LPS coral dying

[thomas_neil]

I got a hammer, frogspawn, and an acan about 2 months ago. The first month everything was fine they where opening when the lights turned on and seemed to like the light. About a month ago they all start the close up and about 2 weeks ago the frogspawn started losing some flesh. I do 10% water changes every weekend and use Red Sea coral pro salt.
My levels all seem fine.
Salinity 1.027
Alk. 11.3 dkh
Calcium 413
Phosphate .43 ppb

I just got the Hanna checkers so I test levels at least once a week and I use the icecap electric salinity checker.

For lights I have a quanta pro messo blue and a quanta pro reef crest led.

Any ideas why my lps corals are dying?

All my softies and my monti, Duncan, and favia are doing fine.

 

[Spare time]

Any idea of the par? What kind of flow are they receiving? Did you mean ppt for phosphate? What level is the nitrate? What all do you dose (if anything) and feed? Do you know the pH? What test kits are you using?

 

[DE FISH]

Salinity is slightly elevated and po4 is sky high may be the cause of your issues

what’s your nitrate reading ?

 

[Spare time]

Salinity is slightly elevated and po4 is sky high may be the cause of your issues

what’s your nitrate reading ?

If its ppb (as the op states) the phosphate is extremely low

 

[thomas_neil]

Any idea of the par? What kind of flow are they receiving? Did you mean ppt for phosphate? What level is the nitrate? What all do you dose (if anything) and feed? Do you know the pH? What test kits are you using?

I’m not sure on the par. For flow I have a maxspect 2k gyre, and 2 dc reef power 2600gph pumps. They’re all set to alternating flow from 20%_80%. I use the hanna ultra low phosphate reader. I’m not sure what it reads to. I don’t have a nice nitrate test kit just the cheap api one I got when I started. It reads almost 0 but again it’s not an accurate test kit. I dose the BRS 2 part. For feeding I feed Neptune pellets in the morning and frozen ( a mix of my sis, seaweed, brine, blood worms and krill at night. I also dose the Red Sea reef energy plus at night. For testing I use the Hanna checker for alk, phosphate, and calcium and I also use the salifert calcium and alk test kits to just double check the Hanna checkers.

 

[GoReefin]

Have you checked magnesium?
Also when and how did you last calibrate your refractometer? Also have you tried running carbon?

 

[mdb_talon]

Based off your numbers assuming that phosphate is correct(.47 ppb) and you are "almost zero" nitrate then my concern would be starving the lps. They need food and unless you have massive export it seems unlikely you can keep nutrients that low and keep lps healthy. Again that dependent on those nutrient numbers being accurate

As for salinity 1.027 is fine, but have you checked calibration recently?

Alk is near the upper range of what you want and especially if your nutrients are that low i would lower it some and give yourself some room for error.

 

[thomas_neil]

Have you checked magnesium?
Also when and how did you last calibrate your refractometer? Also have you tried running carbon?

I calibrate with calibration solution from BRS. I do have a carbon reactor. I run carbon mixed with some granular ferric oxide mixed in. I add about 2 cups of magnesium once I’ve used my gallon of calcium.

 

[thomas_neil]

Based off your numbers assuming that phosphate is correct(.47 ppb) and you are "almost zero" phosphate then my concern would be starving the lps. They need food and unless you have massive export it seems unlikely you can keep nutrients that low and keep lps healthy. Again that dependent on those nutrient numbers being accurate

As for salinity 1.027 is fine, but have you checked calibration recently?

Alk is near the upper range of what you want and especially if your nutrients are that low i would lower it some and give yourself some room for error.

Red Sea coral pro salt runs a 11.3-12.3 alk in the salt, at least I think it’s around those numbers. Any ideas how to get it lower? I’ve thoigh about switch to tropic marine but I’ve been running the Red Sea since I started the tank and read somewhere you don’t want to switch salts in an established tank.

