[patman]

AAAHHHH!!!! About half of the corals in my tank have started to die. My water tests great, no changes to any of my perameters. Other corals in my tank seem unaffected. also my clams are doing well. The only thing that has changed in the last three months or so was the addition of a sky watcher goby. I know that this is a bit vague, but I guess I need to be asked questions so I know the specific info need to help me. Please, anyone got some ideas???

 

[greenb]

Well lets start with the basic run down...

Give us a listing of your tank parameters are, Tank Size, Lighting, filtration, what corals are dieing and what corals seem to be heathly.

 

[mhltcob]

what is your alkalinity, ph, nitrate? what is your source water? what type of lighting? what type of corals are affected? what do you have for water motion?

 

[patman]

ok- the water temp. is 80 degress.
nitrate - 0
carb/alk - 7.2/2.57 this is the only change, was 10.2KH/3.66ALK 1 month ago.
ammonia <0.5
phosphate - 0
nitrite - 0
PH - 8.2
calcium - 485
The corals seem to be melting. I'm losing a frogspawn, and a couple of my SPS's that I'm not sure of the "make" and "model" ( I know, shame on me). I just don't remember what they are. The tanks been up and runnig for 14 months. I'm running a 58 gal tank with a 150 gallon refugium. a protien skimmer in the refug. my lighting is 2 - 400watt MH. I just replaced the bulbs in January,(I replaced them with the same type - 10,000k). I'm not running any carbon. I think that covers it. thanks again

 

[shermlock]

Did you happen to pour the store water in with the fish? I am just thinking about the chance of copper.
Scott

 

[patman]

yeah, i did. but i just got this guy about two weeks ago, after I started seeing problems with my corals. Plus I know that the store doesn't use copper in there system

 

[tszetela]

How fast was the change in alk?

 

[patman]

well it was about a month sinse the last time I checked it, so...about 30 days or so

 

[BigLar]

Any chance a child or someone could have dumped something in the tank? Have you used any chemicals around the tank? Windex? When's the last time you did a water change? How big was it? Your ALK is to low. What's your salinity at? Are the corals being blasted by a power head? Are the affected corals right next to each other?

Not seeing the tank makes it a little hard, but if it were me I would start doing the following
1) Go to the Tropicorium tomorrow and buy a big bag of carbon. (The only thing that’s cheep there)
2) I would start doing daily to every other day 30% water changes.
3) Run carbon 24/7 through a Magnum HOB or some type of canister filter.
4) At first, change the carbon every 24 hours.
5) Run your skimmer real wet and clean daily
6) Test for Phosphates
7) Bring your ALK up to about 3.5

Also, how are you getting your calcium to 480? Are you running a reactor?

 

[Jimbob]

What is your water change regimen? Have you tried doing some water changes to help?

Also, I noticed you said you don't use carbon. Do you have a mixed reef with a lot of zoanthids or mushrooms as well? If so, they emit alellopathic compounds such as terpines that do not get removed by skimming. These compounds are only removed with carbon or regular, frequent water changes.

 

[BigLar]

Another thought, are the affected corals touching each other?

 

[patman]

Well, I may have figured out my problem! My heater is apparently going bad. I'm so use to the temp. being rock steady at 82 that i've gotten lacks on checking it. I noticed that even though my controller said 82, my tank was only at 72! Could this be my problem?

By the way, running some carbon is probably a good idea - thanks jimbob

 

[02redZ28]

That could do it.

 

[ofblong]

yeah 72 is a bit low. my son messed with the controlle on my heater one day and the tank went from 80 to the house temp of 68. I wondered why everything was sluggish and not moving right. noticed that and I turned it back up to 80 and everything turned back to normal.