Help! Corals Dying

[living_tribunal]

Your phosphates are 0...

That's a quick coral killer.

 

[anthonygf]

I have a RSR 250, so it's a 65 gal. Current equipment is below;

- Neptune Apex
- RSK-300 skimmer
- 1 Tunze 6025
- Varios 2 return
- AquaMaxx reactor with carbon
- 2 AI Hytdra 26
- 1 Cobalt heater

What do you have for a sump? Get another wave maker or power head. I have 3, one behind rockwork close to the bottom which is mostly bare, and 2 close to the surface for gas exchange. So far everything loves the flow.

 

[5280Reef]

If it were me.. Id turn the skimmer off completely till i saw signs of the corals bouncing back. Id start with dripping kalkwasser or add it to the top off if you have an auto top off. stat to bring up PH and ALK and keep the stable. then move into 2 part via a doser when the kalk cant keep up with the uptake of alk being used by the corals. Not skimming will feed the corals assuming you have fish? I keep my alk at 7.30- 7.50 zero nitrates and p04 at .00- .03 but i run full zeovit so ultra-low nutrient is the name of the game for me.

lastly, I would suggest reading everything you can on microbiology as it pertains to reef tanks, it will give you a big jump start I recommend Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas by Forerst Rohwer, its really a very quick read and ton of good information.

Great feedback here - I was considering if I should just invest in a doser now instead of Kalkwasser but sounds like I should start there? I was concerned that since It's a RSR, my ATO doesn't have a pump - Just a drip line with a float valve and that it could clog up the tubing pretty quick. I only have 3 fish - Two clowns and a small yellow tang. I could look into a wrasse as well? Great insight on the book - I'll plan on picking that one up to read as well.

 

[anthonygf]

My 46 with 2 Kessil 360WE tuna blue.

Just taken this pic.

 

[5280Reef]

What do you have for a sump? Get another wave maker or power head. I have 3, one behind rockwork close to the bottom which is mostly bare, and 2 close to the surface for gas exchange. So far everything loves the flow.

Just the standard sump that comes with the RSR 250. I can take a picture if that would help? Also was considering a new powerhead. I don't think the Tunze is enough flow, but honestly I don't really know how to measure it. If I have to go with two part, I'll have to get the doser so was going to hold off on the powerhead. If Kalkwasser in my ATO, then I was thinking of getting one MP10 or MP40 depending on recommendations.

 

[5280Reef]

Just taken this pic.

Great looking tank!

 

[5280Reef]

Great feedback here - I was considering if I should just invest in a doser now instead of Kalkwasser but sounds like I should start there? I was concerned that since It's a RSR, my ATO doesn't have a pump - Just a drip line with a float valve and that it could clog up the tubing pretty quick. I only have 3 fish - Two clowns and a small yellow tang. I could look into a wrasse as well? Great insight on the book - I'll plan on picking that one up to read as well.

To clarify - The doser would be to start with 2-part and skip Kalkwasser all together.

 

[leepink23]

I recently recalibrated the probe, so it should be accurate. Isn't it a pretty big jump from 7.2-7.5 down to 6.8 though? I test salinity weekly with my water changes and keep it at about 1.026.

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.

 

[anthonygf]

Just the standard sump that comes with the RSR 250. I can take a picture if that would help? Also was considering a new powerhead. I don't think the Tunze is enough flow, but honestly I don't really know how to measure it. If I have to go with two part, I'll have to get the doser so was going to hold off on the powerhead. If Kalkwasser in my ATO, then I was thinking of getting one MP10 or MP40 depending on recommendations.

Definitely not enough flow. I am retired so I can dose manually. I am not dosing much alk and occasionally mag, I test most parameters daily, too lazy to learn using a doser, if I ever travel for more than a day I may need an auto doser.

 

[anthonygf]

Great looking tank!

Thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Alk seems to be your issue as it’s already known it is liw and you now have coral trying to absorb some faulting the chemistry further.
what-is your salinity as high or too low can also contribute to issue. All zero on water test raises questions about the accuracy of tests or kit

 

[Mhart032]

Great feedback here - I was considering if I should just invest in a doser now instead of Kalkwasser but sounds like I should start there? I was concerned that since It's a RSR, my ATO doesn't have a pump - Just a drip line with a float valve and that it could clog up the tubing pretty quick. I only have 3 fish - Two clowns and a small yellow tang. I could look into a wrasse as well? Great insight on the book - I'll plan on picking that one up to read as well.

