Dying Acros

[quicksilverz]

So i have been losing acro's slowly for no reason. They seem to dye from the base of the branch up and I cannot figure out why. My water is perfect. I thought it might be some kind of bugs (not so sure its not) but I am willing to listen to any idea. Pictures will be attached soon. Please help.

Nitrates= 0
Nitrites = 0
Calcium = 440
Magnesium= 1400
Alk = 9.8
Ph = 7.89 to 7.95
temp = 79.8


Thanks MIKE.

[quicksilverz]

27628

[quicksilverz]

27629

[quicksilverz]

All these corals were growing good and started doing this.

[Dkray944]

Did this start to happen before or after you added your new light setup?

[Reefnub]

Has ph always been that low?

[Reefnub]

Have you had any swings in alk that were drastic and what was the last change you made to the tank?

[quicksilverz]

Started happening before the new lights

[quicksilverz]

And yes ph has always been low i run a calcium reactor

[quicksilverz]

No swings in alk always been about the same

[12_Egg_Omelette]

I've a big believer that nitrates are actually important for SPS specially acros. I might be in the minority here, but when I cut out a lot of chemical reduction methods I really saw my acros take off. I think the misconception comes from is that acros really consume so much of it and that's why when when you see tanks that are full of acros nirates are so low. However when you get nitrates so low there are none for the coral you seem diminished results.

Now that I've said that, have you taken any of those SPS out and dipped them through the different dips to see if anything is falling off? I have a buddy who recently discovered that his acros were mysteriously dying over night. It took him months to finally figure out he has AEFW. Is it possible to remove all the acros from the tank and QT them for a good amount of time to possibly starve off any in the tank and treat them for AEFW outside the DT? If I remembr correctly when I was at your house to pick up a frag you had quite a few tanks. How are things looking in your frag tank?

[12_Egg_Omelette]

If you need to, I have a small pico 8 gallons it has a great foot print that I could let you borrow to QT your acros for the time being, I even have a light I can let you borrow as well.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

Here's another question how's the PE on the acros? Are you feeding anything specific for your corals like oyster feast or rotifers? Do they respond?

[quicksilverz]

The polyp extensions is amazing on some like the red planet and sucks on others. Its hit or miss and david is coming over to help me dip. I been thinking my water is 2 clean and like you said have no nitrates. I have a ton of acros and never seen this before its driving me nuts trying to figure it out.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

What reactors are you running if any? My first guess would be water to clean, that's a pretty easy fix if you slowly back down, however once acros start to RTN it's pretty hard to get it to stop without trimming or applying glue from my experience. If you want I'd be more than happy to hold small little frags as a backup for you in my tank. I don't have much in my frag tank and I'll even set a light schedul of your choosing and adjust the par to match what's in your tank. Let me know if I can be of any help, I just have a little wrasse in there fish wise and only run carbon and feed rotifers, fuel and oyster feast exclusively, salt is also aqua vitro so I can give you the parameters at 35 PPT.

[quicksilverz]

I have to large reactors running gfo and carbon. And that would be cool if u hold some frags.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

sent you a PM.

[Frogman]

Whats you salinity? 1400 Mag could be an indicator of salinity creeping too high?
Ammonia? do you have any missing fish?
Nitrates 0 should have a little, its what corals eat.
What about Phosphates? Should have .02-.03
Yes, I know they are basic, but could be overlooked.

If you think back, had you changed your RO/DI filters? Wonder if you might have gotten a bad one?

Another thing, is if you're losing some, frag a few and bank them with someone (or a few people) until you can resolve the issue, that way someone can QT the corals for you and see if they can keep them alive until you resolve your issues.

Let me know if I can help, I don't have a QT setup right (I need to get it done) now so I cant help on that end.

[Frogman]

One more thing Have you added any larger pieces to your tank? I just had a thought about flow. Have you moved powerheads, cleaned (or not cleaned) return pumps or added any larger pieces and altered the flow? I know that when I changed a couple rocks, I had some SPS start to look ugly, I had to make some small minor tweaks on my powerheads and they ended up perking right back up.

Again, newbie mind. Hope y'all can figure this out.

[quicksilverz]

No change that would kill them

[Frogman]

Just brainstorming. I am certain you've went through all this already.

[12_Egg_Omelette]

No change that would kill them

Eddie Vedder would say, "I change by not changing".

[quicksilverz]

Lol

[slm222]

I would agree too clean. No3 and po4 are building blocks/food for coral.

[klwheat]

Any chance you have old/expired tests that aren't picking up nitrates or phos? What kind of lights? Have you moved any of them?

[quicksilverz]

I have kessils ap700 for lights. I have had my water tested about everywhere only thing i can think of is my alk and ph are low eventually killing the accros

[klwheat]

My pH stays in that same range, and my all is usually around 8.4...mine grow fine there.

[quicksilverz]

My ph is around a 7.55 at night and swings to 7.8 during the day

[Frogman]

My ph is around a 7.55 at night and swings to 7.8 during the day

Isn't that low? I keep mine 8.2 - 8.4


It's in everyone's best interest to take care of those who take care of you. Support a local Veteran!

[quicksilverz]

Well I guess I was having pretty good swings in Alk so we got that stabilized and now everything is happy. And yes my PH is now and 8.4 give or take.

[LuckySingh]

7.55 ph is alarming and doesn't seem to be accurate . How are u testing em . If indeed it is correct that is the most probably the issue .. Ph swing are worst that nitrates or phosphates and can simply be raised by opening the windows ... I run my tank at 20pp nitrates and have seen em all the way up to 40pp without an issue. Nitrates are every important for reef as long as u keep em controlled