STN...could it be from my condo being cleaned?

[dg3147]

Tank is 9 months old, LPS/clams are doing well, but any sps I put in the tank STN from base and tips over about a 1 month period. Parameers are perfect (will list them later). This is my second tank, so it's not like I am making rookie moves.

Took GFO off line and added new sps...they dies too. Not dosing anything.

I think it could be the cleaning products used in the house. I live in a small condo and have my house cleaned every two weeks during whihc time the place smells like cleaning products for 2-3 days in my poorly ventilated condo. She knows not to clean the tank.

Could it be the cleaning products?

 

[ssscuz]

Tank is 9 months old, LPS/clams are doing well, but any sps I put in the tank STN from base and tips over about a 1 month period. Parameers are perfect (will list them later).
Took GFO off line and added new sps...they dies too. Not dosing anything.

Two contradictory statements, your not dosing anything but your parameters are stable. You would have to be dosing to keep parameters stable because of coral uptake?

 

[dg3147]

Two contradictory statements, your not dosing anything but your parameters are stable. You would have to be dosing to keep parameters stable because of coral uptake?

I ment not dosing anything funny like a carbon source or supplements. I dose Kalk in my ATO.

 

[dg3147]

The question is, could it be the fumes in the house?

 

[biggles]

Whilst toxic fumes can be drawn into your water especially by your skimmer i really doubt that is the cause if nothing else shows signs of distress. SPS are less tolerant of water quality goofs than many other corals but not by a great deal, i've had mixed reefs and observed the reactions to my stuff ups lol.
To remove or at least lessen the effects of the cleaning in case it is that i would turn the skimmer off on cleaning day and leave it off for 2-3 days after. Ask if you can supply the eco friendly type chemicals that don't contain toxic substances for the cleaner to use. Run carbon 24/7 for the week after cleaning if you don't already use it.
Remember we dip these things in bug pesticide baths and other deadly chemicals and they don't spit a polyp dummy over that. I would still urge you too keep an open mind on the cause being connected to your water/lighting somehow, good luck.

 

[aqua80]

dip the worst looking corals for AEFW.....

 

[power boat jim]

Our house is cleaned every coulple weeks too. I can always tell by the fresh smell when I come in. I dont have any adverse effects in my tank because of it. I would run carbon 24/7 just as a good practice and if you want, run the intake from the skimmer line outside in fresh air just to see if it matters ( I doubt it will). STN from the base up is more likely caused by alk problems or in some cases lack of flow.

 

[kenith]

When you say die, can you be more specific? Stn, rtn, bite marks, overnight death, ect. Any polyp extension and how's the colors?

 

[jackson6745]

Post a pic of your tank so show us what you have going on.

 

[dg3147]

Post a pic of your tank so show us what you have going on.

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/5D449D8F-EDB0-41B6-9B34-B809D3E9677C-7534-0000031ADD40F3A0.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/5D449D8F-EDB0-41B6-9B34-B809D3E9677C-7534-0000031ADD40F3A0.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 5D449D8F-EDB0-41B6-9B34-B809D3E9677C-7534-0000031ADD40F3A0.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/D3998FD0-A62E-436E-A0C8-1DEC7B0D3F00-7534-0000031ADFAEFF43.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/D3998FD0-A62E-436E-A0C8-1DEC7B0D3F00-7534-0000031ADFAEFF43.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo D3998FD0-A62E-436E-A0C8-1DEC7B0D3F00-7534-0000031ADFAEFF43.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/9BBA95F9-1DF0-45B4-9D97-DD3D4A055EF8-7534-0000031C92F952C2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/9BBA95F9-1DF0-45B4-9D97-DD3D4A055EF8-7534-0000031C92F952C2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 9BBA95F9-1DF0-45B4-9D97-DD3D4A055EF8-7534-0000031C92F952C2.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/F9F9444F-A61F-4405-8775-C62A8B3E3BD6-7534-0000031C902FFC4F.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/F9F9444F-A61F-4405-8775-C62A8B3E3BD6-7534-0000031C902FFC4F.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo F9F9444F-A61F-4405-8775-C62A8B3E3BD6-7534-0000031C902FFC4F.jpg"/></a>

 

[dg3147]

When you say die, can you be more specific? Stn, rtn, bite marks, overnight death, ect. Any polyp extension and how's the colors?

It's super slow STN (1 month to kill an sps). It starts as a white rim around the base and gradual whitening at the very tips. There are no bite marks.

I dipped a few of them in Revive and no pests were noted.

The STN seems to improve with 5-10% water changes. For awhile I tried doing these every other day and it seems to help, but as soon as i stop the STN advances again. I thought it might be a missing trace element so I changed salt to B-ionic (from Red Sea Coral Pro), no difference.

Parameters:
kH 8.18 (Hannah meter and double checked with Salifert)
Mg 1430 (salifert)
Ca 410 (salifert)
NO3 0... undetectable (salifert)
PhO4 0 (Hannah Meter and Salifert)

Lighting:
4 t-5's now about 9 months old (but STN occured ever since I set up tank)
2 Reefbrite LED supplements (each puts out the about the same par as a T5 bullb).
Bulb combination and tank depth in my signature.

GFO and Carbon (about 1/4-1/2 the recommended amount) in BRS dual reactor.

ATO with Kalk disolved in freshwater ---changed all the DI/RO filters a couple months ago thinking that could be the problem (I think I filled the tank with filters that were about a year old when I set it up).

Tossed a Poly Filter in a few months ago to see if that was the issue, but no color change was noted. (I was worried about copper or something).

I have never added supplements or any special additives.

Tank was started with clean MacroRocks and the tank was cycled using Ammonia from Macrorocks.com. Seeded tank with a piece of my old rock form last tank.

Clam is thriving and LPS are fine too. Inverts are all doing well. Coraline growth seems a little slow compared to my last tank (it too seems to speed up after water changes).

There is one Sunset Monti that seems to be defying the sps curse that has afflicted every other sps (about 3 rounds of 5 corals placed a month apart). The sunset monti is growing rapidly and looks great.

Coral sources have varied LA DD aquacultured, maricultured, and wild.

I even left tank fallow of SPS for a month (though, there was likely pieces of dead coral stuck in the rock).

pH 8.4-8.27 over the course of a day.
Temp 79-80 (double checked with second digital thermometer)
SG 1.025

Colors are basically fine. A little dull, but they are not browned out.

ARGGGGGGG! :headwally:

 

[dg3147]

Here are some pictures from the first corals I put in the the tank. This first round all died eventually. Thought my tank was just too new.

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/IMG_0561.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/IMG_0561.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0561.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/IMG_0562.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/IMG_0562.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0562.jpg"/></a>

 

[sasharotty]

What's your flow like? In the pics I only see a return from a sump. Also have you calibrated refractometer assuming your using that and not a swing arm? I wouldn't say cleaning products unless somehow there getting into the water. And imo lighting is lacking with the placement of the sps. I don't see any pe in any of those pics.

 

[dg3147]

What's your flow like? In the pics I only see a return from a sump. Also have you calibrated refractometer assuming your using that and not a swing arm? I wouldn't say cleaning products unless somehow there getting into the water. And imo lighting is lacking with the placement of the sps. I don't see any pe in any of those pics.

Flow is 2 MP40 vortechs at about 75% each, plus dual return with a high turnover.

Refractometer double checked against LA shipments. Their water is same as mine. so, that problem is eliminated.

Lighting could be the issue, but keep in mind I have 4 tubes PLUS 2 Reefbrites (the same as my last tank). Unless it's a spectrum issue? (light combo is below in my signature). I have lost the sps that are mounted at the very top of my rock piles and at the bottom on the sand bed.

Sort of tempted to drain tank and reboot it with a 100% water change. This is pretty frustrating. I feel like I have enough experience to not do any rookie mistakes, but this problem has me baffled. What are the odds of the problem just fixing itself? :headwalls:

 

[joe22883]

Still sounds like your alk is too low, 2 bad testkits reading high? Or high nitrates, another bad testkit? Figuring you phos is low cause of gfo you ran. I had the same symptoms and corrected this with huge wc's. I figured my issue was nitrates but have seen low alk do the same.

How longs it been set up? Looks kinda new.

 

[trueblackpercula]

It could be a hot spot from the LEDs try moving the piece down and see what happens.

 

[brad65ford]

Tank is 9 months old, LPS/clams are doing well, but any sps I put in the tank STN from base and tips over about a 1 month period. Parameers are perfect (will list them later). This is my second tank, so it's not like I am making rookie moves.

Took GFO off line and added new sps...they dies too. Not dosing anything.

I think it could be the cleaning products used in the house. I live in a small condo and have my house cleaned every two weeks during whihc time the place smells like cleaning products for 2-3 days in my poorly ventilated condo. She knows not to clean the tank.

Could it be the cleaning products?

9 month old tank and no coralline algae? That is usually a sign you ready for sps's.

 

[dg3147]

Okay, going to up Alk to 9 over the next few days and turn off the rear LED strip. Will add 2 test corals mid week and see what happens. Any other ideas I should change before I add the test corals?

(someone mentioned AEFW...dipped in revive with none seen).

 

[BrentH]

Nice thread I've always been paranoid and replace my rox carbon and water change right after the house cleaner comes and my family thjnks I'm crazy because I don't allow febreez or anything like that in our house

 

[epicurus84]

I've had the exact same problem, and i was unable to solve it.

However i had some ideas when i moved to my new tank

1. rusty screws somewhere?
2. Stray electricity (also a known issue)
3. High swings in Alk

I would do a large water change.

Also i've seen some bad live rock spoiling the fun.

What i've also noticed that doing too much is deadly too, my tank started to grow out way better when i was building my house and my tank would be grown brown and green (the glass) from algea. But the corals would be better.

My best tip would be inspect the tank and corals for problems and pests. Clean it out also under rocks etc. And then do a big water change and avoid being in the tank as much as possible.

Also running carbon could help removing unwanted elements from the water.

And if you want to be sure about the water, spend some money and test it at a lab (not the shop). I don't know any place in the US i know in Europe some shops offer this service.