Please help! Left this morning all good, came back a couple of hours later, a all corals look dead/dying!

[Rennurdoar]

Hey everyone. Any help is appreciated! Yesterday and this morning was great, PE everywhere! No it looks like all the skin on my sps have left only skeletons behind? Just in a matter of hours?!

Parameters I just took

Sal - 1.0267 (TM Hydrometer)
Am - 0 (Salifert test)
Phos - 0.0 (api.... Waiting on Hannah checker to get in)
Nitrate - 5 (red sea)
Temp - 77.5 (apex)
Ph - 8.12 (apex)
Cal - 400
Alk - 9
Mag - 1420
Orp - 195

I haven't checked calc, alk, or mag yet since I just got back from the doctor. Literally everything last night and this morning looked great video from yesterday also

There also seems to be a slight odor coming from the tank. The only thing I did different last night, was just added in the rest of the bottle of PNS ProBio. It was only maybe an 1" or so in the bottom, so I didn't think it would mess anything up. The water is also a little cloudy it seems like now.

Also, all 5 of my Troncus snails were laying bottom up when I returned. I flipped a couple over and saw a little movement, but they're not moving. Cleaner shrimp, emerald crabs, hermits, and all fish seem fine.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

Oh noooo!! I would definitely check the other parameters. I'm sorry.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Oh noooo!! I would definitely check the other parameters. I'm sorry.

yes, currently getting ready to test calk. alk, and mag. They were all fine yesterday, so not sure. It really looks like RTN on all my sps some of my older ones are completely a Skelton now just hours!

 

[Dkmoo]

Could literally be any number of things. It looks like a number of the frags you just got? If its not a param issue you can pin point from testing everything else, then my hunch would be the shock from the change in environment for the new frags that caused RTN, and the ensuing rotting caused a water param change that passed off your old corals.

When getting new corals I always ask the param from the seller and try to be close to that, especially for PAR and flow bc the other things like alk/mg/ca everyone tend to be in the same tolerable range.

It looks like you put your frag rack pretty high. Maybe light shock?

 

[Rennurdoar]

Could literally be any number of things. It looks like a number of the frags you just got? If its not a param issue you can pin point from testing everything else, then my hunch would be the shock from the change in environment for the new frags that caused RTN, and the ensuing rotting caused a water param change that passed off your old corals.

When getting new corals I always ask the param from the seller and try to be close to that, especially for PAR and flow bc the other things like alk/mg/ca everyone tend to be in the same tolerable range.

It looks like you put your frag rack pretty high. Maybe light shock?

Yeah, I was thinking the same, but my old SPS that I've had in for a bit, has been hit the worse. I was trying to match params as much as possible. The new frags were kept around 400par from what the information I was given. I set them where I believe they were in around 250-300. Maybe to much. Buy also my lower LPS have all retracted, even ones I've had for months and that were out and waving before I left this morning have retracted now.

Does RTN happen that quickly, just hours? and also affect the snails and LPS? I appreciate all the help everyone. I'm about to check mag again, I added in my Calc and Alk numbers in the OP above.

 

[Rennurdoar]

So, if this is RTN are there any help for my other SPS? My mushrooms in the bottom of the tank are completely closing up now also. All my parameters seem fine, so I just can't understand what is causing the issue

 

[Kathy Floyd]

So, if this is RTN are there any help for my other SPS? My mushrooms in the bottom of the tank are completely closing up now also. All my parameters seem fine, so I just can't understand what is causing the issue

Maybe the 0 PH?
a water change?

 

[Rennurdoar]

Maybe the 0 PH?
a water change?

Yeah setting and mixing my RODI now for at least a 10% change, most likely will do 2 or three for up to 30% change. I think my phos is actually over 0.0 but with the API it's hard to tell. It's not the .25 color, and not the 0 color. I imagine it's .03-5 but can't be sure until my hannah checker comes in. I dose with benepets twice a week, and supplement some pellets twice a week (not much though)

 

[Rennurdoar]

Also, my frag racks are about 12" under the water surface and my lights are 9" above the water surface. So not sure if that's too high or not. but just some more info. The new frags look like they may have STN/RTN now also, but I can't tell for sure, but it definitely seems like they're losing tissue from the middle areas, not starting at the base.

