Dying Stonies

Re: Re: Re: Re: Dying Stonies

Re: Re: Re: Re: Dying Stonies

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10955107#post10955107 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
FWIW I'm not buying the sterility/bacterial infection suggestions.
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add low Mg and predation to that list. I don't think any of these things are causing what we're seeing in this thread however I would continue to slowly raise Mg and add a RDSB.
I'd leave open the possibilty of contamination and react accordingly- maybe run something like Chemi-Pure. I'd also try and get pH up. It's one of the main reasons people with Ca reactors still dose limewater.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10956235#post10956235 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by King-Kong
Gary; what do you know about high potassium levels causing recession? 'Leonardo's Reef' was very concerned over my potassium levels (wherever they are all comnig from, since I dont dose, and Tropic Marin salt isnt known to have high Potassium). Could some food I'm feeding have tons? Is potassium ever used as some kind of preservative?
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I've never tested levels of potassium in any aquarium so I can't rule it out as a factor.
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10962103#post10962103 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kenettson1
How long woud I have to have no SPS in my tank for something like that to eradicate itself??? 1mos, 2, a year? Guess anyone?
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That's what im curious about too..
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Dying Stonies

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Dying Stonies

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10963276#post10963276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
add low Mg and predation to that list. I don't think any of these things are causing what we're seeing in this thread however I would continue to slowly raise Mg and add a RDSB.
I'd leave open the possibilty of contamination and react accordingly- maybe run something like Chemi-Pure. I'd also try and get pH up. It's one of the main reasons people with Ca reactors still dose limewater.


I've never tested levels of potassium in any aquarium so I can't rule it out as a factor.
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Keep in mind that whatever is killing the stonies is also killing two of my LPS. A closed brain, and a favia. These corals are far more tolerant than SPS when it comes to water conditions, and I am even more hard pressed to think that my test results showed water quality at a level suitable to killing THEM.
 
Your phosphates are way too high for SPS. When my phosphates get above .045 my acros start receeding, growing algae, and peeling.
 
Sorry to hear about all this kong. I know what it feels like to work really hard and think you are doing the right things only to see that your tank isnt as healthy as it should be for no apparent reason. Right now my tank is at about 75% health of what it should be (and has been in the past) and I'm scratching my head as well. I did have a move about 4 months ago that might play into it but I dun know.

Those test results look good IMO. There are a few parameters that could be a bit better but I don't see anything there that would cause what you are seeing.

Since it's nothing obvious it will be very hard to pinpoint.

Some of the things I have done are:

-Switch from DIY 2 part to mostly kalk with small amounts 2 part, thinking that it could be a possible ionic imbalance or impurities in the calcium chloride.
-Started adding small amounts of sugar to reduce nitrate and phospate (NO3 ~5ppm and Po4 .015ppm (merk). Also starting being more diligent in getting detritius out of the tank.
-Upped my water change schedule for the time being.
-Another thing that I can think of is I have used a glue gun on some things in my tank. Possibly that is a contaniment??

My tank isn't as bad as your problem but I can tell that it is not as healthy as it should be. Some corals are growing very slow. Color is off and I have one or two pieces that are STNing.

Anyway good luck........this can be a finicky hobby.
 
Did you try GAC to soak up any contaminant metal or chemical that maybe causing your problem. If that did not work, I would think you may have a biological imbalance and might want to try adding healthy bacterial cultures to compete with the bad one you may have. This can be done from various companys product or simply adding some fresh live rock from a healthy tank. Those are my suggestions along with regular water changes.
 
Mysterybox: What are you using to test phosphates with that kind of resolution?

-----

RoBolton: copper was in line with NWS levels -- aquarium water testing checked.

-----------

Twon8: Because corals that were shaded (and used to grow) also died. Also, there was tons of recession on the under part of the corals.

My bulbs havent recently been changed, and the UV glass on my DE reflectors arent broken.

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Cweder: I did run some fresh carbon and GFO for a couple of weeks and nothing changed; recession continued. As for the "fresh" bacteria business, can you point me to any more literature or discussions on the topic? I've heard it mentioned before, but nothing to really back it up.. i am interested to read more.

I am back to running GFO and I threw in a poly filter this morning.
 
your clams are unaffected makes me think water quality is fine with exception to the phos. level which im sure is gone now after adding gfo.one thing does stand out though.they seem perfectly healthy no browning,bleaching,or poor polyp extension which is what usualy happens first with bacterial pathogens or contamination,even poor water quality.i checked out the potassium and it is harmless unless it reacts with something else.but having high potassium levels would indicate that its not.i beleive something is eating it.
 
