SPS tank dying

[SeeFu]

My tank has been slowly dying over the last 2 months and I can't seem to figure out why. i've checked water parameters twice every week for the past 2 months and for the most part they are the following

125 gal 5 ft wide tank

salinity - 1.026
temp 77.8-78
alk 8.00-8.6
cal 400-415
mag 1390-1410
nitrate 9-13ppm
po4 .03 - .08
ph 8.2 - 8.4

i even sent out for a triton test and everything pretty much falls where it should be. i can't recall any recent major changes.

I've had several frags just stn from the bottom up and some just become overwhelmed by coralline.

i've also tried doing numerous 25% water changes over the past 2 months. I'd guess i've prob done 8-10 of these changes to try and remove anything that might be in the water.

lighting is 3 xr30's running ab+ about 7 hrs a day w/ 1.5 hr ramp up and ramp down.
flow is 4 mp40's running reefcrest at 90%

Anyone have any ideas where I should look next?

 

[mdb_talon]

Seems unlikely to be the issue if you had a good ICP test but my first step would be carbon and/or media/pads for removing metals.

I would also start dipping any frags that show signs of stn in potassium chloride and see if it does anything to stop or slow the stn.

Would also consider treating tank with cipro. Have never used it for treating stn/rtn issues but have read many reports of people having success with it.

Hope it turns around for you.

 

[nick0206]

I had a similar problem until I put the ground in sump.

 

[SeeFu]

yea i already have a grounding prob in the sump

 

[IslandLifeReef]

My tank has been slowly dying over the last 2 months and I can't seem to figure out why. i've checked water parameters twice every week for the past 2 months and for the most part they are the following

125 gal 5 ft wide tank

salinity - 1.026
temp 77.8-78
alk 8.00-8.6
cal 400-415
mag 1390-1410
nitrate 9-13ppm
po4 .03 - .08
ph 8.2 - 8.4

i even sent out for a triton test and everything pretty much falls where it should be. i can't recall any recent major changes.

I've had several frags just stn from the bottom up and some just become overwhelmed by coralline.

i've also tried doing numerous 25% water changes over the past 2 months. I'd guess i've prob done 8-10 of these changes to try and remove anything that might be in the water.

lighting is 3 xr30's running ab+ about 7 hrs a day w/ 1.5 hr ramp up and ramp down.
flow is 4 mp40's running reefcrest at 90%

Anyone have any ideas where I should look next?

Have you measured PAR in the tank?

What type of fish and how many?

Any reactors in the tank?

Pictures?

Give us as much information about your tank and daily/weekly routine as you can. The more information we get, the better the advice. Otherwise, it is all just a guess/ trial and error.

 

[blstravler]

Which salt are you using? Maybe mix up a batch and run an ICP test on it - you could have a bad batch of salt.

 

[Jekyl]

Flow or short lighting? I run 12 hours, with 5 being peak and a ramp up/down.

 

[SeeFu]

Have you measured PAR in the tank?

What type of fish and how many?

Any reactors in the tank?

Pictures?

Give us as much information about your tank and daily/weekly routine as you can. The more information we get, the better the advice. Otherwise, it is all just a guess/ trial and error.

par is roughly 300-350 around the entire tank. there's prob 10 fish, 3 of them being relatively small tangs still. no reactors, although i did just recently put in a algae scrubber. My issue has been happening long before i put in the reactor.

my routine is simple. feed tank 2 times w/ auto feeder and once at night w/ frozen. 8L auto water change every day. That's it. every other week i clean out the skimmer cup and refill my auto water change and top off jugs.

I'm dosing kalk primarily when the lights are off and then 2 part during the day.

 

[SeeFu]

Which salt are you using? Maybe mix up a batch and run an ICP test on it - you could have a bad batch of salt.

i ran an icp w/ the tank already though. if the icp test for the tank itself came out fine what's the point of the icp for the fresh salt? i ran the icp after doing probably close to 200 gallons worth of water change on a system with about 135 gal of system water. the 200 gallons were changed in 30 gal intervals

 

[VanDalsenReef]

If you're using the tmp salt from turkey still that could be affecting the tank.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

par is roughly 300-350 around the entire tank. there's prob 10 fish, 3 of them being relatively small tangs still. no reactors, although i did just recently put in a algae scrubber. My issue has been happening long before i put in the reactor.

my routine is simple. feed tank 2 times w/ auto feeder and once at night w/ frozen. 8L auto water change every day. That's it. every other week i clean out the skimmer cup and refill my auto water change and top off jugs.

I'm dosing kalk primarily when the lights are off and then 2 part during the day.

Ok, is the PAR something you measured? If so, how was it measured?

Do you dose any coral food, i.e. Reef Energy, Reef Roids etc?

Can you post the results of your ICP test?

How old is the tank?

Are you using a doser to dose Kalk and 2 part?

 

[dwest]

I’m wondering how old your tank is and was it started with dry rock. Does coralline algae grow? Has SPS ever grown? Often it just takes time..like over a year sometimes.

 

[jda]

How about some photos? Do you have any other corals in the tank? If so, are they fine, or not?

What is your fish load? How do you feed them?

 

[ocncheffy]

Turn down your lights 30% and see what happens. I have a similar issue with perfect parameters, and my SPS get burnt tips/STN. I ran the AB+ profile at 80% with dual G4 XR15'sand since dropping it down to 60%, I've noticed an improvement.

 

[SeeFu]

If you're using the tmp salt from turkey still that could be affecting the tank.

i'm using instant ocean

 

[SeeFu]

I’m wondering how old your tank is and was it started with dry rock. Does coralline algae grow? Has SPS ever grown? Often it just takes time..like over a year sometimes.

tank has been up for about 3 years now. coralline use to grow like crazy but that seems to be dying too. the only place coralline seems to watn to grow is on the coral itself. some sps are doing great, and then some are just falling apart.

 

[TnFishwater98]

You using any magnets in the tank?

 

[SeeFu]

Ok, is the PAR something you measured? If so, how was it measured?

Do you dose any coral food, i.e. Reef Energy, Reef Roids etc?

Can you post the results of your ICP test?

How old is the tank?

Are you using a doser to dose Kalk and 2 part?

Par measured with a seneye

no coral foods

using neptune doser to dose

triton results

Triton Lab Showroom - Explore this water test results and click on the image above.

Someone wants to show you the water test results and shared this link to the evaluation. Click on the image above to explore the water test results.

www.triton-lab.de

 

[SeeFu]

Turn down your lights 30% and see what happens. I have a similar issue with perfect parameters, and my SPS get burnt tips/STN. I ran the AB+ profile at 80% with dual G4 XR15'sand since dropping it down to 60%, I've noticed an improvement.

guess i'll try this,

 

[tvan]

I dumb question or two. When you shift from 2 part to kalk is there a ph/alk swing? or mabe a swing when switching back from kalk to 2 part in the morning??