Rapid tissue necrosis? Something else?

[Shnetts]

Wow ok. I just got in 4 corals from Queen City corals. Put them in around 11 and just got home from work and two of them are completely toast. All white in a matter of 8 hours. What should I be testing for to see what is causing this? My tank is relatively new, about 10 months. And there’s very few corals in it right now but everything else has been fine (not flourishing but fine)

Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 77
Nitrate - 11.7
Phosphate - 0.17
Alkalinity- 8.5
Magnesium- 1100
Calcium - 421
Ph - 8.2

 

[Shnetts]

Any advice?

 

[Red_Beard]

Shock can definitely do that. Did you temperature acclimate? Were they super cold in shipping? Actually, how did you acclimate?
Also your mag is super low.
Sometimes though, shipping stress too, and there isnt anything really you can do about it.

 

[Shnetts]

i float the bags to temp match them then dump all them into a bucket with coral dip. Then while in the dip I’ll put some tank water in, then rinse in tank water and then into the tank.

 

[Red_Beard]

Ya, sounds right. 15 mins or so float time? What kind of dip? Some things are more sensitive than others and some dips are harsher than others.

Do you have similar corals thriving in the same tank currently?

 

[Red_Beard]

Also, you got a whites pic of your tank? Looks like you have some undesirable sand growth. Cyano or dinos. New tank? Could be something in the water causing significant stress too.

 

[Shnetts]

I use coral rx. The blue bottle. Tanks a little over a year old but I had like a half crash ~6 months ago. Yeah I just beat cyano and now dealing with some mild Dino’s. I don’t have much in the tank rn. Couple of the corals that went through the half crash that are slowly recovering. Although I have 4 different Duncan’s that are all doing phenomenal right now. I also have a Goni that’s doing rather good right now and I know those can be finicky

 

[Jimbo327]

Did you have a typo on your magnesium? Did you mean to type 1400?

1100 mag would be way too low. You need at least 1300, but better to be at around 1400 since it falls slowly.

 

[Shnetts]

Did you have a typo on your magnesium? Did you mean to type 1400?

No it was 1100 tested yesterday

 

[Jimbo327]

You should double check your magnesium with a LFS or another reefer friend's kit.

 

[Shnetts]

You should double check your magnesium with a LFS or another reefer friend's kit.

I don’t really have a lfs or reefer friends. My last icp was 2 weeks ago and mag came back at 1353. I use a Hanna tester, do you think it could be giving false readings?

 

[Shnetts]

You should double check your magnesium with a LFS or another reefer friend's kit.I

I just tested again…I got 1415 for mag. Must have messed up the test last time

 

[zuri]

you wouldn't be able to hold the alk that high if ur mag was low. flip the chalice upside if it hasn't melted entirely.

 

[Shnetts]

you wouldn't be able to hold the alk that high if ur mag was low. flip the chalice upside if it hasn't melted entirely.

Yeah it’s pretty much completely gone

 

[Shnetts]

I’m gonna assume I just shocked them….can anyone recommend a better dip and acclimation procedure?

 

[Shirak]

How did they look when you inspected after received them? Was the water not too hot or cold? Was it clear or murky looking?

Unusual for coral to go downhill so fast unless something happened in shipping. Any shipping delays?

What water did you use for dipping? Coral RX is fine.

Coral don’t need water acclimating. Float, dip. Rinse and put in tank. I use tank water to make a dip. Dip for 10 minutes or so. Rinse in container of tank water then right into the tank. They can be a little sensitive to light initially so I turn down my lights 30-50% for the first day.

 

[Shnetts]

They didn't look phenomenal, but not bad. Faded edges/tips but nothing crazy. I didn't take a temp of the water when they came in but it wasn't notably super hot or cold. I dump out the water they get shipped in and dip in that. and no delays or anything, They were getting unpacked within 5 mins of delivery.

 

[DJF]

When you say you put them in dip and then add water- can you elaborate? Is the dip full strength before you add the water?

 

[Shirak]

Can you post a close up of the corals under whites?

I prefer to get them out of the bag water asap. It’s stagnant and no gas exchange and who knows what else maybe growing in the water while traveling.

Is it possible they got fried by light? At least one looks like a chalice? They can be light sensitive. What is the par where you placed them?

 

[Shnetts]

So the 4 corals came in, Ii float the bags to match temp, empty all bags into a container, use directed amount of coral rx, (container has measurements on it so i know it was 1/4 gallon), stir water and let sit for 10 mins, rinse in container of salt water and into the tank.