corals dying, need help

[Ludak11]

210 gal, not fully stocked up for 3 years. Issues I can seem to figure out
Duncan has been closed for a month, some snails dying, bubble tip anemone x2 closed up and died, zoas seem to be melting away, acan dying off.
All these corals have been in the tank for 6 months to a year.
However other corals seem to be thriving like SPS with good polyp extension. Others doing good are Blastos, birdsnest, montipora, hammer. I am seeing some brown on the sand (is it Diatoms?) and I have some green hair algae. Could diatoms be killing my corals.
Salinity: 35ppt
Temp: 79.8 Fahrenheit
KH: 8.4
Calcium: 450ppm
Phosphates: 0.08
Nitrate: 0.00 – I believe this is false test due to algae consuming it
Magnesium: 1600 (not sure if my test kit is bad)

I feed frozen food once a day = 1.5 cubes
Broadcast feed reefroids 3 times a week
35 gal water changes every 2 weeks, Tropic Marin pro salt.
Dose 16ML Alk daily
Recently started using Phosphate E (Half dose) to lower phosphates. (started after I saw issues)
Phosphate: was 0.14, now 0.08

Fish:
Blue tang
Kole tang
2) Clowns
Yellow Wrasse
Falco Hawkfish
Starry blenny
Yellow head goby
File fish

Filtration:
Sump with pink filter floss instead of socks
Filter sponge between baffles
Marine pure spheres
DIY Algae turf scrubber with 1) 100W grow LED light. (Light on for 14 hours/day)
Carbon in a reactor
RowaPhos in a reactor 1-1/4 cup
Bio pellets in bio pellet reactor
Coralife 36W UV sterilizer

Equipment:
3 - AI Hydra 26 HD on David Saxby lighting schedule
Reef octopus protein skimmer
Blue line HD-X 30 external return pump
ATO - RO/DI
Cobalt Neo-Therm heater

Looking for help, maybe im doing something wrong: any suggestions? What to do or not to do?
Last picture shows dying zoas.

 

[Super Fly]

I'm no lighting expert but I believe 3 Hydra 26HD on 210 are not sufficient?... @Dana Riddle might have better response

 

[Billdogg]

I would agree about the lights. They are probably ok for soft corals but I'd be interested in what your par levels are in various areas of the tank.

Everything else seems to be well within range, so I'd suggest maybe some polyfilter to rule out toxins that cold have gotten into your system, and a very large water change because, well, water change!

 

[Ludak11]

I'm no lighting expert but I believe 3 Hydra 26HD on 210 are not sufficient?... @Dana Riddle might have better response

its hard for me to believe its the lights because all the corals have been growing with the same lights for a year.

 

[Ludak11]

I would agree about the lights. They are probably ok for soft corals but I'd be interested in what your par levels are in various areas of the tank.

Everything else seems to be well within range, so I'd suggest maybe some polyfilter to rule out toxins that cold have gotten into your system, and a very large water change because, well, water change!

i use a reactor for carbon. i will change it our more frequently. the largest water change I can do is 35 gallons. it’s difficult to do very large water change because I do not have a 100 gal drum.

could i have diatoms in a 4 year old system? could diatoms kill corals?

 

[loui]

I seem to be having a similar problem where my SPS are doing good, but my zoa are not. It started when I dosed nitrates and really didn't understand what would happen. When my phosphates went to 0 all my zoanthids closed up but the blastos and SPS seem fine. Long story short I have been doing water changes and testing regularly in an attempt to keep the tank steady and there is some signs of the zoa opening back up.

If you are dosing any thing such as vodka or nitrates or vibrant I would recommend stopping and starting more frequent, but small (10%) water changes and hopefully the tank will start to turn around.

 

[Ludak11]

I seem to be having a similar problem where my SPS are doing good, but my zoa are not. It started when I dosed nitrates and really didn't understand what would happen. When my phosphates went to 0 all my zoanthids closed up but the blastos and SPS seem fine. Long story short I have been doing water changes and testing regularly in an attempt to keep the tank steady and there is some signs of the zoa opening back up.

If you are dosing any thing such as vodka or nitrates or vibrant I would recommend stopping and starting more frequent, but small (10%) water changes and hopefully the tank will start to turn around.

thank you, i will start doing water changes weekly to see if it helps. do you think i should leave my reactors on line?
bio pellets, carbon, ROWA.

 

[Shirak]

i use a reactor for carbon. i will change it our more frequently. the largest water change I can do is 35 gallons. it’s difficult to do very large water change because I do not have a 100 gal drum.

could i have diatoms in a 4 year old system? could diatoms kill corals?

Diatoms- Yes you could and I don't think they can. Are you sure they are diatoms? WIth 0 nitrate could be dino's which can produce toxins and affect corals.

Photos with white's on would be better but I don't see much growth of anything other than a couple little clumps of hair algae, which leads me to believe it's a nutrient imbalance.

