SaraB's 268 Gallon Build¦ Try #3!

[SaraB]

:sad1: Sara I'm sorry to hear that the issues are still continuing. I'm hoping for the best and sending good vibes your way in hopes that it helps in some way. Hang in there :sad2:

I'm so sorry that you are facing this stuff Sara. You don't deserve it. I need you strong so that you and Lisa can help me through my inevitable crises...............Peter's fish room girls have got to be brave...........

Peter

Thanks Guys, I guess I'm more pi$$ed than anything now.

On a good note I did beat the Hair Algae ... :uzi:

Last night I pulled out my frag system and set that up. I'm going to pull all the LPS that still appears to be healthy and place it in there and start some dips before I consider moving them to someone elses tank. I had read something about a bacteria issue a couple days ago, so that's got me worrying/wondering now if that is what is going on in my tank. Time will tell I guess! At least my fish are still healthy ... knock on wood!

 

[SaraB]

Gary snapped some pics last week and was able to get a nice one of the red headed wrasse.

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[goat585]

So Shawn hit the nail on the head with my current state of my system. I've lost about 100 corals so far and there's no end in sight currently. Something has ahold of my corals and nothing has been spared other than zoa's and ricordea and some tonga mushrooms at this point. The flesh is peeling off the acans, bowerbanki's and wilsoni's. The favia's are receeding right along with the chalices. The majority of the LE chalices were moved, but all but a few that were left are showing their skeletons. I've even melted Duncans ... the darn weeds in my system.

The skeletons left behind are either stark white and some have a hue of pink. I have no clue what is wrong and I'm about to toss in the towel on them... I've done big water changes, running carbon, chemipure, blah, blah, blah. I hit the tank tonight with Interceptor just to see if it helps but I'm at a loss in more ways than one with this now.

Sorry to hear this Sara,

I know someone who was having a similar issue and dropped the tank temperature down to I believe 74-75 degrees and everything started to do better. The lower temperature could help slow down what is happening in your tank or maybe kill what ever is causing your issue.

 

[SaraB]

Sorry to hear this Sara,

I know someone who was having a similar issue and dropped the tank temperature down to I believe 74-75 degrees and everything started to do better. The lower temperature could help slow down what is happening in your tank or maybe kill what ever is causing your issue.

Thanks Tom. I actually do already run at 75, so I can't go much colder!

I'm sending some coral and a water samples off tonight to a frend for testing so I'm hoping she actually find something to explain all of this loss.

 

[DanW]

I really like that wrasse Sara and Gary has crazy photo skillz. :thumbsup: Are things getting better with your system?

 

[SaraB]

Thanks Dan!

No, there's been no improvement in the corals but the algae is still gone!

I removed all of the LPS corals last Monday that "looked" healthy, gave them a TMPCC dip and put them into my frag tank I take to local swaps. They got another dip on Friday night in Coral Rx as well. I want to make sure these corals are stable and healthy and can be moved to a friends system without infecting his tank with something. That is also why I'm getting some tests done with the package going out tonight to a friend.

 

[sugartooth]

Oh my gosh Sara, my mouth dropped open when I saw this. I'm so sorry for what you have gone through with your corals. I hope what you are able to salvage will be safe and sound with your friend. Just a shot in the dark, has anything changed with your ventilation system at all? Opening windows for extended periods of time before this started?


Have you ever added live zooplankton, live mysids, amphipods and copepods to your tank? I usually buy from various online vendors once a year to add to the tank. Not that I can say for certain, but my feeling is sometimes swings in microfauna populations (not related to disease) can also lead to mysterious happenings in our tanks.

I didn't do it this year for my main tank because I was thinking I would do it after the upgrade, and that's one possibility in my mind the reason that I had some problems before breaking the tank down. But I wouldn't know for certain because I didn't test for anything either. Just a shot in the dark.

 

[SaraB]

Thanks Kathy! Nothing has really changed as the tank and fishroom are both located in the basement and the room has been vented the same way for years now. The slow death has been going on for months now, so I can't put my finger on anything at this point ... that's why I'm hoping the tests can show me something.

