Euphyllia's struggling

[ReeferHunter]

Found your problem. Euphyillia, well most LPS, but Euphyillia in general_Have_to_have_ Both NO3 and PO4 in the water. If I were you I would raise those nitrates to 5ppm-10ppm and Phosphates to .1ppm-.25ppm.
The bigger problem is .25ppm ammonia. Ammonia should be 0 at all time. Any amount of ammonia in a reef tank is dangerous to inhabitants. How old is the tank? What are the Inhabitants?

-Zack[/QUOTE

how can I raise these levels of nitrate and phosphate in a controlled state so I don't get a crazy algae problem?

 

[Zack K]

should I remove some?

No. It won’t help the situation at the moment. Just let the tank be and observe for another couple days. If things still progress downward then take a course of action. It was just one torch head that’s bad. Sometimes it just happens. The ammonia reading could be variance I the test kit.... after all it is an API.

dkh needs to read 9-10 mag for me needs to be 1400-1500 salt 1.026ppm. I would shoot for 76-78 degrees. Do you have prime? I would add it fast to get that ammonia neutralized.

Each tank is different. What works for one person, will crash another persons tank. Personally, all your numbers are high. But your system has balanced out.
As for the prime. No need for measures like such...yet... The op did use an API kit and they have a track record for being off. Also, he only lost 1 head of a torch. Happens unfortunately.
Zack, all good things happen on their own.

 

[PghReef]

Do you have any seachem prime on hand? If you do have ammonia u can dose the tank and it will lock up any ammonia u have making it inert until your bacteria can do their job. I'm assuming since u have corals you never had copper in the tank, the one time to never use prime is with copper as it makes the copper extremely toxic and will kill all fish in the tank.

As for removing fish you may want to just because of future compatibility issues. Damsels can be mean little buggers and clowns are a damsel in themselves so you have 4 damsels and 2 chromi. Wont ever be able to add a thing to the tank in the future and they may fight as they mature with each other as well

 

[Christopher Davis]

.

 

[Christopher Davis]

No. It won’t help the situation at the moment. Just let the tank be and observe for another couple days. If things still progress downward then take a course of action. It was just one torch head that’s bad. Sometimes it just happens. The ammonia reading could be variance I the test kit.... after all it is an API.



Each tank is different. What works for one person, will crash another persons tank. Personally, all your numbers are high. But your system has balanced out.
As for the prime. No need for measures like such...yet... The op did use an API kit and they have a track record for being off. Also, he only lost 1 head of a torch. Happens unfortunately.
Zack, all good things happen on their own.

What are you calling high numbers, they are not high there pretty spot on. You can run mag high with zero problems.
Prime will cause no harm to his system if anything it will help it 100%

 

[RELLIK-REEF]

I also agree spend the money on another test kit. As for water changes, if your ammonia is still high do a 75% water change add 50% back then remove 25% then refill. I’ll see if I can find the link for this process but I helped a friend with his tank when he had a BTA go through his wave maker killing a couple fish and his ammonia spiked bad. This water change sequence cleared everything up right away. Now he hasn’t had a problem since. As far as the fish I disagree just watch them if they get aggressive then seek alternatives. I have a white and black Clarke pair of clowns a scopas tang a six line wrasse 4 chromis 4 different types of damsels a mandarin dragonet and have never had a problem with any of the. I had one other damsel that was a butthead but now he’s in with the big fishes in a fish only tank and no problems there.

 

[Zack K]

What are you calling high numbers, they are not high there pretty spot on. You can run mag high with zero problems.
Prime will cause no harm to his system if anything it will help it 100%

—>Personally<—
Yes all your numbers are close and we’ll within the ranges if NSW. I jut run my tank on lower numbers. Their are many people that run lower numbers similar to mine have great success. And the other hand, their are many people who run numbers like yours and have great success. Just different tanks.
As for prime. Just 2 different opinions. I don’t see a need to act just yet for a couple of reasons.
1, He is using an API kit which has a track record of giving off false readings at times
2, it was a single head of a torch. As much as it sucks losing coral, it happens sometimes. Even to the best.
3, Everything in the tank looks good. Which leads me to say their is no ammonia in the tank.

