Help!! All of my SPS dying???

[Cassian]

That photo does not looks like dinos but it's a very bright photo. It would be nice to know where your PO4 is. Are you using GFO?

I don’t think it is dinos, but I could be wrong. I will test PO4 today. No to GFO

 

[Cassian]

Ok, I’m 90% sure it’s not dinos. Will fish eat Dino’s? Because my tang, foxface, and blenny love the stuff.

Also, corals look a bit better today! Could it have been some copper or meds from the tang’s waste?? Or maybe some copper from the net when I put the tang in?

 

[dwest]

Ok, I’m 90% sure it’s not dinos. Will fish eat Dino’s? Because my tang, foxface, and blenny love the stuff.

Also, corals look a bit better today! Could it have been some copper or meds from the tang’s waste?? Or maybe some copper from the net when I put the tang in?

Agree. Fish won’t eat dinos.

 

[Saltyreef]

Great! Glad its not dinos. Everything on your first post sure sounds like it. Covering and killing corals and looking like that! Odd lookinh GHA if ive ever seen it!

 

[ScottB]

Thank you very much for the info! Is GAC activated carbon? Sorry, I’ve never seen that abbreviation before.
Also, the algae has been present for a while now, and it does blow off. It is mainly on my new rock because it’s doing it’s cycling thing. The algae only appears on the coral after the necrosis and when the skeleton is dead and bleach white.

Yes, sorry, GAC is granular activated carbon. It is not perfect, but does some good in pulling out contaminants and clearing the water. Poly Filter is also good at pulling out some bad stuff from the water.

If the fish have learned to enjoy that algae, that is a good thing. That it is growing only on that rock suggests (does not prove) that the rock contains some stored phosphate which will leach away over time assuming the tank is fairly clean which I suspect is true.

You said above that some of your sticks went pale over time. Assuming all else (temp, ALK, salinity) is stable -- and this is not related to contaminants -- then low nutrient is my next best guess. Including standard error ranges with test kits, low numbers can mean nearly 0 availability.

1) Get a Hanna measure on phosphate. Those cuvettes must be spotless without finger smudges.
2) Nitrate... Red Sea is my favorite.. but honestly I have not discovered the best kit for nitrates yet. What is your kit? Or LFS kit?

 

[C. Eymann]

Ok, I’m 90% sure it’s not dinos. Will fish eat Dino’s? Because my tang, foxface, and blenny love the stuff.

Also, corals look a bit better today! Could it have been some copper or meds from the tang’s waste?? Or maybe some copper from the net when I put the tang in?

This is where my mind was going but I only imagine minimal amounts of Cu would have made it into the system via residuals on the net/in the fish. Is copper all you used in quarantine?

 

[Cassian]

Yes, sorry, GAC is granular activated carbon. It is not perfect, but does some good in pulling out contaminants and clearing the water. Poly Filter is also good at pulling out some bad stuff from the water.

If the fish have learned to enjoy that algae, that is a good thing. That it is growing only on that rock suggests (does not prove) that the rock contains some stored phosphate which will leach away over time assuming the tank is fairly clean which I suspect is true.

You said above that some of your sticks went pale over time. Assuming all else (temp, ALK, salinity) is stable -- and this is not related to contaminants -- then low nutrient is my next best guess. Including standard error ranges with test kits, low numbers can mean nearly 0 availability.

1) Get a Hanna measure on phosphate. Those cuvettes must be spotless without finger smudges.
2) Nitrate... Red Sea is my favorite.. but honestly I have not discovered the best kit for nitrates yet. What is your kit? Or LFS kit?

Thanks for the info on the GAC, I may give that a try.

Yes I do have problems with low nutrients, but I just recently added several large bodied fish so maybe that will help. I use Salifert nitrate test kit. It has been my favorite so far

 

[Cassian]

This is where my mind was going but I only imagine minimal amounts of Cu would have made it into the system via residuals on the net/in the fish. Is copper all you used in quarantine?

I used copper, prazipro, metroplex, kanaplex, and focus. Prazipro was done before copper though, so it shouldn’t be in the water still.

