What is killing everything!?

[sean587]

I had a new mushroom colony as well as xenia mysteriously die off on me. I also noticed that my dragons breath isn't as vibrant as it was when I got it. It's pale and the tips are turning brown. I tested the water and salinity, ph, nitrates, and phosphates are normal. I also have a tremendous amount of hair algae that just bloomed. What is going on!?

 

[Tonyscoots84]

i would re test and test again. Get quality test kits for alk, cal and mag. For phosphates get a real deal hanna low range meter (not the pocket meter).

Are you using a
Rodi
Refractometer?

Are you doingWater changes if so, which salt are you using?

There are many questions to solve this mystery but if you can tell us everything about your tank and some pics we can start the process.

We are here to help so let us help you, but we need some extensive details on everything you do and have going on in the tank

 

[sean587]

It's a 55g tank. I opted for the Berlin system (because I clearly am insane), I do need a new skimmer because my SeaClone 100 is garbage, T5 lighting, salinity is 1.023, ph is 8.2, nitrates, amonia, nitrites are all zero, and my phosphates are just around .5 ppm. I truthfully believe I am burning everything because my sun lamps are on for 12 hours a day. The mushrooms and dragons breath were also placed relatively close to the top of the tank.

 

[evolution21]

What's your alk, cal, and mag???

 

[rookie07]

For a reef, your salinity is low b

 

[sean587]

To be honest, I don't measure my trace elements because I figured my water changes were adding a sufficient amount.

 

[evolution21]

To be honest, I don't measure my trace elements because I figured my water changes were adding a sufficient amount.

Depending on what salt you are using......I use instant ocean and with the salinity they recommend the alk is on the low end of acceptable, calcium and mag are below spec..(the batch i have now) at the very least make a gallon of salt water and take to a store or friend and test it to see......When I first started I thought the same thing......and wondered why none of my corals would fully open and my high end zoas kept melting...i could be wrong but i don't consider alk and Cal trace elements....it's definitely something that has to be maintained for the health of corals...The Bing she fact that you don't test for this, hints that it probably is what's slowly killing your coral.....I could be wrong of course but you're not losing much just by testing

 

[sean587]

I also have a bunch of macros that I purchased to absorb excess nutrients in hopes of starving out HA. What can I add as a clean up crew that won't eat my macros? I also have a purple lobster that can be very territorial.

 

[zenfish]

what test kit do you use?

 

[pauliwalnuts]

If you feel it's the lighting then reduce your light cycle to 8 hours. Remember not to make more then one change a week so you can monitor if there will be an improvement or not. What light fixture are you using exactly?

 

[Waleedwale1]

For a reef, your salinity is low b

Eh I doubt it's that, my reef was at 1.021 for a while (2 months) and I have seen many other reefs at 1.023. Wouldn't cause sudden die off.

 

[beerfish]

I can almost guarantee that your nitrates are not zero and your phosphates are not .5.

A SeaClown couldn't get your nutrients down that low in a betta bowl, and if your nutrients were that low you wouldn't have a hair algae outbreak.

What kind of test kits are you using? how often and what size water changes? how many T5 bulbs / wattage?

Also, alk, cal, and mag generally aren't considered trace elements. Things like iodine and strontium are considered trace elements. I ran a soft / LPS tank when I started without ever checking all / cal / mag, but it's good to have test kits available for these parameters, and absolute necessity if you want to keep SPS down the road.

 

[zenfish]

what test kit do you use?

again...?

 

[sean587]

It's an API test kit. My lights are the stock bulbs that came with my Odyssea system.

 

[Cu455]

Do a few water changes. You can also try cutting the light time down, raising the fixture or putting a screen underneath the lights. The coral and algaerequire very little to be happy. If it is an element problem the water changes should fix it. Maybe run some carbon in case something got into you system.

Do you make any changes recently? Maybe add GFO or something else?

 

[Cu455]

What's your feeding regiment?

 

[bklynreef]

If you have a fuge and calurpa in it, that may be your hidden secret problem.
Calurpa is toxic

 

[albano]

If you have a fuge and calurpa in it, that may be your hidden secret problem.
Calurpa is toxic

Meaning what?

 

[bklynreef]

Calurpa will beat out every algae and coral for space and release toxins to gain territory throughout your entire system. Took me forever to figure out my problem

 

[Dan_P]

Sorry to hear about yor issues.

This situation may be too complicated to solve on the forum. You may need to phone a forum member. You'd probably get help in fifteen minutes.

By the way, does this site have the capability to set up a multi-member live chat for tough problems like this?