Help! Chemical warefare? Corals dying

[sc50964]

I will look into getting a GFO. Thank you! My nitrates went up because a hammer coral I had died in the tank with a feather duster attached in it that was still alive, so I couldn't remove it. I had great success with the neomarine salt mix I had been using and got Red Sea coral pro salt because I had read many reviews saying it was better. Aside from that, adding eight four was the only other real change I did. The parameters I listed last night were after doing about a 25gal water change. My KH seemed to go up after the water change. My fish seem to be fine, and my corals that are left seem alright... Except for my big elegance coral. It is not doing too good. Is there any other way to bring the KH down? And do you think those things in the pics I posted last night could have contributed to any of this? I have no idea what it is.

Do you mix your own salt water? Did you do a measurement of the new water that you put in? Red Sea coral pro salt has been reported to have 11 to 12 on the kh. I wonder what your mix had.

As to how to lower kh, I ran into the same problem years ago and used the following product. It's expensive and had moderate results. With that said, doing WC should be the faster way.

 

[Ashley L]

Do you mix your own salt water? Did you do a measurement of the new water that you put in? Red Sea coral pro salt has been reported to have 11 to 12 on the kh. I wonder what your mix had.

As to how to lower kh, I ran into the same problem years ago and used the following product. It's expensive and had moderate results. With that said, doing WC should be the faster way.

Yes, I mixed the Red Sea coral pro salt mix. I believe I read that is had a KH of around 13. I changed about 25 gallons. Did it take long for the product to work for you? I'll try about anything at this point. I have been a XXL BTA that had been back ordered and it is being shipped to my house this morning. When I placed the order I wasn't having this problem. I am losing my mind lol... I don't have anywhere else to put it either. Do you think this will be okay for it? I am in panic mode lol. My KH went up after my big water change yesterday. I can't wrap my head around it.

 

[twilliard]

Yes, I mixed the Red Sea coral pro salt mix. I believe I read that is had a KH of around 13. I changed about 25 gallons. Did it take long for the product to work for you? I'll try about anything at this point. I have been a XXL BTA that had been back ordered and it is being shipped to my house this morning. When I placed the order I wasn't having this problem. I am losing my mind lol... I don't have anywhere else to put it either. Do you think this will be okay for it? I am in panic mode lol. My KH went up after my big water change yesterday. I can't wrap my head around it.

This is where things will perish
Must slow down
Alkalinity will come down naturally as long as no buffers are added.

Take that deep breath and start mixing water :)

 

[Ashley L]

I use neomarine myself and have for years.
PH is a number a person shouldn't chase
The buffer is raising alk cause that's what it does :)
No more dosing and change water to get the dkh down to 8
Everything else will fall in line from the salt mix.

So adding seachem buffer would still further the problem wouldn't it? Lol. I liked neomarine WAY better than this coral pro salt mix.. I never had this problem until I began using it and eight four. I used seachem buffer before this and it worked great, but this eight four hasn't raised my ph one bit with the whole bottle and has taken my alk out of control. My tank is a 110 gal and I changed 25gal yesterday before re testing the waters that gave me the Params I listed last night. After testing I added a lot more of the buffer before I found out that it was a problem... I'm sure that didn't help:(. Do you think the bta will be okay? I don't know what else to do with it.. I'm freaking out a little lol.
Well, my Anenome just got delivered, flower leather, chili coral, and elegance coral. What would you do? Lol

 

[JMacedo]

Yes it really set in Sunday, but the parameters and all were from last night so you're good lol. My KH went up after doing a 25gal water change.. So I'm wondering if it's this new salt I'm using. I added the rest of the bottle of eight four yesterday as well... Which did not raise my ph at all, only my KH. I bought the new salt because it was supposed to be better than the neomarine salt I had been using. My water temp is 81. I use a sicce heater. No chiller. I added extra carbon on Sunday night and it seemed to help what corals I left in my main tank. I am skimming wet, I have two tunze powerheads that really move the water, and a bubble wand that stretches out the whole length of the back of my tank. No corals have been sucked by a pump. I have never had this happen before and am panicking. Is there any way to lower KH aside from water changes? I have been on a waiting list for a XXL BTA and now they are shipping it in to me and this is going on. I'm freaking out to say the least, lol.