 

[Asagi]

any sort of metal in the tank/sump that could have rusted? Like a powerhead magnet? any rubber mats or other items that were not manufactured to be in a marine tank present in the sump? It is going to be something you cannot test for probably. Snails dying is pretty alarming. Big water change and check all your equipment.

 

[Shirak]

any sort of metal in the tank/sump that could have rusted? Like a powerhead magnet? any rubber mats or other items that were not manufactured to be in a marine tank present in the sump? It is going to be something you cannot test for probably. Snails dying is pretty alarming. Big water change and check all your equipment.

Yep for sure. Could be some heavy metal like iron or copper. This is the kind of thing an icp test might shed some light on.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

My zoas and LPS got really mad when nitrates and/or phosphates went to zero and without food for them to eat I had to start dosing Red Sea nutrition to feed them

 

[Billdogg]

My zoas and LPS got really mad when nitrates and/or phosphates went to zero and without food for them to eat I had to start dosing Red Sea nutrition to feed them

I was going to add this. Many LPS, most softies and things like zoas and mushrooms actually prefer slightly "dirty" (nutrient rich) water. I used a 120g refugium with DSB, texas trash palys, and Kenya trees to reduce the nitrates in my 150 Eel tank (4' Gymnothorax Undulatus) from so far out of range as to be untestable to barely detectable in no time at all.

 

[Asagi]

I was going to add this. Many LPS, most softies and things like zoas and mushrooms actually prefer slightly "dirty" (nutrient rich) water. I used a 120g refugium with DSB, texas trash palys, and Kenya trees to reduce the nitrates in my 150 Eel tank (4' Gymnothorax Undulatus) from so far out of range as to be untestable to barely detectable in no time at all.

What kind of eels you got in there, dude? I love eels!

 

[Twisted1990s]

I think a carbon reactor and GFO may help but I also think your temp is High. I keep my 220 gallon reef tank between 76 and 77 all the time. This will also help reduce your hair algae build up.

 

[Billdogg]

I was going to add this. Many LPS, most softies and things like zoas and mushrooms actually prefer slightly "dirty" (nutrient rich) water. I used a 120g refugium with DSB, texas trash palys, and Kenya trees to reduce the nitrates in my 150 Eel tank (4' Gymnothorax Undulatus) from so far out of range as to be untestable to barely detectable in no time at all.

What kind of eels you got in there, dude? I love eels!

Just one. I had him for 25 years. Grew from maybe 16" to 4' and as big around as my upper arm.

 

[ScottB]

thank you, i will start doing water changes weekly to see if it helps. do you think i should leave my reactors on line?
bio pellets, carbon, ROWA.

I suggest you get a confirmation on your nitrate test. If you are really at zero, that would explain two things:
- closed zoanthids
- higher PO4 (although .14 is not really that high and .08 is nice)

You could dose nitrates, or just reduce/remove your bio pellet reactor. I would do the latter. It is working too well stripping nitrates.

As you make changes though, keep an eye on PO4. Low or zero PO4 is a 100X more dangerous than too high. As mentioned before, you will get hit with dinoflagellates if it gets depleted.

 

[Asagi]

I suggest you get a confirmation on your nitrate test. If you are really at zero, that would explain two things:
- closed zoanthids
- higher PO4 (although .14 is not really that high and .08 is nice)

You could dose nitrates, or just reduce/remove your bio pellet reactor. I would do the latter. It is working too well stripping nitrates.

As you make changes though, keep an eye on PO4. Low or zero PO4 is a 100X more dangerous than too high. As mentioned before, you will get hit with dinoflagellates if it gets depleted.

Guys his snails are dying. He’s got an RODI water issue or heavy metal problems. Needs to take his equipment apart and look for corrosion and get a chlorine test strip for his RODI water.

 

[jeffchapok]

Guys his snails are dying. He’s got an RODI water issue or heavy metal problems. Needs to take his equipment apart and look for corrosion and get a chlorine test strip for his RODI water.

Don't trust chlorine test strips, they are worthless. You can get a cheap chlorine drop test for swimming pools at any pool store or Walmart for around $15. They are far more accurate than test strips.

 

[Ludak11]

I think a carbon reactor and GFO may help but I also think your temp is High. I keep my 220 gallon reef tank between 76 and 77 all the time. This will also help reduce your hair algae build up.

thanks, i can try this easily. if i turn off my heater the tank stays at 77

 

[Ludak11]

I suggest you get a confirmation on your nitrate test. If you are really at zero, that would explain two things:
- closed zoanthids
- higher PO4 (although .14 is not really that high and .08 is nice)

You could dose nitrates, or just reduce/remove your bio pellet reactor. I would do the latter. It is working too well stripping nitrates.

As you make changes though, keep an eye on PO4. Low or zero PO4 is a 100X more dangerous than too high. As mentioned before, you will get hit with dinoflagellates if it gets depleted.

thank you, i have taken all reactors off line yesterday for cleaning. should i keep the biopellet and ROWA reactors off and continue using the carbon reactor?