Confused, Could use some help--

[dbraun15]

I have had my NC 24 for 6 months and do weekly water changes--I have a mixture of mushrooms, rics, leathers, GSP, Xenia, zoas, and a few LPS(trachy brain, candy canes, acans, and blastos)--The last week or so the shrooms, zoas, rics, and colt coral have sort of closed up and just don't open like they did before--Also, some of them look like they are reaching for lignt--I have checked my water and params are 0 trate, trite, ammonia, ph=8.2--I have done water changes religeously and haven't had any problems--my livestock is a 6 line, hi fin goby, a cleaner shrimp, various snails and 5 scarlet legged hermits--any help or recommendations that you could provide would be appreciated--could it be a coral war or just a phase?--GSP, Xenia, finger leather and LPS all look better than ever--

 

[Absinthe]

I would do a few water changes and even run some carbon

 

[Illuminati]

Ditto on the water change thing. How often is religiously?

What chemical media is in the back chambers?

Have you done anything like fragging corals in the tank or switch salts or water suppliers? RO/DI water?

 

[dbraun15]

I do my water changes every Sunday and change 3 gallons--my back chambers are similar to yours Colinadam--filter floss on top, with chemi-pure and phosban in chamber 1, LR rubble in 2 and heater/power head in 3--My phosban and chemipure is 3 months old, could that have anything to do with it? Also, right before my corals started looking bad--I fed my corals cyclopeeze for the first time--anybody have any experience like that--

 

[dbraun15]

Also, my water has always been purchase from a LFS they have said that they haven't changed anything--

 

[Illuminati]

Chemi-pure should last tanks our size for like 6 months, it might be time to replace your phosban, that always go quick with me.

Also it just dawned on me it might be time to look into replacing your bulbs. I did mine at the 8 month mark, after that amount of time they lose their intensity. Notice any more algae recently than normal?
New bulbs shouldn't be any more than $30, I'd do that and replace the phosban (and look into purigen, I swear by the stuff, maybe add a packet to chamber 2, as long as it gets good flow over it and stays submerged)to start...

 

[dbraun15]

I did a water change last night and replaced my phosban--only problem is corals look worse than last night--i'm really starting to get worried and concerned--I don't know what else to do--another water change and see what happens--any other ideas--I better take my water to my LFS to make sure my test kits aren't trash--otherwise--0, trate, trite, ammonia, and 8.2 ph--I'm lost and need any advice available--thanks!!

 

[ghostman]

How is your salinity, alkalinty, calcium, and tank temperature? IMO, rapid changes trying to correct problems can be problematic as well. Have a lfs double check parameters and if all is well, give it a few days. If your changing any water chemistry, go slow. Good luck, HTH.

 

[dbraun15]

Temp remains between 78-80 degrees, calcium ranges between 340-360, haven't tested for alk--I am going to have my water tested tomorrow at a LFS to see if my water and test kits are off--something sure isn't right--if water is off, how often and how much water should I change? Thanks for the help--

 

[dbraun15]

sorry forgot that my salinity is 1.024 and has remained that way for months--

 

[dbraun15]

I had my LFS test my water and my test kits are correct--0, trate, trite, ammonia--they suggested that I get some "reef solution" and some "marine snow"--they said that if I dose the reef solution every or every other day, the trace elements will be replaced and see drastic improvement--also that I should dose marine snow 1X/week to make sure my corals ar being fed--what do you guys think--I bought both hoping for some improvement--any body have any experience with either one?

 

[charlesgage]

Trace elements usually don't hurt but go easy. IMO at this point the marine snow could create a nutruent issue, if you use it, go slow.

Any chance you got copper or any other medication in there somehow? Do you ensure you hands are clean before putting them in the tank?

These are shots in the dark. I might try doing a few distilled water changed with the same salt your LFS uses. I know my LFS is not religious on their RO filters.

 

[oldreefer76]

Trace elements in a nano are useless, water changes take care of that, I would definitely look at your alkalinity levels, if they are low or high they will cause your problems, measuring alkalinity is more important than Calcium

 

[fishkeeper00]

What are you dosing in your tank?

 

[fishkeeper00]

Oh Yeah never trust a LFS for your water cause they won't be honest with you about water quality.