Hi Ashley,

I am sorry to hear about what you are going through. I went back to read the whole thread.

Please stop chasing PH, nothing too wrong with a low PH. I don´t care about PH readings in my SPS tank but at night is probably at about 7.6.

It´s not due to bacteria! I can see that looking at your pictures. If I show you pictures of a serious bacteria problem you will not be able to see things in the tank.

Alkalinity that high is probably the killer, the first coral to start to die initiates the chemical warfare and you have a chemical soup as a result.

As others said, water changes are your best friend now.

IMHO treating a situation slowly is totally wrong! If you live near a coral reef, run, swim and place your corals there. I am trying to say that if you take too long to take action the situation will only get worse.

I don't think there is something wrong with your salt. Make a cup of it and test the alkalinity when dissolved. Probably you won't find anything wrong.

Don't be afraid of doing a 40% or even 50% water change if possible! I have done that before. Make sure the salt is totally dissolved and the new water is at the same temperature as the water in your tank, I would wait at least 2 hours before proceeding with the water change. Repeat if necessary the very next day if Alkalinity stays above 12dKH.

Sorry for my lack of English and poor explanations. Hope things will improve as quick as possible.

 

[sc50964]

Yes, I mixed the Red Sea coral pro salt mix. I believe I read that is had a KH of around 13. I changed about 25 gallons. Did it take long for the product to work for you? I'll try about anything at this point. I have been a XXL BTA that had been back ordered and it is being shipped to my house this morning. When I placed the order I wasn't having this problem. I am losing my mind lol... I don't have anywhere else to put it either. Do you think this will be okay for it? I am in panic mode lol. My KH went up after my big water change yesterday. I can't wrap my head around it.

That product is designed to work over a period of time.

You need to find a different tank to keep those new livestock. With everything that's going on, I suggest to check and see if you have a friend or a LFS that can let you borrow a tank for a couple of weeks.

 

[Ashley L]

Hi Ashley,

I am sorry to hear about what you are going through. I went back to read the whole thread.

Please stop chasing PH, nothing too wrong with a low PH. I don´t care about PH readings in my SPS tank but at night is probably at about 7.6.

It´s not due to bacteria! I can see that looking at your pictures. If I show you pictures of a serious bacteria problem you will not be able to see things in the tank.

Alkalinity that high is probably the killer, the first coral to start to die initiates the chemical warfare and you have a chemical soup as a result.

As others said, water changes are your best friend now.

IMHO treating a situation slowly is totally wrong! If you live near a coral reef, run, swim and place your corals there. I am trying to say that if you take too long to take action the situation will only get worse.

I don't think there is something wrong with your salt. Make a cup of it and test the alkalinity when dissolved. Probably you won't find anything wrong.

Don't be afraid of doing a 40% or even 50% water change if possible! I have done that before. Make sure the salt is totally dissolved and the new water is at the same temperature as the water in your tank, I would wait at least 2 hours before proceeding with the water change. Repeat if necessary the very next day if Alkalinity stays above 12dKH.

Sorry for my lack of English and poor explanations. Hope things will improve as quick as possible.

Thank you. And thank you for the advice! Your English and explanations were very good as well. Unfortunately I do not live near the ocean. I live in Tennessee and have to order almost everything for my tank. Most stores that sell anything for saltwater are over a hour away from me. I just got the shipment of a large elegance coral, a XXL green bubble tip Anenome, chili coral, and flower leathers. I don't know what to do with them.... If I add them to my tank will they die as well? Here's another stroke of luck with my tank, before I added so much buffer last night I did a 25gal and used up all the salt that I had left. I never imagined I would have to do another big water change today. This was a very expensive coral shipment I just got. I purchased it before my tank started going downhill. What would you do?

 

[Duke4Life]

Feeling danged if you do, danged if you don't huh? Didn't you mention you moved some things to another tank? Could you place the new arrivals there? Have any friends with tanks that could watch after til yours is better?

 

[Ashley L]

Feeling danged if you do, danged if you don't huh? Didn't you mention you moved some things to another tank? Could you place the new arrivals there? Have any friends with tanks that could watch after til yours is better?