I forgot about the RSR ATO, i never used the one on my RSR. I went to the Tunze ATO, so no that wouldn't really work in the ATO. but you can use it in a litter container and mix the solution and drip it in very slowly on a steady drip or use one side dosing head and dose the kalk. I would stat with the kalk in my opinion. its a good first step to dosing the tank, its cheap and lasts. Then i would move into the 2 part but i don't think your there quite yet. i think with your uptake in calcium and alk being so minimal right now it could be worse if overdosed. after you get the tank turned around it would be a good step when you go to add more corals that will use it. id stay away from the wrasse, you have a shrimp and open-top tank, they like to eat shrimp and jump. Amazon sells the Jaebo doser that's programable for like $50.00 and its decent enough to start.

 

[anthonygf]

Great looking tank!

My Duncan I have had for 4 years, got him with only 3 heads has been closed up for 6 months. I found increasing levels of sulfur. The salt I was using IO/RC tested high in sulfur, so several weeks and water changes later with Fritz my Duncan is starting to come out of his shell. My Clowns have laid eggs. I have yet to send a sample of new salt mix for ICP test but I can see improvement already.

 

[anthonygf]

I forgot about the RSR ATO, i never used the one on my RSR. I went to the Tunze ATO, so no that wouldn't really work in the ATO. but you can use it in a litter container and mix the solution and drip it in very slowly on a steady drip or use one side dosing head and dose the kalk. I would stat with the kalk in my opinion. its a good first step to dosing the tank, its cheap and lasts. Then i would move into the 2 part but i don't think your there quite yet. i think with your uptake in calcium and alk being so minimal right now it could be worse if overdosed. after you get the tank turned around it would be a good step when you go to add more corals that will use it. id stay away from the wrasse, you have a shrimp and open-top tank, they like to eat shrimp and jump. Amazon sells the Jaebo doser that's programable for like $50.00 and its decent enough to start.

I was thinking of that doser my self. But I need to get my brain back to work to figure the amount needed and would have to use liquid instead of powder that I currently use.

 

[5280Reef]

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.

Wouldn't increasing my ALK also increase my PH? I can turn my skimmer off for the nutrients, but like I mentioned the standard Red Sea test for PO4 and NO3 doesn't really track well IMO. For example, I can't really tell the difference between 0 or 2 for NO3 and I can't tell the difference between 0 or .1 for PO4 on those tests. I know they are probably in that range though based on the tests. Should I invest in a better NO3 and PO4 test?

Salinity in confirmed weekly at 1.026

 

[5280Reef]

Alk seems to be your issue as it’s already known it is liw and you now have coral trying to absorb some faulting the chemistry further.
what-is your salinity as high or too low can also contribute to issue. All zero on water test raises questions about the accuracy of tests or kit

See response above

 

[5280Reef]

I forgot about the RSR ATO, i never used the one on my RSR. I went to the Tunze ATO, so no that wouldn't really work in the ATO. but you can use it in a litter container and mix the solution and drip it in very slowly on a steady drip or use one side dosing head and dose the kalk. I would stat with the kalk in my opinion. its a good first step to dosing the tank, its cheap and lasts. Then i would move into the 2 part but i don't think your there quite yet. i think with your uptake in calcium and alk being so minimal right now it could be worse if overdosed. after you get the tank turned around it would be a good step when you go to add more corals that will use it. id stay away from the wrasse, you have a shrimp and open-top tank, they like to eat shrimp and jump. Amazon sells the Jaebo doser that's programable for like $50.00 and its decent enough to start.

I thought that would be the case with the ATO. I'm going to measure the ALK again today at 5p (same time I tested yesterday to see if there was any uptake). I did just add 6 new corals, so uptake could have increased now. I don't want him to eat my shrimp! I'll pass on the wrasse - So good feedback there. So sounds like I should just start dosing Kalkwasswer? My LFS also sold me a bottle of Acropower. Should I start with that too?

 

[5280Reef]

Is an ICP worth it? How fast could my new corals die if I don't start dosing? They have been in the tank for 3 days and haven't opened up much. I just turned off my skimmer also.

 

[5280Reef]

Also - It was mentioned that I didn't have enough flow. How do I measure that? Should I just invest in 1 MP40?

 

[Mhart032]

to be honest, its not really about the number so much as it's about the stability of that number. i like to stay as close to natural seawater as i can. and i use a salt that mixes that way to keep the numbers as stable as possible. stability is the key in reefing. you could add another powerhead it will help you long term. but the tunze is pretty good, if you had several pieces of sps it would be a definite yes.