Could Emerald Crabs be partially responsible for this? other cause?

[Outlets710]

A month or so ago I put in 4 emerald crabs to help a bubble algae problem in my 30g ( overkill I know) .Weeks later I noticed some very sporadic bleaching w some of my sps . 2 of my Pocillopora were bleaching at tips which made me think it was the emerald crabs than one of my other poc. began bleaching from the bottom. As I know the crabs are not fully responsible however what else could be causing the bleaching. I have seen them pick at a birdsnest i had so I know they have wrecked some havoc but what am I doing wrong for the rest to be bleaching?
I have also had a montipora w light bleaching and tissue tearing occur. I will of course list all my parameters but I cant figure out whats going on. Any help would be greatly greatly appreciated!

If I have left any info out please let me know.

Do you many of you guys keep Emerald Crabs?


temp- was 71 just brought up gradually to 76 (constant)
Salinity 1.023 (constant)
nitrates-15-20
calcium 430-450
alk 8.4
mag-1300

dosing
1 cap of microvore daily
1 1/2 caps of Replenish weekly
1 cube of mysis daily for fish and lps
chemipure elite

15% water changes monthly

could I be over feeding or dosing? I have also noticed the colors are not as deep as before

please excuse the poor photography, working w an Android phone camera

before

 

[Outlets710]

This is what I came home to tonight, my rev superman is now doing same

 

[Acronic]

Yes emerald crabs feed on sps... That said i dont think that is your problem. Best to check the tank an hour after lights out to catch them in the act.

 

[Outlets710]

Any guesses on what could be going on?

 

[mayjong]

i'm no expert, but that seems like alot of food/supps for a 30G...
71F will do that,too- and it may take several days to show up.

 

[Acronic]

For starters I would raise temp to ~80F

Raise SG to 1.026

Lower No3 to <2ppm

What is your PO4 reading? I suggest investing the the Hanna checker for this.

 

[Acronic]

Dp.

 

[Flatlander]

Mine always climb into my large tri colour colony for the night but have never seen any damage to it.

 

[Outlets710]

Ever since the bleaching started I have began dosing Restor, should I discontinue that? I have never really been big on supplements

i'm no expert, but that seems like alot of food/supps for a 30G...
71F will do that,too- and it may take several days to show up.

At night I feed the microvore and 3/4 of the mysis cube, I have 6 fish so they do a pretty good job of cleaning up. I refreeze the remaining quarter and feed it to my scolymia in the morning when tentacles are out. Should I do away with the Microvore or cut back on mysis?

I live in fl so I have always gotten away w not having a heater than again I had halides now I just have 4 t5's so I was a little late getting a heater and temp dropped to 71 for a good few days.

For starters I would raise temp to ~80F

Raise SG to 1.026

Lower No3 to <2ppm

What is your PO4 reading? I suggest investing the the Hanna checker for this.

I will start tomorrow on my next water change introducing the higher salinty and will also increase water temp. Sad to say I don't test phosphates, I will buy a Hanna checker tomorrow and post my results.




Thank you all for the help

 

[Arkayology]

for starters i would raise temp to ~80f

raise sg to 1.026

lower no3 to <2ppm

what is your po4 reading? I suggest investing the the hanna checker for this.

+1

 

[trueblackpercula]

I don't think it's the crabs but it does look like an Alk swing. Are you dosing two part or have a calcium reactor? From the looks of the pictures I do not see claw marks but I do see STN. Also from the pictures it looks like red slim algae and that is also not a good sign. What are your PO4 levels?

 

[sahin]

I don't think it's the crabs but it does look like an Alk swing. Are you dosing two part or have a calcium reactor? From the looks of the pictures I do not see claw marks but I do see STN. Also from the pictures it looks like red slim algae and that is also not a good sign. What are your PO4 levels?

My feelings too. It looks too clean...like fresh striping off due to Alk or other water parameter issue rather than crabs.

 

[Reef Bass]

+1 stn. +1 water quality issue.

 

[Outlets710]

You guys called it........

You guys called it........

I took a sample of water today to my LFS to get phosphates tested and as many suggested it was through the roof, .92. So far I have done a 50% water change and I'm running chemipure elite. In addition,I'll be backing off on the feeding as suggested. I know i need a skimmer i just dont know where i would put as my tank sits on my kitchen bar and backs up to the wall.

Any suggestions in addition to what I have already done?

I'll def be purchasing a phosphate tester sometime this week.

Thank you all again for replying

 

[toothman]

20 nitrates, no good
is that cyano growing all over
Check phos with hanna.

your gravel may just be too dirty.

Water changes with 0.0 water.

