So before my tank crashed during sandy power outages I had no problems keeping coral. I had zoanthids all over and mushrooms. At the time I was using IO reef crystals. I started my tank up again in January and decided to switch to Red Sea coral pro salt on the advice of friends. I put a zoanthid frag in last month and died a week or so later. Last week I put some mushrooms in and they have yet to open up fully. My salinity is 1.024 nitrates and nitrites are 0 and ph is 8.2. The only things different in my tank than before the storm are 6 mangrove plants and the fact that I am using Red Sea salt. Anyone have any thoughts as to why my corals and doing well?
Coral troubles
- Thread starter TmeLrd11
- Start date
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Reeffanman
Aquarium Advice Freak
I would say switch back to what works and if you want to switch things do It slowly so you can see the effect and be able to react before it's too late
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So I should slowly mix in IO with the Red Sea before completely switching back. A little IO with most Red Sea and so on for a few weeks. I've heard mangroves require a lot of calcium. Should I dose calcium so they don't use it all? Not sure if that's a stupid question but going to ask anyway lol
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
What are your levels testing at? Dosing can only cause problems if you aren't testing along with it..,but I highly doubt the mangroves are sucking the calcium out to make zoas a problem. I'd say it would come from something else.
So just to update. It's been a few months and I still can't keep any corals alive for more than a few weeks. I switched back to reef crystals and don't dose anything since I don't have keys for them. Nitrates and nitrites remain at 0 and ph is 8.3. Salinity is a constant 1.025. I use ro/di water as well. The only thing I am considering next to solve the issue is the change my lighting. I have been using marineland reef LEDs, not the best I know but they worked fine in the past for zoanthid and mushrooms. I have the opportunity to buy the new Fluval reef LEDs but according to the specs they are less lumens than the marinelands. I know taotronics are the excellent but I am just not sure which to choose for my 55 gal. Any help you guys can offer would be amazing. Thanks
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Could the issue be with the source you are getting your zoas from? Or maybe with the acclimation procedure?
jeffaquarius
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would suspect your problem is compounded by several things. First your LED is only good for soft corals and would not even support anemone. Second, you need to test your parameters specially the phospate, nitrate, magnesium, dKH and calcium. Third, your acclimation process. Make sure all the parameters are equal before you move corals to DT. Preferred time is 3 hours acclimation and take note the temp must also be the same.
jeffaquarius
Aquarium Advice Addict
Btw, after the crash did you replace the water completely? You might still have toxin remaining in your tank which came from dying corals.
Dav3
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 also, are you running carbon at all?
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think it has to do with the storm as well, not the salt or lighting. What are the corals doing exactly? Browning out? Bleaching? Melting?
Yeah I replaced all the live sand and live rock when I started up again in January. I run carbon as well a purigen. I am using the fluval g6 and reef octopus bh 1000. I have 4 power heads that I alternate the amount of time each is on. Two up top and to in the middle. I do a water change every week too.
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
Where are you placing these in the tank? What kind of flow do you have? What were your most recent parameters?
jeffaquarius
Aquarium Advice Addict
Were you also cycling your 4 ph before? I would let the 2 continuous at opposide end and just let the other 2 cycle on and off alternately at opposite end also. This will give more circulation with minimal flow instability and better temp regulation.
