Went to bed, tank was fine, woke up...

[multiuser8]

Went to bed and my corals were perfectly happy. I woke up and everything was shriveled and lookins like they were going to die. I'm nervous, and looking for possible ideas and what's going on. I tested the water yesterday...

Calcium was low at about 300
Phos - >.25
Amm - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
Ph - 8.2
Temp - 80.4
Salinity 1.023

I have two clowns, an anemone, and a sand sifting sea star.

I have a zoa, candy cane, hammerhead, and toadstool.

The fish seem fine, just the corals are affected. The zoa doesn't seem to be nearly as bad either. Its polyps are out, just seems a bit agitated.

I have more corals in cups from tidal gardens floating but I dont want to put them in if I'm going to lose them. Will they be okay to float for a day or two?

 

[multiuser8]

I forgot to mention there was also a mushroom on the candy cane, its balled up but still has its color...?

 

[MTBake]

How old is the tank? Looks kinda new.

It might just need to mature some more before it can support corals.

What lighting do you use?

 

[multiuser8]

I've heard that but they've been doing well for about a month. The tank itself is a little more than 3 months.

How old is the tank? Looks kinda new.

It might just need to mature some more before it can support corals.

What lighting do you use?

 

[multiuser8]

I've heard that but they've been doing well for about a month. The tank itself is a little more than 3 months.

Also, on the the lighting I have the fluval sky pad. It's not super bright, but it seems to get the job done. The corals have been growing great.

 

[MTBake]

How long have they been in the tank?

 

[WWIII]

I would put the other corals that are in cups into the tank. They stand a better chance in the tank than in the cups.

 

[MTBake]

Alkalinity and calcium would be good to know as well.

 

[multiuser8]

How long have they been in the tank?

A little more than a month

 

[multiuser8]

Alkalinity and calcium would be good to know as well.

Calcium was low around 300. Tested this morning and it was up higher around 400. I dosed yesterday. Lost the 1ml needle for my dkh test so I dont have that number.

 

[MTBake]

There's more to tank stability than just testable parameters. A lot of it has to do with what isn't always seen. Are copepod populations strong and growing? Do you see lots of different kinds of worms wondering about? Loads of amphipods collecting food when you feed? Different kinds of sponges growing? All of this is part of tank stability. Not just keeping a constant alk, ca or NO3 level. Lots more too it than that. We don't always realize the little things

 

[vetteguy53081]

That light- Too bright--- filter it out with plastic or similar and how is water flow?

Did you add/dose anything recently? What filter are you using and did salinity change suddenly?

 

[WVU2RVA]

Does the tank have a ground probe?
I electrocuted my 250g system 2 months ago and thought my tank was crashing

 

[MTBake]

Calcium was low around 300. Tested this morning and it was up higher around 400. I dosed yesterday. Lost the 1ml needle for my dkh test so I dont have that number.

Get calcium up but not too fast. No more than 100ppm a day is preferred. And not all at once. I would target 440ppm for ca.

 

[WWIII]

How sure are you of the temperature? Does the water feel warm/hot? 80 is fine, but if it's actually warmer than that, then it can get a little iffy. Are you dosing anything else besides calcium? Can you turn the powerheas up any or point them more at the surface. The corals are upset about something that changed, just hard to know what? Any other changes you did in past 24 hrs?

 

[multiuser8]

There's more to tank stability than just testable parameters. A lot of it has to do with what isn't always seen. Are copepod populations strong and growing? Do you see lots of different kinds of worms wondering about? Loads of amphipods collecting food when you feed? Different kinds of sponges growing? All of this is part of tank stability. Not just keeping a constant alk, ca or NO3 level. Lots more too it than that. We don't always realize the little things

I've noticed little worms about and some other critters. This is my first salt let alone reef so I know I have a lot to learn, just dont want to kill helpless animals in the process.

 

[WWIII]

Also, where is the anemone? Is it doing ok? Does it look like it's dying? If it starts to look really bad I would get it out of the tank. They can wreak havoc if they go south in a tank and usually like a little more established tank.

 

[multiuser8]

Feels the same as my freshwater, which is also set at 80° power head is level with the surface, I should go higher? The only thing I did differently yesterday was a slightly larger dose of calcium. Just enough to bring it up to 400 from 300. I dose what's in the picture according to instructions.

How sure are you of the temperature? Does the water feel warm/hot? 80 is fine, but if it's actually warmer than that, then it can get a little iffy. Are you dosing anything else besides calcium? Can you turn the powerheas up any or point them more at the surface. The corals are upset about something that changed, just hard to know what? Any other changes you did in past 24 hrs?

 

[multiuser8]

Also, where is the anemone? Is it doing ok? Does it look like it's dying? If it starts to look really bad I would get it out of the tank. They can wreak havoc if they go south in a tank and usually like a little more established tank.

He uprooted himself but he seems to be doing okay. A bit agitated, kind of like the zoa

 

[multiuser8]

Does the tank have a ground probe?
I electrocuted my 250g system 2 months ago and thought my tank was crashing

No, no ground probe. Voltmeter comes up with nothing.