Unresolved Sharp turn for the worse

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by andru1313, Jun 26, 2014.

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  1. andru1313

    andru1313 Purple Spiny Lobster

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2009
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    461
    This Hobby is so frustrating.. Past 2 Month things have been on a steady decline. I am unable to pin point any particular reason. I have a redsea Max 250 with 2 Cree Lumia 5.2 LEDs retro fitted in the hood.

    6 or so weeks ago I lost my BT trigger. NO signs of disease no color loss.. Just found him dead one morning... My Scoly has been on a steady decline no matter what I do it keeps retracting. I have moved it into super low flow/low light areas as recomended and it just keeps retracting. I am Losing one of my Rainbow Acans and just lost my blasto.. Yet My other acans, zoas, ricordias, torches/frogspaws, clam, and pearl bubble all appear to be doing okay. Oh and 3 RTBA.(my one split). And now it appears my Kole Yellow Eye Tang is on the quick decline. He is not eating and looks think and color isn't good.

    Water
    Now I do a 10 gallon change once a week. I also clean my Protein skimmer twice a week. I use RedSea Salt and RODI water. I test the RO water and its clean so filter is good. I don't have any issue with Algae either. Tank stays clean. I have tested with Red Sea Test kit and Salifert. I even took it to my buddies fish store and he tested the water and said only thing that was a bit low was the ALK..
    Dosing
    I do dose my tank with RedSea Reef energy Part A and B Daily. I dose about 2mls a night of each. I also to up my alk been using Kents to raise that.
    1.026- Salinity
    7.7alk - has been going up since i have been adding buffer
    8.2- PH
    Temp 81
    400 Calcium

    Feeding...
    I feed once a day. I use frozen reef frenzy and also use Reef Smoothy to spot feed corals at night.

    Filtration.
    I have 2 units of Chemi Pure. I use a bag of purigen and just some filter floss. I change everything every 3 months or so.

    So I am at a complete loss. I have no clue what to do in this case. The only thing I haven't investigated is my lighting. I did swap over to Cree Lumia 5.2 LEDs but been running them for a while. I have them on a low setting so things don't appear to be bleached and some corals are really growing. It also appears I have a burst of Copepods in the tank. At night I see them everywhere. Least thats what I think they are. I removed a worm from the tank the other night and now noticing the copepods.. Here are some pics of those things..

    If anyone has any thoughts let me know. I am just at a loss. Thinking this will just be a slow end of everything in the tank. I just don't know what I am doing wrong.
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  3. Servillius

    Servillius Montipora Digitata

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    Check your salinity with another source. My wife jones whenever there is something wrong in a tank, it's the salinity.
     
  4. andru1313

    andru1313 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Thanks Servillius... I did have my levels checked by another place to make sure my readings weren't off. Salinty was the same as what i got as a reading. Both measured with a refractometer...
     
  5. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    When Amphipods are seen around LPS, especially acans that worries me. If you have no crabs or shrimp I would treat with Sentinel to knock their numbers down.
    You did not post an magnesium level, you'll need that value if you do not have it to assist in balancing out your Ca/Alk ratio. I suspect your loss of LPS corals is do to issues in ALK. Nitrate and phos levels will help as well to narrow down if you're having an issue with a low nutrient system and how that would relate to your alkalinity levels.
    I agree get another check on that SG with a calibrated refractometer or probe.
    What are you feeding the fish and how often?
     
  6. andru1313

    andru1313 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Thanks Corailline...

    My Phosphates as of last night were zero
    My Mag was 1480.
    Nitrates are always around 20.

    I feed reef Frenzy frozen food.. I feed once a day and then I do a spot coral feeding at night if corals are open...

     
  7. Alfie uk

    Alfie uk Feather Duster

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    Location:
    Across the pond, England
    Just an observation bud but you have green on your sand and rocks which tells me there must be po4 present for the algae to grow...
     
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  9. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Well I still suspect the loss of LPS on a low Alkalinity at some point in the recent past. The Amphipod explosion may or may not be due to an over abundance of decaying tissue or the amphipods might be doing some of the damage, like a lot of other things all amphipods are not created equal and some may become opportunistic feeders. Again I would try the Sentinel treatment for them if nothing else pans out. (copepods are much smaller and round)
    As always test for stray current, although I find that to be a rare occurrence, just rule it out.
    Next disease for the fish, if possible feed the Herbivore Frenzy, add some Selcon and put up an image of the fish you're concerned about.
    As usual I can not comment on the LED's.

    Good luck.
     
  10. andru1313

    andru1313 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    Good luck.[/QUOTE]
    Yah that is just cause I was using a flash lite to get the pic and enhanced the color a bit to show the stuff eating the corals. The sand and rock is fairly clean to be honest.


    I will look into this treatment and see if that helps with some of the coral loss.. could you point me in the direction of what I should look for? Is this the Sentinal that you give dogs? I have used the Herbivore frenzy and do put Nori in the tank for him to nibble on.. He was eating and good till a few days ago..

    Again really appreciate all the suggestions... I just feel like I am doing something wrong. I read and read and read and try and follow a process to make sure i don't deviate or make quick changes but this just isn't making a lot of sense.
     
  11. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Yes it's the Sentinel for dogs. It will kill off your pod population, so if you have a fish that needs pods then do not do it. It may kill your shrimp and crabs. Personally I think it's a great treatment if you're over run with Amphipods or some other type of Arthropods that are wreaking havoc. You'll notice pristine clear water for a couple weeks and no film algae on the glass. The treatment is safe to everything but Arthropods (anything with an exoskeleton).

    Your frustration is understandable. I do not think just one thing is the issue. If water quality is as you posted than that is really the only common denominator to fish and corals.

    Fish has got to be a pathogen (disease) or a contaminate or nutritional, or aggression from another fish in the tank.

    Coral water chemistry, predator or lighting.

    I see a lot of thread lately with this vague difficult to diagnosis over all tank issues, it's strange.

    I would certainly try to find someone that has used your lighting type (brand) long term and see if lighting plays into the coral issue.
     
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  12. Vinnyboombatz

    Vinnyboombatz Giant Squid

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    Check Magnesium level.o_O
    FWIW The tank really is too small for a Trigger or Tang.This may or may not have contributed to the death.I would research any further additions.Sorry for the loss.