All frags dying!

[Keroppi]

Now I understand why ppl give up on this hobby so easily.

So I set up my 1st saltwater tank a few months ago, cycled it, got a couple of fish (ocellaris and damsel, had a little tang but he got stuck to the gyre when the power came back after a quick outage)

So, night before last, I decided it was time to get some frags. Bought a 15 pack off a local reefer. Asked for all soft/lps, but he threw in a couple "easy" sps. Whatever.

Water parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate 0-5ppm
ph:~8.0
PO4: 0.06ppm
Alk: 144ppm

...drip acclimated the corals 3 hrs, turned the light (Ocean Revive T247b) down to 1 (of 100) since ppl say too strong of light will kill, but too dim generally won't (although this thing certainly isn't dim on it's lowest setting). The schedule is: ch2 (blue/moon) is on 24/7, ch1 (day) is 0700-1800.

I put everything in, nothing opened up/extended polyps. Fine, I read that is no reason to panic, give it time.

the next (yesterday) morning: No change.
Yesterday evening: no change exchept the damsel is eating one of the SPS (watched him bite off 3 polyps with 5 minutes)

Today: everything is bleaching, withering away, and receding from it's skeleton. I turned the light off a bit ago, just in case it's killing them. I really don't know what to do. I did my diligence, spent plenty of money, check all the parameters 15000 times. I go to my LFS and see "swamps" sustaining corals. I can't even keep a few frags alive for a few days?

Anyone, please help!

When first put in:

Now:

When first put in:

Now:

When first put in:

After Damsel got a hold of it (it's bare/gone now):

Closed zoas (no change):

Frogspawn (visibly receding, retracted this whole time):

 

[P-Dub]

First off, let me say how sorry I am for the loss you are experiencing. One thing that I noticed is the pH looks to me to be lower than 7.8. That is the problem with the color reading pH test kits IMHO. If it is in fact as low as I'm seeing it, that is a problem and likely a contender for the #1 contributing factor to your loss. Personally, with all the money we invest in livestock I think an accurate pH probe and meter are a must. I don't personally like color reading test kits for the reason that we all see colors differently and under different lighting. I wish I had a quick answer to your query but I would question the kits. I'm sure that others are having luck with these types of kits, just not me. One thing you didn't mention is your tank temperature and Ca levels and your salinity.

 

[Keroppi]

First off, let me say how sorry I am for the loss you are experiencing. One thing that I noticed is the pH looks to me to be lower than 7.8. That is the problem with the color reading pH test kits IMHO. If it is in fact as low as I'm seeing it, that is a problem and likely a contender for the #1 contributing factor to your loss. Personally, with all the money we invest in livestock I think an accurate pH probe and meter are a must. I don't personally like color reading test kits for the reason that we all see colors differently and under different lighting. I wish I had a quick answer to your query but I would question the kits. I'm sure that others are having luck with these types of kits, just not me. One thing you didn't mention is your tank temperature and Ca levels and your salinity.

Thanks for the response.
Tank temp is 78.6, salinity 1.025. I bought a hanna Ca checker, but I don't have any de-ionized water (I am told it needs proper lab grade) but TBH I didn't think I needed to worry about it that much in the beginning.
Sadly, I bought an apex with a brand new ph probe...but it won't be here until the end of the week. I shoulda just waited a couple days.

 

[will424]

I think you might have drip acclimated for too long as 3 hours is a bit too much for coral acclimation.

 

[BootyPup]

I think you might have drip acclimated for too long as 3 hours is a bit too much for coral acclimation.

Besides the possible wrong readings, this might be a factor, being completely honest, I haven't drip acclimated in a long while, and that has never been a reason for why something has gone wrong for me.

 

[rossco]

What is your water source? RO/DI or tap?

 

[Keroppi]

I would never suspected this would kill them. 4 stage RODI.

What is your water source? RO/DI or tap?

 

[JonoB]

X2 on what kind of water you are using. I'd test for copper too, do you have a CUC? Are they still alive?

 

[rossco]

I would never suspected this would kill them. 4 stage RODI.

Shouldn’t be water then, just checking as I didn’t see it mentioned and your parameters seem good

 

[Erica-Renee]

Where these the First Corals in the tank? If not how are the other corals doing ? I know its to late for this now but this is the reason i will only buy a few corals at a time.

Its really tough to figure out

 

[Keroppi]

TDS was zero when I mixed the water. Do I need a specifically copper tester?

Shouldn’t be water then, just checking as I didn’t see it mentioned and your parameters seem good

 

[Keroppi]

TDS I meant

 

[Keroppi]

Yes, first corals, and no clean up crew.

 

[speedstar]

What was the source for the live rock? That is really odd. I wonder if it was in a fish only system running copper.

 

[madweazl]

Dont leave the lights on 24/7, that certainly didn't help. Highly unlikely that pH was a problem.

 

[speedstar]

Also have you done par readings? I have scene LED's on full bleach and stress coral, though your look pretty high up

 

[Keroppi]

I have not done par readings, no. But theres guys in the review thread running this fixture at over 50. How could I bleach them to death on the absolute lowest setting (1)? How long should i run the lights? Is it possible they're not getting *enough* light?

 

[Keroppi]

What was the source for the live rock? That is really odd. I wonder if it was in a fish only system running copper.

The rock came from a reefer that had a beautiful mixed reef, not a FOWLR, no chance of copper dosing/leaching there.

 

[madweazl]

I have not done par readings, no. But theres guys in the review thread running this fixture at over 50. How could I bleach them to death on the absolute lowest setting (1)? How long should i run the lights? Is it possible they're not getting *enough* light?

I typically run the lights for 12 hours or less. With how quickly they went downhill, low light isn't the problem. You can try a LUX meter app for your phone if you have nothing else.

 

[Keroppi]

I typically run the lights for 12 hours or less. With how quickly they went downhill, low light isn't the problem. You can try a LUX meter app for your phone if you have nothing else.

Day and moon? Day I had on 11 hours, moon all night