Birdsnest Dying

[swimfree]

Does anyone out there know why my birdsnest is dying? My water is good & healthy, my lighting (3 MH14k, 2 super actinic, 2 actinic wht & moon light)100 gal. tank. I have had several frags die, a lovely pink birdsnest and now my largest one is dying.
They die from the base up & it progresses fast. I have done dips.

I have also lots my moniopora, from the base up, it was also gone in about 1 day.

The only thing that is strange in my tank (that I have noticed) is the amount of stomatella snails. I have never bought one, but they multiply like bunnies. Most have light colored shells, however
lately there are several that have black shells. Anyone know about the black shelled ones?

Opinions please!:mad2:

 

[itsthesong]

What are the tank specs? Parameters, stock, etc., has anything in the tank changed lately? We are going to need some more info? Have you upgraded, or downgraded, your light?

Oh, and
[welcome]

 

[da1jewfish]

sounds like maybe a bulb problem. how old are they?

calcium is good right?
alkalinity?
pH? stable?
ammonia?
nitrate?
nitrite?
if those are all good, check your bulbs

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

how are you maintining alkalinity?

 

[swimfree]

Thank you for the welcome. This tank is so packed, I am sure I will forget many things. Many zoos(AOG, tequilla sunrise, neon green, large colony of multi colored-200+- polyps. Galexia, 3 acan colonies, 3 clams (one large 10 in), echino, open brian, purple torch, 10 ricordia, large blue 50 mushroom rock, several hair mushrooms through out tank, colony of blue clove polyps, red lobophylia, 4 emerald crabs, pink toad stoul, pagoda cup, white elephant ear mushroom, 1 reef anenome, 8x8 green star colony, 1 kenya tree.
4 Chromis
1 tank
1 mandarin
1 goby
1 blue linkia star

1.026
nitrite 0
nitrate 10-20 (I know its higher than most)
ph 8.0-8.5
KH 180
temp 76-80
CA 450

I have a sump/refugium( I can't remember what type of skimmer), phosphate reactor, sock filter, 3 water movers.

New MH, I added 1 at a time each week. I dip all new corals before adding them to the tank.
I do have aiptasia, which I kill with Blue Vet aiptasia control once a week. 10% water changes weekly.

Please excuse the misspelling of some of my critters.

Thank you!

 

[swimfree]

My MH bulds were about 6-7 months old before changing them.
Alkalinity-?-I can't find my tester
0 amonia

 

[mikekman]

I have many stomatellas in my tank. Out of all the stomatellas, I have one that is black like what your talking about. It looks like the rest fo the stomatellas but has a black body and shell. Not sure whats up with that..........could it be a different sex or maybe its an older stomatella? Not sure but I find it weird.

 

[swimfree]

I am guessing it is not an age thing. I have baby black ones, as well as big adults.
Since you have noticed your black one, has anything dyed off?
I don't think they eat the coral, but I have seen them puff out little plums of "smoke". I am wondering if that "smoke" has any affect?

 

[techreef]

the smoke is their gametes, i believe. they're trying to breed.

Where's the birdnest located in your tank? Could it be that it's subjected to temp spikes due to the bulbs warming the water near it, or that it's being buffeted excessively by water streams? (just brainstorming)

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10884177#post10884177 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swimfree
Thank you for the welcome. This tank is so packed, I am sure I will forget many things. Many zoos(AOG, tequilla sunrise, neon green, large colony of multi colored-200+- polyps. Galexia, 3 acan colonies, 3 clams (one large 10 in), echino, open brian, purple torch, 10 ricordia, large blue 50 mushroom rock, several hair mushrooms through out tank, colony of blue clove polyps, red lobophylia, 4 emerald crabs, pink toad stoul, pagoda cup, white elephant ear mushroom, 1 reef anenome, 8x8 green star colony, 1 kenya tree.
4 Chromis
1 tank
1 mandarin
1 goby
1 blue linkia star

1.026
nitrite 0
nitrate 10-20 (I know its higher than most)
ph 8.0-8.5
KH 180
temp 76-80
CA 450

I have a sump/refugium( I can't remember what type of skimmer), phosphate reactor, sock filter, 3 water movers.

New MH, I added 1 at a time each week. I dip all new corals before adding them to the tank.
I do have aiptasia, which I kill with Blue Vet aiptasia control once a week. 10% water changes weekly.

Please excuse the misspelling of some of my critters.

Thank you!

not sure of your reading for alk/dkH?

You definetly need to bring down that nitrate level--suggest a series of 20 percent water changes followed by measurements until you get an undectable reading for it

 

[Aquarist007]

can you post a picture of your tank--you have some coral in there that can sting others pretty bad.

 

[swimfree]

Oh, you guys are good! The birdsnest is at the top of the tank, close to MH & fairly strong current.
Nitrates are my major problem. I am always fighting them. I had a whole new system built, in hopes of getting my balances right.
They are better, used to be nitrates of 60.
I have (i will mispell this)a Plennum, under the sand bed. I had
a professional (reputable) set everything up for me.
I will post pics later today.
Thank you for your help. The more I learn,,,,the more I learn how ignorant I am about this stuf (I am totally competant in other areas of my life

 

[Aquatic Noggin]

You mentioned using sock filters. How often to do you clean/replace them? Left unchecked they can cause high nitrate levels.

 

[bassetbros]

I notice in your signature that you have a predator tank and a reef tank. Are both tanks sharing a sump? If so, the presence of your large predator tank might elevate your nitrates.

Good luck and God bless,
Basset

 

[swimfree]

Sock filters get changed once per week.
Reef and predator tanks are completely seperate.
Predator tank runs high nitrates too.
We do filter our water. The water that goes in has 0 nitrates.

Thank you & God bless you too!

 

[Elorian]

From the description of how the corals are dying it sounds like RTN (rapid tissue necrosis) to me. Try a search on RTN, or google Eric Borneman RTN as he has a lot of expertise with this; he may have an article that would help you. You may also want to post in one of the disease or SPS forums.

HTH

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10886068#post10886068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by swimfree
Sock filters get changed once per week.
Reef and predator tanks are completely seperate.
Predator tank runs high nitrates too.
We do filter our water. The water that goes in has 0 nitrates.

Thank you & God bless you too!

I have been corrected myself on the issue of changing the socks---most here have recommended daily if not every other day.

 

[Aquarist007]

try increasing the flow through your refugium and keeping the light on it 24/7. --and make sure it is full of chaeto---just remember you have to harvest the cheato every once and awhile to get rid of the nitrates from the water column:

 

[rustybucket145]

loose the socks and you will loose your nitrates.

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10886527#post10886527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rustybucket145
loose the socks and you will loose your nitrates.

all together? I have been considering that --what do you run on then--just a protein skimmer.
I use the refug for increasing the variety of life in the tank--so the flow rate is too slow to rely on it for mechanical filtration and or nitrate removal.