my corals are dieing and nothing is wrong!

[triggerhappy09]

Help! Okay so I'm a rookie with reef tanks, well any tank really, and I've had my 20 gallon reef tank established for about two months. Everything has seemed to be fine until a couple of days ago my hammer and bubble tip anemone both were shriveled up looking. Then, when I went to look at them today, I saw that my hammer has died. White as a bone. So I tested the water and everything is normal except I've noticed these little white bulb-like fuzzy things growing off my rocks and some of my zoas. What the heck is that!?!
HELP! PLEASE.

here are some pics I took of the bulb-like things. They've grown on my live rock, some of my zoas and on the sand.

 

[nycbob]

i doubt its the white thing that killed the anemone and hammer coral. ur tank is very very new. what kind of lighting do u hv? when u said ur water is good, can u state the parameters? anemone should never be placed in a 2 month old tank.

 

[yosemite sam]

A 2-month-old tank is pretty young. The white things appear to be Q-tip sponges, which are harmless filterfeeders that are common in new tanks. As Bob mentioned, what kind of lighting/equipment do you have, and what are your exact water parameters? It will help if you can include the specific gravity/salinity, PH, calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.

 

[superhero]

Yeah they are sponges and did not kill any corals... I would reccomend a water change just to get some new saltwater in there and help replenish all of the trace elements the corals need to thrive...
-Tony

 

[bmkj02]

I have a 55g and a 24g tank running for a few year. Started up a 125g and its been running for 7 months with no stock in it other than live rock just to make sure its all good when I put my fish in and plus money reasons. Anenome require proper lighting as many coral do as well. Its a combo between a new tank and proper lighting if all you parimeter come back fine

 

[triggerhappy09]

Originally Posted by bmkj02
http:///forum/post/3043752
I have a 55g and a 24g tank running for a few year. Started up a 125g and its been running for 7 months with no stock in it other than live rock just to make sure its all good when I put my fish in and plus money reasons. Anenome require proper lighting as many coral do as well. Its a combo between a new tank and proper lighting if all you parimeter come back fine
Whoops. I meant my tank has been established for three months (if that makes any difference at all) and I have a 150 watt MH light fixture. I now realize that the bulb looking things are really just sponges and I think I may have had a bacteria infection that caused the frogspawn to die or that's what a respectable LFS said. So I already did a waterchange and the infection seems to have not spread to any of my other corals.
But, thanks for the info!

 

[nycbob]

u should really run carbon for a few days at least once a month.

 

[triggerhappy09]

I did run carbon, and have been regularly changing the cartridges in the filter. So hopefully, everything will get back to normal. I also haven't been hand-feeding my corals, as my LFS recommended. So, now I'm making sure that I am hand-feeding them so that they won't get weak. Any suggestions as to types of shrimp or other foods I could feed them, or which corals I don't need to hand-feed?

My corals are a bubble-tip anemone, various color zoas, candycanes, SPS, Monticap, and mushrooms

 

[nycbob]

hv u tested for the basic: ammonia, nitrate and nitrite?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by triggerhappy09
http:///forum/post/3044350
I did run carbon, and have been regularly changing the cartridges in the filter. So hopefully, everything will get back to normal. I also haven't been hand-feeding my corals, as my LFS recommended. So, now I'm making sure that I am hand-feeding them so that they won't get weak. Any suggestions as to types of shrimp or other foods I could feed them, or which corals I don't need to hand-feed?

My corals are a bubble-tip anemone, various color zoas, candycanes, SPS, Monticap, and mushrooms

I don't know much about monticap coral but you shouldn't have to hand feed the others. It really sounds like chemical warfare to me, that's why a water change helped a little. I think using activated carbon will help allot.

