Help! Why are my coral dying?

[reefnutty]

Please help! I don't understand what's happening! The tank has been cycled for 3 months, no alge, very clean water. I keep losing some corals. They slowly loose their color and eventually bleach out. Some have been fine though.

First-off the equipment:
Red-sea reefer 250 (65gal total water vol)
Sump with two filter socks
Finnex 300W Heater
Reef Octopus 3500 DC return pump
Reef Octopus 152 s classic skimmer
2 Hyrda 26 AI
2 Vortech MP10W
GFO & Carbon Rox reactor
Neptune Systems Apex Aqua Controller with Lab Grade temp and ph probes
Neptune DOS with reservoir
Neotune WXM

The water:
Temp - 78.6
PH 8.26
dkh 10
Ca - currently 506 (I know this is high, it seems the coral isn't taking up the ca)
Mg- Unknown
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 0
NH3 - 0

I do a 30 % h20 change every 2 weeks like clockwork, therefore the Mg should be okay and not allowing the Ca to create a chain but not 100% sure. I need to get a tester.

I'm running the Hydra's at 1600K max 80% at peak.

What am I missing?

Oh, I'm also dosing with RedSea coral colors & Reef Energy

Thanks in advanced,
Taylor

 

[mav3rick478]

Alk seems high, good range is usually 8-9.5dkh. Never assume your levels are alright without testing. For example I use RC salt and it seems that the lower half of the bucket is low in MG even though I always rotate the bucket before use.

What kind of corals are dying?

What corals are surviving?

Do you light acclimate the corals?

Are there any fish?

Your lights could be too intense.

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[Dragonvale]

+1 on what kind of corals?

 

[Reef Bass]

Your tank is still very new at 3 months.

While I don't have LED lights, 1600K is a super low color temperature. Sunlight tends to be 5000-7000K. My MHs are 20,000K. Maybe you mean 16,000K?

While I hear your point that mag is likely ok because of your water change regimen, if you're trying to keep hard corals, get a reading on it. Alk, ca and mag are key for hard corals.

 

[thysrof]

Alk too high it could be burning some of the more delicate corals. Get you alk dialed in then worry about Ca. If you change more than one thing at a time you won't know what really happened. Start with ALk. I doubt the lighting is killing Corals, although I've been wrong more times than I'd like to admit. I actually run alk at 7-8 and closer to 7 and find my corals do much better at 7ish than 8ish.

Welcome to the Challenges of Reefing!

 

[d_carloo]

check how much GFO and carbon are you using to much of them can be a problem

 

[firefly73]

combination of high light highish temp high alk gfo and new tank.

your acclimation may need to take longer

check your mg unlikly but possible

id stop your dosing for colours to for awhile if nothings getting used you maybe o/dosing.

 

[reefnutty]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
To answer some of your questions.
The tank has primarily stony corals with the exception of star polyps, one hammer and some zoas, all of which are doing fine. Although the hammer hasn't been fully extended in a few weeks now.

The dying corals have been all stony.

Fish:, 4 clown fish, 1 blue tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 watermelon wrasse, 1 Royal gramma, 1 Alge blenny, 2 fire fish, 1 red dragonette
2 cleaner shrimps
Assorted snails

Typically I do a short acclimation period but most coral I get are already under LEDs.

Oh.. And my mistake, the light temp is 16000K.
Does anyone know other people locally with the same light setup? What are their settings?

I've stopped dosing the coral colors and begun loweri the Alk, I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

Thanks again,
Taylor

 

[CSalty]

What is your salinity?


SSgt Saltwater

 

[Reef Bass]

Euphyllia (hammer) are stony corals. They have a hard skeleton.

 

[mav3rick478]

I think Fish Pros in Cotati use those same lights over their frag tanks or maybe the older ones. Talk to Hari about them.

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[WWIII]

Seems like you put on or added everything you possibly could to your tank in a short amount of time (3 months) might go to the basics of alkalinity, calcium, etc... then add the gfo, carbon, coral colors, etc, as needed. That may help you dial in what is causing problems for certain corals.

 

[Bl@ckbird]

Seems like you put on or added everything you possibly could to your tank in a short amount of time (3 months) might go to the basics of alkalinity, calcium, etc... then add the gfo, carbon, coral colors, etc, as needed. That may help you dial in what is causing problems for certain corals.

+1. You've got a lot going on in a short bit of time. Slow.... Is key in this hobby. I recently add a single fish to a new 40 gal total volume cube setup and it's been up and running for several months empty.

Also I'd stop dosing any additives just yet.... Stable chemistry will make your corals grow faster and look better than something in a bottle.


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[DivingTheWorld]

As others have said, Alk is likely too high. With zero nutrients, I'd lower to 7-8. Also, you need some nutrients, stony corals like nutrients. Low is good, zero is bad.

Your tank is too new. Stony corals generally need a seasoned tank and most don't do well until around the 1 year mark. I found that with my tank. Mag is key to stability. If it's too low, your Alk will be all over the place.

 

[Reefstarter2]

just too fast simple as that . chaulk it up to lesson learned and be ready for more problems . getyour system balanced , stable and let your bio filter catch up .

 

[reefnutty]

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I'll keep you posted on the progression of the tank.


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[Flippers4pups]

What is your source water? RO/DI? Tap? Have you tested your fresh water for chorimines/ chorine?