new corals keep dying

ZeroTwo

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Howdy, I have a 32 gallon fluval tank thats been running for a year and half now and my corals keep dying. My LFS says my levels are good, and I test myself aswell. We both follow the bulk reef supply para chart and all my levels are mid range. My nitrate are around 30 but Ive been told zoas are fine with it.
I have 1 zoa which Ive had from the start and is still kicking but over the last couple months its shriveled a bit and has stopped growing but hasnt lost any color.

Everytime I get a new coral, I aclimate it, then put it in a little quarentine box inside my tank I use to make sure nothing picks at it for several weeks while settling into my tank.
The latest corals I picked up I had in the box for 3-4 weeks and were doing fine. (open and bright)

Once I took them out of the box and glue them onto the rocks they never opened. Its been 2 weeks now and they are closed and slightly melted. They also appear to have a slight brownish-green film/tinge on it, almost like theres algae growing on the coral. (this has happened several times before)

(I have other corals like a cabbage and a toadstool but im not worried about those right now as they appear to be fine and Im worred more about zoas as they are the easiest)
If I cant get zoas to grow somethings wrong

Any ideas?? all help is accepted. I want to put an end to my constant wasting money on dying corals that I can never find a solution.

IMG_5436.jpg IMG_5435.jpg IMG_5433.jpg
 
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TX_REEF

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it sounds to me that you may have a flow or lighting issue. If the corals are happy in the acclimation box, that means they like the light and flow there. Is it possible the light and flow outside of the box are too intense?
 
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ZeroTwo

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it sounds to me that you may have a flow or lighting issue. If the corals are happy in the acclimation box, that means they like the light and flow there. Is it possible the light and flow outside of the box are too intense?
I have the box on the sand, the box has holes but theyre small so inside the box is basically stagnant water. my tank is store bought so it just has a basic filter with low-moderate flow. same with the light, came with the tank, blues set to ~60%, white till it looks nice
 

TX_REEF

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that being the case, light is probably the culprit. are you placing the corals higher up in the water column after their box time? If so, you may need to be placing them lower, or turn down your lighting intensity.
 
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ZeroTwo

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for flow, theres 2 jets, 1 is pointed a little down, the other is breaking the water surface becaus i have clownfish and was told they like that.
 

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for flow, theres 2 jets, 1 is pointed a little down, the other is breaking the water surface becaus i have clownfish and was told they like that.
make sure no corals are being blasted directly as well - large majority of corals do not appreciate direct "jet" flow. The surface agitation is very good.
 
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ZeroTwo

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that being the case, light is probably the culprit. are you placing the corals higher up in the water column after their box time? If so, you may need to be placing them lower, or turn down your lighting intensity.
yes. as they aclimate on the sand, i then glue them to the rocks about middle of the tank
 
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ZeroTwo

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make sure no corals are being blasted directly as well - large majority of corals do not appreciate direct "jet" flow. The surface agitation is very good.
none of the jetss are blasting coral. just enought to create flow in the water and disperse food etc. one of the corals is directly under the jets with no flow so im guessing slow isnt the issue
 

Dburr1014

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Howdy, I have a 32 gallon fluval tank thats been running for a year and half now and my corals keep dying. My LFS says my levels are good, and I test myself aswell. We both follow the bulk reef supply para chart and all my levels are mid range. My nitrate are around 30 but Ive been told zoas are fine with it.
I have 1 zoa which Ive had from the start and is still kicking but over the last couple months its shriveled a bit and has stopped growing but hasnt lost any color.

Everytime I get a new coral, I aclimate it, then put it in a little quarentine box inside my tank I use to make sure nothing picks at it for several weeks while settling into my tank.
The latest corals I picked up I had in the box for 3-4 weeks and were doing fine. (open and bright)

Once I took them out of the box and glue them onto the rocks they never opened. Its been 2 weeks now and they are closed and slightly melted. They also appear to have a slight brownish-green film/tinge on it, almost like theres algae growing on the coral. (this has happened several times before)

(I have other corals like a cabbage and a toadstool but im not worried about those right now as they appear to be fine and Im worred more about zoas as they are the easiest)
If I cant get zoas to grow somethings wrong

Any ideas?? all help is accepted. I want to put an end to my constant wasting money on dying corals that I can never find a solution.

IMG_5436.jpg IMG_5435.jpg IMG_5433.jpg
This screams light or live stock.

What fish or inverts do you have?

For haha's post your tests and acclimating you first get a coral (not the 4 weeks in the box).
 

TX_REEF

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I'd try 2 things. First, turn down lighting intensity give that 2 weeks and see how corals respond. If that works, cool. If not, try turning off the "jet" that is not facing the surface. I suspect one of those changes will help. Best to do them one at a time so you can isolate the solution. Zoas especially do not need much light at all.
 
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ZeroTwo

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This screams light or live stock.

What fish or inverts do you have?

For haha's post your tests and acclimating you first get a coral (not the 4 weeks in the box).
i have 2 holloween hermits and a handfull of blue footed hermits along with some snails.
i have a basslet, a pygmy angel, a goby, a hawkfish, and a dottyback.

only one picking at the corals is the angel but it doesnt actually eat them
 
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ZeroTwo

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I'd try 2 things. First, turn down lighting intensity give that 2 weeks and see how corals respond. If that works, cool. If not, try turning off the "jet" that is not facing the surface. I suspect one of those changes will help. Best to do them one at a time so you can isolate the solution. Zoas especially do not need much light at all.
will do. thanks
 

Dburr1014

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ZeroTwo

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Which basslet?

Which goby?



Hmmmm, are you sure? Which angel?
black cap basslet
randalls goby
lemon peel angel (not pygmy just said it was bc its the same size)
flame hawk
bluebar dotty

i havnt actually witnessed the angel eat coral but he picks at the rock ocationally.

all my livestock have been there for atleast 6 months and havnt noticed any nefarious activities from them, except from my basslet which steals shells and corals to put in his cave if theyre not glued down
harmless kleptomaniac
 
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TX_REEF

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i have 2 holloween hermits and a handfull of blue footed hermits along with some snails.
i have a basslet, a pygmy angel, a goby, a hawkfish, and a dottyback.

only one picking at the corals is the angel but it doesnt actually eat them
how large are the hermits? I have seen hermits eat coral, but only large ones (the size of a quarter or more)
 
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ZeroTwo

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how large are the hermits? I have seen hermits eat coral, but only large ones (the size of a quarter or more)
the holloweens are biggest, shell about quarter size (more long than round). they usually keep off the corals and stick to the sand or attempt to climb the tank walls
 
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