SPS are melting before my eyes

[Heabel7]

Need advice please and thank you!
Story/possible problems:
1.Did a water change Sunday, emptied a bit too much so my return pump was going haywire blowing bubbles in for a couple minutes. Nothing unusual it has happened to me before. However since I was only about a gallon low on 100gal system I added a quick gallon of fresh RODI to make it stop. Again, have done it before without problems.
2. During water change I took out my skimmer and did a full citric acid run to completely clean the unit pump and all. Rinsed and replaced.
3. Forgot to turn my heater off (aqueon pro plastic outside). Heat caused some nasty fumes. Let heater cool, wiped off and put back in tank.
4. Up my lights 5%. But that change was in effect less than half the most intense cycle.
5. Had to add an extra cup of salt to my salt bin when making salt. Seemed odd but I thought maybe I lost count. (Was just going by refractometer). Turns out the refractometer was off by .001

What I’m seeing:
Monday morning 1 sps was receding and I already new it was a goner. But I’ve lost randoms before. Came home Monday evening another was starting. This morning that one is gone 4 others are showing signs of melting. And the rest are not fully extended as normal (look stressed).


Parameters:
DKh-8.9. Usually runs 8.5 spike from no growth I’m thinking
Calcium 460
Mag- 1350
Phosphate .03
Nitrate 5-10
RODI TDS- 7 changed resin this morning should go back to zero
Salinity 1.027

My plan:
-I Reduce lights to previous setting
-I added more activated carbon to possibly counteract toxins
-perform 2-3 15% water changes
-feed small amount of aminos (thinking easiest to uptake)

TOO TOP IT OFF!!! I found AEFW on two corals. I inspect my corals hardcore daily. I’m thinking in the corals weakened state the flatworms went to town on munching. Just ordered some some KZ Stop. Hope it helps.

Appreciate all you help and advice to save what’s left of what I consider to be well established tank.

 

[C. Eymann]

Could you explain what exactly happened to your heater again? I read- it ran dry, nasty fumes, you let cool off, then put it back in operation?

 

[Heabel7]

Could you explain what exactly happened to your heater again? I read- it ran dry, nasty fumes, you let cool off, then put it back in operation?

Correct. I smelled the burning plastic smell. I turned it off. It looked normal from the outside smelled fine after I wiped it off and put in tank.

I’m thinking I’ll take it out when I get home.

 

[C. Eymann]

Correct. I smelled the burning plastic smell. I turned it off. It looked normal from the outside smelled fine after I wiped it off and put in tank.

I’m thinking I’ll take it out when I get home.

I'm thinking that would be wise, that's really the only thing really jumping out at me, run carbon, polyfilter might not be a bad idea as well, but watch your PO4 level when using.

 

[Heabel7]

Will do, what about additional plans of action. Thoughts?

 

[Admann]

If their was a plastic burning smell the plastic is deteriorating and giving off a variety of poisonous chemicals. It will now continue to do so. Personally I would not continue using that heater. Good Luck

 

[C. Eymann]

Will do, what about additional plans of action. Thoughts?

Yeah
Yank that heater ASAP IMO, like if you can get away from work for a lunch break, I'd say it's worth it.

 

[Admann]

You will need to do water changes, carbon and pray

 

[ihavecrabs]

The 7 TDS also jumps out at me (in addition to the heater issue).

My SPS gets upset when I have 1 TDS in my top off water but it all depends on what is coming through I suppose.

Even if one of these wasn’t the main cause, there are a lot of little things that happened (small salinity swing, temp swing, alk swing, heater, high tds, ect. That honestly might have just added up to enough instability to upset the coral.

 

[Heabel7]

Appreciate all the feedback.

 

[Admann]

Let us know what happens. Good luck

 

[Heabel7]

3 more have melted farther. Should I get another tank and start moving things over to all new saltwater?

 

[Heabel7]

Thinking getting a 40 breeder and throwing all livestock in there or at least frags of what I have

 

[C. Eymann]

3 more have melted farther. Should I get another tank and start moving things over to all new saltwater?

If you dont mind doing the 40br idea, go for it
otherwise,

I'd run lots of carbon and and polyfilter, I'd also probably do a decent size water change.

Sorry to hear about the corals, hope everything else pulls through for you.

 

[Ashish Patel]

how are the non SPS corals looking? I would remove the heater and make a few large waterchanges. get some new carbon and just keep the tank stable. Whatever is done is done moving everything to a new tank with 100% new saltwater could do more harm. Try to make the best decision for yourself and your animals as there is no easy fix

 

[Heabel7]

how are the non SPS corals looking? I would remove the heater and make a few large waterchanges. get some new carbon and just keep the tank stable. Whatever is done is done moving everything to a new tank with 100% new saltwater could do more harm. Try to make the best decision for yourself and your animals as there is no easy fix

All other not looking happy either. Not full extension. Some spas actually are closed. Just a few heads

 

[TDEcoral]

I think moving corals to a new tank right now would cause more stress than it's worth, unless it's a well established tank with healthy SPS in it already.

 

[Heabel7]

Microfauna/ pods still kicking. If toxic I think those little guys would crash too

 

[drawman]

Definitely agree on the polyfilter, carbon, and water changes!

 

[Heabel7]

Any chance it could be light shock? I have been using 1TBS of rox carbon for the last 6 months or so. Because of the heater I added an additional tablespoon or two. My two highest acros were the first to go. I added a bag of carbon to counteract what I have been seeing. Many more have started to go. At all depths and the spas are retracted some look like they could be melting? If so do I turn them way down? Or just lower a few percentages like 15%