I have not added any microfauna populations to the system ever ... I most likely removed some when taking out the DSB in the fuge is all. The algae issues are gone, but so are the majority of the coral Beefy stopped over on Sunday and took one look at the tank and asked what happened? It's pretty bare in the display as only 13 half-surviving SPS corals remain that have grown onto the rockwork.

The only things I can say changed in the last year has been adding 2-part dosing to keep the paramaters stable and a change in salt from the standard Tropic Marin to the Tropic Marin Bio-actif. I can also say I feel a big change coming on after this blow to the system!

 

[DanW]

Thanks Dan!

No, there's been no improvement in the corals but the algae is still gone!

I removed all of the LPS corals last Monday that "looked" healthy, gave them a TMPCC dip and put them into my frag tank I take to local swaps. They got another dip on Friday night in Coral Rx as well. I want to make sure these corals are stable and healthy and can be moved to a friends system without infecting his tank with something. That is also why I'm getting some tests done with the package going out tonight to a friend.

Again sending good vibes your way and hoping that the testing turns up an answer.

 

[pookstreet]

Keep your chin up, Sara. So what kind of "big change" are we talking about? Fish only? That would be stunning with a nice fish collection. Maybe it's time to go for some nice angels

 

[PauChi]

Sara,

I have to read up on what actually happened to your system and so sorry to hear about this and if it makes ya feel any better ... my tank crashed during the summer's heat wave in Toronto.

Lost all but one of my prized SPS colonies ... melted Duncan colonies which I've had for years and I was shocked that the Rhyzos were all doing fine?? Temperatures went sky high after home central A/C unit broke down ....

I will read yours after this ...

Take care and yeah ... do call me whenever you're in Toronto alrighty?

Paul

 

[SaraB]

Again sending good vibes your way and hoping that the testing turns up an answer.

Thank you Dan ... if nothing else I'm going to get some more simplicity out of this system. Jon's still talking about your tank

 

[SaraB]

Thanks Paul and I'm so sorry to hear you had issues with the heat wave up north this summer

I've not made it back to Toronto since I talked to you on the phone up there from the office. I'm hoping to maybe take a long weekend up maybe next year with the hubby to see some sights other than the PATH and First Canadian Place and also squeeze in a visit to Peter's house! I'll keep you posted.

 

[PauChi]

If you come fast enough then you may end up with some Red Dragon and other awesome and hard to find SPS my friend!!

'Tis the season of SPS :celeb3:!!

Paul

 

[PauChi]

BTW ... seeing that a whole lotta of your LPS' problem ... could it be a Magnesium issue? Way back I've encountered polyp bailouts and saw Pinkish tint to sections of the dead coral skeleton area as well.

That was my very first try out on a Aussie Acan frag

Paul

 

[SaraB]

BTW ... seeing that a whole lotta of your LPS' problem ... could it be a Magnesium issue? Way back I've encountered polyp bailouts and saw Pinkish tint to sections of the dead coral skeleton area as well.

That was my very first try out on a Aussie Acan frag

Paul

Mag was running 1400-1600 to help with the algae issues. Was yours running high as well or just low?

 

[mpoletti]

Big changes seem to be the thing these days :thumbsup:

 

[SaraB]

Keep your chin up, Sara. So what kind of "big change" are we talking about? Fish only? That would be stunning with a nice fish collection. Maybe it's time to go for some nice angels

Thanks Kenny, I'm still undecided at this point. Gary loves the fish only idea and I think of ripping the beast out and going smaller and more simplified. I have far too many hobbies to stay on top of :crazy1:

 

[PauChi]

Mag was running 1400-1600 to help with the algae issues. Was yours running high as well or just low?

My Mag reading was right around 1300 at that time and I don't think yours would have any adverse effect on the corals IMHO. HHmmm ... ??

Paul

 

[Dejavu]

Gary snapped some pics last week and was able to get a nice one of the red headed wrasse.

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Love the wrasse Sara! Glad to hear the tank is taking small steps forward.