What parameter would make all of my softies unhappy?

[MJDiP]

My soft corals used to be happy, but for the past 3 months or so they have all been closed up. Most of my mushrooms are gone and I'm worried I'll loose everything else.

Most everything you'll see in these pics are unhappy. They all used to look like this:

And this:

And this:

These days, there is plenty of cyano and hair algae in the tank, the tank is almost a year old and my Nitrates have always been high, even when everything was happy.

What parameter could cause this to happen? In February I upgraded the lighting to 4 total T5 lamps (1 10k, 1 14k, and two actinics). I believe the problem occurred before the lighting was increased, as I remember thinking that the added light would be of some help.

I don't have pics of the current situation, but you probably get what I'm saying.

What can I do to remedy this situation?

 

[InsaneClownFish]

Your water quality most likely caught up with you. If you don't do regular water changes with high nitrates, then you're eventually going to end up with high nitrites. There's not too much that can tolerate nitrite.

Have you added more fish/bioload since the "good" pics? Added any LR? Test your nitrite and ammonia levels asap.

 

[MJDiP]

Yes, I've added a Yellow Tang and a number of small snails, but that's it.

For the past month, I've been performing weekly water changes of about 8-10% of the water volume, so I'll continue those.

Thanks.

 

[MJDiP]

I tested my water and used two kits for nitrite... Both came out with 0.3 or less. Ammonia is still 0.

 

[MJDiP]

Phosphates are 1.5. That might be part of the problem... I just got a Phosban reactor, so I'll have to see if it helps.

 

[InsaneClownFish]

Corals won't live with .3 Nitrites. Phosphates are causing your algae problems. You need to get Nitrites to ZERO.

 

[MJDiP]

Sounds like I've got some work to do... I addition to water changes, will the Phosban start me in the right direction?

 

[InsaneClownFish]

Yes, run in a small reactor it would help. But let me preface this by saying that it's useless to run something like that until you get the nitrites to zero. Find the source of the problem first. Bioload, heaving feedings, etc. If you get the Nitrite to zero, and still have phosphates, then by all means, run the phosban or rowaphos. Your immediate issue is the Nitrite.

Hope this helps.

 

[MJDiP]

Yeah, it does... thanks.