tank not doing well

[andys0601]

Last July I moved and combined my 125 gal. and 140 gal. all into the 140. I am having trouble with most of my zoos and a sps (my first one ever) I have many LPS and they are doing great(splitting like crazy). The 140 is 30" high and I am running 2 400 watt 20k HQI lights. Ph 8.3, specific gravity 1.024, nitrates 5ppm, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, cal. 380-410, Alk. 13 dkh(have a cal. reactor but turned it off several days ago when I found the Alk. that high.) the temp has been 81-83 but I have managed to keep it a little cooler for the past few days. I have a chiller on the way but do not have it yet. I know the temp is not good but will the high Alk affect the zoos and SPS. I have been doing more regular water changes but can't figure out what the problem is, the tank just isn't doing as well as it has in the past. If anybody has any ideas I am in need of some help. I am afraid I am going to start loosing complete colonies soon. Thanks.

[Daniel]

I would think it is your temperature. I battled keeping my temp below 82 before I put the chiller on my system. After I did that things started to fly. Zoos and SPS are doing great now. I keep my salinity at 1.026 calcium at 420+ alk is around 9.

[aquasport24]

What excactly wrong with your SPS and zoas? zoas not open? SPS bleaching? SPS with STN?...etc..Please be more specific..You did not mention phosphate. What about pest? Did you place the coral at the same location as you had them before? It caused alot of stress to corals anytime you made a big move like that, it takes a while for some stuffs to get back to the way they were(especially w/ SPS). The more info you have the better.

[andys0601]

The sps is bleaching and i have only had it a few weeks. Zoas are not opening and seem to be less and less in the colony. phosphates are 0. My yellow tang had black ich a few weeks ago but I hooked up my uv sterilizer and it seems to have handled the problem. The corals are in different locations as I combined both tanks into 1 but they are in the same general area of the tank(water flow, lighting, ect...). It was July of 08 when I moved so it has been quite some time. STN? I'm not sure what that is. I am new to the SPS. I started target feeding Microvert but just recently. Do you think the temp could be a major factor. I have been in the hobby for about seven years but can't seem to get the results others are getting...Maybe not good enough maintenance? Doing about 20 gallon water change every three weeks or so, cleaning filter pads and skimmer weekly. Should I go ahead and start my Cal. reactor back up?

[Texreefer]

if your temp is a little high but STABLE it will not be a huge factor, but if it swings 4-5 degrees then yes this could cause problems.

[Daniel]

I know jerry (gjaurez) had alk problems recently in his nano and his sps suffered so he brought an sps colony to mine and marlins house to help rehab them. The colony he brought me is finally coloring up after being in the tank for a week, it was barely colored when he brought it mostly light tan and white. Get your alk taken care of and do a water change.

[Bill S]

Anything that might be bothering the zoas or the sps? Like an angelfish?

[aquasport24]

Do not start the calcium reactor back up til you lower the alk. What test kit are you using? i have the same problem w/ zoas gone missing too , but only the unhealthy and closed ones (something may have eaten them).

[Marlin]

I had the same problem a couple of years ago. Alk got up to 13 dkh and I started loosing corals. Brought it back down to 9 dkh and die-off stopped and no more problems.

Rick

[DSAfanatic]

If you get two part calcium and only dose the calcium part to lower your alk. Then, when your alk is where you want it, dose both parts until both levels are good. Then you can turn your reactor back on. I've had my alk up to 16-18 before without any bleaching or anything. How long has your alk been high?

[andys0601]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll let the Alk come down on its own and get my chiller to bring down the temp and see how it goes. My LFS seems to think the temp may be the problem as well. I do have a flame angle but the zoas don't actually disappear they just are dying off. I am using API test kits. The Alk. has probably been that high for several months. Wasn't testing regular....Opps.

[dmweise]

I think your temperature is fine, but it kind of depends on your tank inhabitants. Most of my tank inhabitants are used to ~80 temperatures. I can keep the tank a bit cooler sometimes but everything seems to thrive at ~80.

[Bill S]

A flame could very well be your problem. They tend to nip at them, keeping them from opening, and they eventually die off.