Looking for some pointers

[reefsurfing]

Hey RC,

I am busy going through my growing pains at this point in time, my sps, they are all STN'ing. I am at a loss so I would love to defer to you all and see if we can figure it out.

Parameters:
Alk 7.8-8.6 seems to be the most consistant range
Cal 380-440
MAG 1350-1400
PH is 8.1- 8.3
Phos undet.
Nitrate undet.
temp 76-79*
1.024-1.026

Maintnance:
Change 2 gallons every 2 days
Rarely need to clean glass
Run Filter socks changed every 3 days
ATO uses RoDI Zero TDS
Test Parameters Weekly
Dose 2 part daily/as needed
Alk-.5oz daily
cal - as needed
mag- as needed

Tank is 1.5years old
Equipment list is in the signature
heres a quick over view of the painful four months
The phos guard was a freebie when I purchased some frags from a local swap
-Four months ago Dino's appear and kill a few frags the day after I added phosguard

1)Lights out 3 days
2)Dosed peroxide at 1ml/10gallon per day for 2 weeks
3)Removed sand from refugium
4)Siphon some sand from the display (1/4Total Volume over 2 weeks)
Dinos dont return but almost all my frags are stressed
-three months ago Corals start to brown a bit and cont. to STN
(I thought it was light related since params are good)
1) Turn AI's up 10% over two weeks
Corals start showing signs of light shock
2)Turned Ai's down to nearly nothing; 25%
-Two months ago loosing pieces 1 by 1
Despite consistant parameters STN persists
1)I start to run GFO and Carbon in the same reactor
previously carbon was always run in a bag and there was no GFO
-Last Month
I started to go more hands off
Now my Zoas are closed and angry
More Frags are STN'ing faster


I am honestly so confused about what is wrong right now. The only other thing I remember changing was the frag glue I used. I switched from Loctite Gel formula to Loctite prescision max. Can anybody shed some light on what I could have done different? maybe a way to save my last few frags? Oh, and the sadest part I lost my clam yesterday in all the chaos. Thanks for any help R.C.ers.

:sad1:

 

[dzhuo]

How many fish do you have and how much do you feed? How long does it take for the corals to STN?

 

[M007]

Sounds like your refractometer might be giving you false readings. After that I would work on flat lining your perams, ALK/Mg/Ca/Temp. 1-1/2 year old tank should be able to support a clam and some zoos without problem.

 

[reefsurfing]

I have 6 fish that get fed 1 cube of hikari brine and a few pellets a day.
2 clowns
2chromis
2 tangs
It takes months for some to STN and others just a week or two. Honestly, I was thinking pest problem but I havent found anything except amphipods and brittle stars. When the STN starts the tips turn a greyish color. Is that normal?

Flatlining? Are you talking about getting them even more consistant??

I am hoping I dont have something leeching but I cant think of anything. The sump is built with GE I silicone. I keep everything really clean and even harvest algea from the sump, I use my baffles as a ATS, to keep exporting nutrients. Its much more simple than a spray bar and works wonders to harvest algae this way.

 

[dzhuo]

Any chance we can see a FTS or a few close up of the affected corals?

 

[M007]

Flatlining? Are you talking about getting them even more consistant?.

Yes specifically your ALK and temp, and verify your SG.

 

[reefsurfing]

Honestly, Had no issues for over a year with SPS in the tank. It tears my heart out because I went from

<a href="http://s762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/?action=view&current=DSC00005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/DSC00005.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And

<a href="http://s762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/?action=view&current=DSC00062.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/DSC00062.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

to, ouch, a wasteland

<a href="http://s762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/?action=view&current=DSC00028.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/DSC00028.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The one on the left seems relatively unaffected

<a href="http://s762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/?action=view&current=DSC00030.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i762.photobucket.com/albums/xx270/Reefsurfing/DSC00030.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[reefsurfing]

Yes specifically your ALK and temp, and verify your SG.

Im kind of shocked b/c I was dosing by hand and my previous swings were way worse; a point and a half sometimes. Were not talking for like a week here and there; I mean this was for about a year. Everything was flourishing; the alk I understand could be a concern at different levels, the temp isnt really going to be do able unless I get a heater, which, I dont trust them. I realize this isnt an ideal situation without a heater but they experience way worse swings in the wild correct? I appreciate the advice I am just trying to understand it better for myself because I thought even hard corals were heartier than that.


Im thinking maybe I need a doser but my tank is so inconsistant on its consumption. Some days alk doesnt move sometimes it will free fall from 9 to 8 and on those days I retest for accuracies sake. If you think those are the issues I will try it.

 

[msp307]

Corals looked starved your doing too much stick with what works weekly wc 10% keep alk stable and the rest is easy. To be honest once I got my calcium reactor dialed in correctly I have no problems at all knock on wood. I just keep it simple think about what you were doing when all was well.

 

[M007]

Im kind of shocked b/c I was dosing by hand and my previous swings were way worse; a point and a half sometimes. Were not talking for like a week here and there; I mean this was for about a year. Everything was flourishing; the alk I understand could be a concern at different levels, the temp isnt really going to be do able unless I get a heater, which, I dont trust them. I realize this isnt an ideal situation without a heater but they experience way worse swings in the wild correct? I appreciate the advice I am just trying to understand it better for myself because I thought even hard corals were heartier than that.

That is the generally accepted but long term temp. swings in nature causes some horrific bleaching.

I'm thinking maybe I need a doser but my tank is so inconsistant on its consumption. Some days alk doesnt move sometimes it will free fall from 9 to 8 and on those days I retest for accuracies sake. If you think those are the issues I will try it.

That kind of thing would concern me, I don't think that's consumption. I totally agree with msp307.

 

[reefsurfing]

Corals looked starved your doing too much stick with what works weekly wc 10% keep alk stable and the rest is easy. To be honest once I got my calcium reactor dialed in correctly I have no problems at all knock on wood. I just keep it simple think about what you were doing when all was well.

If there starved do you have a solution as far as plumping them up? Should I take the GFO Offline?

 

[reefsurfing]

I think I will try taking the reactor offline as far as the GFO and just run the Carbon for now.
The skimmer is newer and it removes a lot more waste than my last skimmer then I added the GFO; so, maybe thats the issue.

Thanks for your help everyone.