Why do my Corals die everytime?

[Radicaljbr]

My corals use to do fine when I had PC lamps. Ever since I got my MHs a couple of years ago, my corals seem to die off. Even Macro will not grow.

I use 2 250 MHs in a 30 inch deep tank. Today I am using Reeflux bulbs.

I have tried placing corals at different levels.

Ca at 400
CaCo3 at 140 PPM
TDS at 5 right now.
Salinity at .026
Nitrates are low.
No3 is 5

Water changes are not too often since I don't have anything but two fish in here.

I did do a 100% water change yesterday. So really can't do any new testings.

My LFS told me I should check my salinity and campare with their water. I did and it was way off so I purchased a Refractometer to replace my plastic Hydrometer. The Hydrometer was reading .026, but the new Refractor was ready .034. So I brought my salinity down using the refractor. To Calibrate I am using PinPoint which reads 53.OmS. What is the conversion for this? Is there a chart? LFS told me .026 to set it at.

Anyway, I still can't get anything to live.

Any suggestions? I am so done with this hobby!

 

[redfishsc]

Yes, use the PinPoint fluid to set the screw on the refractometer to read 35ppt, or 1.026. So long as it is an accurate bottle (there have been bad bottles in the past) you are doing it right. If in doubt, take the bottle to the LFS and have them check it against their stuff. I use the Pinpoint stuff and it's right on.


If your salinity has been 1.034, that is most likely your culprit. That's pretty salty.

 

[Radicaljbr]

But it has not been that level now for several months. And still nothing is doing well. Thanks for the reply.

 

[woodiecrafts]

Has there been any type of copper based medications added to the tank, or possibly contaminated it in any way??

 

[Ohiomom]

Hello from a local..N. Royalton, not sure I can help much..but may also have something to do with acclimation. My corals in the beginning would die off also and I later found for me that it was a simple matter of me moving them around too much in a short period of time thinking they were unhappy. Also I had too little flow which was causing issues with them not getting enough nutrients..

 

[Logzor]

Do you have someone in a local reef club who would be willing to check your tank out? Having another perspective could help out.

 

[bradbmbj]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15302767#post15302767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by woodiecrafts
Has there been any type of copper based medications added to the tank, or possibly contaminated it in any way??

I would agree with this, is it possible that you may have added a fish and dumped the store water in the bag into the tank that may of had copper in it?

 

[noahm]

+1^ sounds like possibly metals toxicity. Could be in the rock from medications or just using tap water previously??

 

[Radicaljbr]

I may have added fish with the water from the bag, but wouldn't that have disapated andy copprer with water changes?

 

[luther1200]

Don't get frustrated, just keep posting here and you'll get it straightend out. There are a lot of good people with a lot of good knowledge on this site.

Your signature says its a 105g tank. And you have 1 Tunze. Which Tunze is it? You might need some more flow, but I doubt that is your main issue right now. My first guess would be the salt. If the coral you get comes from the LFS at 1.026 and goes into your tank at 1.034 they are not going to like it very much. And that could very well be what is going on.

Maybe a little more info on your system would help also. Like what kind of corals were you trying to keep? I also didn't see you Alk level, that is an important parameter. I also didn't see a phospahte or (PO4) level. Do you have any unwanted algae?

 

[Radicaljbr]

PO4 reads "0"
Alk I stated was CaCo3 = 14 I think I said 140 but meant 14. CaCo3??? Is that the right symbol?

This is my Tunza...Not sure which it is as I cannot find the manual.

This is the only thing living....not sure what you call it

And this thing was doing very well till my Tunza fell and started a sand storm and killed it.

Pollips and my Chaeto dies off. You would think they would do well.

I do have some bad algea groing in my sump which does not go away unless I kill my light in the sump for a couple of days. Pods seem to not mind.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

Well, I too have experienced death of corals. Mostly SPS but 2-3 LPS. My tank is quite different from yours in that I have about 30 fish and nitrates avg around 50ppm. Its frustrating in that the SPS would seem to flourish for several weeks-months and then bleach out. I'm unsure what is causing it. The crazy thing is I have a blue acro that has tripled in size and a pocillipora that has budded and spread to 5 or 6 areas in the tank. I've relinquished my situation to keeping species that will survive.