What killed my soft corals?

[ceiji]

I setup a new 50 gallon AIO tank and has been running for about 2 weeks. I put live rock and live sand and also bacteria solution to speed up cycle time and it looks like the cycling is complete. Salinity is 1.025 and my testing showed less than .25 ammonia and about ~5 nitrates and 0 nitrites. I thought it was safe to put in a xenia frag, couple of mushrooms, a toadstool and couple of zoa frags from my old tank. After moving them over, within about 3hrs all of them drooped and I am almost certain dead. I moved them back to my old tank and they are still closed and drooped after 2 days.

I took my water to couple of LFS and their testing also did not show anything out of range to kill corals. The only thing I can think of is that I had cleaned that tank initially with Bar Keepers Friend. I thought I rinsed it very cleanly and even filled it up with water couple of times and drained that before finally filling with mixed water and rock and sand. I plan to do a 100% water change today but do not know what to test for to see if its safe again.

Anyone else think of anything else that can cause this or what else I can do? Any pointers are welcome.

LFS testing results:

Salinity - 1.025
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5
Phosphate - 0.1
Alkalinity - 9.6
Calcium - 500
Magnesium - 1200

 

[twentyleagues]

Well when I first read the Bar keepers friend thing I was concerned. Looking at whats in the BKF I dont see anything if rinsed well enough it'd be an issue.
Maybe list all parameter including if possible temp, ph. What lighting? What kind of flow? You have another tank these things should be ok but you never know.

 

[Dburr1014]

Which bar Keepers did you use? Seems they have a whole product line.

 

[Quietman]

First, I'd ensure that the 'droop' and 'closed' isn't just normal coral behavior. Give them some time. They could recover just fine. Maybe some irritant or contaminant caused the issue, then again could be lighting is different or water a bit different, still great water, just not exactly the same.

Give it a week or two or three to let the corals recover and act normally. Try just the Xenia or toadstool again in the new tank. My toadstool is pretty indestructible. If same reactions, then go the 100% water change route. No harm in doing the 100% change now either and letting everything settle down again. You're thinking on what to do is good.

Try again and then perhaps (although hopefully not needed) a total breakdown and deep clean. Try just using vinegar as it breakdown completely (the 5% industrial stuff is pretty darn good cleaning agent).

The cycling isn't an issue for corals so don't think it's a maturity issue.

Time is your friend here since you have another tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They went from an established tank to a band new tank, different light different flow...... give it a chance to acclimate, 2 days is very little time

 

[BryanM]

Yeah, just a couple days is short, either moving from your old tank, or getting items from an LFS or online.

Heck, I have an alveopora, been in my tank for a month, and it still isn't really opening like it should while everything else is thriving.

That said, I'd take one item and move it in to the new tank, and see what happens. give it at least a week.

 

[ceiji]

Thank you everyone for the inputs. As a next step, I'll do a 100% water change and test with 1 hardy coral to see what happens.