3 Weeks now, Acans (and a few zoas) deflated and not opening up... Chemistry? Flow? Lighting?

56cbr600rr · Jun 21, 2021

Hey all. I've had these acans for a year and a half now and they are normally fully inflated and growing. Also, my speckled Krakatoa (3 months I've had) are are normlly humungous and full. Intstead now the Krakatoa are keeping their edges closed and the Acans are closed up all day. The Acans do still put their tentacles out at night and eat.

I've done no changes in lighting or current. About a month ago Phospates got to around 1.0. They are now much lower (will put current parameters below). Have not added anything new coral or fish.

Some other notes:

-I have to add every day or two to keep Alk up to 8. It is Reef Fusion 1 or 2. I just realized I do not add the part 2 Calcium when I add Alk... Problem maybe??
-For some reason I get a brownish algae growth on the left side of the tank (not right side)... Where these corals reside... Could this algae; or whatever it is be effecting these corals.
- 4-5 weeks ago Magnesium dipped to 1,250 or so...
-4-5 weeks ago Phosphates were around 1.0

Paramaters (Been pretty steady the last 3 weeks or so)
salinity: 1.026
Nitrate: 15-17
Alk: 7.5 (Trying to keep 8.0 or slighlty above normally)
Mg: 1,440
Ca: 460
Phosphate: .015

Any thoughts are appreciated. I do not run charcoal, or a protein skimmer.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 21, 2021

What test kits are you using? Alk a tad low, mag and pho’s high and CA slightly elevated
Moderate light and water flow and off the sand. Feed 2-3x per way
Brown on one side may be a sign of uneven flow throughout tank.

temp 77-79
Salinity 1.025
Nitrate < .5
Phosphate < .03
Mag 1300
Alk 8-11
Ca 440
Ph. 8.1- 8,3

56cbr600rr · Jun 21, 2021

vetteguy53081 said:
What test kits are you using? Alk a tad low, mag and pho’s high and CA slightly elevated
Moderate light and water flow and off the sand. Feed 2-3x per way
Brown on one side may be a sign of uneven flow throughout tank.

temp 77-79
Salinity 1.025
Nitrate < .5
Phosphate < .03
Mag 1300
Alk 8-11
Ca 440
Ph. 8.1- 8,3

Salifert test kits..

And I'm sure you're correct about flow, as the Nero 3 is on the opposite side. Is that a bad thing? The Acans and Nero were like this before for months with no issues..

dedragon · Jun 21, 2021

i think nitrates are fine up to like 10 with not many issues as well as phosphate up to .05 but many people run tanks (even full sps) with higher nutrients.
How quick did you drop your phosphate? 1 to .015 is a huge drop

56cbr600rr · Jun 21, 2021

dedragon said:
i think nitrates are fine up to like 10 with not many issues as well as phosphate up to .05 but many people run tanks (even full sps) with higher nutrients.
How quick did you drop your phosphate? 1 to .015 is a huge drop

Yeah, normally my Nitrates and 15-17 and all seems good.

I'd say the Phosphate drop took around a week or so..

56cbr600rr · Jul 10, 2021

I know what it is now.. Bought a microscope... And have Dino's.. Coolia to be exact.

I've been vacuuming the sand bed and changing the top part of my media every morning as they are free floating at night. Also dosing H202 2x daily. Already seeing an improvement. Today I am stopping the dosing and adding bacteria from a bottle, copepods, and more importantly a UV sterilizer.

Should (fingers crossed) be good..