Mass extinction event

[Cherie cook]

I’ve never posted in this thread before but I’m baffled. Lots of my corals seem to be suddenly dying and I can’t figure out why. It started with my chalices about a month ago....ones that had been thriving gradually receding starting at the edges. I checked my numbers then (it had been awhile) and noted my phosphate was 0 and nitrate very low also. Knowing this is bad, I started increased feeding and supplemented both phosphate and nitrate. As of today my phosphate is 0.10, nitrate 5. Just for completeness.. specific gravity 0.025, pH 8.2, alk 8.7, mag 1470, temp 77-78, 0 ammonia or nitrite. Other than BRS calcium and soda ash I don’t add any chemicals. I do water changes of about 15 gallons every two weeks or so...my tank is an 80 cube. In the last two weeks not only are my chalices tanking, but my favia and my very few SPS are losing color and tissue at the tips progressively. Is it possible all this trouble came from allowing my nitrate and phosphate to drop too low? The only other tank intervention I can think of...and this was 4-6 weeks ago, I removed some rock and sprayed it with H2O2 to help with an infestation of ulva algae. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[roc1hmr]

Following... having the same problem removed rocks about 2 pounds(aphasia). And I started getting brown algae. Phosphates undetectable and nitrates around 3. Biological filter unstable????

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Evening,

sorry this is happening. I’m not the one to guide you, I have no experience with h202. Let’s find help

#reefsquad

 

[X-37B]

How old is your tank?
How do you measure alk?
How are you measuring po4 and no3?
How are you dosing ca & alk.
How stable have your numbers been since this started?
With your low nutrients and alk of 8.7 along with disturbing your rockwork that may have caused the issue.
Sounds like the downward condition of your corals started around the time you removed the rockwork.
Some pics always help.

 

[EmdeReef]

I would send an ICP ASAP. Suddenly lowered nitrates and phosphate could be a factor. The fact that your tips are white may be caused by “high” alk and low nutrients.

If you used 3% h2o2 and sprayed rocks out of water, then it’s very unlikely that caused any issues. Higher concentration of h2o2 can definitely kill corals if overdosed in a tank (overdose being difficult to define). FWIW h2o2 isn’t the best way to get rid of macro algae.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Sps losing tissue at the tips, or outgrowing the tissue could be due to your dkh being at 8.7 slowly let it come down to 7.5. Also consider bumping the salt up to 1.026. Your water seems to be in a good place with a couple minor tweaks. Make sure your refractometer is calibrated correctly. This actually may be the issue. I would also get an ATI water test to check for copper or other metals. This will also test your ro water. Check all equipment for stray voltage or corrosion. If you suspect metals run some cuprasorb. Good luck.

 

[Cherie cook]

How old is your tank?
How do you measure alk?
How are you measuring po4 and no3?
How are you dosing ca & alk.
How stable have your numbers been since this started?
With your low nutrients and alk of 8.7 along with disturbing your rockwork that may have caused the issue.
Sounds like the downward condition of your corals started around the time you removed the rockwork.
Some pics always help.

My tank is one I moved from NY to Colorado a year ago...then moved again 8 months ago to a new place (we are having a house built here in CO, and there have been complications). So how old is it??? I moved with all the rock, fish, a few zooanthids. Got all new sand and then microcritters from that place in Hawaii. For alk and po4 I have Hanna checkers. For no3 I have a Nyos test kit. Ca and alk are dosed with BRS dosers running at night for 30 min each. Since I first noticed the problem on 3/1 my phosphate has been 0.03 to 0.10 (slowly trending upward) and nitrate has been steady starting at 3 and now at 5. Is my alk too low at 8.7? I can work on pics tomorrow. Thank you for looking at this!

 

[X-37B]

My 120 runs low nutrient.
Po4 .02-.06
No3 1 but <2
Alk target is 7-8
I dont see anything wrong with those numbers.
I would not go higher on your alk and you may wnt to be closer to 8.

 

[Cherie cook]

Sps losing tissue at the tips, or outgrowing the tissue could be due to your dkh being at 8.7 slowly let it come down to 7.5. Also consider bumping the salt up to 1.026. Your water seems to be in a good place with a couple minor tweaks. Make sure your refractometer is calibrated correctly. This actually may be the issue. I would also get an ATI water test to check for copper or other metals. This will also test your ro water. Check all equipment for stray voltage or corrosion. If you suspect metals run some cuprasorb. Good luck.

Hmmm....my timer for the alk works in half hour increments...I can shut it off overnite or leave it be. No in between, unfortunately. For the salinity i use a Milwaukee refractometer and it’s calibrated. I will definitely go for an ATI water test ASAP. i can get a better timer for the alk....but would diluting it work also?

 

[Cherie cook]

I would send an ICP ASAP. Suddenly lowered nitrates and phosphate could be a factor. The fact that your tips are white may be caused by “high” alk and low nutrients.

If you used 3% h2o2 and sprayed rocks out of water, then it’s very unlikely that caused any issues. Higher concentration of h2o2 can definitely kill corals if overdosed in a tank (overdose being difficult to define). FWIW h2o2 isn’t the best way to get rid of macro algae.

