~ 2wks now zoas not opening like used to, and appear to be dying. Tops of open ones all scrunched like broccoli. Situation declining.
Hypotheses:
- lowered phos too fast w/ recent added BRS GAC/GFO reactor
- Reaction to dkH fluctuation
- Reef Roids doing something bad?
- Other chemistry related problem
Hardware:
30g Aquatop AIO
Reefi Uno (dialed back)
Media: bio balls and floss
BRS GFO & carbon mini reactor w/ Sicci 1.5
Coralife protein skimmer (seems pretty worthless)
EXO ATO
Specs:
77F
1.025 (Red Sea CoralPro)
*dkH 8-9, pH 8
*Phos (PO4) per Hannah ULR
Was ~15-20 P (PO4 ~0.050ppm)
Recent < 5 (PO4 ~0.010ppm)
Calcium 440ppm
NO3 2ppm / NO2 undetectable
NH3/NH4 undetectable
History
1yo tank
Lost an acropora and bubblegum digi, decided to install carbon/GFO reactor (sicci 1.5 in the last chamber, dumps back to same). Running ~6wks now. Lowered phos as intended, and with GAC more confident I’m addressing any chems from leathers in the mix. Used to run phos ~20ppb on the Hanna ULV, dropped to 5 a week ago, 3 this week. Too much too fast?
Read dkH 8 or less bad for SPS. Is this why my acro and digi died? Baked soda to make soda ash, been mixing small amounts into DI when filling ATO res. Raised 8 to 10 slowly over a month (overshot), slowly lowered back to 9. Tried to avoid sudden swings, but realized I wasn’t adding soda ash to new mixed saltwater @ 20% changes. Few times 5gal load @ 8 went into tank at 9. Would this kill zoas?
Current status:
Couple small digi frags added about 3 months ago look decent, and seem to be growing. Montipora and gsp going wild. Zoas were multiplying and doing great up to now. Acans also not doing great, but this is likely bc the dang condi nem keeps moving too close and stinging then, or could something picking at them (reef beauty, canary wrasse, red leg hermit frequently seen on them)
Nutrients
- Tropic Marin All-for-Reef dosing 3x daily
- Red Sea AB+ 3X/week
- Reef Roids, started using 2-3 X/week when got the GFO running thinking could handle the extra phos and could help the acans.
- also increased feeding the fish a little after reading multiple threads saying might need more NO2 to feed corals if running GFO and moving into nutrient deficient regime. Bad idea? (alternate days btw krill flakes vs. frozen Hikari Mices and brine, plus some Omega One nori for the reef beauty dwarf and lawnmower blenny)
Pretty new in the reef game! Fun stuff. Let me know if any idea how to save these zoas!
note: Pic from August shows the zoas at top right and bottom left that were growing and multiplying well, also acros before I lost em (and the dead digi I tried moving down to recover before I pulled it).
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