Problems with tank

[j-bert]

Hello all, my 13.5 (10 actual) gallon tank has been up and running since Dec 25, 2025. It has been mostly issue free (other than first ugly stage) up until the last month and a bit (hair algae bloom and acan colony/frags getting wiped from tissue recession, also noticed a torch has completely shrunk right up and has no flesh band)

I sent in an ICP to try and get a hold of what’s going on and now I am overwhelmed. For reference I use AF reef salt mixed to 1.0255 on my tropic marin glass hydrometer and within the last 2 weeks have started dosing 0.7 ML of AFR a day at 10am via a pump. After 10% weekly water changes I add a half capful of microbacter 7 just because.

I have my lights on for 9 hours a day, par at sand bed is 85 and around 200 at the surface I predominantly have/had acans, hammers, mushrooms. I’m constantly running carbon packs and I installed my own RODI system which I have started to slowly cycle out with my weekly 10% and ATO water.

Thank you in advance for any help, much appreciated!

Images of my ICP results

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't see a chemical reason for severe coral problems, but I would suggest removing any white media, which is the likely source of the aluminum.

Some trace elements are on the low side, and the AFR will help with that.

 

[Fish Fan]

What specifically are you concerned about?

In my experience, small tanks can be easily 'reset' with a large water change, approaching 100% is fine. You need to match the same temp, salinity, and ideally alkalinity, but otherwise this is safe to do. If there is any problems with your tank or water, a large water change would get you squared away again.

 

[j-bert]

I don't see a chemical reason for severe coral problems, but I would suggest removing any white media, which is the likely source of the aluminum.

Some trace elements are on the low side, and the AFR will help with that.

White media being the ceramic rings? Also am I reading the covering or is my salinity low? I typically target 1.0255 with glass hydrometer, my tank also has a lid. I’m just driving myself crazy trying to trouble shoot.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Pictures of the corals and the tank might help. What kind of light do you have on the tank? What do you have for flow, anything powerheads? How often do you do water changes?

 

[j-bert]

What specifically are you concerned about?

In my experience, small tanks can be easily 'reset' with a large water change, approaching 100% is fine. You need to match the same temp, salinity, and ideally alkalinity, but otherwise this is safe to do. If there is any problems with your tank or water, a large water change would get you squared away again.

I’m concerned about why my coral are both dying and not growing, I have one pink hammer that’s had exceptional growth and my mushrooms are always happy but that’s not that hard to accomplish as far as I can tell lol. Am I reading ICP wrong or is my salinity way off? As I said I used tropic marin floating hydrometer to 1.0255 fresh mix every water change heated and mixed for a couple hours before water change. I’m going crazy trying to figure why my coral are dying it’s killing me lol

 

[j-bert]

Pictures of the corals and the tank might help. What kind of light do you have on the tank? What do you have for flow, anything powerheads? How often do you do water changes?

Will attach some when I get home

 

[Uncle99]

A full tank shot might help to provide some context.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

White media being the ceramic rings? Also am I reading the covering or is my salinity low? I typically target 1.0255 with glass hydrometer, my tank also has a lid. I’m just driving myself crazy trying to trouble shoot.

The salinity is not causing any issues, but I would raise it.

Yes on any sort of ceramics being suspect for aluminum. They are probably not doing much that is desirable anyway.

 

[j-bert]

What specifically are you concerned about?

In my experience, small tanks can be easily 'reset' with a large water change, approaching 100% is fine. You need to match the same temp, salinity, and ideally alkalinity, but otherwise this is safe to do. If there is any problems with your tank or water, a large water change would get you squared away again.

I’m concerned about why my coral are both dying and not growing, I have one pink hammer that’s had exceptional growth and my mushrooms are always happy but that’s not that hard to accomplish as far as I can tell lol. Am I reading ICP wrong or is my salinity way off? As I said I used tropic marin floating hydrometer to 1.0255 fresh mix every water change heated and mixed for a couple hours before water change. I’m going crazy trying to figure why my coral are dying it’s killing me lol

This weekend I did a 60% water change because my few acans that are left were getting worse. I had a pretty sizeable lord colony and a smaller size micromussa colony (not touching)

 

[j-bert]

White media being the ceramic rings? Also am I reading the covering or is my salinity low? I typically target 1.0255 with glass hydrometer, my tank also has a lid. I’m just driving myself crazy trying to trouble shoot.

The salinity is not causing any issues, but I would raise it.

Yes on any sort of ceramics being suspect for aluminum. They are probably not doing much that is desirable anyway.

Replace with some rock in the back sump?

 

[j-bert]

Hello all, my 13.5 (10 actual) gallon tank has been up and running since Dec 25, 2025. It has been mostly issue free (other than first ugly stage) up until the last month and a bit (hair algae bloom and acan colony/frags getting wiped from tissue recession, also noticed a torch has completely shrunk right up and has no flesh band)

I sent in an ICP to try and get a hold of what’s going on and now I am overwhelmed. For reference I use AF reef salt mixed to 1.0255 on my tropic marin glass hydrometer and within the last 2 weeks have started dosing 0.7 ML of AFR a day at 10am via a pump. After 10% weekly water changes I add a half capful of microbacter 7 just because.

I have my lights on for 9 hours a day, par at sand bed is 85 and around 200 at the surface I predominantly have/had acans, hammers, mushrooms. I’m constantly running carbon packs and I installed my own RODI system which I have started to slowly cycle out with my weekly 10% and ATO water.

Thank you in advance for any help, much appreciated!

Images of my ICP results

 

[j-bert]

A full tank shot might help to provide some context.

Added more shots on original post, idk if that will notify everyone

 

[j-bert]

Pictures of the corals and the tank might help. What kind of light do you have on the tank? What do you have for flow, anything powerheads? How often do you do water changes?

Will attach some when I get home

Attached some pics on my first post. I’m not sure how notifications work regarding replies sorry if notifications are going crazy lol

 

[Peer.Boerner]

White media being the ceramic rings? Also am I reading the covering or is my salinity low? I typically target 1.0255 with glass hydrometer, my tank also has a lid. I’m just driving myself crazy trying to trouble shoot.

I hate to suggest this but could you possibly be misreading your hydrometer? I aak because there’s a substantial difference between your observed specific gravity versus the ICP test. @Randy Holmes-Farley coukd this be due to temperature? @j-bert are you testing very cold salt water versus closer to say 76 F? Hope you figure out the issue!

 

[j-bert]

White media being the ceramic rings? Also am I reading the covering or is my salinity low? I typically target 1.0255 with glass hydrometer, my tank also has a lid. I’m just driving myself crazy trying to trouble shoot.

I hate to suggest this but could you possibly be misreading your hydrometer? I aak because there’s a substantial difference between your observed specific gravity versus the ICP test. @Randy Holmes-Farley coukd this be due to temperature? @j-bert are you testing very cold salt water versus closer to say 76 F? Hope you figure out the issue!

I throw in a preset aqueon 78°f and let it get up to that preset, maybe it gets too warm due to preset heater deviation?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t see a reason to replace it with anything.