Sorry, perhaps someone else can link you to a discussion of bacteria monoculture or the like or of course do a search. I think its a theory with not much to back it up. What I have read was mostly for those dosing a Carbon source like sugar or vodka. I have not read anything scientific just anecdotal stuff. I experienced a problem once I kept dosing a C source once I got nitrate to zero. I believe it was starvation not monoculture.

I also heard someone mention here on RC that UV glass protectors lose there effectiveness over time. So dont count that out. Again no scientific data to back this up. I believe the members name was hahnmeister. I use DE glass shields too. So I would like to know the answer as well. Mine are about 3 years old. I have some recession is some coral too, but its from bottom up.

Hopefully Eric Borneman will help you out.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10965345#post10965345 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by King-Kong
Mysterybox: What are you using to test phosphates with that kind of resolution?

-----

RoBolton: copper was in line with NWS levels -- aquarium water testing checked.

-----------

Twon8: Because corals that were shaded (and used to grow) also died. Also, there was tons of recession on the under part of the corals.

My bulbs havent recently been changed, and the UV glass on my DE reflectors arent broken.

--------

Cweder: I did run some fresh carbon and GFO for a couple of weeks and nothing changed; recession continued. As for the "fresh" bacteria business, can you point me to any more literature or discussions on the topic? I've heard it mentioned before, but nothing to really back it up.. i am interested to read more.

I am back to running GFO and I threw in a poly filter this morning.
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I use Merk/Deltec/ROWA test to get phosphates. I have verified the results with a HACH kit that I sold and also the online service is very close to what I tested. When my phosphates get above .045, it takes me a good 2 or 3 weeks to get them down steady below .024 AND to visually see results. I put 15 tablespoons in a reactor, add an additional bag in the sump, & add more chaeto or caulpera. I then change the media out every 2 weeks until I see healing begin. Then I change it out every 3 to 4 weeks.
 
How often do you scrape your front glass? How long is your photo period? Im thinking low nutrients, combined with photoinhibition may be a possibility.

I remember reading in Bombers starboard thread that he only had his halides on for 2 hours a day, the rest of the time it was VHO's. Alternately, Eric borneman has a 1000 watt halide over his tank. Both tanks grow corals really well, they just have a different way of going about it. I think 1000 watts of halide on for 10 hours a day on bombers tank would cook the life out of those corals..

Personally, I would try lowering the photoperiod to 4 hours, and maybe feed some sort of coral food, be it blended clams/oysters, or the less then 50 micron golden pearls, oyster eggs, rods food, whatever. Make that Ati monster skimmer earn its keep :)

Other then that I dunno what to say, the whole setup seems perfect.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10969923#post10969923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrPike
How often do you scrape your front glass?
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MrPike beat me to it- I was going to ask this question.
More specifically- how quickly does a green film of microalgae grow on your glass.
 
I scrape every 4-5 days because Diatoms (brown).. Green would take over a week.. the high silicates are obviously fueling the diatoms, but where are the silicates coming from? RO/DI is 0ppm TDS, and all filters were changed in the middle of this.
 
according to your results that you posted, "Nitrate(NO3)
Tested: 7.50 mg/l Phosphate(PO4)
Tested: 0.130 mg/l" you have too much nutrients as is. Adding more with only make matters worse IMO.
 
Dang, well, takes care of that. I was hoping for an answer like "I have never scraped my glass".

Stray voltage?

I just don't buy the to many nutrients argument. The corals would brown out, not just straight up die.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10970610#post10970610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrPike
Dang, well, takes care of that. I was hoping for an answer like "I have never scraped my glass".

Stray voltage?

I just don't buy the to many nutrients argument. The corals would brown out, not just straight up die.
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Exactly. The tissue on my blue millepora is beautiful, same with the others... you can see it in the pics.. theyre vivid and healthy colors.. that tells me a good balance of nutrients and lights.
 
is that a metal stand your tank is on?

if so.. do you have rust at the joints on the bottom above the sump .. think i see some on the left corner in the pic of your sump..

do you get salt spray or crrep on the sump.. any water run down the back of the tank creep.. fish spalsh ect... that might come across the rust and drop into the sump.. ..

get some media that removes metals and do water change first..

what salt are you using..

have you recently switched?
 
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