I've had my Peninsula 650 up for almost 4 years and had very little success. Care to help me get on track?

[Evo R]

This is a super long shot............But research pest traps and methods.

Because something could be living in your tank for years now that is eating / P@ssing your corals off at night. And coral warfare even though most reefers denies it is a real thing!!!!! And by morning and or mid day your carbon has filtered out the excess toxins. Hence why you never pick it up on your tests. But your corals are still suffering and slowly withering away.

Its a super long shot. But in your tanks case we must explore and or at least entertain any and all possibilities until it has been ruled out.

 

[youcallmenny1]

Oh I'm well versed in dealing with pests and have had my share in the past in both tanks. Just part of the hobby. That said, also trust me when I say that I have been eagle-eyeing this tank for a long, long time both day and night trying to find some unknown critter. While that has been a major concern of mine, I don't know of any pest that would cause such systemic failure.

Unless I have them all...

 

[Evo R]

HAHAHA you never know. Watch one of the reefing channels a long time ago and he is/was super stringent on pest control....and after something like months or years later he had a crack or tank burst and had to put everything in a tub over night... and low and behold some or other weird hardly ever seen 3 @£$%& foot long worm comes out at the very end of the tank transfer.

So anything is possible. Could be a crab that was so tiny when it came in with your rocks or frags and has grown over the years.

I received a kenya tree frag earlier this week that was couriered to me as a freebie from the LFS i regularly support on the other side of the country. The basically removed the tree from the rock to save weight and cost and size of the package. So it arrived in a small bag with half filled water and what looks like a little bit of sand grains on the foot of the coral left over from removing it from the rock. Like literally a couple of grains of sand. And me being me wanting to test my brand new dip i recently got even though i closely inspected the coral dipped it any way.

Two little blackish specs swimming around in the dip container after i removed the frag and a 2 inch wriggling bristle worm ?!?!?!?!?!

Never ever ever under estimate the resilience of a hitchhiker!!!!!!!!

 

[maleks.reef]

Tagging along since this is truly mind-boggling. I mean, I have somewhat of a similar issue but to a lesser extent. My tank is 10 months old and up until 3 months ago, any LPS that enters my tank dies within a few months if not less. It was very frustrating, eventually, I found out that my WC pump had rust in it so I assumed that it is heavy metals. Now, I'm running Cuprisorb and a lot of carbon (have been using it since the beginning). I got a duncan and some candy canes in now, they were added about 3 weeks ago. I am hoping that the issue is indeed heavy metals so that I can keep lps again. Oh, and I have VERY VERY slow growth. All the pesty corals that are supposed to take over a tank barely grow in mine, the only thing really and truly growing are the zoas & cloves. The rest of the coral (all of which are softies) grow very slowly or not at all. Hopefully our issues get sorted out, good luck !

 

[youcallmenny1]

At least you have SOMETHING growing! All I can grow is a sense of failure lately.

 

[Billldg]

At least you have SOMETHING growing! All I can grow is a sense of failure lately.

No failure, just a setback.

We will help you get thru this.

 

[Tired]

That phosphate level definitely isn't killing things. It's high by some standards, but there are thriving reefs with way higher phosphate.

There are green coraline species, but it being that resilient is really odd. Regular purple coraline comes off with some moderately determined scraping.

 

[Evo R]

Tagging along since this is truly mind-boggling. I mean, I have somewhat of a similar issue but to a lesser extent. My tank is 10 months old and up until 3 months ago, any LPS that enters my tank dies within a few months if not less. It was very frustrating, eventually, I found out that my WC pump had rust in it so I assumed that it is heavy metals. Now, I'm running Cuprisorb and a lot of carbon (have been using it since the beginning). I got a duncan and some candy canes in now, they were added about 3 weeks ago. I am hoping that the issue is indeed heavy metals so that I can keep lps again. Oh, and I have VERY VERY slow growth. All the pesty corals that are supposed to take over a tank barely grow in mine, the only thing really and truly growing are the zoas & cloves. The rest of the coral (all of which are softies) grow very slowly or not at all. Hopefully our issues get sorted out, good luck !

Test your iodine and especially your Mg levels !!!
9 out of 10 times with lps its those two that are the culprits.

 

[youcallmenny1]

That phosphate level definitely isn't killing things. It's high by some standards, but there are thriving reefs with way higher phosphate.

