Why did I do that? di

[Cherie cook]

Newly moved to Colorado and resetting up my 80 gal cube here....used a whole stick of two part epoxy to stabilize my rock setup. So of course the skimmer was going crazy. My thought process(such as it is) was: let the skimmer skim out the chemicals and add fresh made salt water to make it up.
Couple days later I’m getting a new shipment of coral so I tested params.
pH 8.2
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
Alk 6.8
Salinity 1.025
Prior to this my numbers via my LFS
pH 8.0
Nitrate 5
Phosphate 0.13
Alk 8.3
Salinity 1.026
Calcium 470
Mag 1470
So after researching this forum I feel like I stripped a lot of stuff out of my tank...with good intentions.
Unfortunately the shipment of coral was on its way and so I added it to the tank. I’ve been trying to bring up my nitrate and phosphate, along with alkalinity over the last few days...adding di-sodium hydrogen phosphate and sodium nitrate. For alkalinity I’ve been adding the B part of A/B balance since my Hanna checker shows that my calcium is 588(this I doubt because it makes no sense...but still). I use kalkwasser in my ATO, 1/2 tsp per gallon of water because we have a lot of evaporation due to the dry climate.
My concern is that corals that I put in that day have bleached and one is losing tissue daily. This coral that looked like this on day one now looks like this(see above first pic). The other corals, other than bleaching look ok. Some were not affected at all. So my question is...did I strip something essential from the water with the skimmer? Maybe something not measurable but that still could be replaced? How can I help the affected chalice(I think that’s what it is)?

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

You said recently setting up. Moving can irritate everything. How long has it been back in?

 

[Cherie cook]

Eight weeks.

 

[Cherie cook]

Eight weeks.

All live rock and fish moved with us cross country...coral I have added new since we’ve been here.

 

[KrisReef]

Were you a mile high before you moved to Colorado?

 

[Cherie cook]

No lol....300 ft above sea level. Upstate NY.

 

[rushbattle]

Were you a mile high before you moved to Colorado?

I am curious, why did you ask this question?

 

[Cherie cook]

Were you a mile high before you moved to Colorado?

No lol....300 ft above sea level. Upstate NY.

now we’re at 9000 ft....do you think that’s part of it?

 

[rushbattle]

now we’re at 9000 ft....do you think that’s part of it?

Nice, are you out 70 somewhere? Must be beautiful up there!

 

[Cherie cook]

:

Nice, are you out 70 somewhere? Must be beautiful up there!

Up on the side of a mountain...no one around, cool dry weather, no bugs. I’m in heaven.

 

[Cherie cook]

:
Up on the side of a mountain...no one around, cool dry weather, no bugs. I’m in heaven.

Except for my sick coral, that is. Would really like to save this guy.

 

[KrisReef]

I am curious, why did you ask this question?

Partial pressure laws for dissolved gasses impact respiration. At 300' the difference between normal atmospheric pressure at sea level is close to zero. At a mile high the air is thinner and that will impact dissolve O2 in the water column for starters. At 9000 feet the corals are way out of their normal respiration zone. How this impacted nitrates and phosphates, I don't know. I'm sitting here enjoying an adult beverage and thinking about what could have happened as a result of the move.

I ask because I like to learn by asking questions and thinking about the answers. I suspect the OP changed a lot of water, but I haven't asked that directly?

 

[KrisReef]

Do you feed the chalice coral food? ReefRoids might help increase nutrients and feed the coral at the same time.
It kind of looks like it got bumped in shipping/moving? These corals like dirty water, so feed the tank (fish?) heavy.

 

[Cherie cook]

Partial pressure laws for dissolved gasses impact respiration. At 300' the difference between normal atmospheric pressure at sea level is close to zero. At a mile high the air is thinner and that will impact dissolve O2 in the water column for starters. At 9000 feet the corals are way out of their normal respiration zone. How this impacted nitrates and phosphates, I don't know. I'm sitting here enjoying an adult beverage and thinking about what could have happened as a result of the move.

I ask because I like to learn by asking questions and thinking about the answers. I suspect the OP changed a lot of water, but I haven't asked that directly?

Yes, I changed at least 5 gallons of water during that time. How interesting to think that elevation may have played a part...never thought of that! I wonder if there are any studies about it?

 

[Cherie cook]

Do you feed the chalice coral food? ReefRoids might help increase nutrients and feed the coral at the same time.
It kind of looks like it got bumped in shipping/moving? These corals like dirty water, so feed the tank (fish?) heavy.

I would think so too...except that it’s losing tissue from more than one spot. I do feed heavy and will continue to do so! Thanks so much for your advice. Very interested in the increased elevation issue...any thought as to how I might further investigate?

 

[KrisReef]

I would think so too...except that it’s losing tissue from more than one spot. I do feed heavy and will continue to do so! Thanks so much for your advice. Very interested in the increased elevation issue...any thought as to how I might further investigate?

I looked around the web and found a mention of this:
http://www.altitude.org/air_pressure.php

You may have helped keep the corals alive by running the skimmer. Maybe feeding extra isn't the best idea since that will increase biological oxygen demand.

Lets ask for more help #reefsquad

 

[GoVols]

I would think so too...except that it’s losing tissue from more than one spot. I do feed heavy and will continue to do so! Thanks so much for your advice. Very interested in the increased elevation issue...any thought as to how I might further investigate?

Cherbear,
How long has your reef been back up and running?

And did you test for ammonia and nitrites after you set it back up?

If your not going thru a mini cycle, then it is most likely your zeroed out nitrates and phosphates. Corals need those too.

 

[Cherie cook]

Cherbear,
How long has your reef been back up and running?

And did you test for ammonia and nitrates after you set it back up?[/QUO

Cherbear,
How long has your reef been back up and running?

And did you test for ammonia and nitrites after you set it back up?

The tank did go through a short cycle after I set it back up...due I think to the long drive from upstate NY to Colorado...it was about 5 days total. Then there were delays getting the proper plumbing equipment, not to mention getting the manpower required to hoist the tank up 20+ steps and maneuver it into its new position. All together I’d say it took us at least 10 days after arrival to get it all into place. Testing after that was about one week before I was secure that there was 0 ammonia or nitrite...and that nitrate was beginning to show. Fish were added without problems.

 

[GoVols]

It's still a young setup, but your fish are doing fine.

Low nutrients / phosphates and nitrates / will bleach corals due to starvation and can open the door to dino's too.

Keep slowly working on those parameters.

Red Sea Reef Energy might help to feed your corals, and it brings organics into your reef.
You could feed your fish more too... :)

It might take some time with some losses, but it will stable back out.

Wish you all the best, and hope your happy in Colorado.

 

[rushbattle]

I suspect that O2 is not much of a factor, coral spend much of their time ridding themselves of O2 rather than the opposite. At night the respiration rate is pretty slow so the O2 need is low. Also, so many people in the same area have awesome tanks :)