SPS grave yard

[Crimsonvice]

During time of losses my parameters were
Salinity - 1.026
Temp - 80. 1
Ph- 8.0
Amonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 0 (API test kit)
Calcium- 420
Alkalinity- 6.2
Mag - 1350

I am not sure of my phosphates because I don't have a test kit. My alk usually is 7.8 - 8.2.

 

[swnoob]

Although 6.2 is very low i don't see it causing your rtn. I've had my Alk that low while making the change from 2 part dosing to calcium reactor.

 

[Crimsonvice]

Hmmm.... Well I am not sure then. I don't know why I lost almost all of my SPS in three days.

 

[nc208082]

Have you ruled out stray voltage?

 

[Crimsonvice]

I have not specifically checked for any. Is there a way that you would be able to tell? If it were the case though, wouldn't it effect my softies and LPS as well?

 

[swnoob]

your softies and LPS are doing fine? Did you have any sps prior to the new frags?

Did they turn pale over a few days or did it happen overnight? How long were they in your tank before they died?

 

[Crimsonvice]

I had 4 SPS frags prior, then added 8 more. The 8 seemed to do well for three days. Then started RTN. The two colonies I had prior to adding the 8 frags ended up going too. I had both of the colonies for 8 months.

 

[kennedpa]

You could've lost the frags due to large differences in your tank vs. the one they came from. You're very low nutrient so that can be hard on SPS sometimes if they're used to nutrient rich (or some level of nitrate). The frag death likely started a chemical warfare that killed your colonies. Changes in alk, and also changes in nutrients that are rapid kill sps. If you drop your phosphates to fast from scary 0.2 ppm to accepted 0.01 or 0 the SPS will RTN/STN too. If theres any advice it's don't freak over numbers, if the corals look happy then that's cool.

In low nutrient systems direct feeding of particulate food/phyto/amino-acids is useful to help with stress.

 

[kennedpa]

Any close ups of your frags before they died?

 

[Crimsonvice]

Ok thanks. I'm going to take my losses for now and try a small piece or two from my LFS. Build my confidence again and try a few more pieces in a few months. I bought a GHL Doser and Aquaforest 1+2+3. Hopefully this will help me keep things a little more stable.

 

[Crimsonvice]

 

[kennedpa]

Yeah ... sorry man and I hear you. I had stuff growing out of control and made a couple changes and boom - death/destruction/destabilization. My nitrates and phosphates went to zero, I was literally dosing nitrate and phosphate multiple times a day - finally on the road to success again (all with nearly perfect alk stability). Hence my humble two cents I put in before. I feed heavy and run my tank a little dirty. The corals love it but they also get blasted with lots of light and flow.

Best of luck my friend.

Also FWIW, I skipped dosing and went right to a Ca reactor, and dose Kalk in my ATO for the extra calcium the tank needs. Much simple IMO. Plus I like the idea of coral skeletons giving back ca/alk/trace vs ca/alk with two parts. I've had the best luck with this way.

 

[kennedpa]

Pics definitely don't look terrible. Did you dip before putting in?

 

[Crimsonvice]

Thanks I appreciate it. I will get it figure out eventually. Baby steps for now.

 

[Crimsonvice]

Pics definitely don't look terrible. Did you dip before putting in?

Sure did.

 

[kennedpa]

Slow and steady wins the race in reefing. Very slow.

 

[CodyRVA]

Just out of curiosity what was the PO4 level?

So, i've been told by several folks on here that PO4 would not have caused this issue, but i could not disagree more. I understand there are many great systems that run high PO4, however I think it was more so the sudden increase in PO4 vs the high levels. This system typically runs extremely low... under .o4; when the PO4 spiked it hit as high as 1.o ppm. It lingered at .50 for weeks, most recently tested at .05 and things seem to be finally mellowing down.

 

[lolgranny]

Ive had 2 crashes to alk swings. My suggestion, dont be lazy and test your alk everyday at the same time. Takes a mere 2min to do, plus youll have peace of mind.

We all get comfortable when things are doing good and WHEN something happens its too late unless you stay ontop of it all the time.

 

[nc208082]

So, i've been told by several folks on here that PO4 would not have caused this issue, but i could not disagree more. I understand there are many great systems that run high PO4, however I think it was more so the sudden increase in PO4 vs the high levels. This system typically runs extremely low... under .o4; when the PO4 spiked it hit as high as 1.o ppm. It lingered at .50 for weeks, most recently tested at .05 and things seem to be finally mellowing down.

This is what I think was your problem, a high po4 and low alk will stress sps.

 

[Lninwa]

In the future and even now if you have corals that survived check your Alk daily