 

[Dom]

yes, currently getting ready to test calk. alk, and mag. They were all fine yesterday, so not sure. It really looks like RTN on all my sps some of my older ones are completely a Skelton now just hours!

RTN happens fast.

 

[Rennurdoar]

RTN happens fast.

Is there anyway to prevent, or is there an underlying cause that could have made this happen? Sorr for the questions, I am working on googling while trying to do some quick water changes and figure it all out.

Will RTN also affect my LPS causing them to stress, and causing my Tronus snails to fall over shell side down (upside down) Thanks for your response also

 

[Kasrift]

Really sad to hear. I'd turn off lights to not stress out anything right now while you figure out what it is and do your water changed. I'd say it's likely something chemical (candles, Christmas scents or lysol from cleaning) got in the tank.

 

[Dburr1014]

yes, currently getting ready to test calk. alk, and mag. They were all fine yesterday, so not sure. It really looks like RTN on all my sps some of my older ones are completely a Skelton now just hours!

Check ammonia again, and nitrite.

I suspect rtn is from a chemistry problem.
It's not from your lights it's not from the frags, IMO.

Edit: you dosed an inch from the bottle of Probio? Have you been shaking it at every dose? How big of tank and what's normal dose?

 

[Betex]

You sure Ammonia was 0?

 

[Rennurdoar]

You sure Ammonia was 0?

Used the Salifert ammonia test, and it came up to 0. Just really scratching my head on everything. I literally saw my sps with polyps out when I left, I come back, and all tissue is gone on almost all of them and no PE anywhere.

 

[Rennurdoar]

Really sad to hear. I'd turn off lights to not stress out anything right now while you figure out what it is and do your water changed. I'd say it's likely something chemical (candles, Christmas scents or lysol from cleaning) got in the tank.

Unfortunately, we don't have anything like that. Not many spray cleaning or aerosol products. Mainy use soap and bucket the old way. Always was concerned airborne could contaminate it. We do have a couple of oil/scent burners, but none are in the same room as the tank. But I'll double check for sure that no one has sprayed anything around. It's just my fiance and our boy that's here. But good thought! I'm open to all explanations!

 

[Rennurdoar]

Check ammonia again, and nitrite.

I suspect rtn is from a chemistry problem.
It's not from your lights it's not from the frags, IMO.

Edit: you dosed an inch from the bottle of Probio? Have you been shaking it at every dose? How big of tank and what's normal dose?

Yes, I shake it every day. I've been dosing around 30ml in the evening every other day, PNS Yellow on the alternating days. Benepets on Mondays and Thursday. Just a 1/2 teaspoon worth. Tank is a 65g. Also dose in Oceanmagik photo for my copepods I have and for the other benefits. I'll check ammonia again, and check nitrites. I only checked am, nitrate, and phos so far. Figured if they were in check, nitrites would be too so didn't check those

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey everyone. Any help is appreciated! Yesterday and this morning was great, PE everywhere! No it looks like all the skin on my sps have left only skeletons behind? Just in a matter of hours?!

Parameters I just took

Sal - 1.0267 (TM Hydrometer)
Am - 0 (Salifert test)
Phos - 0.0 (api.... Waiting on Hannah checker to get in)
Nitrate - 5 (red sea)
Temp - 77.5 (apex)
Ph - 8.12 (apex)
Cal - 400
Alk - 9
Mag - 1420

I haven't checked calc, alk, or mag yet since I just got back from the doctor. Literally everything last night and this morning looked great video from yesterday also

There also seems to be a slight odor coming from the tank. The only thing I did different last night, was just added in the rest of the bottle of PNS ProBio. It was only maybe an 1" or so in the bottom, so I didn't think it would mess anything up. The water is also a little cloudy it seems like now.

Also, all 5 of my Troncus snails were laying bottom up when I returned. I flipped a couple over and saw a little movement, but they're not moving. Cleaner shrimp, emerald crabs, hermits, and all fish seem fine.