 

[carolinethedog]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3044418
I don't know much about monticap coral but you shouldn't have to hand feed the others. It really sounds like chemical warfare to me, that's why a water change helped a little. I think using activated carbon will help allot.
Agreed

I am one who is all about spot-feeding my corals. But, those that you listed are not some that you need to even bother feeding my shrooms love it, but zoas just a little. I know 3-months seems like so long, but I also let my tank run for 3-4 months with nothing but LR and then just some zoas/xenia to get it going. READ a lot...this is a great forum. One of the hardest yet best qualities that in this hobby that I still struggle with is PATIENCE. 2-3months is really a brand new tank. Let the Q-tips flourish. Make sure you have really good flow...and IMO if you just want something to do, a sump with an over-flow on your size tank makes a big difference. My tank is a 38g reef, 15months old and when I installed a 20gallon fuge and overflow @ 11months it really took it up a notch. I would advise getting the flow right and a sump ASAP if you are just wanting some action. Although at that size many would say you don't need a sump...maybe ever. Then again, you could get it going take your setup, make it the sump, and get a 65, or a 90bow, or a 100, or a.......welcome to saltwater, hope you brought your wallet.

 

[triggerhappy09]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3044418
I don't know much about monticap coral but you shouldn't have to hand feed the others. It really sounds like chemical warfare to me, that's why a water change helped a little. I think using activated carbon will help allot.
Okay, so I tested both Ammonia, Nitrate, nitrite, PH levels and everything seems to be fine.
However, I think that there is some kind of bacteria in my tank because oily looking bubbles are sitting on the top and it seems like no matter how much carbon i put in or how many water changes i do, nothing is helping!
XP

 

[ophiura]

Can you post the specific parameters, including calcium? Also any additives. What is "perfect" for fish tanks, and even FOWLR, can be fatal in reef tanks.
It is an extremely young and small tank, with, IMO, not the best combination of corals....and a lot of them for such a young system. The fact that you are only know getting q-tip sponges is an indication to me of how young the tank is. I suspect there will be some long term issues. Remember, even "respectable" LFS' need to make a buck, so many will say all sorts of things in order for you to buy more.

 

[oceansidefish]

Sounds to me like you are getting protein buildup on the top of the tank....Try doing more frequent small water changes. Your tank sounds like it's just not mature enough to handle everything you have in there

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by Oceansidefish
http:///forum/post/3045410
Sounds to me like you are getting protein buildup on the top of the tank....Try doing more frequent small water changes. Your tank sounds like it's just not mature enough to handle everything you have in there
I totally missed this and think you are right. If you have an oily surface film that is an issue - definitely be sure you also have good surface aggitation. What sort of circulation do you have in the tank?

 

[triggerhappy09]

Circulation? Well, I do have a protein skimmer and just recently my filter stopped working so i KNOW that's an issue, but the oily surface was still going on before the filter stopped working, and I still don't know what happened to the filter, it just stopped working.
So... yeah. I'm still concerned about whether there is a bacterial infection.
Are there any chemicals or anything that I can put in there to kill off an infection if there is one?

 

[wakeboard3584]

u should be circulating the volume of the tank about 30+ times per hour. so, with ur powerheads and filter pumps, you should be moving 600 gallons per hour. Sounds like maybe things are a little stagnant. also, what type of skimmer do you have on the tank? you shouldnt have any oils on your surface. the reefs we keep are VERY delicate systems and its really important to take your time with everything. i know its really hard not to just fill it up with corals as soon as its done cycling, but tanks can be shaky when they are young. you will have many little battles in the next 6-8 months. mine is about 16 months old and its been about 8-9 months since i had any major issues. but trust me, i faced them; hair algae, bubble algae, aiptasia, poisoned tank from flatworms dying from flatworm exit... and i still deal with the flatworms. the b@stards wont die! anyway, that's the price we pay to keep our own little private corners of the ocean in our living rooms

 

[fishieness]

where did you have the corals in the tank and what where they under at the LFS. COuld also be light acclimation. How long did you have them for?

 

[thai]

I was using only a emperor 400 for filtration for my 20gallon long and xenia was doing great until i put a 20 gallon sump with a protein skimmer then it started dying can somebody tell me why? The reason whyi upgrade to the sump and the protein skimmer its because i was having nitrate problems. Now my water para is nearly perfect my xenia is dying. Everything else in my tank has flourish mushroom, frogspawn, candycane ,gsp ext.. any input will be appreciate.......