Unusual tank problem

[ChickReef]

So any idea what is going on? Some corals are closed up, others are not. This coral has white spots all over it. I check my temp and salinity and it’s in range. I do regular 20% water changes. I’ll throw up a bunch of pictures. The coral with white spots is usually just red.

 

[UMALUM]

Without knowing your numbers one could only guess. I would start with throwing some cabon in the sump. Can't hurt anything, maybe something got in the tank?

 

[ChickReef]

Without knowing your numbers one could only guess. I would start with throwing some cabon in the sump. Can't hurt anything, maybe something got in the tank?

What numbers should I test?

 

[cdemoss01]

alk and calcium

 

[ChickReef]

alk and calcium

Soon as I get home I’ll check them & post them up

 

[danimal1211]

Salinity, temp, ph, nitrate, phosphate

 

[VintageReefer]

This coral has white spots all over it

That is the corals skeleton poking through the flesh of the coral. If you touch them they are probably hard and sharp. The coral is retracted and not expanding fully, and it’s retracted so much the skeleton is pushing through

I’ve seen this happen from shipping stress but really any stress can cause it - parameters, lighting, flow, excess hunger/lack of nutrition, crab or fish nipping etc

 

[ChickReef]

Okay so I ran some test.
salinity is 1.26
6.1 Alk dkh
.50 ppm phosphate
0 ppm Nitrates
340 Calcium
78.6 temp

Also I did change out my bio media to the marine pure gems a couple weeks ago.

 

[Lavey29]

Okay so I ran some test.
salinity is 1.26
6.1 Alk dkh
.50 ppm phosphate
0 ppm Nitrates
340 Calcium
78.6 temp

Also I did change out my bio media to the marine pure gems a couple weeks ago.

Alk is low. You want 8 DKH. Phosphate slightly elevated. 0 nitrates means coral are starving to death. You want 10 to 20. Calcium low, you want 420 to 450.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

alk and cal are low... might be a good idea to do a water change and it should bring up the numbers to a better level

 

[VintageReefer]

Yea I agree with above from Lavey

If I had a guess it would be that alkalinity is causing the primary issue followed by calcium, then nitrate, then phosphate

How big is this tank in gallons?

 

[Naekuh]

I think your Xenia's have burnt all your NO3 and PO4....

I think this is why everything in your tank but your Xenias look like they are suffering, and your water changes are not helping as you not introducing new NO3 and PO4 to a starved tank.

 

[Allenh427]

What test kits are you using? Pretty much all of your parameters need some sort of adjustment.

These are the ranges I shoot for which are pretty standard:
Nitrates 5-10ppm.
I use Brightwells Neonitro to boost up nitrates if they are too low, and water changes if they are too high.

Phosphate 0.02-0.05. I use Brightwells neophos if they are too low, and GFO from BRS if they are too high in a mesh filter sock or water changes.

Alkalinity 9.0. This is up to you, depending on your salt mix but a safe bet range it from 7.5-9.0 dkh. Calcium I'm not worried about because your salt should have a balanced level of calcium depending on your Alkalinity. If you had to boost up your alkalinity, I use ESV B-Ionic 2 pack (alk and calc booster). You put equal parts of alk buffer and calcium buffer to raise them in balance. BRS has an alkalinity calculator on their site that tells you how much of that product you should put in depending on your current alkalinity, target alkalinity, and tank size. You should only raise alkalinity by 0.5 dkh a day to not stress the corals.

 

[Allenh427]

Another point- I've been in your shoes before, quite recently actually. I end up making small adjustments every few days, while testing daily and tracking the results in a spreadsheet. After a month or two when everything starts to get in range, you can start testing once a week < which is where I'm at right now. Corals are doing fantastic now, but mine looked like yours and I had an insane amount of cyano.

 

[VintageReefer]

I would like OP to make fresh batch of new saltwater 1.025, 1.026 whatever you normally mix to

Provide brand of salt and amount made. How much salt was needed to achieve this salinity

Measure calcium, alkalinity, phosphate and nitrate please. Let’s rule that out. And if you make 5g for example and we test and determine it’s good, then replace 5g of bogus water from tank with 5g we know is good, and you are one small step towards correcting the parameters that are off

 

[ChickReef]

How big is this tank?

I would like OP to make fresh batch of new saltwater 1.025, 1.026 whatever you normally mix to

Provide brand of salt and amount made. How much salt was needed to achieve this salinity

Measure calcium, alkalinity, phosphate and nitrate please. Let’s rule that out. And if you make 5g for example and we test and determine it’s good, then replace 5g of bogus water from tank with 5g we know is good, and you are one small step towards correcting the parameters that are off

Okay, so I purchase premade water from LFS. I just tested a 5gallon bucket and it’s 1.025 salinity. I am using that for a water change. My tank is a 13.5 gallon tank.

I’m going to head to my LFS and have the refractometer calibrated to make sure it’s reading correctly. What products should I be picking up to help correct my issues.

 

[ChickReef]

Another point- I've been in your shoes before, quite recently actually. I end up making small adjustments every few days, while testing daily and tracking the results in a spreadsheet. After a month or two when everything starts to get in range, you can start testing once a week < which is where I'm at right now. Corals are doing fantastic now, but mine looked like yours and I had an insane amount of cyano.

I’ll make sure to do this! Thank you

 

[ChickReef]

What test kits are you using? Pretty much all of your parameters need some sort of adjustment.

These are the ranges I shoot for which are pretty standard:
Nitrates 5-10ppm.
I use Brightwells Neonitro to boost up nitrates if they are too low, and water changes if they are too high.

Phosphate 0.02-0.05. I use Brightwells neophos if they are too low, and GFO from BRS if they are too high in a mesh filter sock or water changes.

Alkalinity 9.0. This is up to you, depending on your salt mix but a safe bet range it from 7.5-9.0 dkh. Calcium I'm not worried about because your salt should have a balanced level of calcium depending on your Alkalinity. If you had to boost up your alkalinity, I use ESV B-Ionic 2 pack (alk and calc booster). You put equal parts of alk buffer and calcium buffer to raise them in balance. BRS has an alkalinity calculator on their site that tells you how much of that product you should put in depending on your current alkalinity, target alkalinity, and tank size. You should only raise alkalinity by 0.5 dkh a day to not stress the corals.

So test kits I use. Hanna for all and reef master for the rest I put in. I also have all for reef. I never used it but don’t know if it would help in this situation.

 

[Sirlagzalott]

Okay, so I purchase premade water from LFS. I just tested a 5gallon bucket and it’s 1.025 salinity. I am using that for a water change. My tank is a 13.5 gallon tank.

Is the LFS making the water? If so, I’d ask them what brand they’re using. Some salt mixes are geared more towards fish only.

 

[Uncle99]

.5ppm phosphate must be an error.
That is way, way high, maybe softies ok with that but stoneys would perish at that level, or, at minimum, not grow.

Hoping you mean 0.05ppm phosphate.

A lonely Stoney coral in a mass of softies who may be excreting turpins to kill it for territory.

Certainly going to lose that battle.

I’d find a better place.