MOST OF MY CORALS ARE DYING PLEASE HELP

[zachtyd]

Hey everyone I am sad that this is my first post besides introducing myself but I came home to half or more of my corals dead or dying in my established 45 gallon and am panicking and have transferred the dying ones to my smaller tank all parameters are the same as they always are but I did add 5 fish and 6 corals in the same day 2 days ago I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it though because my tank was fine and corals all looked happy yesterday but my mushrooms have all been shriveled with their guts out for about 5 days now so something is off please please help and my mandarin goby died too

 

[SPR1968]

Hi, we need a full list of your water parameters and then we can see if we can help

Salinity
Calcium
Alkalinity
Magnesium
Nitrate
Phosphate

 

[zachtyd]

Hi, we need a full list of your water parameters and then we can see if we can help

Salinity
Calcium
Alkalinity
Magnesium
Nitrate
Phosphate

Salinity is a little low right now only because I had to top off the back just as I got home it’s at 1.023-1.024
Calcium is 425
Alkalinity is 8.2
Magnesium:1230-1260
Nitrate:5 ppm
Phosphate: undetectable for precise answer but not zero (was at 0 for a while so I had to raise it a little)

 

[ScottR]

There are so many questions to be asked. But how stable are those parameters?

I’ve had corals start to look poor before and figured out my return pump was clogged so not enough flow.

Can you give a background on your tank- age, size, equipment and filtration.

 

[zachtyd]

There are so many questions to be asked. But how stable are those parameters?

I’ve had corals start to look poor before and figured out my return pump was clogged so not enough flow.

Can you give a background on your tank- age, size, equipment and filtration.

Tanks age is about 2.5 years plus (I believe it’s 5 years actually but don’t want to say a wrong number) I purchased it as it was, corals and all about 2 months ago and it was all fine everything was thriving and some still look fine (acro colony thank god is looking real good still) and it’s a jbj 45 gallon all in one with black mesh aqua media filtration, 2 levels of that, then some Pukani gravel in the last 2 and then the next part of the sump is lined with some marine pure bits and parameters are always pretty stable, I thought I overdosed calcium the other day but it’s at it’s normal level so I don’t think I did I have a blue tuna pro light on it and the standard return pumps flow is the same as every day as well as a wave maker (500 gph)

 

[ScottR]

Tanks age is about 2.5 years plus (I believe it’s 5 years actually but don’t want to say a wrong number) I purchased it as it was, corals and all about 2 months ago and it was all fine everything was thriving and some still look fine (acro colony thank god is looking real good still) and it’s a jbj 45 gallon all in one with black mesh aqua media filtration, 2 levels of that, then some Pukani gravel in the last 2 and then the next part of the sump is lined with some marine pure bits and parameters are always pretty stable, I thought I overdosed calcium the other day but it’s at it’s normal level so I don’t think I did I have a blue tuna pro light on it and the standard return pumps flow is the same as every day as well as a wave maker (500 gph)

Your salinity is a bit low. If it gets as low as 1.023, your other parameters will swing. Are you topping off by yourself or using an ATO?

 

[zachtyd]

Your salinity is a bit low. If it gets as low as 1.023, your other parameters will swing. Are you topping off by yourself or using an ATO?

Usually an auto but it stopped, well, auto-ing so I have a line that I’ll turn it on to fill to in the sump but I poured a cup of RO in tonight because of the urgency

 

[Shua71]

What 5 fish did you add? That's a lot to add at once to a 45. You may have created another cycle

 

[ScottR]

Usually an auto but it stopped, well, auto-ing so I have a line that I’ll turn it on to fill to in the sump but I poured a cup of RO in tonight because of the urgency

This is probably causing the salinity to swing. Then you probably have alkalinity swings as well which may not be forgiving to your corals.

