Chemical warfare

[BeachVacationer]

So if I keep my corals from touching each other, then they my corals shouldn't be releasing much toxins right? Couple months ago I added new rock and changed salt miss with disastrous results. I don't think it was the salt but more to do with live rock from a new LFS. I took out the new rocks and got a some new corals. I've read using excessive amount of gfo can hurt corals so I've stopped that. This is only a 5 gallon tank. Just trying to get back to the state before I changed the the salt and adding new rocks. I don't have any carbon in the tank ATM. Should I even though corals are not touching?

 

[TangingOut]

Did you change the salt mix all at once? Also is the attached picture the tank's current state?

 

[BeachVacationer]

Yes, all at once. I went from instant ocean to mega salt reef. But I'm thinking it's more the new live rock that took down my tank. The phosphate really shot up which is why I started heavily using gfo. The pic is the current state. I do about 50% WC every week since I don't have a skimmer and dose anything. Everything was fine for 1 year until I added new rock and changed my salt. My clowns, shrimp and hermit crab are fine. The first casualties were the xenia and my turbo snails. Then my zoas, frogspawn and torch corals died. My acan and gsp were fine. My sinularia is still not too happy, not fully extended. New toadstool, kenya tree, and mushroom seem ok so far. I consider my sinularia which I've had for a year as my favorite so I'm trying to get my water back where it should be. I may add carbon soon to see if that will help. I've always had carbon. Can't over do carbon right?

 

[Reeferfourlife]

Nope, carbon removes heavy metal, Oder, medicines, and colors. I always have carbon running. Doesn't remove the good stuff. Think it is the new salt that cause your issue. Have your test the new salt? Kinda hard to kill xenias with phosphate leaching from new rock. I could go months without water change and damn xenias is still growing, just not as fast.

 

[rt67ghy]

I agree that making an abrupt salt change did the damage. When changing salt brand it's best to do only a 10% WC each time with the new salt. I have read of another hobbyist's tank crashing after he did a big WC with a new salt.

 

[Ron Reefman]

You have a 5 gallon tank. You shouldn't need to run anything extra. Just do a 2 or 3 gallon water change every week or two. You are making it more difficult than it needs to be. Simple water changes can solve all your issues. Just use good zero TDS RO/DI water and good salt.

 

[MrHyde]

Stirring up or vacuuming that sand bed on a regular basis wouldn't be such a bad idea either.

 

[Reef Frog]

You have a lot going on in a small tank, where stability is sometimes difficult to maintain. I assume the new live rock was fully cured and no mini cycle was apparent? The corals you list are certainly capable of stinging and poisoning each other...especially in close quarters and a small volume of water.