Coral s dying..I need advice.

flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Okay, I have lots of coral. However the last three pieces I purchased has died. I am going crazy trying to figure out why. I thought my pagoda cup liked it in cooler temps, which isn’t mentioned in any of my books or the explanation of care from SWF. However when looking online that was said. So I attributed its demise to that.
Then I got a trumpet coral with 7 heads..very nice. Well it began shriveling up after a few days, and I realized my MH bulbs were a year old….before I could get the new bulbs (4 days), it was really in bad shape and couldn’t bounce back…so I believed was the cause.
Next I purchased a torch coral, it was beautiful for weeks then all of a sudden one day it didn’t open and fan out like before, then the heads began to slowly disappear one head then another…the others remaining were very closed up and hardly coming out at all, just a glow of life and all closed up. Now today all 5 heads are dead and empty, not a trace of the torches “meat” is left.
It’s a very well established 90g tank, all numbers:
  • PH 8.4
  • Alk 3.6
  • Phosphates .01
  • Cal 340 (a little low)
  • Ammonia .25
  • Nitrates 20
    I run a skimmer and carbon….Temps stay at 82/84. All corals besides the new ones are growing like crazy.
    Here is a list.
  • Xenia ( very long time ??? I have no idea how long)
  • Dragon eye Zoa (10xs larger colony than when purchased 1 year ago)
  • Eagle eye Zoa (5xs larger colony when gotten from Loopy101 1 year ago)
    Kenya trees (little ones every where, I got in store credit for them )
    Lettuce coral ( had it for 5 years)
    Cabbage coral ( no growth that I can see but very healthy, 1 years old)
    Green stripe mushrooms (started with 3 now I have a dozen at least after 1 year)
    True blue mushrooms (over 5 years now)
    Purple sea fan (over 5 years old)
    Chili coral only comes out at night, which is normal.
    Green star polyp (fragged 3xs)
    Orange tree sponge (not a coral, but very happy for over two years..filter feeder)
I have not added any new rock for years ,so no bobbit worm ate the torch nor has any fish nipped at it…Do dwarf lemonpeel angels eat torches, I see it nipping at algae in the back of the tank but no coral? That’s the only new critter.
I want to get some new coral but I am worried…could it be the type of coral I chose? If so what will go with what is in there?
Any advice?????
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by luvmyreef
http:///forum/post/3251752
Sorry to say it, but lower your temp. Anything above 80 is too high IMO.

At lower temps my Hippo tang gets stressed and sick. I have had my tank at this temp for over a year now. In the natural reef 80+ is the normal, which is why I upped the temps to start with.
Are you saying the corals I put in recently need cooler temps? My book says Xenia likes it cooler but when I dropped the temps..SLOWLY…All the other coral, even the Xenia looked like crap (to used to higher temps maybe), and it didn’t help the pagoda cup at all.
 
luvmyreef

luvmyreef

Active Member
I am saying that 80 would be good, 82-84 might be a tad high for all the different corals you want. For example, Hawaii's waters go from 74-80, with an average temp of 76. This also may be the reason for your ammonia level. Just my opinion though.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
The corals you have, are quite tolerate of poor water conditions. The corals you've attempted to add, while not say SPS-level tough to keep, won't do well in those conditions.
.25 ammonia is definitely not barely anything, combine with standard high marine-pH levels, it actually quite toxic. Do you test for nitrites?
If you are running your tanks in the 82°-84° range, solely because it 'keeps the Ich away'.... .There ya go, you've found your next move. Time to setup a QT and treat the fish.
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
temps r not the issue. temp anywhere from 76-82 is fine. a well established tank shouldnt hv any trace of detactable ammonia. as stated above, ur prior corals r easy and hardy. lps on the other hand, hv similar requirement as sps. this is definitely a water related problem.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/3251805
temps r not the issue. temp anywhere from 76-82 is fine. a well established tank shouldnt hv any trace of detactable ammonia. as stated above, ur prior corals r easy and hardy. lps on the other hand, hv similar requirement as sps. this is definitely a water related problem.

