TLDR (07/04/21):
After a full spectrum of troubleshooting, I sent in an ATI ICP test. Results can be found in post #366, but the short story is I have heavy metal contamination (copper, aluminum, tin, zinc, and manganese if I remember correctly) in my water stemming from an unknown source. I suspect it could have been the MarinePure cubes I had in my sump, or possibly some contaminated rocks or sand. The MarinePure cubes have since been removed and I have been running Poly-Filters and CupriSorb in the sump since. I will be sending out a second ICP test next weekend (2 weeks post-corrective measures), and if all turns out clear, I will be ordering some Garf Grunge+ so I can increase the biodiversity in my tank and hopefully move my corals in from my QT so I can stop hassling with 2 tanks for a while. If things don’t show clear, I am rip cleaning the tank and replacing all of the rock and sand with 100% live rock and live sand from the Gulf.
Thank you for following along and all advice is appreciated!
TLDR (05/13/21) for the comments:
It has been established and agreed upon that my tank is way too clean for a 3-month old tank. Water change schedule has been modified to a max of 10-20% only on the weekends.
The cause of my corals dying in my DT despite thriving in my QT has still yet to be determined.
Points to consider:
- I added 6lbs of live rock to the tank before I made this post
- There is now a variety of algae sprinkled across the rocks since adding the live rock.
- ALL of my corals thrive in my QT and die in my DT even though my QT is less than half the age of my DT.
- Water parameters have checked out fine VIA Hanna and Salifert testing.
-There are two fish, one pistol shrimp, and ~7 snails doing great in my DT.
Well guys, I am sorry to say, I’m really considering quitting this hobby. I am so far beyond frustrated with this stupid tank that I literally don’t even know what to say. I have 7 corals that are all slowly dying in my DT while they were thriving in my QT, for now the second time. I don’t get it. I don’t know what to do. My tank is a 38-gallon that is a few months old. Tests show nothing wrong with the water, both pistol shrimp and my gobies are doing great, I use the same RODI water in both tanks with the same salt mix and keep them at the same temperature and salinity.
I added 6 pounds of cured live rock to my display to try and help things along and I’ve added bottled bacteria more times than I can count. I turned down my lights to 15% when I added the corals and they are still dying.
It just makes no sense. I have done water change after water change and it makes no difference. I’m at the end of my rope. If I pull all of my corals out again and put them back in quarantine, what the heck is even the point of having a display?
I don’t know. Somebody please pull me off the edge before I jump and tear it all down.
After a full spectrum of troubleshooting, I sent in an ATI ICP test. Results can be found in post #366, but the short story is I have heavy metal contamination (copper, aluminum, tin, zinc, and manganese if I remember correctly) in my water stemming from an unknown source. I suspect it could have been the MarinePure cubes I had in my sump, or possibly some contaminated rocks or sand. The MarinePure cubes have since been removed and I have been running Poly-Filters and CupriSorb in the sump since. I will be sending out a second ICP test next weekend (2 weeks post-corrective measures), and if all turns out clear, I will be ordering some Garf Grunge+ so I can increase the biodiversity in my tank and hopefully move my corals in from my QT so I can stop hassling with 2 tanks for a while. If things don’t show clear, I am rip cleaning the tank and replacing all of the rock and sand with 100% live rock and live sand from the Gulf.
Thank you for following along and all advice is appreciated!
TLDR (05/13/21) for the comments:
It has been established and agreed upon that my tank is way too clean for a 3-month old tank. Water change schedule has been modified to a max of 10-20% only on the weekends.
The cause of my corals dying in my DT despite thriving in my QT has still yet to be determined.
Points to consider:
- I added 6lbs of live rock to the tank before I made this post
- There is now a variety of algae sprinkled across the rocks since adding the live rock.
- ALL of my corals thrive in my QT and die in my DT even though my QT is less than half the age of my DT.
- Water parameters have checked out fine VIA Hanna and Salifert testing.
-There are two fish, one pistol shrimp, and ~7 snails doing great in my DT.
Well guys, I am sorry to say, I’m really considering quitting this hobby. I am so far beyond frustrated with this stupid tank that I literally don’t even know what to say. I have 7 corals that are all slowly dying in my DT while they were thriving in my QT, for now the second time. I don’t get it. I don’t know what to do. My tank is a 38-gallon that is a few months old. Tests show nothing wrong with the water, both pistol shrimp and my gobies are doing great, I use the same RODI water in both tanks with the same salt mix and keep them at the same temperature and salinity.
I added 6 pounds of cured live rock to my display to try and help things along and I’ve added bottled bacteria more times than I can count. I turned down my lights to 15% when I added the corals and they are still dying.
It just makes no sense. I have done water change after water change and it makes no difference. I’m at the end of my rope. If I pull all of my corals out again and put them back in quarantine, what the heck is even the point of having a display?
I don’t know. Somebody please pull me off the edge before I jump and tear it all down.
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