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LPS Emergency help!

post #1 of 8
10/18/11 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 

My neighbor has been out of town working on a start up business of his and his wife has been caring for the tank.  She called me crying to come help her last night.  

I got there and this is what I found:

Hammer Coral Disintegrating
[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3314.jpg[/img]

Scoly's with holes:
[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3527.jpg[/img]

Acan Dying:
[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0649.jpg[/img]

Favia dying:
[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5450.jpg[/img]

She said the Favia has been dying over the past ten days, but the rest of the corals were perfect on sunday and got like this basically over night.  Tank is well cycled (3 years old).

I tested the parameters last night:
PH- 7.8 (So low)
Ca-350ppm (Low but not devastating I don't think)
Nitrate-10ppm (possibly because of the dying corals?)
Alkalinity- 3.3 Meq/L (9.2dKH)
PH- 7.8
Salinity- 1.024
magnesium 1340
Water Temp: 83.7!!!!!!

So after I tested the water my only guess is the temp is a huge factor?  I told his wife I am no expert and all I could do is test the water and look for help.  So don't worry I am not claiming to be anything I am not.

When I saw the temp that High I volunteered to get going on a water change as well.  We changed about 15 gallons (65 gallon redsea max) and got the temp down to about 79.  I shut down the heater and turned the ac to about 64 in the house as well.  I talked to her today and the tank is at 76.  The corals don't look any worse than they did yesterday.

Any ideas on what more can be done?  Or maybe what caused this?  

I would love to say it was the fish nipping, but they nor I have ever seen his fish get remotely interested in any of the corals?  They are also all well fed.

Anyone?

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post #2 of 8
10/18/11 at 2:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanuki View Post

My neighbor has been out of town working on a start up business of his and his wife has been caring for the tank.  She called me crying to come help her last night.  I got there and this is what I found:Hammer Coral Disintegrating[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3314.jpg[/img]Scoly's with holes:[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3527.jpg[/img]Acan Dying:[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0649.jpg[/img]Favia dying:[img]http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz55/CelestialBeingExia/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_5450.jpg[/img]She said the Favia has been dying over the past ten days, but the rest of the corals were perfect on sunday and got like this basically over night.  Tank is well cycled (3 years old).I tested the parameters last night:PH- 7.8 (So low)Ca-350ppm (Low but not devastating I don't think)Nitrate-10ppm (possibly because of the dying corals?)Alkalinity- 3.3 Meq/L (9.2dKH)PH- 7.8Salinity- 1.024magnesium 1340Water Temp: 83.7!!!!!!So after I tested the water my only guess is the temp is a huge factor?  I told his wife I am no expert and all I could do is test the water and look for help.  So don't worry I am not claiming to be anything I am not.When I saw the temp that High I volunteered to get going on a water change as well.  We changed about 15 gallons (65 gallon redsea max) and got the temp down to about 79.  I shut down the heater and turned the ac to about 64 in the house as well.  I talked to her today and the tank is at 76.  The corals don't look any worse than they did yesterday.Any ideas on what more can be done?  Or maybe what caused this?  I would love to say it was the fish nipping, but they nor I have ever seen his fish get remotely interested in any of the corals?  They are also all well fed.Anyone?



The heat was not a big deal, the water change was a good isdea and 76 is too low..go slow to 78 at least.

 

Do they run carbon? It could be chemical warfare...I'm THINKING (no expert here either) if the favia was stressed it could release a chemical that stressed another coral that then released...you get the idea.

 

 

 

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post #3 of 8
10/18/11 at 3:51pm

Run some carbon and GFO in the system, or replace it if it's already there. Check the tank for any stray voltage with a voltmeter. Something could possibly be leaking stray voltage into the tank. To me, in that situation, it's either chemical warfare or stray voltage. borrow a voltmeter and find someone who knows how to use it.

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post #4 of 8
10/18/11 at 3:57pm

A temp spike that high wouldn't have caused any coral damage. One of my best looking aquariums ever ran at 85F. A pH that low wouldn't really affect corals that bad either. Test the pH before the lights come on and see what iit is. If it's going below 7.8 before the lights come on, that could also be a problem. Check for stray voltage first and go from there.

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post #5 of 8
10/18/11 at 4:54pm
Thread Starter 
So the stunner strip wires/ connectors were under water last night and I had wondered about the voltage so I taped them to the hood temporarily. Sound alike there is a good chance they aren't 100% sealed and could have caused this?
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post #6 of 8
10/18/11 at 5:17pm

It's a possibility. You should still test the water with a voltmeter to make absolutely sure it's not the heater leaking voltage into the tank. You should also ask her what kind of water she is topping off with, and how much and what she is feeding. There's something that is either in the tank causing problems, or there's something she has caused, unfortunately.

 

 

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post #7 of 8
10/18/11 at 9:21pm
Thread Starter 
I ll try to help with the voltometer. They have a 3 stage RO so the water is good as far as that goes. Checks it and still reads 0. They feed garlic soaked nori and garlic spectrum pellets.
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post #8 of 8
10/19/11 at 6:44am

Any deviation from that? Ask her if she added anything else to the tank besides that specific food. phytoplankton... golden pearls, bleach,... etc. etc..

 

 

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