Not something to come home to. As some stated- its based on change. . . change = Stress. Changes are sudden changes in alkalinity, calcium , salinity and even Temperature high or low. These factors counter stability especially when it comes to nitrates and phosphates. With the bleaching and tissue loss yours is showing it can be due to high temperatures which can cause the coral to expel its zooxanthellae turning them white, light too bright, alk-ph-salinity swings, high or low phosphates and nitrates.
Other causes are :
- Low dissolved oxygen
- Poor water quality related with phosphate levels up to 5 ppm
- Change in water flow
- Additions of sand
- Changes in brand of salt
- Bad test kits giving faulty results
- Levels of minor elements such as Iodine, Potassium, Strontium
- Light intensity
- - Changes in water flow
- Addition of new corals
- - Pesticides
- Airborne Contaminants or sprays

 

[Rennurdoar]

Not something to come home to. As some stated- its based on change. . . change = Stress. Changes are sudden changes in alkalinity, calcium , salinity and even Temperature high or low. These factors counter stability especially when it comes to nitrates and phosphates. With the bleaching and tissue loss yours is showing it can be due to high temperatures which can cause the coral to expel its zooxanthellae turning them white, light too bright, alk-ph-salinity swings, high or low phosphates and nitrates.
Other causes are :
- Low dissolved oxygen
- Poor water quality related with phosphate levels up to 5 ppm
- Change in water flow
- Additions of sand
- Changes in brand of salt
- Bad test kits giving faulty results
- Levels of minor elements such as Iodine, Potassium, Strontium
- Light intensity
- - Changes in water flow
- Addition of new corals
- - Pesticides
- Airborne Contaminants or sprays

Thanks @vetteguy53081

Not sure on if I have low dissolved o2 - I have a classic 2000 HOB Reef Octopus for my skimmer (65g tank)
Do skimmers help with that issues of low Do2?

I do weekly water changes of 5 gallons every Saturday. I use Red Sea Coral Pro but saw the blue bucket may be better. But things had been going very well so I decided to stick with what had been working. I run Red Sea reef spec carbon in my hang on filter from the cannister filter. In my cannister I have ceramic media that came with, the normal sponge filter that came with, then I added in 1L of seachem matrix in the cannister as well. I have a UV sterilizer in line with the cannister filter. I clean/ rinse of media once a month on those. every 2 weeks for the carbon.

Water flow has been unchanged in the tank.

No new sand has been added

Same salt as mentioned above has always been used

Only 'bad kit' I use is the API just for Phos since I don't have a better one yet. Currently all others are red via apex, or Red Sea/Salifert kits.

Trace elements I'm not sure, just hoped they came with my salt. I can try and get an ICP test soon so I know better.

Light intensity should have stayed as it has been. Although last night I took off my 16hd diffusers hoping to gain a little more par for the sps. Other wise all same. LED's on at 11 with a 2 hour ramp up, then T5's come on until 9pm then the LED's ramp down until 11. Then it's moonlight only at 20% from 11-3 am. then darkness again until 11am.

Did just add new corals I recieved in from SBB Corals, but they all looked healthy, and colored up even more the second day in the tank. Today is the third day and seem all have RTN as well. I think I see some polyps, but not sure.

As far as I know, no contaminants, I wash my hands with soap and water, then rinse them off in Rodi if I think I may have something on my hands before reaching in.

We don't have any spray fragrences or anything. Some candles on burners is about it, but not in the same room as the tank.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to let you know on each point what we have going on. I know more information is better usually.

To all, I really appreciate the help. I realize this could just be a bad case of luck with no known cause, but just trying to make sure so I can be better informed if it does happen again. Thanks again everyone and keep the advice coming! Doing a 30% change as we speak.

 

[Dburr1014]

Thanks @vetteguy53081

Do skimmers help with that issues of low Do2?

Yes it does help.


Only 'bad kit' I use is the API just for Phos since I don't have a better one yet. Currently all others are red via apex, or Red Sea/Salifert kits.

I think he means expired.


Light intensity should have stayed as it has been. Although last night I took off my 16hd diffusers hoping to gain a little more par for the sps.

Well, maybe your smoking gun.

Do you think you added more than 30mls of the stuff?

My answers are in the post. ^^^