What is wrong with my tank??

[maleks.reef]

Hi everyone. This will be a bit of a long one.
My tank is 7 months old and I've been having issues with keeping LPS, and by issues I mean all my lps die after 1-3 months of being added. As of yesterday: NO3: 5, PO4: 0.03, Alk= 7.85.
I don't do water changes as often as I should, the last time was 4 months ago. I have no lps in my tank rn only softies.
Can someone please tell me why any and all types of lps do well in my tank for a bit and then suddenly start "melting" away?

So far I've lost: Candy canes, 2 different torches, and a hammer frag. (i managed to save 1 torch and the candy canes by giving them to a friend)

Ps: The light arm holder thing has a bit of rust on it and water did touch it a few times, so could it be because of that? Also, I have a 70w light on a 33 gal tank (red sea max C 130), of which I'm probably using 40 watts only so could insufficient light be the issue?

Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated thank you!

 

[Gedxin]

What's your calcium and magnesium levels? 4 months of no water changes sounds like you could potentially be missing some trace elements that normal water changes would likely have mitigated.

 

[maleks.reef]

What's your calcium and magnesium levels? 4 months of no water changes sounds like you could potentially be missing some trace elements that normal water changes would likely have mitigated.

I do not have a Ca Or Mag test kit for now. Also, those lps that I had, I never had them all at the same time so the demand for those nutrients would have been very low. I have about 14 softies in my tank right now, all of which are doing good. I am also starting to get alot of coraline. and btw the torches and hammer that i lost, i lost them when i was doing monthly water changes.

I use red sea salt (blue bucket)

 

[Reef and Dive]

What's your calcium and magnesium levels? 4 months of no water changes sounds like you could potentially be missing some trace elements that normal water changes would likely have mitigated.

Agree, and light could be an issue for sure.

 

[maleks.reef]

Agree, and light could be an issue for sure.

The LPS last at least a month before melting away. If the light was the issue would they stay alive that long?

 

[Cell]

You either need to perform regular water changes or start testing for the alk/ca/mg and dose as needed. I'm guessing you are getting some parameter swings if you are waiting that long between water changes and not dosing to sustain levels between them.

 

[Reef and Dive]

The LPS last at least a month before melting away. If the light was the issue would they stay alive that long?

Yes. Easily. Could you get a par meter over there to check?

 

[maleks.reef]

Yes. Easily. Could you get a par meter over there to check?

Looks like i need to try to get ahold of one. Other than the light, what other things could be doing this? Would the rust thing i mentioned above be it?

 

[Garf]

Looks like i need to try to get ahold of one. Other than the light, what other things could be doing this? Would the rust thing i mentioned above be it?

Build threads can contain loads of useful info, you could do with updating yours, when you’ve got time. Doubt if rust has anything to do with it. Temperature, salinity control, and other stuff already mentioned could do it.

 

[attiland]

Just like said above. LPS need Alk above 8dkh calcium calcium around 400ppm magnesium around 1300ppm if you don’t test for these start now.
if you don’t like water changes you need to replace minerals used by corals. You can do something like all for reef dosing
I doubt but not impossible your lighting is not ideal for your corals too. LPS is less demanding on this area.

 

[Heisenberg 78]

If your not testing and relying heavily on luck to manage your tank that’s going to be the first stumbling block.

You need to think of your longterm goal: Are you looking at equipment or a methodology which will sustain the livestock you keep? You will not be successful if your approach is to leave your tank to “run into the Red”

If your not doing water changes then you‘ll certainly need to build up a picture of what’s dropping to what level and how quick..from there you need a system in place which replenishes the missing chemistry which your animals thrive off.

A reef tank works off stability and I’d agree to avoid frequent water changes; that said you need to be monitoring as a minimum Cal alk and mag..no3 and p04.

if you look at dosing the required elements, and managing your nutrients to keep the parameters stable then you are half way there to keeping things alive.

One of the biggest lessons there is to learn in this hobby is not to keep messing with things.
each time you alter lights…, position of a coral, powerhead flow, cleaning and tweaking things your throwing a massive curve into any progress your trying to make.

