Help! Corals Dying

[5280Reef]

 

[5280Reef]

Just for reference, I just ran up and took pics of all the new corals and the entire tank for everyone to take a look at. As you can see, they don't all look incredible just yet

 

[5280Reef]

 

[5280Reef]

Please note, the Monti on the ground and many others are not glued yet as I am trying to learn more about where I should place them before gluing them

 

[5280Reef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley Any thoughts before I place my orders with BRS?

 

[living_tribunal]

Just for reference, I just ran up and took pics of all the new corals and the entire tank for everyone to take a look at. As you can see, they don't all look incredible just yet

Phosphates... Get some and I guarantee you'll see them perk up. It should be one of the first things you try at least.

Corals will look exactly like that with zeroed phosphate levels.

 

[5280Reef]

Phosphates... Get some and I guarantee you'll see them perk up. It should be one of the first things you try at least.

Corals will look exactly like that with zeroed phosphate levels.

So should I just feed more? Or get coral food to increase phosphate? I did just shut off my skimmer also. Probably a good idea to get a Hannah ULR checker?

 

[5280Reef]

So if I am hearing everything correctly, the below is the recommended next steps;

- Turn skimmer off to increase Po4
- Potentially broadcast feed coral (either reef chili or Phyto) to increase Po4
- Get a better Po4 checker for more accurate results (Hannah?)
- Get a cheap doser (instead of Apex dos) and only dose Kalkwasser

What am I missing?

 

[MnFish1]

Also, keep in mind that my ALK has always been sub 7, I just never put much thought into it until now after spending much more time researching levels as I was previously directed to just do weekly water changes. Thinking about it, I first started using Reef Crystals and changed to Tropic Marin Pro about 3 months ago and I think that's when ALK really took a plunge.

I would ask the company from which you bought the corals - what their alkalinity was? Maybe their alkalinity was 10. That could have caused a shock - but the question - are your 'old' corals showing any changes?

 

[MnFish1]

Right, I am less concerned with the alkalinity, although bringing it up slowly into the mid 7s would be good. More concerned with the ph, no nutrients and curious to the salinity.

It is my impression - that if the alkalinity is lower - the nutrient issue is not as big of a deal - that might be incorrect. I would say - he added too much too quickly. But - interesting - I have bought 10 bird nest corals - which are supposed to be 'easy' - they have never grown - until the most recent one. I have decided (personally - based on experience - not evidence) that a lot of the problems with coral that we have - is competition from other corals - and their chemicals in the tank - since - I upped carbon - I have had no issue

 

[5280Reef]

I would ask the company from which you bought the corals - what their alkalinity was? Maybe their alkalinity was 10. That could have caused a shock - but the question - are your 'old' corals showing any changes?

Good point - I can ask. The only ones were fine except for the birds nest that pretty much died. Still have it in the tank to see if I can get it back, but I don't think it has a chance. I guess I did have a newer (2 month or so
) zoa that isn't doing good either..

 

[5280Reef]

It is my impression - that if the alkalinity is lower - the nutrient issue is not as big of a deal - that might be incorrect. I would say - he added too much too quickly. But - interesting - I have bought 10 bird nest corals - which are supposed to be 'easy' - they have never grown - until the most recent one. I have decided (personally - based on experience - not evidence) that a lot of the problems with coral that we have - is competition from other corals - and their chemicals in the tank - since - I upped carbon - I have had no issue

Well the crazy part about the birds nest is that it was growing a lot but it just lost it's color. I'm thinking back on it now and I have a feeling that it happened when I changed salts from Reef Crystals to Tropic Marin Pro Reef. I believe TM salt has way lower ALK than Reef Crystals and my assumption is that when it dropped after the change the bridsnest died. Thats why I think it might be a good idea to start dosing for ALK now.

 

[Mhart032]

RC and TM pro reef is pretty close to the same as far as DKH. I used both and switched just under a year ago. for me they both mixed up about 7.2-7.5 DKH

 

[living_tribunal]

So should I just feed more? Or get coral food to increase phosphate? I did just shut off my skimmer also. Probably a good idea to get a Hannah ULR checker?

Either or, or both. First evaluate what's consuming all of your phosphates whether it be the dry rock, too much GFO, or other chemical filtration.

Then develop a baseline of phosphate exportation and importation a day. Once you have a good idea, start to tweak your export.

 

[living_tribunal]

So if I am hearing everything correctly, the below is the recommended next steps;

- Turn skimmer off to increase Po4
- Potentially broadcast feed coral (either reef chili or Phyto) to increase Po4
- Get a better Po4 checker for more accurate results (Hannah?)
- Get a cheap doser (instead of Apex dos) and only dose Kalkwasser

What am I missing?

First start with the easy adjustments: Increasing phosphates and ensuring alkalinity stays consistent at an appropriate range. Give it a couple days for the tank, and most importantly the corals, to adjust. If after a week or so they continue to look bad, then start to assess everything else.

 

[5280Reef]

Either or, or both. First evaluate what's consuming all of your phosphates whether it be the dry rock, too much GFO, or other chemical filtration.

Then develop a baseline of phosphate exportation and importation a day. Once you have a good idea, start to tweak your export.

It has to be the dry rock I guess. I've never run GFO and I just started running carbon about a week ago and my nutrients have always been low. I guess with only 3 fish, the skimmer could be pretty powerful for the tank.

 

[5280Reef]

First start with the easy adjustments: Increasing phosphates and ensuring alkalinity stays consistent at an appropriate range. Give it a couple days for the tank, and most importantly the corals, to adjust. If after a week or so they continue to look bad, then start to assess everything else.

So should I not start to dose All right now? Everything I've seen says my current 6.5dkh is in the danger zone. Also, before I swapped salts, I was up around 7.5.

 

[living_tribunal]

It has to be the dry rock I guess. I've never run GFO and I just started running carbon about a week ago and my nutrients have always been low. I guess with only 3 fish, the skimmer could be pretty powerful for the tank.

How old is the tank? And just to make sure, you started with completely dry rock?

 

[5280Reef]

How old is the tank? And just to make sure, you started with completely dry rock?

I started the tank in April and yes, it was all dry. I had caribsea life rock and Marco rock. About 65 lbs. I also added a package of those little ball looking rock things in my sump (I can't remember their name but they are supposed to be that really porous stuff people put in their sump.). They make bricks out of it too, but I just bought the smaller package of the little balls.

 

[living_tribunal]

I started the tank in April and yes, it was all dry. I had caribsea life rock and Marco rock. About 65 lbs. I also added a package of those little ball looking rock things in my sump (I can't remember their name but they are supposed to be that really porous stuff people put in their sump.). They make bricks out of it too, but I just bought the smaller package of the little balls.

I missed the tank size, how many gallons total (including sump)?