 

[Outlets710]

I don't think it's the crabs but it does look like an Alk swing. Are you dosing two part or have a calcium reactor? From the looks of the pictures I do not see claw marks but I do see STN. Also from the pictures it looks like red slim algae and that is also not a good sign. What are your PO4 levels?

I dose 2 part. STN?
Your right on the slime but its brown not red. Will that go away once I get phosphates under control? Or is something else causing it?
It just started recently on the tips.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I dose 2 part. STN?
Your right on the slime but its brown not red. Will that go away once I get phosphates under control? Or is something else causing it?
It just started recently on the tips.

Ok few more questions sounds like we are making progress. What water are you using RO/DI or tap water?
Chemipure is good but the are other products to use as well.
From the looks of your tank you have some nice corals and I suggest a protein skimmer and dosing GFO. Cut back on the food as this will help as well. As for the algae cutting down the PO4 will help but not on the brown algae if its diatoms. You are asking some great questions and I don't want to miss lead you with what to buy or how to keep a mixed sps lps tank but you are definitely on the right track.

 

[Outlets710]

20 nitrates, no good
is that cyano growing all over
Check phos with hanna.

your gravel may just be too dirty.

Water changes with 0.0 water.

Oh wow I do have a bit of an issue w my sand bed, I guess I didn't see it being a problem due to it being between the glass and my substrate and not on surface, but it is bad along the perimeter of the tank . Wonderful, another issue:headwallblue: any suggestions?

Ok few more questions sounds like we are making progress. What water are you using RO/DI or tap water?
Chemipure is good but the are other products to use as well.
From the looks of your tank you have some nice corals and I suggest a protein skimmer and dosing GFO. Cut back on the food as this will help as well. As for the algae cutting down the PO4 will help but not on the brown algae if its diatoms. You are asking some great questions and I don't want to miss lead you with what to buy or how to keep a mixed sps lps tank but you are definitely on the right track.

yes using RO/Di water, checked it last night 0 tds.
What do you recommend instead of chemipure? any particular GFO?
Looks like my problem is a bit worse than I thought, I am going to lay off w the mysis and switch to flakes for a little while or at least mysis only twice a week.

after looking at other pics, I do have diatoms growing.
I have never had to deal w this before I have always bigger tanks that allowed space for Deltec skimmers and large sumps to insure good water circ.
This is my first Nano SPS tank and certainly doesn't help not being able to have all of that. Looks like I am going to have to find room for a skimmer. thanks again.

 

[sahin]

Oh wow I do have a bit of an issue w my sand bed, I guess I didn't see it being a problem due to it being between the glass and my substrate and not on surface, but it is bad along the perimeter of the tank . Wonderful, another issue:headwallblue: any suggestions?



yes using RO/Di water, checked it last night 0 tds.
What do you recommend instead of chemipure? any particular GFO?
Looks like my problem is a bit worse than I thought, I am going to lay off w the mysis and switch to flakes for a little while or at least mysis only twice a week.

after looking at other pics, I do have diatoms growing.
I have never had to deal w this before I have always bigger tanks that allowed space for Deltec skimmers and large sumps to insure good water circ.
This is my first Nano SPS tank and certainly doesn't help not being able to have all of that. Looks like I am going to have to find room for a skimmer. thanks again.

I am from the UK, so we mainly use Rowaphos which is a premium brand and is available worldwide. In the USA, there are mainly brands, but the stuff from Bulk Reef Supply should be fine for you:http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-media-additives/gfo.html

Reducing the PO4 to around 0.03ppm is good enough. Reducing NO3 to less than 5ppm is a good target.

The main ways to reduce NO3 and PO4 is lots of regular water changes and use of GFO. Maybe use some GAC (Carbon to soak up some organics etc).
Carry out 10% weekly water changes - at least for the next 3 months.

Try your best to siphone out the diatoms/Cyanno. - Use an airline hose stuck to a tong to reduce the amount of water loss.

Perhaps, also reduce your light hours to no more than 6 hours. Your corals will be fine with this. SPS corals may brown slightly, but certainly wont die.

All the while, watch your Calcium, Alkalinity and Mag levels.

I just noticed that your specific gravity is stated to be 1.023.

Try and compare with a friend or LFS with a healthy tank and or calibrate your refractormeter and try this to about 1.025.

The one other thing you can do is do lights out for 3 days every 5 days to really hit the diatoms and Cyanno if it starts getting worse.

My first tank was a nano. It is testing. But persevere and in 3 months your tank should be fine.

 

[TULSATYE]

Flakes and dry foods tend to have more phosphate in them, I personally would just cut back how much u feed not what u feed. I feed once per day and sometimes I will skip a day.