***** Dying Corals Please HELP

[Lavey29]

With you saying that, I am thinking flow might have been the issue. I was running the reef wave on random wave up to 50% strength. The MP40 although new, I was running it on reef crest at 50%.

I have lowered the Reefwave to 30% on random, and the MP40 to 20% on Tidal Swell.

What program do you run your MP40s on?

Another consideration for flow is the placement of your powerheads. I keep mine 3 inches below the surface so my SPS get a nice blast but my LPS down at the bottom get low flow.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Alright, I have an update. I checked my salinity with my normal checker, a hydrometer I have, and at the local fish shop. Here are the results.

My checker (the probe type) - 35.2ppm
Hydrometer - 36ppm
Refractometer at LFS - 39-40ppm

What is the play? Assume LFS is correct and the two I have are wrong and drop it down?
@Lavey29 @Aiptaisia anemone @afrokobe

 

[Spare time]

I'd just up the phosphates. The nitrates are fine. If you are worried about algae, just add more snails.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

What about the salinity issue? @Spare time

 

[Spare time]

What about the salinity issue?

I'd assume the lfs is off. How do they calibrate their refractometer? Often times they use rodi water which is not as accurate as assumed.

 

[Lavey29]

Alright, I have an update. I checked my salinity with my normal checker, a hydrometer I have, and at the local fish shop. Here are the results.

My checker (the probe type) - 35.2ppm
Hydrometer - 36ppm
Refractometer at LFS - 39-40ppm

What is the play? Assume LFS is correct and the two I have are wrong and drop it down?
@Lavey29 @Aiptaisia anemone @afrokobe

The 2 you have almost match so why would you think the LFS is correct?

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

I'd assume the lfs is off. How do they calibrate their refractometer? Often times they use rodi water which is not as accurate as assumed.

That is true, one of them is pretty old. And the other I have is fairly new. I am cleaning it, to see if that changes the number. I dont have the ability to calibrate it or I would.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

The 2 you have almost match so why would you think the LFS is correct?

That is very true, I would assume the LFS when that is your job, and checking probably daily you would get that right lol. I asked them if they were sure it was right. They were confident for a high schooler on their answer lol.

 

[Lavey29]

That is very true, I would assume the LFS when that is your job, and checking probably daily you would get that right lol. I asked them if they were sure it was right. They were confident for a high schooler on their answer lol.

Well if your tools are properly calibrated and you used them properly then I would feel confident. If you had extreme high salinity then all your corals and inhabitants would show the effect.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

I'd just up the phosphates. The nitrates are fine. If you are worried about algae, just add more snails.

With raising phosphates should I just over feed, and reef roids. Or actually, does a phos supplement?

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Well if your tools are properly calibrated and you used them properly then I would feel confident. If you had extreme high salinity then all your corals and inhabitants would show the effect.

What effect would that even be? I cant find an answer to that online.

 

[Lavey29]

What effect would that even be? I cant find an answer to that online.

Just do a simple Google search on the effects of high salinity on fish and corals. Short term your fish would be ok but some corals wil show salinity effects some worse then others.

 

[Spare time]

With raising phosphates should I just over feed, and reef roids. Or actually, does a phos supplement?

Using reef roids is fine. They will get the phosphate one way or another from it.

 

[Spare time]

That is true, one of them is pretty old. And the other I have is fairly new. I am cleaning it, to see if that changes the number. I dont have the ability to calibrate it or I would.

I have good luck with IO hydrometers if you want an extra test for cheap

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Using reef roids is fine. They will get the phosphate one way or another from it.

Perfect, yeah either directly or indirectly. Think feeding it 4 times a week will do the trick? Currently doing 2.....

 

[Spare time]

Perfect, yeah either directly or indirectly. Think feeding it 4 times a week will do the trick? Currently doing 2.....

Directly is always better. As for frequency, I'd just play with it. Maybe every 3 days or so.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Directly is always better. As for frequency, I'd just play with it. Maybe every 3 days or so.

Sounds good, that's what Ill do. Ill let yall know how it does. The real question is, will the coral recover?

 

[Spare time]

Sounds good, that's what Ill do. Ill let yall know how it does. The real question is, will the coral recover?

As long as there is soft tissue, there is a chance.

 

[Roatan Reef]

High Salinity, adding too many coral too fast.

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

If anyone is still following I have an update for you. I spot-fed with reef roids yesterday evening. So this has caused my phos to go up when I tested now, about 14 hours after being fed. I do think I have identified the issue. I think its a lack if Nitrates. I made the discovery today I was reading the test kit wrong. I should have been dividing by 10. Meaning what I thought was 10ppm was actually 1... My current parameters are:

Salt - 35.2
Alk - 9.7
Calcium - 485
Magnisium - 1500
Phos - .25 (I think this is artificially high due to feeding reef roids yesterday which is high in phos)
Nitrates 2.5 ppm

I am going to do a 3 day dark out on my Chaeto and cut my skimmer time down significantly. Maybe just run the skimmer over night to help stabilize PH. I am also going to start over feeding to add more nutrients to the water column. Any one have any other suggestions?