Help me please!

[Armani]

I have a 55g with orbit ic loop led lights, all soft coral. I noticed my acans were showing Skelton for a few days, prior to this they were all out and puffy but then idk what happened. I recently did a big water change maybe 40% first time ever doing a bigger change then 20% I’ve have my tank for 2yrs now. All labs were fine prior to this as well but I still did a change. Labs follow as.. kh (10). calcium (380) it was 400 before the water change. Ph 8.2. Nitrate 0, phosphate 0. I don’t have a mag test so idk. What should I do?

 

[EmdeReef]

Your nutrients are way too low for LPS corals. I’m not familiar with the lights you’re using but if you had them for a year then I assume they work.

Start by raising your nutrients.

 

[Armani]

Your nutrients are way too low for LPS corals. I’m not familiar with the lights you’re using but if you had them for a year then I assume they work.

Start by raising your nutrients.

Nutrients as in?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Nutrients as in?

NO3 and PO4. AKA nitrate and phosphate. LPS and softies like the water a little dirtier, so to speak. With my full LPS tank, I keep NO3 at 5-10 and PO4 at .03-.06.

 

[Armani]

Your nutrients are way too low for LPS corals. I’m not familiar with the lights you’re using but if you had them for a year then I assume they work.

Start by raising your nutrients.

What’s the best way to add more? I thought water changes would be but seems like I need to put something in my filter

 

[Dom]

Your calcium is a bit low. I keep mine in the 440 range. I am surprised that your calcium went down after the water change. We do water changes for two reasons (1) to remove waste from the tank and (2) to replenish things like calcium, which is consumed by corals. Which salt mix are you using?

Also, as has been previously mentioned, Nitrates and Phosphates need to be more than zero. I keep my nitrates between 5-10.

 

[Armani]

Your calcium is a bit low. I keep mine in the 440 range. I am surprised that your calcium went down after the water change. We do water changes for two reasons (1) to remove waste from the tank and (2) to replenish things like calcium, which is consumed by corals. Which salt mix are you using?

Also, as has been previously mentioned, Nitrates and Phosphates need to be more than zero. I keep my nitrates between 5-10.

I’ve been using instant ocean since day 1 never really had a problem before until now. Weird thing about all this is that even before this water change my acans were showing Skelton and all tests seemed to be the same if not better so what can that even mean?

 

[ScottR]

What’s the best way to add more? I thought water changes would be but seems like I need to put something in my filter

Water changes actually take them away.

 

[Dom]

I’ve been using instant ocean since day 1 never really had a problem before until now. Weird thing about all this is that even before this water change my acans were showing Skelton and all tests seemed to be the same if not better so what can that even mean?

It could be a number of things; a testing error comes to mind. DO you have a friend in the hobby who can test your water to double check your results?

Are you using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals?

I use IO Reef Crystals and I blend in a small portion of Red Sea Pro salt for the added nutrition specifically for corals.

 

[Armani]

It could be a number of things; a testing error comes to mind. DO you have a friend in the hobby who can test your water to double check your results?

Are you using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals?

I use IO Reef Crystals and I blend in a small portion of Red Sea Pro salt for the added nutrition specifically for corals.

I’d have to take it a store if anything but you think it’s a good idea to change the type of salt I use? Will it cause a major reaction you think because I’ve never used anything else.

 

[Armani]

It could be a number of things; a testing error comes to mind. DO you have a friend in the hobby who can test your water to double check your results?

Are you using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals?

I use IO Reef Crystals and I blend in a small portion of Red Sea Pro salt for the added nutrition specifically for corals.

Also I forgot to mention it’s not just the acans but also my torch had shrunk and isn’t fully extending like before too I’m so confused what do I need to add

 

[Dom]

I’d have to take it a store if anything but you think it’s a good idea to change the type of salt I use? Will it cause a major reaction you think because I’ve never used anything else.

You haven't answered my question: Are you using IO Reef Crystals?

 

[Armani]

You haven't answered my question: Are you using IO Reef Crystals?

No just instant ocean salt mix

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I run the same lights on my 75 which is predominantly LPS. I doubt it's the lights unless you have the acans high in the tank and have them maxed out. I keep my acans at the bottom and they thrive in the lower par areas.

I would agree with other than low nutrients could be an issue. Do you know what po4 was prior to your large wc? Its possible you dropped po4 too quickly.

How close were the params of the fresh mix compared to where your tank is normally at?

Has anything else changed like flow?

 

[Armani]

I run the same lights on my 75 which is predominantly LPS. I doubt it's the lights unless you have the acans high in the tank and have them maxed out. I keep my acans at the bottom and they thrive in the lower par areas.

I would agree with other than low nutrients could be an issue. Do you know what po4 was prior to your large wc? Its possible you dropped po4 too quickly.

How close were the params of the fresh mix compared to where your tank is normally at?

Has anything else changed like flow?

Po4 has been 0 before and is 0 still now. Parameters are basically the same except calcium it dropped from 400-380 which is strange. My acans have thrived there for a while so I didn’t think it was positioning but I still moved them lower down in the tank to make sure.

 

[Brew12]

I have a 55g with orbit ic loop led lights, all soft coral. I noticed my acans were showing Skelton for a few days, prior to this they were all out and puffy but then idk what happened. I recently did a big water change maybe 40% first time ever doing a bigger change then 20% I’ve have my tank for 2yrs now. All labs were fine prior to this as well but I still did a change. Labs follow as.. kh (10). calcium (380) it was 400 before the water change. Ph 8.2. Nitrate 0, phosphate 0. I don’t have a mag test so idk. What should I do?

I'm worried you have something going on that is a long term issue. I've never seen a healthy tank look that clean at 6 months, let alone 2 years. Do you use RODI?

Also, did you add any new fish lately? LPS can recede when being nipped at.

 

[Armani]

I'm worried you have something going on that is a long term issue. I've never seen a healthy tank look that clean at 6 months, let alone 2 years. Do you use RODI?

Also, did you add any new fish lately? LPS can recede when being nipped at.

I use Rodi yes. It’s fresh sand. And I had a really bad cyano outbreak and I used chemi clean it made everything look clean

 

[Armani]

I use Rodi yes. It’s fresh sand. And I had a really bad cyano outbreak and I used chemi clean it made everything look clean

That was about 3 weeks ago now. At the time all coral were healthy acans were out before and after.

 

[Brew12]

I use Rodi yes. It’s fresh sand. And I had a really bad cyano outbreak and I used chemi clean it made everything look clean

That could be part of your problem. Sand should typically be removed and exchanged little by little over a few weeks. Chemi-clean an antibiotic which will also further reduce the microfauna your corals feed on. The best thing you can do, imo, is let things stabilize. Maybe find some live phytoplankton and feed it to your tank.

 

[Armani]

That could be part of your problem. Sand should typically be removed and exchanged little by little over a few weeks. Chemi-clean an antibiotic which will also further reduce the microfauna your corals feed on. The best thing you can do, imo, is let things stabilize. Maybe find some live phytoplankton and feed it to your tank.

so about a month ago the sand was added and then around March 5 which was about 3 weeks after the sand was added everything started turning red with cyano, I used chemi clean around then and since it’s been pretty clean so far but I’ll definitely add some phyto to see how things go. Time will tell