-Zack, just my Opinion.

 

[Christopher Davis]

—>Personally<—
Yes all your numbers are close and we’ll within the ranges if NSW. I jut run my tank on lower numbers. Their are many people that run lower numbers similar to mine have great success. And the other hand, their are many people who run numbers like yours and have great success. Just different tanks.
As for prime. Just 2 different opinions. I don’t see a need to act just yet for a couple of reasons.
1, He is using an API kit which has a track record of giving off false readings at times
2, it was a single head of a torch. As much as it sucks losing coral, it happens sometimes. Even to the best.
3, Everything in the tank looks good. Which leads me to say their is no ammonia in the tank.

-Zack, just my Opinion.

I like to keep my water as close to NSW, for long term success. This tanks been running for 7 years with those numbers. Here nor there no matter what test kit you use, ammmonia or not prime would be safe. If it was me and I had the choice, I would add the prime, big water changes can throw off a system, if it’s stressed. I would try to keep it stable and correct the problem to avoid RTN and further stress. Unless you can be sure your numbers are staying spot on. That’s just in the best interest for corals and inhabitants. None the less good discussion.

 

[jacksonpt]

OP, at this point, I wouldn't change/do anything else different. I'm a big believer in consistency (as long as it's not consistently wrong). Based on all the info you've provided, you should be in pretty decent shape, so there's no reason for knee-jerk reactions that may or may not have anything to do with your "problem"

Increase the frequency of your water changes if you want to do something proactive (assuming you trust your new salt water)... otherwise let the tank settle. In most cases, tanks can handle themselves if you let them.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Not to discredit anyone but I find that new tank system tend to be problematic with corals like Euphyllia, Acans etc. I had the same experience before ... back in 2004.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Here are just a few of my baby Torches ...
Background: size of a small Mandarin orange,
Foreground: size of pinky finger ( it's base is similar to an acorn) and I "planted" it in the sandbed :p The small one just drop off from the rocks ... I have at least a dozen all around one of my two rockscapes

 

[ReeferHunter]

I also agree spend the money on another test kit. As for water changes, if your ammonia is still high do a 75% water change add 50% back then remove 25% then refill. I’ll see if I can find the link for this process but I helped a friend with his tank when he had a BTA go through his wave maker killing a couple fish and his ammonia spiked bad. This water change sequence cleared everything up right away. Now he hasn’t had a problem since. As far as the fish I disagree just watch them if they get aggressive then seek alternatives. I have a white and black Clarke pair of clowns a scopas tang a six line wrasse 4 chromis 4 different types of damsels a mandarin dragonet and have never had a problem with any of the. I had one other damsel that was a butthead but now he’s in with the big fishes in a fish only tank and no problems there.

Funny but not funny coincidence, in my first month of reefing I purchased a BTA that went through my wave maker. The guy at the aquarium store said it was okay and since then I have not returned to that store. The BTA went through the wave maker but was stuck inside the propeller. I turned the wave maker off and 3 hours later he had come out and fell to the bottom, then stuck himself to a rock. I thought he might make it sense he free'd himself after the wave maker was shut down. Just this last Saturday I took the BTA and threw him away because he looked bleached and dead. During months 2 and 3 of the tanks total run time he began to grow more bubble tips, had decent color, and was showing signs of improvement. I plan to do a 50% water change this weekend in hopes that things will continue to look better. Things today look similar to yesterday. I have a media reactor with phosphate out that I have temporarily shut down due to what Zack said originally.

