Corals Struggle Post-UV and Dino Treatment: Seeking Solutions

[RickvDam]

Now that my UV is doing its job, the dinos have disappeared rapidly. My water parameters have never been better, and despite being on the lower side previously (except for nitrate), they now feel significantly more stabilized, even four days after the last water change.

• Alkalinity (Alk): 10.9
• Magnesium (Mag): 1350
• pH: 8.3
• Calcium (Cal): 460
• Nitrate: 10
• Ammonia: 0
• Phosphate: 0.064

I have a few concerns about three specific corals:

Zoas: Previously, my zoa garden was always completely open and growing rapidly. Since the dinos disappeared, some parts still won't open. While I understand it's only been a few days since the dinos vanished, and some zoas opened up quickly, I'm concerned that there might be another issue bothering them. I haven't made any changes to the lighting or wavemaker. The only difference is the return nozzle, which is slightly altered. However, judging by my rockscape, I don't think the return nozzle flow even reaches the zoas. Should I give them more time, or is there something else I should consider?

Acan: I have one Acan coral that isn't doing well. Initially placed on the sand in various spots with different flow levels (60-100 PAR), a few days ago, I started noticing its skeleton. I even found a single small head elsewhere in the sand. I've now relocated it under another rock with even less light. Could the flow be too much, even though it seems to be fully open?

This was my Acan when I got it...

Cyphastrea: My meteor shower Cyphastrea is deteriorating rapidly. When I acquired it, the rock it came on was fully covered, and the entire coral was opening. Now, the coral is almost gone, with more of the rock visible than the coral, and it never opens. Despite trying different spots and flow levels on the sand, it continues to decline. I'm eager to save it; any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MnFish1]

The UV (in general) - unless generating super radicals or reacting to some other chemical in your tank should be doing anything. The Dino toxins may be - and I would strongly recommend an activated carbon in your filter quickly

 

[Lavey29]

While I agree dying dino toxins may be the source of your trouble, running carbon and water changes should correct that. I also think UV can cause other tank issues because it nukes good stuff along with bad stuff so even though your parameters are decent, your overall biome may be well out of balance.

 

[RickvDam]

The UV (in general) - unless generating super radicals or reacting to some other chemical in your tank should be doing anything. The Dino toxins may be - and I would strongly recommend an activated carbon in your filter quickly

I have activated carbon. The first few days I did a 30% waterchange daily to remove the dino toxins.

While I agree dying dino toxins may be the source of your trouble, running carbon and water changes should correct that. I also think UV can cause other tank issues because it nukes good stuff along with bad stuff so even though your parameters are decent, your overall biome may be well out of balance.

Really? I run my UV for 1 hour a night and heard of many people running it 24/7…

 

[Lavey29]

I have activated carbon. The first few days I did a 30% waterchange daily to remove the dino toxins.

Really? I run my UV for 1 hour a night and heard of many people running it 24/7…

There are pros and cons to everything in this hobby to some degree and entirely different approaches to reefing from one person to the next. What works for me may not help you. Each tank is unique but I'm very confident the ocean does not filter through a giant UV tube for cleansing. I prefer to keep my tank in a more natural approach for biome balance but if your one hour light helps your tank then stay the course for sure. Just to give you an example, UV will kill amphipods and copepods in the water column so there is a loss to your biodiversity right there that maintains your tank.

 

[RickvDam]

There are pros and cons to everything in this hobby to some degree and entirely different approaches to reefing from one person to the next. What works for me may not help you. Each tank is unique but I'm very confident the ocean does not filter through a giant UV tube for cleansing. I prefer to keep my tank in a more natural approach for biome balance but if your one hour light helps your tank then stay the course for sure. Just to give you an example, UV will kill amphipods and copepods in the water column so there is a loss to your biodiversity right there that maintains your tank.

I only run UV while dealing with dino’s. I only run it an hour a night just so I don’t “over do it”.

In a few days the UV will be removed. Part of that is that I wan’t to add copepods back to the tank. Just have no idea why my Acan and Meteor shower are both dying…

 

[Lavey29]

I only run UV while dealing with dino’s. I only run it an hour a night just so I don’t “over do it”.

