Corals Dieing Please Help

[eLReef]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forums. I am having an overwhelming issue with my corals. I have lost 12 corals over $1,000 worth within the last 3-4 weeks :( I tried researching and asking the LFS and the issue is still continuing now I turn for help to the forums please. It seems to be only my Euphyllias are affected but I also noticed my Lepto Jack-O-Lantern is showing signs of some kind of disease or bacteria. during the 1st stages the corals either stop expanding as much, show a grayish discolored color, corals look droopy and the tentacles just hang with their mouths open. Then there after they start to rip off the skeleton. The process happens within 1-3 days once infected. I did multiple water changes, I tried dipping them in revive, Coral RX and iodine but this seems to speed up the process and kills them faster. I also would like to mention that I drip acclimate and dip all my corals before they enter my display tank. Here is some information of my tank as well as pictures. I would really appreciate it if someone could help and advise me on what to do please.

Parameters
PH 8-8.2 (Apex PH Probe)
Alkalinity: 8.3 (Hanna kit)
Calcium: 417 (Hanna kit)
Magnesium: 1,500 (Red Sea)
Iodine: .06 (Red Sea)
Phosphate: .02 (Hanna)
Salinity: 1.025
Temperature: 77-78F
Nitrate: 5.0 (Red Sea)

Tank/equipment
45 Gal rimless Jbj all in one
Remora hang on Skimmer
Radion xr30w g3 pro w/ Mount
Mp40
Santa monica Algae scrubber
Apex Gold
ATO Tunze Osomolator
Arctica chiller

Maintenance/Feeding
I do 10% weekly water changes (Aquaforest Salt) I add 1 drop of iodine biweekly(Yes I test for it) I use Carbon premium rox .08 and use high capacity GFO in a sock monthly. I feed my corals once a week with reef roids and coral frenzy, I feed my fish a combination of frozen mysis /brine shrimp and pellets every day. Once a week I add concentrated garlic and Selcon to their food. I use polyester as a filter and replace it every week.

Dosing
I use 6 Tsp of Kalkwasser in my 5 gal ATO. lasts about 10 days. I also use BRS Soda Ash and calcium to adjust my alkalinity or calcium if needed.

Lighting/Water Flow
I have my lights on for 9hrs a day from 11am-8pm. I have them at an overall intensity of 30%. UV and Blues at 100%, White 15%, Green 20% and Red 25%. Mp40 switches from lagoon to Gyre mode i have it at 10-20%.

Corals
I have a mix tank with Acans, blastos, birdnests, Euphyllias, Leptos, montis, mushrooms, Zoa's, Favias

Fish/Inverts
Purple fire fish, 6 Line Wrasse, Blue spotted Jawfish, Diamond goby, Royal Gramma, McCosker's Flasher Wrasse, Neon Dotty Back, Ultra Black Ice Clown, Fire Shrimp, Cleaner Shrimp, Electric Golden Derasa Clam, hermit crabs, snails, serpant sea star

 

[Dilan Patel]

I know you said that you dipped all corals. Is that after you noticed this happening or the first time you put them in...If you did all three right after each other I can see why these corals are not doing well. each time you dip a coral it adds a lot of stress and too much stress can lead to diseases and vulnerability. Parameters seem good. Did you test for nitrite and ammonia I know that fish would be affected but I would just make sure they are at 0 and nothing else. Also I see you got a mp40 I understand those to be quite strong and can blow the flesh right off of corals which might be happening. Could be a pest that you did ot know you had or a fish nipping. I would not dip unless you absolutely have too at this point because the more stree the worst if you have an extra tank lying around I would set that up with fresh saltwater acclimate it then place those corals there to recover. I have two tanks so hen things go wrong i put it in my other reef to help heal and then move them back. Hope this helps and good luck

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Pull out the gfo and use less carbon for a week.

 

[eLReef]

I know you said that you dipped all corals. Is that after you noticed this happening or the first time you put them in...If you did all three right after each other I can see why these corals are not doing well. each time you dip a coral it adds a lot of stress and too much stress can lead to diseases and vulnerability. Parameters seem good. Did you test for nitrite and ammonia I know that fish would be affected but I would just make sure they are at 0 and nothing else. Also I see you got a mp40 I understand those to be quite strong and can blow the flesh right off of corals which might be happening. Could be a pest that you did ot know you had or a fish nipping. I would not dip unless you absolutely have too at this point because the more stree the worst if you have an extra tank lying around I would set that up with fresh saltwater acclimate it then place those corals there to recover. I have two tanks so hen things go wrong i put it in my other reef to help heal and then move them back. Hope this helps and good luck

I initially dipped every coral that I bought before it went into my tank. My most recent coral I bought was in my tank for 3 weeks doing great and just recently died. All the rest of my corals I have had for months before they started shown these signs. That's when I tried dipping them again. Nitrite and Ammonia are at 0. My fish are doing great I have not had any fish casualties or disease at all knock on wood. My mp40 is at a very low setting and where my Euphyillias are placed are at low to modern indirect flow. I do have an extra tank but I don't have any lights. Would changing the lighting cause more stress?