There are green coraline species, but it being that resilient is really odd. Regular purple coraline comes off with some moderately determined scraping.

Agreed. That level of phosphate is not an issue. I don't run an ULN tank. I think maybe I wasn't clear enough, I have at least 3-4 colors of corraline and the regular pink/purple/blood red stuff grows just fine and I can scrape it right off. This green stuff is brutally resilient. I'd love to have some of you take a crack at it so you could understand. I am not a weak dude. Prior military, jumbo sized etc. If I can't muscle it off the glass, I bet most people couldn't either.

Again though, unless it's representative of a bigger problem, the glass algae isn't the issue here. The dying and not growing corals are. I would vastly prefer people focus on that unless you have a linkage to present between my demon algae and my lack of coral health.

 

[Supa]

Wonder if you dosed something in the earlier stages and traces stayed around in your rock work or something? Did you ever dose copper in the DT while the rocks where in there? I’m new at this and don’t have the experience you have, but just trying to think of some things beyond pests.

 

[Coug92]

I had the same problem for years and now my tank is doing great. One of the things i changed Is to change my two part dosing to a different brand and simplified my system as much as possible. You water parameters look pretty good but I did not see a salinity reading. Do you use a few different types of instruments to check your salinity? The reason I bring it up is that I was using only one instrument to measure my salinity and it was the instant ocean hydrometer. Not a very precise tool but I figured it was close enough. Then I bought a couple other hydrometers and realized the instant ocean version was measuring way too high and not well calibrated. I bought a couple more of the same brand and found they were all not measuring accurately. It is possible most of my problems were salinity all those years. Now I use a hanna checker and other methods to cross check my levels.

 

[Supa]

I had the same problem for years and now my tank is doing great. One of the things i changed Is to change my two part dosing to a different brand and simplified my system as much as possible. You water parameters look pretty good but I did not see a salinity reading. Do you use a few different types of instruments to check your salinity? The reason I bring it up is that I was using only one instrument to measure my salinity and it was the instant ocean hydrometer. Not a very precise tool but I figured it was close enough. Then I bought a couple other hydrometers and realized the instant ocean version was measuring way too high and not well calibrated. I bought a couple more of the same brand and found they were all not measuring accurately. It is possible most of my problems were salinity all those years. Now I use a hanna checker and other methods to cross check my levels.

That’s a good point, most people I imagine only test salinity with one instrument. Salinity out of whack would cause coral problems .

 

[youcallmenny1]

Wonder if you dosed something in the earlier stages and traces stayed around in your rock work or something? Did you ever dose copper in the DT while the rocks where in there? I’m new at this and don’t have the experience you have, but just trying to think of some things beyond pests.

No, I didn't do anything wild. The most I've ever dosed was some reef flux recently and chemiclean a long time ago. I appreciate you stretching your brain on my behalf!

 

[Supa]

No, I didn't do anything wild. The most I've ever dosed was some reef flux recently and chemiclean a long time ago. I appreciate you stretching your brain on my behalf!

Ok my last abstract thought would be have you checked your rodi water/filters to see if your “clean” water source is actually clean?

 

[youcallmenny1]

I had the same problem for years and now my tank is doing great. One of the things i changed Is to change my two part dosing to a different brand and simplified my system as much as possible. You water parameters look pretty good but I did not see a salinity reading. Do you use a few different types of instruments to check your salinity? The reason I bring it up is that I was using only one instrument to measure my salinity and it was the instant ocean hydrometer. Not a very precise tool but I figured it was close enough. Then I bought a couple other hydrometers and realized the instant ocean version was measuring way too high and not well calibrated. I bought a couple more of the same brand and found they were all not measuring accurately. It is possible most of my problems were salinity all those years. Now I use a hanna checker and other methods to cross check my levels.

What were you using and what did you switch to? The salinity reading on my oceamo (ICP style) test was actually low. I only use a Milwaukee Instruments Refractometer and that's been the case this whole tank. My digital refractometer says it's perfect. 33/34/1.026. Another very practiced local reefer for whom I have much respect is helping me as well and he wants me off the Fritz Blue Box and on to Red Sea Blue Bucket due to Fritz being unpredictible. I've been on this salt since the beginning of the tank but used the Red Sea red bag on my prior successful tank.

The OP has the test results if anyone would like to read them.

