My corals are dying

[jc24]

I’ve been running this 17gallon nano tank for a year now. My corals have been growing and doing very well until last month, they suddenly shrink and not open fully. And I’m not sure what the things are on my back wall, I scrape them off and I would see it again the next day. I do water change weekly, which doesn’t seem to help. Xenia is the only coral that is growing normally. Not sure if my tank is too clean or too dirty at this point. And my snails died.

 

[kichimark]

Was there anything added or something different done right before you started noticing this about a month ago?

What are your parameters like?

 

[jc24]

Was there anything added or something different done right before you started noticing this about a month ago?

What are your parameters like?

I dosed ChemiClean to fight off some Cyano, but I did a water change after 2 days. Not sure if this is the cause. Temp and salinity are normal, the only other thing I tested is nitrate, which came out to be 0. I used the API test kit.

 

[kichimark]

I had to look that up since I am just jumping back into the hobby and never seen that product before.

Are you running any activated carbon by chance?

 

[jc24]

I had to look that up since I am just jumping back into the hobby and never seen that product before.

Are you running any activated carbon by chance?

Yes I’m running activated carbon.

 

[js-3Design]

0 nitrates and havent tested the rest. I think you should test the rest. And I think you will find your problems and solutions there.

 

[jc24]

0 nitrates and havent tested the rest. I think you should test the rest. And I think you will find your problems and solutions there.

Which test kit should I get? Phosphate?

 

[js-3Design]

test phosphates. and KH just to make sure.

chemiclean is an antibiotic that kills bacteria.. also a lot of the good bacteria and that is a problem.
I would test Po4, do a very large waterchange and bring no3 and p04 up to where you want it to be.

 

[jc24]

test phosphates. and KH just to make sure.

chemiclean is an antibiotic that kills bacteria.. also a lot of the good bacteria and that is a problem.
I would test Po4, do a very large waterchange and bring no3 and p04 up to where you want it to be.

Will do. Thank you

 

[reeffish]

Which test kit should I get? Phosphate?

Hanna Checkers

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can you tell us about your light? Your corals still look like frags to me, if you had them for a year then they really haven't grown much if at all. I'm kind of thinking this might be a low light issue.

 

[jc24]

Can you tell us about your light? Your corals still look like frags to me, if you had them for a year then they really haven't grown much if at all. I'm kind of thinking this might be a low light issue.

Can you tell us about your light? Your corals still look like frags to me, if you had them for a year then they really haven't grown much if at all. I'm kind of thinking this might be a low light issue.

I run the AI Prime HD. Everything was growing tho, I had an Acan that went from 3 heads to 15, but it’s also dying now. I got those frogspawn and hammer when they are only 1 head, now splitting into multiple.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Flow and filtration of your tank?
Have you done anything different that would cause your tank to decline?

 

[jc24]

Flow and filtration of your tank?
Have you done anything different that would cause your tank to decline?

I didn’t change anything other than dosing ChemiClean, but I’ve done that before, had no problem. The tank is AIO, has a filter and sump in the back, and I run an extra mini wave maker to provide more flow, this has been running for a while as well.

 

[BryanM]

I would change the carbon to try and help remove anything bad, and I would inspect all the equipment and try to find anything that could be leaching in to the water (exposed magnet, things like that).

Take a water sample to your LFS and have them test for you while you're getting test kits.

 

[slingfox]

I assume you have a case of dinoflagelletes (maybe mixed in with other uglies). Search for threads on how to deal with Dino’s. It is not uncommon to get Dino’s after dosing Chemiclean. You also have zero nitrates which is commonly associated with Dino’s. Also the quick regrowth after manual removal is indicative of a fast growing ugly like Dino’s.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I agree with Bryan, something weird might be going on. I would inspect the equipment possibly do an ICP test.

A 17 gallon is small enough that you can take everything out of the tank and inspect everything carefully. Perhaps something is rusting away in the tank. All your snails dying and corals slowly dying points to water issue IMO. I don't believe its something you did, not purposely anyway.

If you live with other people I would politely remind them not to spray anything around the tank. I wish you good luck

 

[gkprevite]

Looks like Dinos they can irritate the heck out of your corals. Your nitrates are bottomed out and I’d assume phosphate as well. We all deal with this at some point. I’d start with manual cleaning, changing your carbon more often than usual and slowly try to raise nutrient level