Ok so I have never posted on here before but I just signed up bc I need help. I have a fluval evo 13.5 with an AI Prime. Starting around december I saw a little tissue necrosis on the bottom of my pocillopora, and I thought it was just bc it was not getting enough light, but within the next few months all of my SPS have died from RTN. Now even my LPS are dying, two of my acans have receded a ton so there is a lot of skeleton showing, and my leptastrea, which had been doing great until a few weeks ago, has a few spots of dead tissue. A few days ago, my firefish (my only fish) died as well, even though my nitrates seem to be undetectable, no nitrites or chlorine etc. Now one of my flower nems has completely detached and is curled up in a ball at the bottom of the tank. Does anyone know what could be happening? I for sure have had some calcium/alk unstability, I had never even tested for them for the first year and a half with this tank doing fine, then I got a doser and started testing and dosing in january. I messed up and way overdosed calcium which brought my alkalinity down a lot, but they both got within good range a few months ago (I thought). However, I started out with API test kits and just a week ago bought the Red Sea pack for Alk, Cal and Mg and apparently my calcium and alkalinity were much higher than the API tests showed. Right now Alk is 9.5 dKH and Calcium 545 ppm. I have decreased my calcium dose, but still, this wouldn't cause my fish to die, right? Is there some parameter that I could be missing? I have been using a basic tetra 6 in 1 test kit for nitrate, nitrite etc and now I ordered a salifert nitrate test to make sure. I also ordered a phosphate test. I have also been dealing with dinos, and started dosing <1 ml of Vibrant 3 weeks ago, but it has only gotten worse. Should I stop dosing Vibrant, or get rid of my fuge, or is there anything else that could be causing this?
Everything dying pls help
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I would let the Calcium go down into 440 - 450 range, it does sound like maybe the corals are starving from the low nitrates (I would keep them at 5 ppm) I have no experience with vibrant but if your nitrates are undetectable and you have no algae issues then I don't think you need it. The fish may have died from a level to spike, is your ammonia over 1? And finally what is your salinity?
Thanks. I don't have an ammonia test, but that could make sense due to the things dying in the tank, some of which I couldn't remove. I will try to order one. Salinity is 1.027. I started the vibrant because of the dinos, the BRS video recommends it, as well as the vibrant company, but I guess I should probably stop if its not improving anything? Should I do a water change? I know usually it just makes dinos worse but I don't think they are the biggest issue i'm facing right now, and it could help if ammonia is the problem. And how would I increase nitrates?
Crustaceon
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Most of your problems are due to low nitrates and to an extent, high alkalinity & lighting. Stop dosing vibrant, reduce your alkalinity dosing and reduce lighting. Also, skip water changes until nitrates creep up to at least 5ppm. Trying to make a tank too clean typically results in battle with dinos that most people try and fail at fighting by making the tank even cleaner. Let it get dirtier so the beneficial bacteria in your rock and sand can have something to eat too and actually have a chance at outcompeting the dinos.
You have a very easy problem to correct since you have a nano
they can be regenerated faster than a large tank specifically due to certain tricks only nanos can pull off
you need to not pick from a bunch of offers and try and assemble them into the fix, that’s guessing.
tank rehab has specific moves.
use known patterns specific to nano reefs without alteration. you overdid the light, we would fix that a special way.
it has nothing to do with any parameter that you test or measure for, the fix... Want to fix your nano or proceed on with diagnostics?
you did not have an sps disease event, you had a using opposite of known nano reef packing method event.
post full tank shot, no matter what it looks like it can be fixed by end of month easy. What coral is left will be on the way up. Pics
nothing could be simpler than making a thirteen gallon tank full corner to corner with stony corals. The way the algae was handled, not our way. Same for dinos, opposite moves will fix this tank by end of month but not customized moves, strictly the ones on file already working.
lemme remote pilot the reef for three days, fixe$d
they can be regenerated faster than a large tank specifically due to certain tricks only nanos can pull off
you need to not pick from a bunch of offers and try and assemble them into the fix, that’s guessing.
tank rehab has specific moves.
use known patterns specific to nano reefs without alteration. you overdid the light, we would fix that a special way.