 

[mdb_talon]

Red Sea coral pro salt runs a 11.3-12.3 alk in the salt, at least I think it’s around those numbers. Any ideas how to get it lower? I’ve thoigh about switch to tropic marine but I’ve been running the Red Sea since I started the tank and read somewhere you don’t want to switch salts in an established tank.

If that is the salt you going to use i would not artificially lower it. I have ran my alk that high in the past and it can be fine, but dont want to be that high and have ulns.

 

[thomas_neil]

If that is the salt you going to use i would not artificially lower it. I have ran my alk that high in the past and it can be fine, but dont want to be that high and have ulns.

Should I try adjusting my refugium lighting to less time, it’s running about 16 hours a day, mixed with more feeding to try and get nutrient levels up? I didn’t know there was a thing your tank could be to clean. Maybe water changes every other weekend? What’s a good phosphate /nitrate levels?

 

[Lavey29]

Should I try adjusting my refugium lighting to less time, it’s running about 16 hours a day, mixed with more feeding to try and get nutrient levels up? I didn’t know there was a thing your tank could be to clean. Maybe water changes every other weekend? What’s a good phosphate /nitrate levels?

Some of your ideas will help. Run the fuge opposite your tank lights, feed more. Water changes every 2 weeks. You want nitrates at 10 and phosphate at .05 to .1ppm. You can also dose neophos and neonitro if needed.

 

[mdb_talon]

Should I try adjusting my refugium lighting to less time, it’s running about 16 hours a day, mixed with more feeding to try and get nutrient levels up? I didn’t know there was a thing your tank could be to clean. Maybe water changes every other weekend? What’s a good phosphate /nitrate levels?

Before anything i would confirm that phosphate number. I never used the ulr ppb checker but again if it shows .43 ppb that very low.

Can get many answers on what to keep nutrients at. Personally like to be 5-15 nitrate and phosphate .05 to .15 ppm.

Personally i would leave your refugium going and slowly add more food. Most LPS will reading eat food you broadcast or target feed. I believe it is more be beneficial to add more food than it is to just remove less nutrients.

 

[Spare time]

I’m not sure on the par. For flow I have a maxspect 2k gyre, and 2 dc reef power 2600gph pumps. They’re all set to alternating flow from 20%_80%. I use the hanna ultra low phosphate reader. I’m not sure what it reads to. I don’t have a nice nitrate test kit just the cheap api one I got when I started. It reads almost 0 but again it’s not an accurate test kit. I dose the BRS 2 part. For feeding I feed Neptune pellets in the morning and frozen ( a mix of my sis, seaweed, brine, blood worms and krill at night. I also dose the Red Sea reef energy plus at night. For testing I use the Hanna checker for alk, phosphate, and calcium and I also use the salifert calcium and alk test kits to just double check the Hanna checkers.

Ah ok that means your phosphate is ppt. The number you gave is very high.


As for nitrate, do you dose reef energy daily (this is more for my concern of too little nitrate)?

 

[DE FISH]

If its ppb (as the op states) the phosphate is extremely low

Hanna ulr checker only reads down to 1ppm it doesn’t run in points

 

[thomas_neil]

Ah ok that means your phosphate is ppt. The number you gave is very high.


As for nitrate, do you dose reef energy daily (this is more for my concern of too little nitrate)?

Yes I dose the reef energy daily. Heading to my lfs after work today to get some more test kits. Was going to order some coral from wwc since they have some decent sales but I think I’m going to wait and let things stabilize out.

 

[danny_corals]

What fish do you have?

 

[jstabile316]

T

I calibrate with calibration solution from BRS. I do have a carbon reactor. I run carbon mixed with some granular ferric oxide mixed in. I add about 2 cups of magnesium once I’ve used my gallon of calcium.

Stop using phoshate remover.

 

[thomas_neil]

What fish do you have?

I have 3 fire fish, 2 clowns, an orchid dottyback, coral beauty, and a chocolate tang. Also have a serpent star and linkia star and various cleanup crew.

 

[danny_corals]

I'd watch for the coral beauty nipping