about to just give up....

[ChiTownRomeo]

I don't know what happened. I have had the same coral for 4 years. Never changed my tank habits. I do everything the same time on the same days of the week. For the last 2 months, my corals have started receeding little by little. First it started with my duncans closing up and have been closed for 2 months. Come out and peek a little then close back up. Then it was my Hydnophora closing and the skin melting off. Then it was my hammer coral closing up and now receeding into the skeleton. And now it's my Frogspawn colony. 4 heads are dead with 3 receeding. Only thing I can think of what it could be is this salt. Once I got toward the bottom of this bucket is where things went south. Ro/di is reading at 0 tds. Salinity is 1.025 as always. Temp is 78 degrees as always. I mean NOTHING has changed at all. Havent even added anything. It's a 55 gallon reef with a skimmer rated for 100 gallons, Its only 2 clownfish in the aquarium so I have no huge bio load. Also my snails have just dropped off the glass and died slowly. Acans, Gsp, Zoas, Xenia and candy cane corals are doing ok. It seems like everything gets worse after every water change. Help please cause this is making me want to just give up this tank.

 

[Autumnsky]

Test your water for all things possible.

What about your nitrate and nitrite?

Try a new salt. Do a bunch of pwc to get the water salt changed out.

Are your bulbs old?

 

[Beej1254]

I agree test for everything. How old are the filters/membranes in your RO/DI unit? If it gets worse after every water change despite tests and TDS showing up good something has to be getting by? Did something get into your water storage? I use a trash can for mine and people constantly throw trash in it even though it's full of water...

I think autumnsky has a really good idea. If you can change salt or even just get new of the same that you like? I'd even say buy some water from another source if you can and do water changes with that.


I'm sorry this is happening. I hope we can help you find a solution


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[ChiTownRomeo]

I called instant ocean and they are sending me a new bucket of reef crystals for my troubles. My ro/di is from BRS and reading 0 Tds. I have Led's so no old bulbs. I usually let my Lfs test my water so ill drop them a sample tomorrow. It's crazy how these corals become members of our family lol. I recently switched to a brute trash can but cleaned it very well. I thought maybe it was that. But I used a different container this time and things just keep getting worse. I'm leaning towards the salt. It's the salt in the bottom portion of the bucket that I have started having problems with.

 

[Autumnsky]

Hoping this would get cleared up for you and your coral family members. I understand the losses and how bad it feels!

 

[SeanMonster]

I was having the same problem with my lps and spoke to my LFS about it. They told me to look at the flesh of the affected corals. They said sometimes there is a type of pods that can explode in our tanks and kill the corals. I looked and sure enough, one of my torches these little white specs (kind of looked like ich) that were moving. Treated the tank with Sentinel (yes, the heart worm medication you give to dogs) two times, three weeks apart (organism's life cycle) and everything improved markedly. Only catch is, the Sentinel product is a prescription medication from the vet.


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[ChiTownRomeo]

I was having the same problem with my lps and spoke to my LFS about it. They told me to look at the flesh of the affected corals. They said sometimes there is a type of pods that can explode in our tanks and kill the corals. I looked and sure enough, one of my torches these little white specs (kind of looked like ich) that were moving. Treated the tank with Sentinel (yes, the heart worm medication you give to dogs) two times, three weeks apart (organism's life cycle) and everything improved markedly. Only catch is, the Sentinel product is a prescription medication from the vet.


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Well that's easy for me lol I'm a Vet technician thanks for the tip but I'm thinking it could be a phosphate issue or a salt Issue.

 

[melosu58]

Those salts need to be shaken up. That`s why I get the ten pound jugs from Oceanic. I turn them upside down a few times to mix them up.

 

[Animal-Chin]

I'd also test the new water before you put it in. Whats the alk reading at? Are you mixing new water at 10 but your tank is 5 or something like that? Alk swings can really effect your coral.

 

[Mebbid]

The salt settles on the instant ocean buckets (I would presume the same of other kinds as well). My readings got crazy when I got to the bottom of a bucket that I hadn't mixed.

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

The salt settles on the instant ocean buckets (I would presume the same of other kinds as well). My readings got crazy when I got to the bottom of a bucket that I hadn't mixed.

So I should do a huge water change in hopes things level out?

 

[Gregcoyote]

IO also sells salt in bags for those of us with enough buckets already. Each bag does 50 gallons. That also prevents settling. JMO but I doubt salt is your problem. Calcium and/or alkalinity levels can raise havoc.

After 25 years, my reef started to go downhill. I checked everything. Then I sent a water sample to Triton for a real lab measurement. My Hanna calcium meter turned out to be mental and my calcium was really under 200. Made the corrections Triton recommended and we are back on track again.


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[ChiTownRomeo]

At this point I'm about to give up. I bought a brand new bucket of salt. Shook the hell out of it. Bought all new ro/di membrane, carbon block and di resin, Did a 35% water change, took the skimmer down and cleaned it with vinegar, cleaned the mp10's and everything. Next day they look worse. It seems like the more I clean the more they die, or the more I let it go the more they die. What the heck is it. NOTHING has changed in 5 years!! My torch coral is HUGE and just fine. It's only my duncans, froggies and hammers.

 

[Sniperhank]

Well it has to be something, and I will say as someone who was supported by you when I was frustrated when I first started to not give up.
How about we get some real brains behind this? Why not get your water tested by someone like Triton and we get a break down of every single element in your water column? I think a 50 dollar test is worth your system's inhabitants and your frustrations.

EDIT: Didn't realize Greg had mentioned it in the post above. I really think we should bite the bullet on this one.

 

[ChiTownRomeo]

Well it has to be something, and I will say as someone who was supported by you when I was frustrated when I first started to not give up.
How about we get some real brains behind this? Why not get your water tested by someone like Triton and we get a break down of every single element in your water column? I think a 50 dollar test is worth your system's inhabitants and your frustrations.

EDIT: Didn't realize Greg had mentioned it in the post above. I really think we should bite the bullet on this one.

Yea after all the money I just spent I'll go ahead and get a in depth answer. Thanks

 

[Gregcoyote]

You will be shocked by the results, guaranteed.


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