus use of something like giant mexican turbo snails will help with the hair algae. The longer it stays in the tank, the longer its stealing nutrients for your coral and bacteria dwindling the bacterias population and deteriorating your corals health.

Can you take a sample to have your LFS test it and get back to us with parameters?

Saltyreef · Apr 27, 2020

Double post......sorry

DeniseAndy · Apr 27, 2020

It looks like you have some favia and some acans and a platy there on the losing side. These corals do not like to be too close to each other. Platy near acans will cause issues. Favia near most things will cause problems. They like to fight with chemical warfare or tentacles.
You will need to get the algae off the area around the corals. It is out competing and harming the corals.

danverra · May 2, 2020

Saltyreef said:
Youll want to specifically get alk, cal, mag test kits, make sure youre testing salinity with a properly calibrated refractometer.
Youre hair algae is feeding off of something in the tank....manual removal plus use of something like giant mexican turbo snails will help with the hair algae. The longer it stays in the tank, the longer its stealing nutrients for your coral and bacteria dwindling the bacterias population and deteriorating your corals health.

Can you take a sample to have your LFS test it and get back to us with parameters?

Hello I got a test kit and tested my parameters.
magnesium was above 1600
Calcium was above 500
And my DKH was 12.6 and Meq\L was 4.5 I’ve lost two acans and my scolys mouth seems to be wide open. My frogspawn is all closed up and hair algae has reduced significantly. My clam is also fine but it has like a mouth thing that is usually never open but it’s wide open and you can see it’s insides now. I’m not sure if they are hungry or something because i feed them twice this week. My Favia have also shrunk and aren’t plump.

Saltyreef · May 3, 2020

I suspect youre mixing your salinity too high.

What brand salt?

What are you measuring salinity with?

danverra · May 3, 2020

Saltyreef said:
I suspect youre mixing your salinity too high.

What brand salt?

What are you measuring salinity with?

Salinity is 1.025 I use instant ocean reef crystals

legrunt · May 3, 2020

Your dkh levels are very high.
Instant Ocean doesn't mix that high.
What tool are you using to measure salinity?
Suggest you mix a fresh batch, and test that to rule out a bad batch of salt.
If that tests ok, then seems you have really overdone the dosing.