Crab's is about ready to throw in the towel.

[hart24601]

I don’t have a whole lot to add that others have not, but I really hope you bounce back well. I personally find issues with acros a few days or week after large changes, phosphate or more notably alk then they just die off with great PE.


Glad you put carbon in, that is one thing that is part of my standard reefing protocol. I have a media bag and I put a small amount of carbon in the bag every time I change the filter socks. I just put the bag in the sock. Figure a small amount of new carbon changed frequently is better and it doesn’t take hardly any longer than regular sock change as I just pour a little more in the media bag until it starts to get full.

 

[Crabs McJones]

1. Pests? Do you dip and quarantine?
2. Do you dose trace elements?
3. Do you change your RODI filters periodically?
4. Does your water contain silicates? Are you using Silicabuster DI resin?
5. Check your Iodine levels with Triton test. If low, you will get tip burn with all other conditions being optimal.
6. Good luck!!!

1.No pests, nothing added to the tank in almost a year
2. Only thing I dose is 2 part and weekly 10%water changes
3. I change out the pre filters (one sediment and two carbon blocks) either every 3 months or when I notice a pressure drop between the last prefilter and my ro membrane
4. I'm using brs mixed di color changing resin
5. Not sure on iodine levels. Triton kit comes in today

Thanks for the suggestions

 

[drawman]

Wow I will say you've got a lot of support here. I can't say I've seen an acro problem thread blow up so quickly!

I couldn't read the whole thread yet and I will tell you I've been there myself triple checking everything on an acro tank that went downhill out of nowhere. Like you I had beautiful polyp extension and it went from one coral to another.

I think you're getting a ton of suggestions which is good but can also be overwhelming. Keep a list of what you've and as others have suggested I would start with your water.

Testing for chloramines is a good start.

Please retest your salinity against someone that has a healthy acro tank. I can't tell you how many new bottles of calibration fluid I bought that were all over the place against each other. This goes for all of the brands! I think aquacraft is more consistent but I wouldn't blindly trust any of them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wow I will say you've got a lot of support here. I can't say I've seen an acro problem thread blow up so quickly!

I couldn't read the whole thread yet and I will tell you I've been there myself triple checking everything on an acro tank that went downhill out of nowhere. Like you I had beautiful polyp extension and it went from one coral to another.

I think you're getting a ton of suggestions which is good but can also be overwhelming. Keep a list of what you've and as others have suggested I would start with your water.

Testing for chloramines is a good start.

Please retest your salinity against someone that has a healthy acro tank. I can't tell you how many new bottles of calibration fluid I bought that were all over the place against each other. This goes for all of the brands! I think aquacraft is more consistent but I wouldn't blindly trust any of them.

I really suspect salinity

 

[Mastiffsrule]

So sorry,

I agree take a step back, every change is going to alter your numbers somewhat making it harder to pinpoint the exact cause. Plus it will reduce the stressors for a moment.

Any chance an old hydrometer laying around, just to rule out the basics. Sometimes slowing down, focusing on the basics brings things back.

Also it would not hurt to get some meta-sorb from 2 little fishes if you can

(This advise was given under intense protest from Oreo- my avatar -after she read your cat comment)

 

[Crabs McJones]

I really suspect salinity

Calibration solution

RO/DI Water

The Tank

 

[Crabs McJones]

 

[Crabs McJones]

Confirmed with salifert

 

[Crabs McJones]

Calcium 435ish

 

[pmarsh44]

I know you've tested for Nitrates, but Nitrites?

I feel like somewhere in the past I remember a story this happened. I doubt it with such water changes.

 

[JonChicago]

I'm a noob and have nothing to add but "best of luck!" I hope things turn around for ya

 

[Crabs McJones]

Mag is approximately 1450

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Just a thought, have you run any carbon yet?

Perhaps there is something in the tank that’s having an ill effect that carbon can remove.

I have not as i'm not a big fan of running carbon or gfo or anything like that. But at this point i'm willing to try anything. I just figured with how much water i've been changing whatever could potentially be in the tank would be taken out or depleted to the point of not being an issue.

I'm with you on not liking chemical fixes, and run a Kessil lit fuge as my only export method as well... but I also run a reactor with carbon just incase. I live in my house. We have two dogs, we try to clean carefully, and only burn candles in the bedroom away from the tanks... but things happen. The neighbors might get the yard treated with ethylmethylkillyouquick while the wind is blowing in the dirrectionnof my 40 year old slightly drafty house.

Better safe than sorry. So I keep carbon running 24/7.

 

[Gareth elliott]

What softies are you keeping? I forget what was in the 40b, any chance this is some form of alleopathy? I had an alk spike that my garf bonsia thrived in but died when my corky finger grew like crazy and released some of its corresponding chemicals.

 

[DHill6]

I really hope everything turns out well. I used Red Sea blue for 1/3 of a large bucket of salt, didn’t like it and went back to TM Pro. Not waivering from that salt. Unique Corals sells. Pants Lith, it will bind metals etc. and export via skimmer. Safe enough to use with wc if preferred. The coral seemed to like the stuff, I used it when an ICP test showed metals. Safe to say on one tank it was the hinges rusting on a Miracles stand. The newest tank when things went downhill we’re the tiny screws on an aqua wind fan that were rusted in the screw holes. Replaced with SS screws. Also out was the Neptune probe holder, any magnetic holders are now made from cromag, completely sealed magnets. Just a few suggestions.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Nitrates. I think this means 25ppm right?

 

[Crabs McJones]

This equates to .02 phosphates

 

[Karl M]

Crabs I feel ya buddy had a similar event happened twice last year.
First event I now truly believe was a salt issue....we’ll leave it at that.
Second event was due to a leaking veggie clip magnet that was oozing some black crud, I had torn the tank apart looking for a cause...twice but had completely overlooked the clip.

I took a huge hit in coral losses, before I got things turned around.
I hope this turns for you soon, just keep pushing forward.
Karl

 

[X-37B]

Did you check for stray voltage. A local lfs had a titainium heater split and leaked the insides out and had stray voltage. It killed all of his corals in his 200+ gallon frag system. His montis looked like yours but more extreme. Of course it happened when the store was closed for 2 days.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Did you check for stray voltage. A local lfs had a titainium heater split and leaked the insides out and had stray voltage. It killed all of his corals in his 200+ gallon frag system. His montis looked like yours but more extreme. Of course it happened when the store was closed for 2 days.

Yes, no abnormal stray voltage.