Help ... my corals are gradually fading away

[Tim Olson]

Update ... I believe I found the source of high Fe (Iron) in the the system. One of my temperature probes evidently was too far in the water. It only rusted the top couple of inches for some reason, so I raised it up a few inches and keep an eye on it.

Also, after raising the light intensity from 8% to 20% the corals are already doing better. I'm not certain they will all recover, but I'm more optimistic now.

Here's one of the most obvious improvements, as a result of increasing lighting intensity.

 

[Tim Olson]

Update ... The corals, in general, are still not doing well. I think the lighting definitely helped, but it wasn't the main sources of the problem.

Now I think the Phosphate-E (Lanthanum-Chloride) that I've been dosing (since February) has been the problem, since right after every dose the Duncan coral would recede completely. Then after a few hours it would get better and then recede after the next dose ... the cycle continued. So I did some more research on Lanthanum-Chloride and realized it needs a filter sock to remove the precipitate out (Lanthanum Phosphate) or it does damage to fish and/or corals. As a result of that finding, I just stopped Phophate-E and started GFO to see if that helps.

Also, it occurred to me that I quit using filter socks around July 21st. That was right around the time I started noticing the corals doing worse. So my assumption is when I took the filter sock out it didn't get rid of the Lanthanum Phosphate precipitate, which in turn hurt the corals. I should know in a few hours if the Duncan coral doesn't recede anymore. Then hopefully the other corals will follow suit in time. We'll see

 

[Terry Mattson]

I have had good results using gfo. I have it on a separate pump and dialled in to keep phosphate levels at about .03 to .05 ppm. I use 200 micron socks and does a good job. My lps corals are doing well. I dose phytoplankton, and target feed reef roids and frenzy twice a week. Duncan, hammer. Candy cane, frogspawn, zoas, acan.... also keep iodine at .06 ppm. I dose iodine once a week, like two drops ....

 

[Terry Mattson]

Also, my nitrates are .02ppm the refugium grows well. So has been in co trol for 8 months.

 

[Tim Olson]

I have had good results using gfo. I have it on a separate pump and dialled in to keep phosphate levels at about .03 to .05 ppm. I use 200 micron socks and does a good job. My lps corals are doing well. I dose phytoplankton, and target feed reef roids and frenzy twice a week. Duncan, hammer. Candy cane, frogspawn, zoas, acan.... also keep iodine at .06 ppm. I dose iodine once a week, like two drops ....

Sounds good ... I'm hoping the switch back to GFO will smooth out phosphate levels vs. the quick swings I've been having with Phosphate-E. Keeping GFO on a separate pump (or valve in my case) is the right way to go. Hopefully my phosphates will settle down in your range or a little lower. On the socks, I ended up taking mine out to keep the pods (from my refugium) from getting filtered out of the system, which helps keep my Mandarin Dragonet fed. Also, I got some Brightwell Iodine that I'm planning on dosing when the system levels out, so I can monitor the changes that happen.

 

[Tim Olson]

Also, my nitrates are .02ppm the refugium grows well. So has been in co trol for 8 months.

Lately I haven't been able to get Nitrates to measure on my LaMotte test kit. I currently dose 12 ml or NeoNitro per day and depending how things go with the GFO, I might raise it more.

 

[Terry Mattson]

I have a mandarin also. The refugium is after socks. With all the rock I have the pods are doing great. Phytoplankton in dt keeps pods up.