 

[C. Eymann]

I used copper, prazipro, metroplex, kanaplex, and focus. Prazipro was done before copper though, so it shouldn’t be in the water still.

I'm not a chemist so I'm not educated on the breakdown of those medications listed, so unless you did a bunch of w/c and/or ran carbon on the QT, I'd ASSUME those meds are still going to be present in the water?

Adding that fish from the QT is about the only variable you mentioned that changed/happened before corals started going downhill, so that's what my attention is being drawn to

 

[ScottB]

Thanks for the info on the GAC, I may give that a try.

Yes I do have problems with low nutrients, but I just recently added several large bodied fish so maybe that will help. I use Salifert nitrate test kit. It has been my favorite so far

Yeah, I am a big fan of large herbivores that graze and poop all day long.

 

[AngryMike2016]

Yeah, I am a big fan of large herbivores that graze and poop all day long.

You rang?

 

[Cassian]

I'm not a chemist so I'm not educated on the breakdown of those medications listed, so unless you did a bunch of w/c and/or ran carbon on the QT, I'd ASSUME those meds are still going to be present in the water?

Adding that fish from the QT is about the only variable you mentioned that changed/happened before corals started going downhill, so that's what my attention is being drawn to

I agree. Yes they are still in the water

 

[Cassian]

All corals took a turn for the worse. Doing massive water change and full parameter check tonight. Will update later. Wish me luck

 

[C. Eymann]

All corals took a turn for the worse. Doing massive water change and full parameter check tonight. Will update later. Wish me luck

I'm not sure I'd do a massive waterchange, knee-jerk reactions generally don't go well in this hobby, I'd run lots of carbon and maybe poly filter with a reasonable 25% WC

Heart is heavy for you man, hope they turn the corner for the best.
Sending luck your way.

 

[Cassian]

Ok all. I just found out a relative that was up here washed my filter socks with clothes and detergent. This started about when I changed my filters. Would washing detergent hurt them???? I imagine it would

 

[Cassian]

I'm not sure I'd do a massive waterchange, knee-jerk reactions generally don't go well in this hobby, I'd run lots of carbon and maybe poly filter with a reasonable 25% WC

Heart is heavy for you man, hope they turn the corner for the best.
Sending luck your way.

Thanks man! I will do a 25%

 

[Cassian]

Did a 25 gallon water change (180gal tank) but it’s really late so I will have to check params tomorrow. I will update again tomorrow night when I get in. Also going to pick up some GAC on the way home. Thank you all for your help so far.

 

[C. Eymann]

Ok all. I just found out a relative that was up here washed my filter socks with clothes and detergent. This started about when I changed my filters. Would washing detergent hurt them???? I imagine it would

Oh man, did your skimmer go crazier than usual when changing socks? residuals from detergents would definitely make a negative impact on coral!
Run high grade carbon, preferably in a reactor and if the store you grab the carbon from has polyfilter (not just polyester filter media) look for the brand PolyFilter, it helps strip the water of medications, heavy metals etc etc


Might be wise shoot a PM to Randy Holmes Farley and see if he has any input or insight?

 

[Cassian]

Oh man, did your skimmer go crazier than usual when changing socks? residuals from detergents would definitely make a negative impact on coral!
Run high grade carbon, preferably in a reactor and if the store you grab the carbon from has polyfilter (not just polyester filter media) look for the brand PolyFilter, it helps strip the water of medications, heavy metals etc etc


Might be wise shoot a PM to Randy Holmes Farley and see if he has any input or insight?

Thanks for the info. Yeah my skimmer is doing a little more than usual. I will look and soo about the poly filter. I appreciate it!

 

[MnFish1]

I dont knwo about the algae - but I've found that when a coral starts to 'rtn' or 'stn' its best to cut off the affected piece as quickly as possible - and remove it from the tank - first the cut area will lead to more rapid growth - and second - the 'infection' - assuming that RTN is at least in part bacteria - and secondly possibly ciliate related - you're getting rid of that - and it can't spread - I see you're leaving your coral in the tank - I wouldn't be worried about algae on those - just remove them - and cut the tips where youre seeing death. As to the rock - Dont know.