If you could post a picture of your set up this is always a good way of generating further advice.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk is low
Additionally if you have leathers, they are known to release toxins and I would suggest to add a pouch of chemiPure Blue to alleviate this possibility.
As for parameters, alk and mag not critical.
What test kits are you using and are any expired?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

For parameters,

Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .5
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-10
CA 440

 

[maleks.reef]

Build threads can contain loads of useful info, you could do with updating yours, when you’ve got time. Doubt if rust has anything to do with it. Temperature, salinity control, and other stuff already mentioned could do it.

My temp and salinity are always spot on thankfully. From what I've gathered it might be low Ca and Mg or low light. But this raises the question, would i have coraline growing everywhere all of a sudden if my Ca and Mg were THAT low?

 

[attiland]

My temp and salinity are always spot on thankfully. From what I've gathered it might be low Ca and Mg or low light. But this raises the question, would i have coraline growing everywhere all of a sudden if my Ca and Mg were THAT low?

Coralline grow even with low calcium and magnesium. Grows better when it is correct. They also us a lot of alk and calcium compared it’s size.
One way to know. Test for it. I know whe coralline started to take of full scale almost instantly I had to start to dose.

 

[maleks.reef]

If your not testing and relying heavily on luck to manage your tank that’s going to be the first stumbling block.

You need to think of your longterm goal: Are you looking at equipment or a methodology which will sustain the livestock you keep? You will not be successful if your approach is to leave your tank to “run into the Red”

If your not doing water changes then you‘ll certainly need to build up a picture of what’s dropping to what level and how quick..from there you need a system in place which replenishes the missing chemistry which your animals thrive off.

A reef tank works off stability and I’d agree to avoid frequent water changes; that said you need to be monitoring as a minimum Cal alk and mag..no3 and p04.

if you look at dosing the required elements, and managing your nutrients to keep the parameters stable then you are half way there to keeping things alive.

One of the biggest lessons there is to learn in this hobby is not to keep messing with things.
each time you alter lights…, position of a coral, powerhead flow, cleaning and tweaking things your throwing a massive curve into any progress your trying to make.

If you could post a picture of your set up this is always a good way of generating further advice.

Thank you for taking the time to write all this. Regarding messing with things every day, i used to do that when i first started but then i quickly realised that its wrong so I try to leave things be and not change anything unless absolutely necessary. Also, here is a pic of my set-up:

Alk is low
Additionally if you have leathers, they are known to release toxins and I would suggest to add a pouch of chemiPure Blue to alleviate this possibility.
As for parameters, alk and mag not critical.
What test kits are you using and are any expired?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

For parameters,

Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .5
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-10
CA 440

I do have a kenya tree and a toadstool, however, i use carbon which is changed monthly. Shouldn't that take care of any toxins? (Ps: the carbon is 1-2 yrs old, is that ok?)
I use salifert kits, all are new.
I buy rodi from my LFS. (Planning on getting an RO buddie soon)

 

[maleks.reef]

Coralline grow even with low calcium and magnesium. Grows better when it is correct. They also us a lot of alk and calcium compared it’s size.
One way to know. Test for it. I know whe coralline started to take of full scale almost instantly I had to start to dose.

Looks like i need to buy a Ca and Mg kit. Problem is they are not cheap here, but looks like i have no option.

 

[Heisenberg 78]

It might just be a case of time and maturity, I think everyone likes to try their hand at keeping corals as early as they can; I guess nature does good things in its own time.

I too share your troubles, I had no end of dying livestock even up to about 5 years in. It’s only in recent years I’ve stopped my messing about and let things settle, letting the biology find its own way.

 

[attiland]

Alk is low
Additionally if you have leathers, they are known to release toxins and I would suggest to add a pouch of chemiPure Blue to alleviate this possibility.
As for parameters, alk and mag not critical.
What test kits are you using and are any expired?
Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?

For parameters,

Temp 77-79
ph 8.1-8.3
salinity 1.025
nitrate < .5
phos < .04
Ammonia < .03
mG 1300
Alk 8-10
CA 440

Guys i don’t want to highjack your tread but I would be interested your opinion on the below tread especially because some of your input suggests you do different from other reefers

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dose-but-when.855646/

 

[Reef and Dive]

Looks like i need to try to get ahold of one. Other than the light, what other things could be doing this? Would the rust thing i mentioned above be it?

I doubt it, probably not.

 

[maleks.reef]

A question to all the experts here, would it be ok if I buy a Ca kit for now and use it to have a rough idea of my Mg? I wont be dosing anything, only water changes.