In a few days the UV will be removed. Part of that is that I wan’t to add copepods back to the tank. Just have no idea why my Acan and Meteor shower are both dying…

Well carbon can remove trace elements so maybe an ICP test would help. Your numbers look good but alk is slightly elevated for nutrients level. I have my acans in low light and flow maybe 100 par. I think your powerheads are mounted to low. I have mine 3 inches below the water line to give strong surface ripple and varied linear flow throughout the tank. Have you direct fed the acans? I never do mine. I've had cyphastrea completely covered in algea and looking dead but come back and thrive.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I dont see UV being an issue and often its as simple as light or water flow, sudden change of parameters and even use of vodka or carbon dosing that reduces nitrate quickly. Assure salinity and Phos has not become elevated.
Another is lack of feeding and food as infrequent feeding and low nutrients can lead to an entire colony melting down. You dont need to target feed as zoas are photosynthetic. It is generally found that target feeding zoas always provides mixed results when a food falls onto their polyps.

Back to parameters, good water quality is a must. Some ranges, not targets are:
dKH: 8.0 - 11
Calcium: 400 - 450
Magnesium: 1300 - 1350
Iodide: Maintained via regular water changes or manually at small dosages
Temperature: 78-79 degrees
pH: 8.1-8.3
Phosphates: .04 - .08
Nitrates < 10
Temperature and pests are often blamed.

 

[RickvDam]

Your numbers look good but alk is slightly elevated for nutrients level.

My alk used to be on the low side. Is maybe the low to high swing too much and that’s why they are still adjusting?

I think your powerheads are mounted to low. I have mine 3 inches below the water line to give strong surface ripple and varied linear flow throughout the tank.

If I do that, all debris gets sucked into the wavemaker instead of the overflow. I think I may have my return pump on a to low setting. Could that be the reason my wavemaker sucks the debree in instead of the overflow?

Have you direct fed the acans?

No, but I dose AB+ daily.

sudden change of parameters and even use of vodka or carbon dosing that reduces nitrate quickly.

I did a 50% waterchange after my tank got dino poisening. Since then my parameters went from low to high (parameters are better, but are different from what they used to be). My nitrate is now lower, and in the acceptable range. I used to have high nitrate issues untill last week. Maybe the change in Alk and Nitrate js making them ticked while they adjust?


Also, im getting a AI Axis next week. Then I can check exactly how much flow I have. What do you recommend for return pump flow? In GPH? I want to adjust the returnpump first, then edit the wavemaker after.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My alk used to be on the low side. Is maybe the low to high swing too much and that’s why they are still adjusting?


If I do that, all debris gets sucked into the wavemaker instead of the overflow. I think I may have my return pump on a to low setting. Could that be the reason my wavemaker sucks the debree in instead of the overflow?


No, but I dose AB+ daily.


I did a 50% waterchange after my tank got dino poisening. Since then my parameters went from low to high (parameters are better, but are different from what they used to be). My nitrate is now lower, and in the acceptable range. I used to have high nitrate issues untill last week. Maybe the change in Alk and Nitrate js making them ticked while they adjust?


Also, im getting a AI Axis next week. Then I can check exactly how much flow I have. What do you recommend for return pump flow? In GPH? I want to adjust the returnpump first, then edit the wavemaker after.

This sudden change may be enough to upset, not kill them and will be temporary

 

[RickvDam]

This sudden change may be enough to upset, not kill them and will be temporary

Thats good to hear. Everything used to be slight above minimum. Alk used to be something like 8,5 I think. Since I’ve done a few good waterchanges and got rid of dino’s, all parameters have stabalized in the more comfortable range. Probably just stressed the corals. Happy to wake up and see them all open again. Also happy when I receive my new pump and I can know for sure the flow is good. The stock returnpump can do 160GPH and I think I got it on about 3/4 strenght. So getting more flow, and in better directions also won’t hurt.

The tank is 15G, should 185GPH return be good? Or a little bit less? Thats the maximum that pump can do, and 15G is also the maximum that AI recommends.