What is happening to my SPS

[brianfarm6767]

My tank is a little over a year old. Over the past week I have lost 2 SPS corals within hours. Each coral looked fine the day before and by the time I got in from work were completly gone with what looked like a brown film over them. Pictured is a birdsnest colony I have had for 6 months. Only changes in tank are the addition of a large red pavona coral about 7 or 8 inches away from both of the deaths, but I have not seen any sweepers come close to either of the dead corals. Tested my parameters and Cal was a little high at around 500, Alk was around 9 and Mag was around 1200. I did lose a torch coral that had a cracked skeleton about a month ago to what looked like brown jelly. Would this have anything to do with the similar looking brown substance I am finding on the dead sps?

 

[Vapour1ze]

Get those levels in check! Calc around 450 mag around 1350 and alk closer to 8. You need to be stable stable stable!

 

[cleverbs]

id you alk/calc/mag arnt in a balance SPS die....its very important to keep them stable and in the right range. Your calc is high you alk is in the middle and your mag is low so you are all over the place. They all balance out at Calc 420-450, alk 7.5-8.5, Mag is the most forgiving and can be kept anywhere from 1300-1400 some people even push it higher.

 

[brianfarm6767]

So it looks like a parameter issue and not some kind of outbreak? Just found it weird they were some of the oldest SPS i had and were in the relative same area.

I see the sweepers on the pavona during the day, but would the pavona be able to kill off another coral this fast if it was able to reach them?

 

[Vapour1ze]

Get parameters in check. If it keeps happening. Observe for stn rtn bugs etc.

 

[brianfarm6767]

I have been using a Jebao doser that has worked great, but just isnt all that accurate. I plan to replace within the next few weeks with a more accurate system and this should solve my parameter issue going forward.

 

[brianfarm6767]

Every coral introduced into the tank was dipped in Seachem Laboratories Reef Dip. Is this the proper dip for SPS parasites like redbugs?

 

[undertai]

If you raise your alk and mag closer to the right levels your calcium will come into check. I have my alk around 10 and everything is fine. Calcium 460, mag. 1350.

 

[rovster]

People say birdsnest corals are easy and hardy. In my experience they are more sensitive to changes than acros and are the first to show signs things are off.

 

[JayVIP]

Check your phosphate level. If your LPS flesh are pulling away from the calcium skeleton, it could be due to extremely high phosphate levels which cause deterioration of coral skeletons, especially LPS