HELP! I'm stumped corals dying

[BigDaddyStar]

so slowly over the last week I had begun to see STN on 2 corals. which has now turned it 5 ghost sticks and now have 5 more sticks with STN and probably all be goners by the end of the day.

I cant seem to figure it out and am sure its not going to stop there. any advice would be great

so the params

ph 8.77 (constant)
temp 76.5 (varies between 76-78
NO3- undetectable (always)
PO4- .03 (usually between undetecbtable to .05)
ALK- 11 (test over last 2 months have varied between 9-12)
calcium- 400 (usually 420-440 a little today since I had the calcium reactor off for the last week)
Salinity 1.026 (always stable)
TDS from RODI - 0
MAG- no test currently so unsure but do dose brightwells mag supplement

Regimen:

daily
dose 4 ml vodka
4 drops lugols solution

weekly
coral feedings
plankton snow and aminos
microbacter brightwells


over the last 30 days
have changed out all my rodi filters including membrane (brs switched to chloramines and chlorine removers)

increased my gfo from 2 cups to 3 cups (I thought this could have possibly been the problem but I have had it off since the beginning and have only lost more corals since)

added a wp40 for more flow (the dying corals are at all ends of the tank including on mm frag rack so they are not getting blasted)


I checked for bugs pennies in my sump or anything else that could be obviously wrong. no signs of anything I can see.

 

[BeanMachine]

I think its your alk swings, and its recommended to run a lower alk when carbon dosing. Maybe stop the vodka dosing and see if you see an improvement.

 

[djam]

PH seems high to me, i always thought target was 8.2/8.4, but I don't do SPS.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

forgot to mention that too. I stopped vodka a week ago.
the alk has been a very slow rise never had any alk burn.
if the alk was low I could kinda understand the stn but high kinda strange. either way still acceptable.

but its on the list of possibilities for sure vodka and alk

I think its your alk swings, and its recommended to run a lower alk when carbon dosing. Maybe stop the vodka dosing and see if you see an improvement.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

yeah. been stable at 8.7 for 4 years though so I kinda rule that out.

PH seems high to me, i always thought target was 8.2/8.4, but I don't do SPS.

 

[mr_bigl]

Run a poly filter and see if you get a color change. That will at least help to rule some things we dont test for out.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

thanks. yeah this is knida my next option. I have small children and I can see them doing something in my sump since I stupidly have never child proofed the doors.

my next step is a big water change which I am reluctant still but at this point they are next. params seem in order though for the most part so I dunno

Run a poly filter and see if you get a color change. That will at least help to rule some things we dont test for out.

 

[mr_bigl]

I Had a similar issue and the only cause i could find were decaying mangrove leaves in my overflow (No fuge so tied them in the overflow) bad idea lol

 

[BigDaddyStar]

thought you might have had something there. I have chaeto in my overflow but its looking good. darn

I Had a similar issue and the only cause i could find were decaying mangrove leaves in my overflow (No fuge so tied them in the overflow) bad idea lol

 

[bobstir]

4 drops lugols solution

Why? Have you tried a WC and stopping?

increased my gfo from 2 cups to 3 cups (I thought this could have possibly been the problem but I have had it off since the beginning and have only lost more corals since)

If increasing made it worse, have you tried decreasing?

I checked for bugs pennies in my sump or anything else that could be obviously wrong. no signs of anything I can see.

Have you checked for stray voltage?

 

[pgr11]

Check any and all magnets in your tank. Might seem strange but check them all, pumps or power heads, impellers. If you have a crack or magnet exposed that's gonna be your issue. Happened to Sanh and to me.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

oh I like that..that could be it, I added that wp40 right around when it happened but I couldn't quite remember if one was already stned or not.

pulled out all the powerheads..left my gyre though for now. if that's the problem I am going to go throw that thing through maxspects window.

thanks chris, Got one real possibility now.

Check any and all magnets in your tank. Might seem strange but check them all, pumps or power heads, impellers. If you have a crack or magnet exposed that's gonna be your issue. Happened to Sanh and to me.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

Why? Have you tried a WC and stopping?



If increasing made it worse, have you tried decreasing?



Have you checked for stray voltage?

no WC yet. that's pretty much next.
stopped all dosings as of last week.
and no on the stray voltage yet.

will definitely check that next..thanks

 

[robert_ellis]

so slowly over the last week I had begun to see STN on 2 corals. which has now turned it 5 ghost sticks and now have 5 more sticks with STN and probably all be goners by the end of the day.

I cant seem to figure it out and am sure its not going to stop there. any advice would be great

so the params

ph 8.77 (constant)
temp 76.5 (varies between 76-78
NO3- undetectable (always)
PO4- .03 (usually between undetecbtable to .05)
ALK- 11 (test over last 2 months have varied between 9-12)
calcium- 400 (usually 420-440 a little today since I had the calcium reactor off for the last week)
Salinity 1.026 (always stable)
TDS from RODI - 0
MAG- no test currently so unsure but do dose brightwells mag supplement

Regimen:

daily
dose 4 ml vodka
4 drops lugols solution

weekly
coral feedings
plankton snow and aminos
microbacter brightwells


over the last 30 days
have changed out all my rodi filters including membrane (brs switched to chloramines and chlorine removers)

increased my gfo from 2 cups to 3 cups (I thought this could have possibly been the problem but I have had it off since the beginning and have only lost more corals since)

added a wp40 for more flow (the dying corals are at all ends of the tank including on mm frag rack so they are not getting blasted)


I checked for bugs pennies in my sump or anything else that could be obviously wrong. no signs of anything I can see.

I recommend alk at 8-9 and needs to be more stable. A 2-3 point continuous swing is not good. Maybe .5-1 point and even then it's questionable

 

[happaman]

I've had problems GFO leading to bleaching and STN imho. So, I no longer run GFO on any of my 3 tanks, and upped my water changes to 10% per week. But all my sps are milli's, lime in the sky and easy ones. I have more algae but corals seem to be happier, lol.

 

[lurking]

9-12 alk is a big change

 

[JOSE CASAS]

I recommend alk at 8-9 and needs to be more stable. A 2-3 point continuous swing is not good. Maybe .5-1 point and even then it's questionable

how long between the swings and testing? If 2-4 weeks at 2-3 point swing is not bad. But 24-48 hrs is bad.hth

 

[robert_ellis]

9-12 alk is a big change

I concur.

 

[BigDaddyStar]

yeah we are talking over 3 months..it has steadily risen. basically from when I out the calcium reactor online.
I don't feel alk is the issue since this has been kinda drastic over a few days a lot of death. I would like to believe somwthing has gone wrong just cant put my finger on it. params are usually pretty stable with little swing. my only bad is I don't have a mag kit mine was old and haven't bought one yet.

how long between the swings and testing? If 2-4 weeks at 2-3 point swing is not bad. But 24-48 hrs is bad.hth

 

[JOSE CASAS]

ok that thats fine. Might be low but not your mag though cause if it was the problem then you would have a hard time keeping ur cal alk stable.