 

[zachtyd]

What 5 fish did you add? That's a lot to add at once to a 45. You may have created another cycle

4 green chromis
1 small tomatoe clown
1 (1 1/4”) blue tang
And yes I know the blue tang needs a bigger tank it’s going to be moved into a 150 gallon tank I’ll be getting in a few months

 

[zachtyd]

This is probably causing the salinity to swing. Then you probably have alkalinity swings as well which may not be forgiving to your corals.

Does the alk swing back and forth? I’ve been testing every day and it stays the same whenever I test

 

[vetteguy53081]

Raise salinity to 1.025 and maintain temp at 77-78 Deg
Moderate light and water flow plus add potassium and strontium.

 

[zachtyd]

Raise salinity to 1.025 and maintain temp at 77-78 Deg
Moderate light and water flow plus add potassium and strontium.

Alright I will thank you

 

[ScottR]

Does the alk swing back and forth? I’ve been testing every day and it stays the same whenever I test

Which test kit are you using for alk?

Salinity is one of the most important parameters. If your salinity drops because of too much water added, you’re diluting all the other things as well. So technically your alk, Ca, Mg and all other elements would be diluted as well. If I’ve learned anything in this hobby, it’s that stability is key. I’ve seen people have super low alk and super high alk - and their tanks were beautiful. But if they were to change that number too much within a given amount of time, they would most likely have similar problems to what you’re seeing.

 

[LiamPM]

Raise salinity to 1.025 and maintain temp at 77-78 Deg
Moderate light and water flow plus add potassium and strontium.

Really? Just blindly add Potassium and Strontium? Not knocking the advise but interested to know more on why you think this may help?

I think ScottR is on the right track, stability may be an issue and dosing anything may just upset that one even further.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Really? Just blindly add Potassium and Strontium? Not knocking the advise but interested to know more on why you think this may help?

I think ScottR is on the right track, stability may be an issue and dosing anything may just upset that one even further.

There is a stability issue and as many aquarists have gotten beat by too high or low of salinity , the immediate bleaching of coral requires salinity levels brought to acceptable number range and strontium and potassium will aid in restoring tissue to skeleton of those affected pieces. Not suggesting to just dump both as it may sound confusing but rather as an addition

 

[reef lover]

I agree with scott here...stability is key..may need to buy another ato. And i would check for ammonia with all the new additions...

 

[SPR1968]

I agree with scott here...stability is key..may need to buy another ato. And i would check for ammonia with all the new additions...

+ 1 to this

To keep a reef tank you need to keep the parameters stable and salinity is one of the basics so you need that sorting out with an ATO unless you have a lot of time to keep adding RO water.

Corals are extremely sensitive to any changes to their environment (the water) and will tell you so by their reaction which is what your seeing. Fish are more tolerant within reason but don't want rapid changes to salinity constantly.

The magnesium level is a little on the low side, so raise that to around 1310 or thereabouts, but with all the other things going on here, I don't think this is the problem

Basically dont go adding anything else to the tank unless you've tested for it and know its needed, otherwise it will more than likely make things worse.

 

[jim_fitz]

sorry just to clarify
you purchased this set up 2 months ago ?

have you checked ammonia and nitrite then ?

 

[Johniejumbo]

I second the possible mini cycle. An ato is nice but i don’t think topping off a half a gallon in of water or so in that tank will make things swing enough to really stress much. I manually top off about a gallon plus in a 40b with a sump and it barely registers a change in salinity. That said my tank isn’t exactly a high standard at this point lol. I do know moving established tanks tends to make them volatile. I would test your ammonia nitrites nitrates and ph every few days to see any spikes. Also check the date on your test kits. If they came with the tank they may be old. I just replaced mine. They didn’t expire til next year but we’re not matching up with my LFS test. My nitrates showed about 5ppm and were actually about 40.... ph was off too. I don’t know how long you’ve been keeping fish tanks but it never hurts to reread test kit instructions (or refresh any basic knowledge) every now and then. It’s easy to simply forget a step. Hope all goes well!