it has nothing to do with any parameter that you test or measure for, the fix... Want to fix your nano or proceed on with diagnostics?
you did not have an sps disease event, you had a using opposite of known nano reef packing method event.
post full tank shot, no matter what it looks like it can be fixed by end of month easy. What coral is left will be on the way up. Pics
nothing could be simpler than making a thirteen gallon tank full corner to corner with stony corals. The way the algae was handled, not our way. Same for dinos, opposite moves will fix this tank by end of month but not customized moves, strictly the ones on file already working.
lemme remote pilot the reef for three days, fixe$d
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On a scale of one to ten, it’s this important to not delay actions to arrest the loss cycle: ten.
postpic
lets say hypothetically we need till 3 pm tomorrow to decide on actions, a good 26 hr delay. Until then, you must drop your lighting intensity by half or burning occurs that makes you think is disease related. there are other steps equally important, due yesterday lol
postpic
lets say hypothetically we need till 3 pm tomorrow to decide on actions, a good 26 hr delay. Until then, you must drop your lighting intensity by half or burning occurs that makes you think is disease related. there are other steps equally important, due yesterday lol
Beautiful reef it can grow back I give you my word it can. No need to start over for sure. Rocks and corals salvageable for sure.
the top two methods I’m certain work are increased feed in/ water change out over your norms, and bluer lighting than originally in place
that simple. That vibrant run may have played a role, chemical die off mix of targets etc. we can see a little bit of sandbed incursion of waste plus lost invader from the pics. This tank is powerful still.
sustained is the key, like when someone agrees to take all ten days of a ten day antibiotic course, even though day 3 fever broke
sustain 2x weekly spot feeding plus ~4 gallon water changes
that balances all params. No testing needed or helped by, during fix time. It’s busy time vs hands off leadup time.
the top two methods I’m certain work are increased feed in/ water change out over your norms, and bluer lighting than originally in place
that simple. That vibrant run may have played a role, chemical die off mix of targets etc. we can see a little bit of sandbed incursion of waste plus lost invader from the pics. This tank is powerful still.
sustained is the key, like when someone agrees to take all ten days of a ten day antibiotic course, even though day 3 fever broke
sustain 2x weekly spot feeding plus ~4 gallon water changes
that balances all params. No testing needed or helped by, during fix time. It’s busy time vs hands off leadup time.
Miller535
Valuable Member
That Tetra kit you were using, I would not consider that reliable at all. Those strip kits just to be frank, are not worth that paper they are printed on. We also need to know your salinity, and what you are using to measure it with
Where I diverge from every reefer on the planet: that tank must be rip cleaned or you will never have it truly under control.
you need to run CPR methodology on a clean system, not one that clouds from both rocks and sand. It’s core, you can’t skip that part if the goal is to use known methods vs param guess and response methods. My way doesn’t blend well with others.
you need to run CPR methodology on a clean system, not one that clouds from both rocks and sand. It’s core, you can’t skip that part if the goal is to use known methods vs param guess and response methods. My way doesn’t blend well with others.
Miller535
Valuable Member
If algae was his main issue I would agree, but he has everything dying, and that is most certainly not from algae.
Salinity is 1.027. After I realized the API cal and alk kits were so incorrect, I stopped really trusting the cheaper tests, which is why im getting a salifert nitrate test, im just not sure when it will come. And do you both agree that I should do a water change?
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I would cease all dosing and do regular water changes in lieu of, at least for now. Water changes will replenish all the necessary elements you are dosing. Assure you are not getting false readings on salinity, and salt is not higher than you are seeing.
Lighting and water flow very crucial to the SPS also.
What lights are you using and what test kit(s( are you using ?
Lighting and water flow very crucial to the SPS also.
What lights are you using and what test kit(s( are you using ?
Miller535
Valuable Member
I would. It wouldn't hurt, and would help correct any imbalance you have in your tank
Miller535
Valuable Member
One other thing to remember, is that 2 part will raise your salinity. And if you
Is it a seawater refractometer? And have you calibrated it with proper fluid?
Is it a seawater refractometer? And have you calibrated it with proper fluid?
Miller535
Valuable Member
I am not even sure what you mean about run my method for 60 days. when I never stated a method to begin with.
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