Persistent SPS dying off - no known cause.

[Fisherman Joe]

Or in fact, I’ve come this far, do I stick with the new salt?

 

[jtlucena]

Or in fact, I’ve come this far, do I stick with the new salt?

you've already switched. switching back would be another cause for instability. stick to it. goodluck!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Very sorry to hear what happened, but I’ll give some thoughts…

I know a number of folks claim here that switching caused them issues, but that’s kind of hard to understand from a single small water change without a seriously bad batch that could also happen with the existing salt mix. Most commercial mixes are not so different that a small (10%) move in the direction toward the new mix should spell disaster.

I think it is equally worth considering that lots of folks have problems with no apparent clear explanation, and thus latching on to the last thing to happen (the switch) may or may not be the true explanation.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

I have had a couple of similar, but a bit different issues that have popped up in a couple of my acros except at the base. Very fast RTN that doesn't progress, but stops and just kinda goes away. The affected part looks almost dissolved with no living tissue left and the skeleton being somewhat eroded. I have chalked it up to bacterial infections possibly? It's been very sporadic with me but kind of presents the same way.

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Found a recent picture - I can't explain it.

 

[Damage12]

I’ve had a similar issue in the past with acros when I switched salts. I will never do that again.

 

[ReneReef]

Honestly. I’ve had this tank 5 years and never had any issues like this. Switching salts was the start of all this. Confidence or not.

Right now I’ve lost so much. I could cry. But I’m using it as a lesson.

I’m switching salts back and focusing on stability.

I've switched salts plenty of times while keeping acro's. Never an issue.
I agree with Randy and think it is very unlikely the new salt to be the culprit.

Your ICP clearly shows that the S.G. of 1.025 you measured can not be correct.
And a lot of the major elements are (much) above natural seawater levels. That is not the salt's fault, that is a measurement error.

Occam's razor, the simplest answer is usually the right one.
Time to review your home measurements and get those sorted.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Update: losing my blue stylo now. That thing is usually hardy as hell!

Still losing corals. Kept the nutrients consistent a the salinity too.

It’s almost like there a copper ring in the tank or a pump that’s corroded, but wouldn’t that show up on the ICP? My last one showed nothing. Going to send off another now.

I will post another full round of parameters in the morning.

What could cause consistent SPS loss?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Copper won't kill organisms without showing up on an ICP-ms.

What sort of ICP did you get? Does it say what its limit of quantitation is for copper?

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Was there possibly a big alk spike?

I once watched a 3000 gallon reef lose hundreds of corals (mostly acros) due to shock from an alkalinity spike. The issue was addressed and corrected within 2 days. Didn’t matter. Over the course of a month and a half, 80% of the corals died, in a pattern similar to yours.

Typically when there is high salinity, the corals just shrink up, stop opening, etc…but can go quite a while like that before they start showing serious distress and dying.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Was there possibly a big alk spike?

I once watched a 3000 gallon reef lose hundreds of corals (mostly acros) due to shock from an alkalinity spike. The issue was addressed and corrected within 2 days. Didn’t matter. Over the course of a month and a half, 80% of the corals died, in a pattern similar to yours.

Typically when there is high salinity, the corals just shrink up, stop opening, etc…but can go quite a while like that before they start showing serious distress and dying.

The Alk is up at 9.5 at the minute.

It keeps rising and I’ve turned down my triton dosing to 8 x 1 ml now. Maybe that could be it? Months ago when I had all my corals it was 8 x 2ml per day, the GHL KH director turns down the dosing automatically and it was reducing it by 50% so it’s only dosing 8 x 0.5ml at the minute with my target being 8.5 dKH.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

More fresh coral death. It’s really rapid.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

kH over one week. Not a smoking gun for me but a little high for my liking. Ca and Mg were 430 and 1350 last time I checked. pH hovering between 8.03 and 8.10

 

[Damage12]

Do you happen to have any Ecotech vortech pumps with a magnet rusting? If you have those pumps, double check the magnets.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Do you happen to have any Ecotech vortech pumps with a magnet rusting? If you have those pumps, double check the magnets.

I have all these pumps. I’ll check.

Wouldn’t it show in an ICP?

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Week 4 and corals are still dying.

Really don’t know what to do. I’ve lost every major SPS colony now.

PO4 0.11

NO3 25

dKH 9.3

Nothing jumps out at me, those were fluctuating but not massively.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

One thought. I have been using a UV wand to sterilise and kill the sand bed when I’ve had dinos growing.

Could that be effecting the water chemistry?

 

[ReneReef]

Really don’t know what to do.

Being very direct and frank:
Stop running around in blind panic and naming random parameters. Start acting on all the advice given here.

If you are looking for an “add this product and tomorrow everything will be fine” answer. You’re not going to get that.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Being very direct and frank:
Stop running around in blind panic and naming random parameters. Start acting on all the advice given here.

If you are looking for an “add this product and tomorrow everything will be fine” answer. You’re not going to get that.

Not that I asked for you to be very direct and frank, please note I’m referring to the same parameters referenced in previous discussions.

Why do so many people on online forums think they can be rude to get their point across?

I’ve had this tank for 5 years and never had any issues like this. I get an ICP monthly (as posted on here) and all the parameters look ok, yet I’m having mass SPS die offs. Theres no clear signs of pests or disease, so my panic, is panic. I’m watching years of work disappear in front of my eyes and I’m trying to find out why.

In future, if you can’t say something kind, maybe don’t say anything.

I’m trying to add information to the discussion so people can make helpful suggestions, like look for rust on my magnets, which I’m doing now.

 

[hatfielj]

Get Cipro or Oxylinic Acid and treat the tank for possible bacterial issue. It's safe and, if bacteria are to blame, very effective.