ICP Results - Soft Corals Melting Help

[Lil Puff]

Hi guys, I am after some help with my soft corals predator tank. I have finally got my nutrients down after I set up a nitrate destroyer but my corals still aren’t growing, in fact my xenia which was growing before is now shrinking/melting. I am at a loss as to whats happened as I have grown gsp and xenia in a tank with over 100ppm nitrates. Absolutely any advice is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I have done an icp test with the parameters here and in the photo below

Filtration:
Bubble Magus filter roller
Mantis Tornado 180 protein skimmer (600L - 1500L)
Aqua Twist uv 57watt
Refugium with chaeto
Nitrate Destroyer

 

[Bruttall]

Manganese, Vanadium, Nickle are all Zero, there should be some in your water, I dose those elements into mine.
molybdenum, Magnesium, Calcium and Fluoride are also low.
Your chloride is a little high.

 

[Lil Puff]

Manganese, Vanadium, Nickle are all Zero, there should be some in your water, I dose those elements into mine.
molybdenum, Magnesium, Calcium and Fluoride are also low.
Your chloride is a little high.

Thanks for the input! Would high zinc and iron have any effect on them as well? Where do you buy those elements from?

 

[BigKid4788]

What’s your nitrates and how quickly did you drop them?

 

[Lil Puff]

What’s your nitrates and how quickly did you drop them?

They were at 100ppm so I did a large water change that dropped them to 50ppm. Then I set up a nitrate destroyer which took them to 25ppm over a few weeks.

 

[Bruttall]

Thanks for the input! Would high zinc and iron have any effect on them as well? Where do you buy those elements from?

I bought mine from Triton. They are a little slow on shipping, takes a week + to get the stuff, but Triton also tells you on the web site exactly what you should dose and how much.

Picture from my Triton account. See the DOSE button I have selected...

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

To me, corals melting or not growing points towards poor lighting and/or poor flow, these 2 will melt coral faster than parameters being off. Corals need light flow and nutrients to thrive. You have nutrients in the water, so thats not the issue. Can we hear about your lights and flow?

 

[Lil Puff]

I bought mine from Triton. They are a little slow on shipping, takes a week + to get the stuff, but Triton also tells you on the web site exactly what you should dose and how much.

Picture from my Triton account. See the DOSE button I have selected...

awesome thank you

 

[Lil Puff]

To me, corals melting or not growing points towards poor lighting and/or poor flow, these 2 will melt coral faster than parameters being off. Corals need light flow and nutrients to thrive. You have nutrients in the water, so thats not the issue. Can we hear about your lights and flow?

I am running two pop-bloom RL90’s for lighting. they are running the same schedule as my dad who is growing sps like crazy in his mixed reef. for flow i am running 2 jebao wavemakers and a jebao crossflow gyre. Thanks for the response!

 

[Seansea]

To be honest your icp looks pretty good. The only thing that sticks out is your iron is 11. Might have a magnetic or something leaching there. Ideal value would be in The .05 range.

 

[twentyleagues]

To be honest your icp looks pretty good. The only thing that sticks out is your iron is 11. Might have a magnetic or something leaching there. Ideal value would be in The .05 range.

Yeah iron and zinc being high could mean issues with something metal in the tank or rusting magnet. Zinc could be higher from other things also and may not be indicative of something metal in the tank but could be. Better safe than sorry take a look around.

 

[Lil Puff]

To be honest your icp looks pretty good. The only thing that sticks out is your iron is 11. Might have a magnetic or something leaching there. Ideal value would be in The .05 range.

i think its from dosing chaeto grow. Any ideas why my corals are shrinking and dying? completely stumped. I will add some photos to the post. Thanks for the help!

 

[Lil Puff]

Yeah iron and zinc being high could mean issues with something metal in the tank or rusting magnet. Zinc could be higher from other things also and may not be indicative of something metal in the tank but could be. Better safe than sorry take a look around.

im fairly certain its from dosing chaeto grow but yeah will definitely take a look around just in case. does high iron and zinc cause corals to melt/die? thanks for the help!!

 

[Lil Puff]

Some Photos of my DT and Sump with my Dads DT which has the same lighting and flow for reference:
My DT:

My Sump:

My Dads DT with same lighting and flow:

 

[twentyleagues]

im fairly certain its from dosing chaeto grow but yeah will definitely take a look around just in case. does high iron and zinc cause corals to melt/die? thanks for the help!!

I dont think that would have much of an effect and since you know you were dosing its probably not an issue.

 

[taricha]

Agree with others here who've said there's nothing in that report that would melt/kill corals, and to look for causes other than what's in this report.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi guys, I am after some help with my soft corals predator tank. I have finally got my nutrients down after I set up a nitrate destroyer but my corals still aren’t growing, in fact my xenia which was growing before is now shrinking/melting.

Nitrate is down to what?

 

[Lil Puff]

Nitrate is down to what?

They are down to 25ppm

 

[Lil Puff]

Agree with others here who've said there's nothing in that report that would melt/kill corals, and to look for causes other than what's in this report.

Hi, thanks for the reply. What other causes should I look for that could melt coral? Thanks again!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Some causes can be often a change in salinity, temperature and salt mixes. Additionally, Elevated phosphate, light and even new light and elevated alkalinity levels will be a higher risk to coral. Other minor factors will be low Dissolved oxygen, new corals especially leathers (which emit a toxin known as Terpenes), false test kit readings and newly added rock can alter chemistry.