My corals are starting to die need advise!

[stlouisguy]

Two year old tank, all params are normal. Nothing new added to take for the last 3-4 months, in the last three days have noticed three of the corals started going white at the base, now it has traveled all the way up the stalks pics below is the worst one. All I run is calcium reactor and skimmer

Just did a 40 gallon water change put carbon in. Only thing that has changed lately is I went to all 14k phoenix bulbs (3x250de and 2x150de) about three month ago.

Any ideas?

<img src=http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/73723MVC-022F.JPG>

 

[acroconut]

How's your water circulation/flow? Sometimes when sps grow out they block flow to other sps colonies and stn will start. Also have you kept tabs on your magnesium?

 

[damienkee]

any parameter swing?

 

[Dizzyswimmer]

I have lost all most all of my SPS recently, I had tissue loss from the base up and tips down. I never found the problem in my 210. I moved all the survivors into another tank , lost some more.
Looks like I might save a few. Sadly very few. I will have to pertty much start over. I hope you have much better luck finding the problem than I did.

 

[stlouisguy]

Water circ seems to be fine duel 6100's on a wavemaker. mag is in line along with all other params.

Im at a loss.

 

[Dizzyswimmer]

My Circulation was good . Much better in the new tank. Good luck

 

[MiddletonMark]

Can you list all your water parameters?

What's your filtration?
What salt do you use, how often do you normally change it?
[just did 45g on a 175g system?]

 

[airwaybill]

I'm having a similar problem. Thought I had it figured with a toxin that got in. But it's been about two months and with water changes and carbon changes, no change. Still losing things. I'm thinking bacterial infection from a new frag I got. I dipped it in freshwater but that may not have gotten it.

I'm also at a loss because I've checked and double checked everything.

Salinity: 1.024
ph:8.3
alk:2.8-3.2meq/l
n, nitrite and amm all 0
phos: undetectable
mag: about 1185 (I know could be higher)
temp stays at 78 to 80
salt is instant ocean
no change in bulbs recently.

All seems normal. I can't figure it out either.

 

[MiddletonMark]

You freshwater dip your corals? Buffered pH to 8.2 or ?

Personally, I avoid dipping as IME it stresses the coral often more than it helps. That said, for Acroporids I've only dipped in an iodine bath ...

 

[jackson6745]

Check for copper and electrical current. Sometimes pumps malfunction, it happened twice to me.

 

[duec22]

How are you checking your salinity. I was just recently reminded of how out of wack hydrometers can get...was reading 1.025 when it was actually more like 1.030...refractometer here I come... I didn't notice anything wrong with the tank untill one of my digi's started to STN.

 

[AcanLord]

Hello
If all parameters are fine and only acro are dying, check for acro eating flat worms. Good luck.
DW

 

[Dizzyswimmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747801#post6747801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AcanLord
Hello
If all parameters are fine and only acro are dying, check for acro eating flat worms. Good luck.
DW

I checked all mine and they were clean ,no redbugs or
acro eating flat worms. I think it may have been bacterial. ( in my case anyway ).

 

[Pmesyngier]

airwaybill
I'm having a similar problem. Thought I had it figured with a toxin that got in. But it's been about two months and with water changes and carbon changes, no change. Still losing things. I'm thinking bacterial infection from a new frag I got. I dipped it in freshwater but that may not have gotten it.


I had the same problems with acrops and not only affected these corals but also pumping xenias. I recovered a few with the adition of Iron (2+) and Lugol everyday. The rest of corals(LPS) looks to be fine.

 

[simon.007]

Check your magnesium.

Simon

 

[mikeguerrero]

Check your ORP and look for a drop !!!

MG

 

[TA]

Frag while you can and try to save at least some of them. Been experiencing the exact same thing (alot of threads exactly like this lately...hmmmmm).

good luck; keep us posted.

 

[airwaybill]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6747052#post6747052 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MiddletonMark
You freshwater dip your corals? Buffered pH to 8.2 or ?

Personally, I avoid dipping as IME it stresses the coral often more than it helps. That said, for Acroporids I've only dipped in an iodine bath ...

I adjust the ph but that's it. It's only about a 10 second dip to get rid of flatworms and such. It doesn't seem to stress them too much.

I checked for copper and no trace. No electrical that I can tell. Only a couple of pumps in the tank. They are all in good working order.

I haven't seen any of the flatworms either, but I did have red bugs. Except the colonies with the infections aren't the ones dying.

I don't have an orp monitor otherwise I would check it. Not sure how it would drop though. I'll have to research that.

As for the Iron and Lugols, I never thought of those. I do really frequent water changes so I didn't think it could be that. But I have noticed a difference in colors. Maybe something is sucking up those two?!?!

I'll have to check it out.

Thanks for the advice. It's been driving me crazy!!!:mad2:

 

[drock59]

what kind of salt? Maybe you got a bad batch or something has been building up or being deprived via the salt over time.

 

[DocReefer]

Certainly looks like what I've experienced with redbugs. When was the last time you added something foreign into your tank?