Okay so far.....
The temp is now being dropped to 80 as I write this (SLOWLY). I don’t have ich in the tank now, but did a long time ago (1 year) and I did have the temps upped for that reason and just never dropped it back down. There is no way to remove all my fish in the 90g to put in a QT for 6 to 8 weeks. Ich in a reef is bad news indeed. A new fish can be in a QT but not all of them at once.
I haven’t checked for nitrates, I will do that in a bit. I have had Ammonia at .25 for a year now and can’t seem to get it down. I do regular water changes each month and I make sure the canister filters are kept up.
It is indeed due for a water change right now, but I was waiting until after Pesach (Passover) there is just too much on my plate for the water change right now. I just cleaned the carpets last night before Sabbath. I have my kitchen yet to kosher (counters and refrigerator), before Sunday (Yom Rishon) evening. I figured one weeks delay won’t matter, everything still looks okay.
Anything else I can do?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Just out of curiosity, what do you test with? have you ever taken your water to be tested somewhere else?
I just find it odd that you always have .25 ammonia
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3251832
Just out of curiosity, what do you test with? have you ever taken your water to be tested somewhere else?
I just find it odd that you always have .25 ammonia

I have Instant ocean, Red Sea, nutrafin and Seachem tests. I didn't document which test kit I used just the date of the test, I will be careful to document that from now on..Because now I don't remember which one I used for the last tests. I am now out of the Instant Ocean one (most used and easiest).
I will redo all the tests and post results in a bit. As an after thought...I was feeding my sea stars a chunk of shrimp once a week..it disappeared each night, but I thought maybe that was why I got the .25 ammonia reading. Kind of like traces of a dead fish that was cleaned up sort of thing.

My LFS is ***** and Petland...would you trust them?
Not me.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3251842
NOPE...I would not, but I hate Red Sea tests...LOL...I would get either api, or salifert :) IDK about seachen though

I really like the instant Ocean...all the tests however give me the same readings..
I really think the chunk of shrimp may be the reason..I got rid of the sea star and haven't done an ammonia test...so I will do that today for sure.
My little disc checker thing says safe levels....I know they are only good for a year and it is not due to be replaced.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Ammonia test kits test for ammonia and ammonium. Ammonium is an acid and unlike its basic counterpart isn't as lethal. Since your pH is high, when organic waste breaks down, ammonia is more likely to be the result. Therefore, .25 is not "like almost nothing."
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/3251847
Ammonia test kits test for ammonia and ammonium. Ammonium is an acid and unlike its basic counterpart isn't as lethal. Since your pH is high, when organic waste breaks down, ammonia is more likely to be the result. Therefore, .25 is not "like almost nothing."

Pez...
I FAILED chemistry in high school.
The first time my readings said .25…I panicked and started doing an emergency water change…still my reading said .25. So I called my friend who has had a 225g reef tank up and going strong and beautiful for 26+ years, he told me to not worry, .25 was like almost nothing, hardly traceable.
Anyway I just redid all tests here are my readings with Red Sea and Nutrafin test kits.
  • PH 8.2/8.4
  • Alk 2.9
  • Nitrates 20
  • Nitrites 0.05
    Ammonia .25
    Phosphates 0
    Calcium 260
My Calcium was very low, so I dosed the tank for that just now, and I will retest it tomorrow. Coralline is growing everywhere.
I was surprised it was so low.
Most ammonia issues are due to overstocking...Could I have too much in the tank? Do you guys need a list of fish too?
 
ibanez

ibanez

Member
It can be that the ammonia is a result of the dieing corals and not the cause of demise. Also, the colors at times are hard to distinguish and if you have any troubles with eye site, could cause you to think it was there when it really wasn't. It looks like you are having swings in your alk which could be a problem, as well as the low calcium.
 
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