 

[youcallmenny1]

Ok my last abstract thought would be have you checked your rodi water/filters to see if your “clean” water source is actually clean?

Yea, the type of test I just used also tests your ro/di water. Filters are new.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This has all mostly been answered in the last couple posts.

You ask a good question though, this tank is in my office and yes there are huge windows all around.

In the many years doing this, I’ve found that UV from direct and indirect sun can cause a lot of havoc and even cause temperature fluctuations and algae/cyano issues.
Many will close blinds or place shades not realizing how easily uv rays can penetrate them
Something to consider
Simply black construction paper from Walmart facing the side where the light leaks in will reduce effects

 

[youcallmenny1]

In the many years doing this, I’ve found that UV from direct and indirect sun can cause a lot of havoc and even cause temperature fluctuations and algae/cyano issues.
Many will close blinds or place shades not realizing how easily uv rays can penetrate them
Something to consider
Simply black construction paper from Walmart facing the side where the light leaks in will reduce effects

It's been a concern but at the same time I don't think I want to put construction paper in my house like that. The blinds generally stay closed though.

 

[terraincognita]

Apologies, I'm obviously a little frazzled at this point.

1. Picture at the bottom of this post

2. Standard Red Sea sump. Drain -> filter roller -> chaeto fuge -> skimmer/carbon -> marinepure balls -> return pump

3. BRS 2-part soda ash and calcium chloride.

4. Carbon, was running phosguard until seein the aluminum spike up, it's long gone and massive water changes followed.

5. 2x 13% on the 1st and 15th of the month. So, 4x 13% water changes a month.

6. Every 6 months! It's been reduced to 1-2" average across the bed.

7. Nutrients are under control. 1x/day autofed pellets, either formula 1/2 or aquapiscene energetics mysis pellets. 1/4 sheet nori 2-3x/week. Rods frozen 2-3x/week. 4 x Hydra 26 HD's. Yes I have a par meter. 250 at the top and 100 on the bed.

8. See answer 5.

9. Every 2-3 days usually but lately I've just kind of been giving up because it's gotten so bad.

10. I was dosing Red Sea AB+ 50ml/week for a long time but have stopped in an effort to get back to basics. I've tried other things, roids etc at times in the past but I don't do any extra dosing since the reset just because they weren't helping in the past. Fish are all fat and happy though!

So you're doing 52% water changes in a month. What's your water source are you mixing and making your own? Or are you getting it from somewhere? What brand of salt are you using?

I saw you answer somewhere else. Did you have your RODI tested when you tested your water or just the tank water?

I use these guys and they test my RODI And my Salt at the same time to make sure.



This is so weird, with 52% monthly water changes I really really doubt it's something with the water quality. unless it's your RODI.

And you have a filter roller and a skimmer.....


Did you stock ALL of your coral at once or was it over time?



I've noticed large additions always cause funny swings for me and die off.


Your current tank and params seem like 100% okay, also the corals that are left seem to be recovering and doing okay no? Or all they all still melting and dying away?


Are you monitoring your tank temps? Do you have a controller? In a big room like that with windows temps can swing 6-8 degrees in a few hours?

 

[youcallmenny1]

So you're doing 52% water changes in a month. What's your water source are you mixing and making your own? Or are you getting it from somewhere? What brand of salt are you using?


This is so weird, with 52% monthly water changes I really really doubt it's something with the water quality..

And you have a filter roller and a skimmer.....


Did you stock ALL of your coral at once or was it over time?



I've noticed large additions always cause funny swings for me and die off.


Your current tank and params seem like 100% okay, also the corals that are left seem to be recovering and doing okay no? Or all they all still melting and dying away?


Are you monitoring your tank temps? Do you have a controller? In a big room like that with windows temps can swing 6-8 degrees in a few hours?

The water questions have been answered several times on this page. In response to your edit, those questions have also been answered on this page.

It's not quite that simple on the water changes unfortunately. I do 13% at a time because that's what my system is built to do. It's less than that due to this.

The coral has come in batches. It's been quite some time since anything was added.

They are not recovering, no. Just lost a few more candy cane heads this morning. Haven't seen new polyps on anything in literally years.

Temp stays at 78F and yes I have a heater controller. Our house is always climate controlled and does not swing at all other than perhaps at night I've seen it hit 77 a few times.