Corals fading in light of recent issues... trying to figure out the cause

[robojet]

I recently had a red slime issue. I decided to use the Blue Life product to help me get rid of it, siphoning out much of it before using the chemical. The skimmer of course goes nuts, so it has to be shut down until you run the chemical for a day or two, then do a water change... here's where my trouble begins.

It's been 2 weeks. I've got a 100 gallon system, and have been doing water changes 15 gallons at a time. I've done this somewhere around 10 times, and my skimmer is still going nuts. I noticed when my lights came on today, that my red cap, green slimer and season's greetings (monti cap), are all fading in color. I have other corals that at the moment, seem fine (blue ridge, war coral, favia, paly's, acans).

Before and after the red slime treatment, I've been running bio-pellets and gfo (carbon when needed... not currently running carbon). I was thinking because of all water changes, I was safe continuing to run the bio-pellets. Maybe this was wrong.

Is it all the water changes?
Is it that I'm running bio-pellets without skimming?


Just checked water parameters (I check every 2 weeks, and has been stable for months stable, dosers are dosing twice a day to maintain this):
CA: 450
Mg: 1450
Kh: 9.5 (this is high... usually at 8.5. I'm thinking this has gone up because of all the water changes. I use D-D Salt Mix and It runs higher. Usually of no impact because my routine is 10g water change every 2 weeks).
Phosphates: 0

I'm trying to figure out why it's happening and if there's anything I can do...

Would appreciate your help!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It could be released nutrients increasing zoox in the corals, or maybe a toxin released from the dead cyano. Or maybe something else.

Are you using GAC?

 

[robojet]

Thanks for the response. I am not using GAC right now. I was running it about 2 weeks ago. Removed it and did not replace. Should I start running again?

 

[robojet]

I know better than to take quick actions... but this is what I've done since my last post:
- took my TLF 150 Reactor (had about 2 week old GFO), and replaced with new GFO and GAC
- I waited about an hour, then turned on the skimmer... totally overflowing
- So... I happen to have about 10 gallons of mixed saltwater available, so I hooked up a tube to my skimmer overflow, and routed it to a 5 gallon bucket. I ran it that way for about 10 minutes (guessing on time) and it seemed to have exhausted itself after about 2 gallons overflowed. I made sure to replace what came from the skimmer with the new saltwater I had on the side. I have now started adjusting the skimmer, until I have at least a trickle of water. I plan on continuing this until I run out of the new saltwater.

I'm not sure if I've done the right thing or not... but it looks like I might be able to get the skimmer back online.

 

[robojet]

I also turned the bio-pellet reactor back on. Had a very short lived and small impact on skimmer.

 

[bertoni]

Those steps sound like good ideas to me. I'd just verify the salinity of the system, in case it's drifted, and see how it goes. I'd probably turn the skimmer off overnight, when I wasn't there to watch it.

 

[robojet]

Salinity is good. I've been checking that regularly through all of these water changes I've been doing. Only drift I've seen is .001, maybe pushing .002... currently at 1.027.

So... I've gone through the 10 gallons. Certainly a lot of progress since this morning when I was still unable to run the skimmer. It is currently running in a somewhat normal mode. I have the adjustment about 1/4 closed. I'm not sure if that isn't where it normally is set or not... I'm thinking I may have it about 1/3 closed... but scared to death to run it there and walk away. Thanks for the suggestion about not running overnight. I knew that was the right thing to do, but was toying with the idea of letting it run. That could end up being a total nightmare. Will definitely shut it down for the evening.

I'm still not sure exactly what happened. Probably a combination of things. Hopefully my corals will not fade any further. Crossing my fingers!

 

[bertoni]

Okay, that sounds like good news to me. I'd likely change the carbon fairly soon, maybe even in the morning. Getting the skimmer into the trustworthy state is important, IMO.

 

[robojet]

Woke up this morning and turned on the skimmer (with the same setting I had it running last night). Started getting water in my skimmer cup right away, so I turned it back to full open. Still getting a little. I will change the carbon, and make some more saltwater, as I might have to replace some water being skimmed out.

 

[tmz]

Have you checked the venturi on the skimmer. The air inlets sometimes clog and can be cleaned with a toothpick and some vinegar. If the air stops going through more water will flow through filling the cup more quickly. Sometimes removing the impeller and the housing helps as well.

Don't know why your corals faded but organics could have something to do with it via pellets combined with weak skimming and interrupted gac use.

 

[robojet]

about a week and a half ago I took the skimmer out and cleaned it. This did not appear to be the problem.

 

[sahin]

I used CHEMICLEAN red slime remover to treat cyanno (I am not surprised that you too are using D&D salt). My skimmer behaved the same way. I made up enough saltwater to replace that which the skimmer overflowed in the cup after many many gallons it finally calmed down. Over the next few days I carried out more water changes.

As for the salt brand, there are a few UK reefkeepers who are also having cyanno issues with this salt. I've been using it for many years now and will change salts in light of my recent problems with it and also because It was confirmed by a UK forum sponsor that his customers were having this issue with cyanno and this salt. It could just be a massive coincidence; but I've had it. Lately I've noticed too much of a brown residue after mixing etc and will swap to a synthetic salt.

 

[robojet]

Hi Sahin. I will definitely try to avoid chemical treatments in the future and try to deal with things 'manually'. Too much effort goes into compensating for the effects. As for the D-D salt, I've been using it for sometime now, and I'm not convinced it's the salt (although I wish I could point to something like that ). I've had cyano outbreaks in the past, with other salts. Based on recent events (prior to the cyano outbreak), I'm leaning towards other causes. When the cyano outbreak occurred, it hadn't been long since I had eradicated an aiptasia outbreak (using Berghia), and a hair algae outbreak as well. I have a feeling that my tank was simply trying to get into balance.

I will keep an eye on the salt mix issue. My next favorite brand is Tropic Marin Pro, but it's pricey.

As for the latest, I've been running my skimmer all day. Things seem somewhat settled down. Haven't decided if I'm going to turn off again for the evening or not. I'm leaning towards leaving it on. Crossing my fingers!

 

[robojet]

So, latest status... I skimmer has been running for 2 days. I'm skimming a little wet, but at least not having overflow issues like I was. There does not seem to be any additional fading of my coral and I'm hoping they are at least on there way back to normal. Will just have to watch and see.

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[bertoni]

Okay, that sounds like good new to me!

 

[dirtyBit]

Just curious how fast your dKH rose from 8.5 to 9.5. Maybe that might be a factor in corals fading?

 

[robojet]

Thanks dirtybit. In light of the other issues, I would think this was insignificant. When I used to manually dose Alk, my research and subsequent experience showed that dosing 1.4 was safe in a 24 hour period. I would commonly dose 1.4 all at once with no ill effect. So 1dkh shouldn't be any trouble at all, no matter how fast it occurred. But in my case, I believe it happened as a result of the water changes and probably over several days.

 

[tmz]

Sounds better, good luck.