Please help. Corals dying/dead. Can’t figure out why
- Thread starter OCFishFunder
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Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
How long has the tank been running?
Source water: RO/DI or tap?
Welcome to R2R!
Sorry to hear about the corals. Maybe we can help with a little more info:
1) System age?
2) Type of corals dying ; type that are OK
3) Salinity & Temp and how stable?
4) Phosphate (Hanna ULR test)
One thing I see is zero Nitrates. Do you have any/none/a bunch of algae growing on the rock?
Sorry to hear about the corals. Maybe we can help with a little more info:
1) System age?
2) Type of corals dying ; type that are OK
3) Salinity & Temp and how stable?
4) Phosphate (Hanna ULR test)
One thing I see is zero Nitrates. Do you have any/none/a bunch of algae growing on the rock?
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
I would suggest better test kits for sure. Test strips aren't that accurate.
I went to my buddies house and he checked all my parameters with his Redsea kits and I have a more accurate reading now.
1. My tank has been setup since mid March
2. None of the corals are doing well. I took them all out and moved them to my friends house to hold for me and see if he can bring them back before they completely die.
3. Attached are the tests you asked for.
4. Attached.
I have no algae in the tank. I use to have Cyano growing on the rocks and sand but when I added carbon and a uv sterilizer it all went away.
1. My tank has been setup since mid March
2. None of the corals are doing well. I took them all out and moved them to my friends house to hold for me and see if he can bring them back before they completely die.
3. Attached are the tests you asked for.
4. Attached.
I have no algae in the tank. I use to have Cyano growing on the rocks and sand but when I added carbon and a uv sterilizer it all went away.
I just took my water to my friends place and he tested as much as he could for me.
@2 months old, I'd imagine your tank is not stable enough for many corals outside of softies. Those tests (however accurate they may be) are reflective of just one snapshot in time. There are many corals that are very sensitive to tank parameter and water chemistry changes. If you could list your corals then please do so. For instance, a birdsnest is thought to be one of the first corals to indicate that something is wrong, my experience is they are very unforgiving and will be the first to die.
If you have fish in a 2mo tank then you may also being seeing amonia spikes as kevin_e mentioned.
If you have fish in a 2mo tank then you may also being seeing amonia spikes as kevin_e mentioned.
Copingwithpods
Valuable Member
Salinity is high not low 1.032 is high. 1.025 would be 35ppt at 78 degrees
Rogued_Reefer
Valuable Member
Ammonia is likely to be a false positive. I’m leaning towards the salinity and the tank being way too young for corals...
Alemoki
Active Member
Good day!I went to my buddies house and he checked all my parameters with his Redsea kits and I have a more accurate reading now.
1. My tank has been setup since mid March
2. None of the corals are doing well. I took them all out and moved them to my friends house to hold for me and see if he can bring them back before they completely die.
3. Attached are the tests you asked for.
4. Attached.
I have no algae in the tank. I use to have Cyano growing on the rocks and sand but when I added carbon and a uv sterilizer it all went away.
Looking at these parameters, your salinity is way too high but Cal and Alk don't match. ie. With salinity that high I'm surprised your alk and cal are as low as they are. You need to drop your salinity but this is also going to drop you alk and cal lower when doing so which is going to then be very low. I see some ammonia too indicating to me that your tank may still be cycling.
Do you run and auto top up?
Have you done any water changes?
What salt brand are you using?
I would recommend doing a few 20-30% water changes with water at 1.025 using a good salt mix to bring the salinity down and bump the cal and alk up again.
Best of luck!
Why would you think it is a false positive, especially on a 2 month old tank? Salinity could also very well be wrong depending on how it was measured. As suggested below, calcium and alk do not match a salinity that high.
Alemoki
Active Member
I would definitely double check the salinity reading. If it is accurate then it's likely the culprit
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
@OCFishFunder, purchase some good test kits and a refractometer with calibration fluid. Use only RO/DI water for your top off water and salt mixing. If you buy water, make sure it's made from RO/DI water.
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