Overnight deaths. How can I rescue the survivors?

[MelodiB]

Battling something and pretty new at this hobby. Have an API test kit but cant check posphates. This morning everything is dead or dying in my 13g. My zoas look ok and the duncan seems alive. Not sure about the GSP.

What can I do? Considering getting a quick 5g set up for the survivors then tearing down the 13.5g and starting over with new sand, boiling rock and anything that will stand it, and scrubbing everything else. Filling with new premix tropic marin from LFS. I don't know what else to do. Not sure what I'm battling here - just desperate to save the corals. Can I put them in a clean (only used for water changes) bucket with the lights over the top? Not really wanting a new tank but open to it. Can always use a quarantine. problem is LFS closed today and I'm pretty desperate Guess I really have nothing to lose.
Any thoughts on how to save them?

 

[MelodiB]

Hard to see in the photos, but photo 1 shows it growing on the side of the bucket everyone was put into with clean saltwater after being gently scrubbed and rinsed with fresh saltwater a few hours ago and its already growing in bucket and back on the rocks (pic 2).

 

[arking_mark]

Hard to see in the photos, but photo 1 shows it growing on the side of the bucket everyone was put into with clean saltwater after being gently scrubbed and rinsed with fresh saltwater a few hours ago and its already growing in bucket and back on the rocks (pic 2).

I think your dealing with a bacterial bloom. Make sure to aerate your water well with a aitstone and increased water flow and surface agitation.

These will typically go away when nutrients get used up.

Larger water changes are very useful to reduce nutrients.

 

[MelodiB]

I think your dealing with a bacterial bloom. Make sure to aerate your water well with a aitstone and increased water flow and surface agitation.

These will typically go away when nutrients get used up.

Larger water changes are very useful to reduce nutrients.

- yes, it appears to be bacterial but no other strange water readings except ph is low. I am working on that now. Still bummed that I lost so many but lessons learned.

So far, everyone is still hanging im there. The stuff is still growing like crazy. Got a turkey baster to blow off rocks and suck up nastiness as needed. My skimmer is operational. Not going to add more livestock until the water clears and Ph gets back up. Thanks to you all for helping me through this.

 

[arking_mark]

- yes, it appears to be bacterial but no other strange water readings except ph is low. I am working on that now. Still bummed that I lost so many but lessons learned.

So far, everyone is still hanging im there. The stuff is still growing like crazy. Got a turkey baster to blow off rocks and suck up nastiness as needed. My skimmer is operational. Not going to add more livestock until the water clears and Ph gets back up. Thanks to you all for helping me through this.

Good luck.