That is exactly right! I am panicking. Yes, I moved my dying corals to a hospital tank to keep away from other tank members. The problem is that I have the same water put in it as that is in my main tank. I don't have any friends with saltwater here, I live in a small town in Tennessee with no lfs within at least a hours drive... I'm screwed if I needed a friend to help.

 

[Ashley L]

That product is designed to work over a period of time.

You need to find a different tank to keep those new livestock. With everything that's going on, I suggest to check and see if you have a friend or a LFS that can let you borrow a tank for a couple of weeks.

I don't have any friends that have saltwater tanks, I live in East TN, so this isn't very common here. I will call all my stores in the area to see if they can keep them. If I do a big water change do you think it would be alright to add them? I have never had to lower alk before and have no idea how long it takes lol. All stores near me that could even remotely help are at least a hour away, so I'm worrie about the corals in the bag too.

 

[Ashley L]

Hey everybody! While I was running frantic around my house I came across a old bucket of instant ocean sea salt in storage! It is rated to do 160 gallons and I have a little under half of the bucket left. It is solid as a rock, but I might be able to bust it up with a hammer. What are your suggestions now?

 

[JMacedo]

Thank you. And thank you for the advice! Your English and explanations were very good as well. Unfortunately I do not live near the ocean. I live in Tennessee and have to order almost everything for my tank. Most stores that sell anything for saltwater are over a hour away from me. I just got the shipment of a large elegance coral, a XXL green bubble tip Anenome, chili coral, and flower leathers. I don't know what to do with them.... If I add them to my tank will they die as well? Here's another stroke of luck with my tank, before I added so much buffer last night I did a 25gal and used up all the salt that I had left. I never imagined I would have to do another big water change today. This was a very expensive coral shipment I just got. I purchased it before my tank started going downhill. What would you do?

Do you know any reefers nearby that can lend you a bucket of salt? If the bags with the new corals are well shut leave them floating in the tank with tank lights off and if you can make it to a store and back even if it takes three ours is worth it IMHO. I live in Bangkok and sometime takes me three hours to make a 6 mile drive. lol

I do feel for you, hope someone will chime in with better ideas... or... a bucket of salt.

 

[Duke4Life]

Have you tried reaching out to ETRC? The club for east Tennessee?

 

[JMacedo]

Hey everybody! While I was running frantic around my house I came across a old bucket of instant ocean sea salt in storage! It is rated to do 160 gallons and I have a little under half of the bucket left. It is solid as a rock, but I might be able to bust it up with a hammer. What are your suggestions now?

Yay! Use it! Probably it will not dissolve as nicely as fresh one, try a bit longer, I would lower SG to 1.023 as will have lower alk and to avoid some higher concentration if it does not dissolve totally. I used an entire box of zeovit "Refeers Best" after expired for two years! It was rock solid!

 

[cmcoker]

I was just thinking the same as Duke4Life ...

Looking under local clubs, Tennessee, ETRC. There is an active community in East Tennessee maybe someone close enough you that could take your new corals while your tank gets sorted.

Post a link to this thread over there

 

[Tommy's Reef]

He let me chim in. Ive been trying to keep up with the reading. Low ph not a big problem your test kit might be funky. But i had a whole reef tank destroyed by dosing no pox its alot like carbon dosing if not the same thing. Dont dose anymore carbon. You dosed to much to soon probably. Large water change i do a 80 percent change every month corals love it. Its ok

 

[Duke4Life]

@CastAway East Tennessee Reef Club

 

[Tommy's Reef]

No pox if not dosed correctly will strip the things that corals use to protect them from uv and bright lights therefore burning your coral quick. Idk about the carbon your dosing is though??

 

[Duke4Life]

Btw don't beat yourself up over this, every single person on here has been in a similar boat at 1 point in time.

 

[JMacedo]

Btw don't beat yourself up over this, every single person on here has been in a similar boat at 1 point in time.

See this picture of mine?

Chiller stopped working while I was on holiday...
then, while fragging , the entire rockscape colapsed...
started over... new sand, new rocks, cycling and: epic bacteria bloom!
fragged as fast as I could and saved a frag of every single colony but one because it was a little frag.
I spent an entire month frying bacteria and skimming wet.
That was 5 months ago!

Now the frags and some of the surviving colonies are growing again.

Today´s pic: