How to save dying Xenia and other softies?

[aras]

My new 90g tank is 1.5 months old and still suffering from diatom bloom and green algae. It never had a proper cycle as all live rock came from an established old tank.

My problem is that soft corals (especially Xenia and GSP) that were growing like weed in the old tank now seem to be dying

I suspect low nitrates to be the issue, but I'm open to other suggestions. In the old tank nitrates were around 2-10. In the new one they are pretty much undetectable with Salifert kit. Other parameters: KH:11, PH:8, Phosph:0.01, Ca:440.

No dosing, top up with limewater. Running skimmer and refugium with some macroalgea.

Maybe I should turn off skimmer and remove macro to try to increase Nitrates a bit? On the other hand I don't want green algae to get our of control...

 

[thelawnwrangler]

if you are having an algae bloom odds are you have nitrates that are getting consumed giving you a false reading right?

 

[Apotack]

Please come kill my xenia

 

[aras]

if you are having an algae bloom odds are you have nitrates that are getting consumed giving you a false reading right?

It could well be the case, but why soft corals are dying if there is enough nitrate in water for algae...

 

[thelawnwrangler]

Wish i was more experienced to reply with a good answer. Is lighting different?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

[C.Eymann]

For softies in trouble, first 5hing I would do us a lugols dip, then go from there.

 

[aras]

For softies in trouble, first 5hing I would do us a lugols dip, then go from there.

It would be difficult to dip xenia - it's attached to 2 large pieces of live rock. Why do you think dip would help? I normally dip all new stuff in Coral RX. But xenia started deteriorating before I added anything new, so don't think there are any pests involved...

 

[miranda1960]

dips are good when there are infections.. (softs getting black etc)... Xenia is bit strange sometimes they grow like weed sometimes they dissepear suddenly..

 

[TheCoralNabber]

How much lime in your limewater? Could it be that you are dosing too much lime water?

 

[rt67ghy]

I think zenia and GSP prefer dirty water where there's lots of phytoplankton. Since you have no/little NO3 phyto isn't getting food for growth. I would turn off the skimmer and get NO3 to rise to 2 - 10 ppm like you had in your old tank. You also don't want zero phosphates since phyto need this for growth. You could also reduce the lighting for your macro so it doesn't consume all the nitrates.

 

[saf1]

I think zenia and GSP prefer dirty water where there's lots of phytoplankton. Since you have no/little NO3 phyto isn't getting food for growth. I would turn off the skimmer and get NO3 to rise to 2 - 10 ppm like you had in your old tank. You also don't want zero phosphates since phyto need this for growth. You could also reduce the lighting for your macro so it doesn't consume all the nitrates.

This is a good idea.

I keep softies for this very reason. Lazier than most and I prefer to keep my hands out of the tank Xenia and Kenya trees like dirtier water and not sterile like others. The key of course is finding a balance for everything in the tank. Just chiming in to support the food and water conditions some soft corals prefer.

 

[RA]

Xenia may do slightly better in water that isn't pristine, however don't believe the idea that the water has to be dirty for them to thrive. I grow them out in one of my tanks and I skim wet and run GFO on this tank. I have LPS & SPS corals in this tank also. Check your alk, even though you are using limewater it can still get low depending on evaporation. Adjust it to be around 9 or 10, and are you sure the salinity is in the 1.025 range. I wish that I could sell it as fast as it grows, I end up flushing about a pints worth every month.