Huge Tank issue

[hantzum]

K, I have had my reef tank now for about 3 years and have had it running pretty successfully with little losses, except until now. Within the last 3 months, everything "reef, corals" has dies. Water tests all come back within near perfect parameters and now my tank is BROWN. I mean nasty brown. At first I thought it was a Nitrate issue but my nitrate is about 50-60, which is about right. I have done water change after water change and the damn tank will not restore its color. I have looked high and low in the tank to remove anything that may have died and nothing....The only thing I have left in there is a mated pair of maroons, a long tentacle anenmie that is about 2 1/2 ft and a yellow tang with a few crabs here and there.
Any help????

 

[nissan577]

please tell me your NITRATES ARENT 50-60?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What about your phosphates?
it could be algae bloom. and im 100% sure the corals died cause of the params. what are your cal and alk at?

 

[deejeff442]

no kiddin i get nervious when my nitrates hit 20.
do you run a sump is so or not get one and set up an algea scrubber or a nice piece of chato.i find it impossible to keep the nitrates at 0-10 but these help keep it manageable.

 

[coral keeper]

What size tank do you have?

 

[nissan577]

Originally Posted by Coral Keeper
http:///forum/post/3089615
What size tank do you have?
+1

 

[ophiura]

Hi,
Welcome to the boards!
We need to know EVERYTHING about your tank set up.
Size
Filtration
Circulation
lighting and light bulbs
SPECIFIC water parameters
Maintenance schedule
Source water
Feeding
Substrate
Live Rock
Without knowing this, we can not begin to help.
But nitrates in a reef tank should not be 50-60. Ideally they would not be higher than 20, and in a SPS reef, not higher than 10 if that.
As a FOWLR tank, I would not be overly concerned about those nitrates but in a reef, it is cause for concern, and could be a sign of the imminent demise of your entire tank, particularly if it is several years old.
I know, I was just in the same boat.

 

[fishstick4sale]

50/60? ur nitrates alone will wipe out ur tank.
ill freak out if i get to 10 most i ever had was 5.
what kind of water changes do u do? do u buy ur water or mix it? do u use r/o water if u mix it? do u know if ur lfs using ocean water if u buy from them

 

[coralreefer]

Originally Posted by fishstick4sale
http:///forum/post/3089990
50/60? ur nitrates alone will wipe out ur tank.
ill freak out if i get to 10 most i ever had was 5.
what kind of water changes do u do? do u buy ur water or mix it? do u use r/o water if u mix it? do u know if ur lfs using ocean water if u buy from them
same here

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by fishstick4sale
http:///forum/post/3089990
50/60? ur nitrates alone will wipe out ur tank.
This, IMO, is not entirely true. However large rapid water changes to reduce nitrates can cause significant stress and result in further losses. So I rarely suggest them simply for high nitrates.