Thanks for your thoughts! In your opinion....best way to get rid of macro algae? FWIW I did put a foxface in the tank a couple weeks ago. To be a temporary addition until I move the tank to its final resting place when our house is completed....hopefully by mid summer.

 

[Crustaceon]

It sounds like you had burned tips due to a combination of elevated alk & low N + P. The best thing you can do right now is just let alk fall on its own to high 7’s or 8 and hold it there for a while.

 

[EmdeReef]

Thanks for your thoughts! In your opinion....best way to get rid of macro algae? FWIW I did put a foxface in the tank a couple weeks ago. To be a temporary addition until I move the tank to its final resting place when our house is completed....hopefully by mid summer.

Physical removal as much as you can followed by grazers. I wouldn’t use chemicals on macroalgae as you’ll likely have to overdose and could potentially cause issues. Some other options, noting that there are no 100% guarantees: hermit crabs, emerald crabs, pincushion urchins, turbo snails. Obviously other herbivore fish like tangs - but your tank is a bit on the smaller side for a tang - however if planning to upgrade may be an option.

Does your foxface eat ulva? If yes then give it a bit of time and will likely clean it up in no time.

 

[Hemmdog]

My tank is one I moved from NY to Colorado a year ago...then moved again 8 months ago to a new place (we are having a house built here in CO, and there have been complications). So how old is it??? I moved with all the rock, fish, a few zooanthids. Got all new sand and then microcritters from that place in Hawaii. For alk and po4 I have Hanna checkers. For no3 I have a Nyos test kit. Ca and alk are dosed with BRS dosers running at night for 30 min each. Since I first noticed the problem on 3/1 my phosphate has been 0.03 to 0.10 (slowly trending upward) and nitrate has been steady starting at 3 and now at 5. Is my alk too low at 8.7? I can work on pics tomorrow. Thank you for looking at this!

Just a FYI, do your dosing during the day. Mid-afternoon preferably after corals have consumed some of the vital elements. At night the consumption of calcium specially is decreased significantly; if you are dosing at night this can cause big swings because none is being consumed until the next day, keeping your levels elevated for several hours. Better yet, dose multiple times a day. I dose 12 times a day, every hour while lights are on.

 

[Robert Binz]

I’ve never posted in this thread before but I’m baffled. Lots of my corals seem to be suddenly dying and I can’t figure out why. It started with my chalices about a month ago....ones that had been thriving gradually receding starting at the edges. I checked my numbers then (it had been awhile) and noted my phosphate was 0 and nitrate very low also. Knowing this is bad, I started increased feeding and supplemented both phosphate and nitrate. As of today my phosphate is 0.10, nitrate 5. Just for completeness.. specific gravity 0.025, pH 8.2, alk 8.7, mag 1470, temp 77-78, 0 ammonia or nitrite. Other than BRS calcium and soda ash I don’t add any chemicals. I do water changes of about 15 gallons every two weeks or so...my tank is an 80 cube. In the last two weeks not only are my chalices tanking, but my favia and my very few SPS are losing color and tissue at the tips progressively. Is it possible all this trouble came from allowing my nitrate and phosphate to drop too low? The only other tank intervention I can think of...and this was 4-6 weeks ago, I removed some rock and sprayed it with H2O2 to help with an infestation of ulva algae. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Climate change

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

You could kill the power on the alk dosing. I test alk almost every single day.

 

[Cherie cook]

Just a FYI, do your dosing during the day. Mid-afternoon preferably after corals have consumed some of the vital elements. At night the consumption of calcium specially is decreased significantly; if you are dosing at night this can cause big swings because none is being consumed until the next day, keeping your levels elevated for several hours. Better yet, dose multiple times a day. I dose 12 times a day, every hour while lights are on.

dang...last night I diluted the soda ash in the dosing container, not wanting to cause too much of a swing...and today the alk is HIGHER at 9.5! Whats my best action now....water changes?

 

[Hemmdog]

dang...last night I diluted the soda ash in the dosing container, not wanting to cause too much of a swing...and today the alk is HIGHER at 9.5! Whats my best action now....water changes?

I would just let it fall naturally. Your nitrate is a little low to be doing water changes.

 

[Cherie cook]

I would just let it fall naturally. Your nitrate is a little low to be doing water changes.

So just shut the doser off completely? What about the calcium...leave that going or shut off too?

 

[Hemmdog]

So just shut the doser off completely? What about the calcium...leave that going or shut off too?

What is your calcium at today?

 

[Indytraveler83]

Just my own experience:

I had nitrate bottom out when I tried to lower phosphate several months ago. It took about a week, but my corals started doing the same as your. I lost an acro frag and nearly lost my chalice, acans, hammer and favia.

Try to be patient and don't overcorrect. It will take time to improve, and they may get worse before they get better. It took about 2 months for mine to recover to their prior levels.

These animals are slow to improve sometime. But stability is the biggest key.

Also +1 on the ICP, just to be sure you know you've identified the problem.