Slowly losing all of my SPS after switching to a CalRX

[gideon2086]

Hoping someone can provide insight here. My tank ran for years on dosing. The last year leading up to the CalRX switch I was using all-for-reef. Tank did very well, so well that I was burning through a crazy amount of liquid - over 100ml a day. After much research I decided to switch to a CalRX after reading through countless praises on the effectiveness of using it for an SPS dominant system.

I had trouble out of the gate with getting my tank to stabilize, and the alk crashed. I lost a good chunk of my SPS with this, but still had a good 10+ colonies hang in. I stabilized the parameters months ago, but my SPS continued to suffer. Colony and after colony lost color, stopped extending polyps, and started to STN. The STN continues, and what little SPS I have left is unhappy. LPS is unharmed, prospering even. I’ve sent three different samples out for IPC analysis and none have given me an answer. Triton is linked below.

the parameters are holding steady for 3ish months now. They sit where the tank was when it was happy. I’m at a loss. To any reading this thst are on the fence of switching to a CalRX I suggest against it. $1300 piece of equipment has since cost me $10k+ in coral and 5 years of growth. It’s a painful moment.

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/115149

 

[Miami Reef]

You mentioned earlier this year that problems started after dosing trace elements.

I’m thinking the trace elements shocked the tank and killed a portion of the SPS.

I‘m skeptical about assuming there was a single cause of all the issues. I don’t think we will ever know since there are so many variables.

 

[gideon2086]

You mentioned earlier this year that problems started after dosing trace elements.



I‘m skeptical about assuming there was a single cause of all the issues. I don’t think we will ever know since there are so many variables.

Yup, but I believe the ICP tests have disproved that theory. I think it may have been the CalRX swap all along.

 

[Griev]

Did you monitor nutrients at all during the alk related crash? I've got to imagine losing a bunch of corals caused your tanks nutrient uptake to go all out of whack.

I've noticed in the past that big phosphate swings would cause my SPS to stop growing, sometimes never starting again and eventually RTNing, sometimes a month or more after the swing and stabilization.

 

[gideon2086]

Did you monitor nutrients at all during the alk related crash? I've got to imagine losing a bunch of corals caused your tanks nutrient uptake to go all out of whack.

I've noticed in the past that big phosphate swings would cause my SPS to stop growing, sometimes never starting again and eventually RTNing, sometimes a month or more after the swing and stabilization.

I think phosphates are a cause and I think the reactor is the driver of this problem. Saw a rise nearly immediately, and it’s been a battle to lower it since. With that said, the Triton shows it at .03.

 

[X-37B]

Yea its not the carx. A carx only replaces alk and ca.
My bones give po4 levels .03 higher than the water with no issues in my system.

I am not schooled on afr but friends use it and went from a carx to it with no issues.

Possible contaminated media?
Just throwing it out there as a possiblity.

I dose trace with my bones to keep everything where I want.

Manmade media could be used. I used it for a couple years on my 120 with good results.

 

[gideon2086]

Yea its not the carx. A carx only replaces alk and ca.
My bones give po4 levels .03 higher than the water with no issues in my system.

I am not schooled on afr but friends use it and went from a carx to it with no issues.

Possible contaminated media?
Just throwing it out there as a possiblity.

I dose trace with my bones to keep everything where I want.

Manmade media could be used. I used it for a couple years on my 120 with good results.

I use two little fishies, which seemed to be the most recommended. I suppose it’s possible.

 

[92Miata]

You mentioned earlier this year that problems started after dosing trace elements.



I‘m skeptical about assuming there was a single cause of all the issues. I don’t think we will ever know since there are so many variables.

Agree - there's way too much going on here.

OP - did you do the swap cold turkey? AFR is light carbon dosing, and at 100ml/day you're dosing quite a bit. Stopping that would cause significant food web changes in the tank.


Have you added any new corals lately? It might be worth adding something cheap just to see how it does - it'll give you an idea of whether you still have an issue with conditions, or if your corals just haven't recovered.

 

[gideon2086]

Agree - there's way too much going on here.

OP - did you do the swap cold turkey? AFR is light carbon dosing, and at 100ml/day you're dosing quite a bit. Stopping that would cause significant food web changes in the tank.


Have you added any new corals lately? It might be worth adding something cheap just to see how it does - it'll give you an idea of whether you still have an issue with conditions, or if your corals just haven't recovered.

I've ICP tested three times since then, and found nothing alarming. Coral that were healthy over the last few months are now starting to deteriorate. Everything in the tank is stable, I've posted the ICP results above.. coral still drops one-by-one.. not a single massive wipe like I would expect.

It's just the SPS.. LPS are thriving. Someone mentioned possible bacterial.. I am now dosing Cipro each night. Someone else also mentioned possible contamination in the CALRX media.. which I have seen a lot of issues arise with Reborn lately.. I ordered ARM and will switch when that comes in.

I am confident that while my early issues and losses MAY have been related to the trace dosing.. I can't believe that six months later I'm still seeing sudden effects from it.

 

[92Miata]

I've ICP tested three times since then, and found nothing alarming. Coral that were healthy over the last few months are now starting to deteriorate. Everything in the tank is stable, I've posted the ICP results above.. coral still drops one-by-one.. not a single massive wipe like I would expect.

It's just the SPS.. LPS are thriving. Someone mentioned possible bacterial.. I am now dosing Cipro each night. Someone else also mentioned possible contamination in the CALRX media.. which I have seen a lot of issues arise with Reborn lately.. I ordered ARM and will switch when that comes in.

I am confident that while my early issues and losses MAY have been related to the trace dosing.. I can't believe that six months later I'm still seeing sudden effects from it.

The only thing ICP tests are good for is heavy metal contamination. Beyond that, they don't tell you anything - they're not a signifier that your water chemistry is A-OK because they can't tell the difference between bioavailable forms and non-available forms.

You're not answering people's questions. Do you want help?

 

[gideon2086]

The only thing ICP tests are good for is heavy metal contamination. Beyond that, they don't tell you anything - they're not a signifier that your water chemistry is A-OK because they can't tell the difference between bioavailable forms and non-available forms.

You're not answering people's questions. Do you want help?

The ICP tests include everything I was dosing in the trace.. which would call out a possible overdose.

I have answered all questions, excluding your most recent one, which was by mistake. No, I have not added any coral as I still have coral that was healthy as recently as a few weeks ago that has begun to deteriorate.

And so I don't upset you further - to answer your most recent question, yes, I have posted on this forum as a means to find a solution.