Corals still struggling

[nzkiwi80]

So a while ago I posted about my corals that were struggling. I raised my salinity dosed with Ca and Mg and it's slowed down a lot but still not growing and perhaps still dying slowly.

What could be wrong? what next

Here's my system
Red Sea Reefer 350L
2x Hydra 32's on a system setting from their page - on for 10 hours per day
1x wave maker
1x Cross flow pump
Skimmer
Auto Top Up

Water Data
1.025 salinity
5-10pmm Nitrate
Almost no noticeable Nitrite
Very low Ammonia
1350 Mg
440 Ca
7.7Dkh
8.0Ph
Very hard to detect Phosphate

Nothing screams alarm bells there.

I do have a lot of what I'm very confident is Vermetid Snails and a lot of aiptasia, maybe 8 or 9 (I've been trying to remove these)

I've got 2 tangs, a six line, puffer - all healthy and eating well.

My system is about 2 1/2 years old, was considering replacing my rock and get rid of vermetid/aiptasia and try stay on top of them as they come back..

Any ideas?

 

[Jekyl]

Using RoDi? Can we have some tank pics?

 

[nzkiwi80]

Sure, yes I'm using RODI

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What intensity are your lights at? Have you ever tested with a par meter? Corals dying very slowly is a possible sign of low light. How's the flow in the tank, how many gph is your wavemaker? I don't see anything in your parameters that would concern me, so I'm thinking possible lighting and/or flow.

 

[kevgib67]

I would like to address your vermatid snail and aptasia issue. For the vermatid snails throw in a handful of bumblebee snails and they will eat them. They cleared my tank years ago and I still keep them around because they are cool looking. Aptasia, you have many options from manual removal to adding predators. CBB, file fish, Australian Stripey, peppermint shrimp or berghia nudibranchs.

 

[ColorMeGone]

You need some Phosphates to keep corals from starving in my book. Don't worry about Nitrites or ammonia in small amounts.

 

[Should I]

is ur alk stable? or does it fluctuate alot

 

[nzkiwi80]

is ur alk stable? or does it fluctuate alot

I'm not sure, I've not tested it much. I'm not sure how it would though? I can start doing more tests.

You need some Phosphates to keep corals from starving in my book. Don't worry about Nitrites or ammonia in small amounts.

I'm not doing anything to remove them. The Salifert test kits basically come down to what shade of clear is it...

I would like to address your vermatid snail and aptasia issue. For the vermatid snails throw in a handful of bumblebee snails and they will eat them. They cleared my tank years ago and I still keep them around because they are cool looking. Aptasia, you have many options from manual removal to adding predators. CBB, file fish, Australian Stripey, peppermint shrimp or berghia nudibranchs.

Hence looking to remove my rock and replace with new and try stay on top of them.

 

[Should I]

I'm not sure, I've not tested it much. I'm not sure how it would though? I can start doing more tests.


I'm not doing anything to remove them. The Salifert test kits basically come down to what shade of clear is it...


Hence looking to remove my rock and replace with new and try stay on top of them.

how often do you test alk you should probs test it ATLEAST once a day

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I'm not sure, I've not tested it much. I'm not sure how it would though? I can start doing more tests.


I'm not doing anything to remove them. The Salifert test kits basically come down to what shade of clear is it...


Hence looking to remove my rock and replace with new and try stay on top of them.

There's no guarantee that new rock won't have them too. The bumblebee snails suggested above would be a safer bet. The blue light pictures don't show things clearly but your par may definitely be lacking. The lack of detectable phosphates is an issue. You are not stocked heavily enough to where daily alk testing is warranted, IMO. Once a week during water changes is all I do. (Lightly stocked myself)

 

[nzkiwi80]

Bumblebee snails are not available in New Zealand. Unfortunately they are not an option.

 

[BonnieB]

Seems your alkalinity is low (at least I keep mine 8-9 dKH) and corals need detectable phosphate. I also agree with others on lighting and flow. Seems it could be multiple things.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Bumblebee snails are not available in New Zealand. Unfortunately they are not an option.

You can also try crushing them manually so that other tank inhabitants can have a snack. (not sure what fish you have) Also maybe avoid broadcast feeding corals. Spot feed if needed. The less food the snails can easily access the better. I think others have used coral snow with some success.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vermetid-snail-control.303841/

 

[nzkiwi80]

You can also try crushing them manually so that other tank inhabitants can have a snack. (not sure what fish you have) Also maybe avoid broadcast feeding corals. Spot feed if needed. The less food the snails can easily access the better. I think others have used coral snow with some success.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/vermetid-snail-control.303841/

I tried this with another bit of rock, they were everywhere - not sure I have the will power to do that not knowing if I'm even doing it close enough to the rock to crush them. I have a lot of them