Coral problems, white slime related

[Pozzy]

Hi guys I currently have an issue with my two new corals (hammer and zoanthid) I added them about 4 days ago and they have not opened up since the lfs. They look very shrunken and completely covered in a white slime. After two days I moved them from being about halfway high on my 30 long to the sandbed and after two days they look the same possibly with more white slime. I have pictures down below. Should I dip them in coraldip? Would that stress them out more? Should I let them sit there for longer? Are they dying? Any help would be appreciated thank you


MY PARAMETERS (I use the API reef and saltwater test kits to check these levels):
Saltinity: 1.026
pH: 7.8-8.0
Ammonia: 0 PPM
NItrite: 0 PPM
NItrate: 0 PPM
Phosphate: 0.25 PPM
Calcium: 520 PPM
Carbonate Hardness (KH): 17 dKH

 

[Hitman]

First off welcome to R2R!!!
Your hammer looks like it lost all its polyps do to excessively high ALK, 17 DKH is way way to high!!! I’m sure that’s what’s wrong with your zoa’s as well. You most likely fried the hammer but the zoa’s look to still have skin left. The slime your talking about is the coral melting.
In my opinion it should be between 8 - 11 DKH tops. Most people seem to keep theirs around 8-9 dkh.
How old is your tank?
Have you used better guest kits? API is ok for cycling your tank but that’s really it. I prefer Hana Checkers and or Salifert test kits.

 

[Pozzy]

It's about 2 months old do you think dipping the hammer could possibly help? How could I possibly help my coral?

 

[catfishblues]

If your alk is really a 17 then that's what needs to change asap. Dipping won't help and it would end up going back into a tank with 17 dkh. It also looks like it's dead from the picture but a little hard to tell. Hope things get better!

 

[Pozzy]

I don't know why my alk is that high I use tap water I don't know if that has to do something with it. Is it possible to scrape off the slime? I want to try anything possible to keep them alive. They still have color under blue light just covered by the slime. I've heard using some freshwater to wake them up? I did a water change recently too

 

[catfishblues]

Hmm I would think the slime is the coral trying to protect itself and not something harming it.

Do you mix your own salt with tap water?

 

[Pozzy]

Yes I do I use instant ocean with my tap water. I was going to get an road/di system very soon. Is there anything that I can do to help them recover? How can I tell if they are still alive?

 

[Hitman]

Tap water NOOOO! It has way to much contamination in it. RODI water should be used with a TDS reading if zero. You need to get those corals out ASAP and get your water parameters right. Without correct water parameters, clean water, and being a matured tank it just going to be a potential disaster. Slow down and let your tank mature. Nothing positive in this hobby happens fast. During the first year your tank will go through some very ugly stages and it’s all part of your tank cycling and maturing seeing that you started out with all dry rock you have to let nature take its course and allow the bacteria population to grow. You will not only be happier but enjoy it more if you take a small step back and be patient.

 

[catfishblues]

Until the water parameters are stable it is essentially an unsuitable environment to live in. If you don't have a place to move them I'd do a large water change with clean water either mixed with an rodi, or from your local fish store.

 

[Evan28395950]

Best quick solution is run to a local Walmart and pick up distilled water and start doing water changes in hopes to save the corals. Edit: if you can, take them back to fish store temporarily while you fix water problems

 

[Pozzy]

Thank you to everyone I am going to try to get some distilled water tomorrow and do daily water changes (small ones) and if after a few days norhinohas changed possibly my lfs can save them