Need some help! (pics inside)

[TOMMY323]

I think my tank water have something wrong.
First problem, In the past 1-2months, some of my LR are turning black. It's looks like a dead from algae IMO and i tried to brush it off using a toothbrush but it doesn't go away. What does it mean? Will my LR going to die?

Second problem, I added a plant (i think it's a caulerpa) about last 2 weeks ago, and after 1 day. Some part of it turning brown and white (as in the picture) and in a next day, one of it IMO is completely die. And I have only one left right now which is not in a good health.

Third problem, one of my coral is going to die (and i think it will die). It's does not expanded well for one and a half months ago, I try to rotate it but nothing better. And a yellow-polyp that i just added about 2 weeks ago, is expanded well for only 2 days. After that its polyp is smaller and smaller, right now some of them is not expanded.

My tank profile:
30x18x20 Two years old.
1x150W MH 14,000K 9 Hour/day
1x20W Actinic blue 11 Hour/day
NO Sump. Wet/dry filter with bioball from the beginning.
Homemade hang-on skimmer, running when lights go off.
Temp. 27-28C or 81F-82.5F
Most top-off water come from commercial water filter with carbon and micro-filter. But NOT RO. From the begining, have only brown algea problem when i feed too much food in a month.
My tank NEVER have a blue or green algea boom.
Using Natural Salt Water from LFS for about 8 months without any serious problem. But I just changed to a Reef Crystal salt mixed from last 2 WCs. About 25-30% WC each time per month. I think the most problem are come after my WC from NSW to salt mixed. Is it a cause?

Water Parameter:
Ammonia, NO2 ~ 0
NO3 from Red Sea Test Kit ~ 10-20ppm
PO4 from Red Sea ~ 0.1
Calsium from Tropic Marin ~ 320-330ppm. (dropped from last 2-3 months at 400 ppm). But I reduced in the calcium supplemental.
Alkalinity - Not tested
Silicate - Not tested.
*Note. My Red Sea Test kit both NO3 and PO3 are expired already at the end of year 2003. Will it completely unsable?

 

[TOMMY323]

 

[TOMMY323]

Some part of LR have an air bubble on. Last weeks it's also on the sand but just a small area.

 

[K9coral]

When is the last time you changed your bulbs? Ever consider getting an RO/DI water filter and start making your own water? Just looks like brown algae. Do your circulating pumps still work?

 

[Anonymous]

your caulerpa will die if iron becomes defficient in your tank. regular water changes and pruning will keep it alive. what happened to the caulerpa is commonly referred to as "going asexual". or you would say it has "gone asexual" while referring to it in past tense. i am not well read enough to go into specifics on this.
however, what i can tell you is that the end result is poor water quality.
all the nutrients that were bound up in the organic tissue of the caulerpa were released into the water column and probably irritated you leather coral.
if your water parameters improve, it will probably survive. it will take up to a couple weeks for it to expand again.

i can't make out the black portion of your LR in your picture. it probably is cyanobacteria... there was a time when i had a black sponge growth that was some real brutal stuff. either way, it won't destroy your rock but should be taken care of to reduce stress in the tank.

your calcium is too low. you could be suffering negative effects. i can only guess that your alkalinity may be low as well.
also you might want to look into a good method of denitrification.

the bubbles are dinoflagellates and i would guess your tests are working fine but if there is a doubt i would replace them.

 

[TOMMY323]

When is the last time you changed your bulbs?

150W MH is renew about 8~9 months. It's Arcadia 14000K.
Any one know how long it could stay as efficient? (with opening 9hrs/day).

all the nutrients that were bound up in the organic tissue of the caulerpa were released into the water column and probably irritated you leather coral.

BTW thanks very much for your information.
As you said it will irritated, How dangerous it is? And will it affect another kind of corals or invertibrate? My tanks do not contain many kind of coral, except leather coral i have only mushroom and some soft coral but they lookin fine.

however, what i can tell you is that the end result is poor water quality.

If I do WC about 30~40%, will it bring the water quality up? And what's the definition of poor water quality?

PS. Should i removed the caulerpa out of my tank or keep it in and use it to be sign of water quality? The purpose of to have caulerpa in my tank is to help in nutrient export, but since i do not have any serious problem of nutrient build up (PO4) why i should keep it if it bring me a problem?. :roll:

 

[TOMMY323]

A little more question. To bring the calcium level up, can i just use the Kent turbo calcium or any brand liquid calcium? Or using kalkwasser for top-off would be a better choice?

 

[Anonymous]

all the nutrients that were bound up in the organic tissue of the caulerpa were released into the water column and probably irritated you leather coral.

BTW thanks very much for your information.
As you said it will irritated, How dangerous it is? And will it affect another kind of corals or invertibrate? My tanks do not contain many kind of coral, except leather coral i have only mushroom and some soft coral but they lookin fine.

if your tank seems to be surviving well then you may have outlived the worst already.
hopefully your skimmer and livestock have removed the worst of the die off. your leather may be recovering as we speak.

however, what i can tell you is that the end result is poor water quality.

If I do WC about 30~40%, will it bring the water quality up? And what's the definition of poor water quality?

any water change will probably bring the water quality up... unless your freshwater filter is exhausted.
"poor water quality" as i used it would include excessive po4 and other organic nutrients also tannins will be released into the water as well.
when i have seen caulerpa go asexual the water gets visibly murky and corals usually show stress.

PS. Should i removed the caulerpa out of my tank or keep it in and use it to be sign of water quality? The purpose of to have caulerpa in my tank is to help in nutrient export, but since i do not have any serious problem of nutrient build up (PO4) why i should keep it if it bring me a problem?. :roll:

i have seen plenty of reeftanks get along without caulerpa.
i find it to be a chore as well.
it does do well in a refugium though. 'pods tend to proliferate in it and it i believe it could help with your higher nitrate level.