Frags dying

[Ab129]

I have 2 BTAs and 3 Frags. BTAs are a couple months old, frags about one month. Everybody seemed very happy! Zoas and the other two frags seemed to be growing, nice and full, open almost all day, I'm thinking this is a piece of cake!!
Then things went south.
Now there are two things I did to coincide with this.
1) I was running my lights at like 20% and I bumped them up to 30%

2) I disturbed the surface of my sandbed to vacuum out some green algae.

Now, the BTAs are both hiding, the zoas have been closed for a week straight and the other two frags are not looking good.

I bumped the lights back down to 23% a few days ago but no apparent changes.

Checked my water on Sunday and all my numbers were spot on.

Any thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Timfish]

For starters what is the time line of the ALL changes you made over hte last couple months? It takes time for animals to adjust so even though the changes might not be out of the range for animals to acclimate too making changes too fast can be a problem (research has shown even though bleached corals may appear to have recovered it can still take months for some internal chemestry to return to "normal"). What are the "spot on" numbers? There's a huge difference of opinion on what's best, some will say to keep your PO4 super low but I would be worried if it was below .03 mg/l. Additionally, if you are keeping you PO4 really low your animals could have adapted to it but if you dosed amino acids it could create a phosphate deficiency that would adversely affect your corals.

 

[Uncle99]

Your lights are powerful so even a 10% change could send the BTA to hiding, that being said, good idea to turn back the light but give some time.

Goods news on the BTA is they can adjust because they can move.

If you could post your parameters and how long these parameters have been supporting your DT, that would help, one mans spot, is another mans loss.

 

[scooter31707]

Is any of your livestock (fish/crabs/shrimp0 messing with them? I've noticed that my zoas like a little dirty water.

 

[Ab129]

Numbers are
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
pH 8.4
Phosphate 0
SG 1.025
Water temp 78.5-80

These numbers have remained pretty constant over the last 2-3 months
I have not noticed any of my fish paying any mind to any of the corals or inverts
No crabs or shrimp, only snails.

The lights I bumped up about a week and a half ago and then bumped them back down 3 days ago.
The vacuuming of the sand bed was 3 weeks ago and 2 weeks ago during my weekly WC.

One more thing I forgot was that I added a bag of phosbond to my sump 2 1/2 weeks ago.

 

[Uncle99]

Your nitrate should be 2-5 ppm and phosphate .02-.04.
Zero means your starving your frags, the need some nutrients

Either never vacuum or always vacuum, one or the other, but be consistent.

When change happens, corals get upset

What is your alk-mag-calcium’s levels

What is the frequency of water change?

If I had to guess I would say light

 

[Ab129]

I am not vacuuming anymore
I don't have test kit for all-mag-calcium
Water changes are 15% weekly.
What is the best way to add some nutrients to see if that helps?

 

[mcgyvr]

Remove the phosguard..Those products are intended for people with phosphate problems...They can do more harm than good when not needed...

Then give us pictures of the frags so we can identify and see how they are doing..

 

[Ab129]

I will remove it tonight.
That's what happens when you are too quick to take advice!
It didn't make sense to me when the lfs recommended the phosguard to help get rid of the algae but he assured me it couldn't do any harm.
The possibility that this may be removing nutrients makes a lot of sense to me.
Will try to post pics tomorrow night.
Going to see ZZ Top tonight.
Thanks Mac

 

[Bill_Moorman]

If I were you, I'd order test kits for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Those three are VITAL to know in a reef tank.


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[Uncle99]

If I were you, I’d order test kits for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Those three are VITAL to know in a reef tank.


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Yes to that, but if you have only a few Stoney corals, a weekly water change with a good salt will keep the numbers mostly in the range. I understand that the test kits are expensive.

If you just get a good alkanity test (Hanna checker is the best) and maintain Alk everyday, then the others can come later

As you progress to a moderate load, the tests will be mandatory as consumption of calcium, alkalinity, and to a minor degree magnesium will be different for each DT.

When the consumption exceeds the water change replenishment, then dosing becomes they way we keep these in line.

The availability of these three elements is what allows for Stoneys to calcify.

 

[Ab129]

I have been using Red Sea salt since the beginning and started using the coral pro for my water changes about a month and a half ago.
I know I will have to test for these additional parameters at some point.
Thank you for the info though. I need to do some research as I start adding corals. I am trying to start small and learn as I go.

 

[Uncle99]

I have been using Red Sea salt since the beginning and started using the coral pro for my water changes about a month and a half ago.
I know I will have to test for these additional parameters at some point.
Thank you for the info though. I need to do some research as I start adding corals. I am trying to start small and learn as I go.

Great choice in Salt, I use the same as it mixes up high in the the NSW ranges which means less dosing required down the road. If you have just a few frags this salt will keep you going without dosing for quite some time.

Like your attitude, go slow, do reaseach, ask the members for their opinions, we wish you great success.

 

[Ab129]

Thanks!
Everyone here has been very cool, don't know where I would be at without all the help! Even when you get conflicting opinions or ideas it's great to be able to hear some options and decide which route you want to take.
I know it must be tiresome for many of the veterans here to answer the same questions over and over. Thanks for the patience!
I will try to post pics of the frags tonight

 

[Ab129]

Zoas have been like this for over a week now

 

[Ab129]

This guy doesn't look so bad here but trust me, he was almost twice this size when he was puffed out. Also been like this a little over a week

 

[Ab129]

I don't even know why I'm posting this one because the picture quality is so poor I can just about tell what I'm looking at but this one also went downhill about 8-10 days ago.

 

[Uncle99]

For what I can see, your rocks appear to be coated with brown algae or diatoms and if so this can prevent corals from opening.

How long has this tank been up and running?
How long has the tank been running after completing the cycle?
Are you sure about your Nitrate and Phosphate numbers?

 

[Ab129]

Yes the rocks do appear to have a brown coating
Tanks was cycled in October/ November first fish added late December.
Lights put on mid February.

 

[Uncle99]

I am not sure you are out of the "ugly stages" and this may affect your corals.
Can you double check Nitrate and Phosphare numbers again?