 

[ReeferHunter]

Here are just a few of my baby Torches ...
Background: size of a small Mandarin orange,
Foreground: size of pinky finger ( it's base is similar to an acorn) and I "planted" it in the sandbed :p The small one just drop off from the rocks ... I have at least a dozen all around one of my two rockscapes

I gotta say thats absolutely beautiful

 

[Zack K]

Funny but not funny coincidence, in my first month of reefing I purchased a BTA that went through my wave maker. The guy at the aquarium store said it was okay and since then I have not returned to that store. The BTA went through the wave maker but was stuck inside the propeller. I turned the wave maker off and 3 hours later he had come out and fell to the bottom, then stuck himself to a rock. I thought he might make it sense he free'd himself after the wave maker was shut down. Just this last Saturday I took the BTA and threw him away because he looked bleached and dead. During months 2 and 3 of the tanks total run time he began to grow more bubble tips, had decent color, and was showing signs of improvement. I plan to do a 50% water change this weekend in hopes that things will continue to look better. Things today look similar to yesterday. I have a media reactor with phosphate out that I have temporarily shut down due to what Zack said originally.

Was the Media GFO? If so their has been multiple tanks that have crashed due to it being “too efficient” at removing Phosphates. Just a little sidenote
-Zack

 

[ReeferHunter]

Yeup GFO, but like I said that reactor has now been off for 24hrs

 

[ReeferHunter]

Was the Media GFO? If so their has been multiple tanks that have crashed due to it being “too efficient” at removing Phosphates. Just a little sidenote
-Zack

Yeah GFO but it’s been off for 24 hrs now

 

[PghReef]

I attempted gfo only once. Used a 1/4 of the suggested starting dose to ease in, rinsed and placed in a HOB filter which is a very ineffective method, and watches as my tank declined. Corals seems to lose color and not open as nice and in general everything looked unhappy. I had multiple frogspawn and hammer at that time and they opened less the longer I ran the gfo. After 2 weeks I took it offline and everything slowly recovered and started growing again. I have never and will probably never use gfo again.

Was it because I didn't rinse well and iron particle irritated coral? Did I drop my phosphate too low and starve them? Did I not run it long enough to allow them to recover and adjust to it? I don't really know but IMO it wasn't needed and I was better off with GAC and a little seachem phosguard. This was a newer reef with all pukani rock that is supposed to leach phosphates out the wazoo

 

[ReeferHunter]

I attempted gfo only once. Used a 1/4 of the suggested starting dose to ease in, rinsed and placed in a HOB filter which is a very ineffective method, and watches as my tank declined. Corals seems to lose color and not open as nice and in general everything looked unhappy. I had multiple frogspawn and hammer at that time and they opened less the longer I ran the gfo. After 2 weeks I took it offline and everything slowly recovered and started growing again. I have never and will probably never use gfo again.

Was it because I didn't rinse well and iron particle irritated coral? Did I drop my phosphate too low and starve them? Did I not run it long enough to allow them to recover and adjust to it? I don't really know but IMO it wasn't needed and I was better off with GAC and a little seachem phosguard. This was a newer reef with all pukani rock that is supposed to leach phosphates out the wazoo

I've had the GFO running since I got the tank set up and everything was looking good but then this last weekends water change or something that through the euphillyia way out of wack. My purple tip frogspawn was so beautiful and looking healthy and now if looks like its just been introduced to a new tank. hopefully a couple more days and a health water change of 20 gallons will help this weekend. thank you all and ill keep you posted if anything changes!

 

[RELLIK-REEF]

Some people have luck with gfo some don’t. I personally will never use it I’ve seen multiple tanks crash from it. Mostly because people tend to use way to much and it’s not needed in a reef tank same as a uv filter. The only extra reactor I use is for carbon my water is always crystal clear and the only time I have had a major problem was do to my ATO reservoir getting filled with saltwater instead of my ro/di. Kh went down and calcium climbed crazy high. I wish you all the luck losing corals always sucks but it’s also a part of our passion and is going to happen.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

I gotta say thats absolutely beautiful

Appreciate it but it's nothing fancy compared to all the rest of what you guys owned .... my 90 gallon tank had been stripped off of all the old silicone and re-applied before I rebooted my old tank (late 2016?). This tank is like way over 20 years old as it was a given away cuz the owner quit his freshwater system ... :confused: