Tank crash. Advice appreciated

[QuiGonJay]

Well, two years in it finally happened, though I'm not sure what. Below is the chain of events. Appreciate any advice.

7 days ago: water change (per normal schedule, every two weeks)

4 days ago: tank normal, leave out of town. Set aside food portions for my son to feed. He fed accordingly.

2 days ago; rock urchin died.

Today: came home to find both Caribbean rose corals dead and all mushroom polyps pulled in and, if not dying, really ****ed off.

Just checked water: salinity 1.025, temp 79/80, CA 400, alk 7.8 to 7.9, mg 1700!. Nitrates 10 which is pretty normal. Tank had been in balance for the whole year to this point and my routine has not changed.

Don't dose, but water changes keeps things stable usually. Still have pajama cardinals, radial filefish, watchman goby and xenias and green star polyp happy.

Why would mg spike like that (the alk drop isn't nearly as dramatic as the upswing in mg from around 1300 to current state.

Hopefully the rest pull through, if not maybe time for a break from the hobby. While incredibly fun, it's very stressful and seems like even if you do everything right, it still can go sideways.

J

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[QuiGonJay]

Forgot to mention, zoanthids seem fine too. Getting ready for a 50 % water change.

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[Mcooper73]

Have you checked for ammonia? You never know. I think the water change is a good move. Any chance your heater got unplugged or something? I have had a tank mysteriously crash too. Come to find out the heated had been pulled frim it's socket.

 

[QuiGonJay]

No ammonia. Heater ok, temp 79 to 80 which is normal for the tank. It is bizarre, can't figure out why the mushroom polyps are the only soft corals affected. Thankful the fish seem ok but don't like mysteries.

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[thegrun]

The problem is going to be something other than a magnesium spike, it wasn't big enough or high enough to kill. The urchin's death could have caused an ammonia spike, but the bigger underling question is why would it die? How long have you had the urchin? Did you test the water after your water change and if so what were those test results? How big is the tank, how big of a water change did you make?

 

[QuiGonJay]

Urchin was about 2 1/2 8years old. Water change was about 50%. Ammonia is fine. Haven't tested other parts yet. Letting water mix and circulate. Basically, fish, xenia and gsp and zoas are fine but all stony type corals (basically cup, tube and rose corals on the live rock) and the urchin and probably some snails kicked it in less than 2 days. Was out of town, my son said urchin died a day ago.

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[Cliving1]

Thats a large change, any reason you were doing 50%?

 

[QuiGonJay]

I guess trying to dilute whatever craziness is going on. Though other than high magnesium and low (but not crazy low) alk I'm still at a loss.

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[heathlindner25]

Nothing wrong with large water changes when something is amiss

 

[Cliving1]

No your right Heath, let me rephrase, without any substantial concern why do 50%? Nothing in the story says there was anything out of whack.

 

[heathlindner25]

Because something is amiss? But I'm a big fan of large water changes

 

[oneofmany]

This link might help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/10/aafeature

 

[QuiGonJay]

Interesting article, thank you.

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