 

[eLReef]

Pull out the gfo and use less carbon for a week.

Do you think this might help? what kind of stress do you think this might be causing?

 

[Dilan Patel]

I am not sure if changing the lighting would cause more stress. I usually just put them on the very bottom of the tank and in some shade to help get them used to the tank. What did you do that could contaminate the tank that you did not test for. Maybe soap on your hands? If you remember post what you did when you started seeing these problems i.e new equipment different feeding schedule, new fish introduction etc.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Do you think this might help? what kind of stress do you think this might be causing?

It may be stripping nutrints out of the water too quickly.
Despite your tests being within normal parameters.

I am not sure if changing the lighting would cause more stress. I usually just put them on the very bottom of the tank and in some shade to help get them used to the tank. What did you do that could contaminate the tank that you did not test for. Maybe soap on your hands? If you remember post what you did when you started seeing these problems i.e new equipment different feeding schedule, new fish introduction etc.

Contaminants also is singing to check for.

 

[eLReef]

I am not sure if changing the lighting would cause more stress. I usually just put them on the very bottom of the tank and in some shade to help get them used to the tank. What did you do that could contaminate the tank that you did not test for. Maybe soap on your hands? If you remember post what you did when you started seeing these problems i.e new equipment different feeding schedule, new fish introduction etc.

I hardly ever put my bare hands in the tank. I use long gloves when working in the tank. But if anything might have gotten in the tank I'm sure the carbon would have removed it. The most recent livestock added to my tank was a orange hammer about 3 weeks ago but I started noticing the problems about a month ago with my Octo frogspawn which was the first one to go. Equipment, feeding and maintenance routine has been the same no changes. I forgot to mention that I do buy my RODI water and mix it at home, I have about 20 lbs of live rock, 1 inch of live sand and use eheim ceramic balls as part of my biological filtration.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Only thing to check there is the TDS of the rodi water and maybe just a visual for rusty something.

Let's get more eyes in here.

#reefsquad. Starving corals?

 

[eLReef]

It may be stripping nutrints out of the water too quickly.
Despite your tests being within normal parameters.
Ok, I will try this and hope for the best.

Contaminants also is singing to check for.

Any advise on what to check for and how to check for it? So, it might not be a bacteria or disease causing this? All my other corals are doing great.

 

[eLReef]

Only thing to check there is the TDS of the rodi water and maybe just a visual for rusty something.

Let's get more eyes in here.

#reefsquad. Starving corals?

Ok, I will look into this. I directly feed all my corals reef roids and coral frenzy once a week using a kent sea squirt feeder. Should I be feeding them more often or something else? what do you recommend?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ok, I will look into this. I directly feed all my corals reef roids and coral frenzy once a week using a kent sea squirt feeder. Should I be feeding them more often or something else? what do you recommend?

I would only do one thing at a time.
Also check back in a n lets see if we can get some more opinions.

I'm trying to thing of an lps guy we can tag.

@Acromaniac

 

[eLReef]

I would only do one thing at a time.
Also check back in a n lets see if we can get some more opinions.

I'm trying to thing of an lps guy we can tag.

@Acromaniac

Ok, Thank you so much.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ok, Thank you so much.

A pleasure. Chek in with updates. !

 

[dbl]

Is there any chance of a contamination of some sort? Cleaning products? Air fresheners? Anything that may have made its way into the water column somehow?

 

[Dilan Patel]

As stated above check TDS of the water. That would make sense if you are putting metals into the tank and it is not producing pure 0 TDS water. You can do this with an inexpensive TDS meter found mostly anywherre online and maybe at Home depot or somewhere like that. Also you could borrow one from the LFS or a friend maybe. RODI water might be the issue and check ASAP.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

How long before the octospawn went down did you change your water?

 

[kireek]

Your Lepo looks like it is getting stung,possibly from the nearby Favia.Make sure your Euphyillas are not getting substrate thrown on them from the gobies.Keep a eye on anything that may be moving or nipping at them too. Other critters may be causing damage to them if you are direct feeding them.A greedy hermit or shrimp may be digging into them to gather food.Other than what was already suggested you may want to look into Euphyilla specific pest.

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I may be way out in left field with this. I use reef roids and coral frenzy for my corals as well. I used coral frenzy a couple times to target feed my hammers and other euphyllia. Within a couple days, I noticed they seemed to be dying off. Since then, I don't use coral frenzy to target feed. I broadcast feed with it now and no issues. Never had this problem with reef roids.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I may be way out in left field with this. I use reef roids and coral frenzy for my corals as well. I used coral frenzy a couple times to target feed my hammers and other euphyllia. Within a couple days, I noticed they seemed to be dying off. Since then, I don't use coral frenzy to target feed. I broadcast feed with it now and no issues. Never had this problem with reef roids.

Isn't reef roids a more meaty food I'm not really sure ever used it.