Asking for help because I am at a complete loss

[HWDylan]

I am at a complete loss here and I don't know what else to try. I would appreciate any and all advice or ideas you guys possibly have.

I am a year and a few months into this new tank. Everything is going great and (using a trident) I have the parameters very very stable, coraline algae growing all over, and all of the fish are very healthy and disease free. This is not my first tank and so I have tried to do everything the best way possible this time around. Quarantine all fish properly, not cheap out on items, etc. I have a maintenance routine that is very constant so there should be no big changes ever happening to this system.

Here is my problem: Every coral I put into the tank dies. I have tried: Stylo, Cyphastrea, Chalice, Lepto, and Zoanthids. Only the Zoas are still alive but they are absolutley not growing or spreading at all and several have just melted away. All of the other corals have just gone pale and had their tissue slowly recede over the course of about 1 week or two.

What is the issue here? I have a tank at work that I have 0 issues with and my first tank was an SPS dominant 75g that was fine. I am somewhat experience in this hobby and would like to rule out any of the obvious newbie mistakes when it comes to corals.

Here is a bit of background on the tank and the parameters:

300 gallon display (96x36x20) with a ~150g sump. It is a bare bottom display with an ABS plastic bottom (pretty much covered in coraline at this point). It is controlled by and Apex with 3 DOS units and a Trident. I verify the tridents reading once a week to be safe and it has never deviated more than the expected margin of error. I have a Pentair 80W HO UV Sterilizer on it running off of the return pump (Reeflo Barracuda Gold). There is cheato in the fuge that is growing well and I run filter socks that I change out every few days.

I dose BRS Soda ash and BRS Calcium Chloride (about 180ml of each a day) with a DOS over a 24hr time period to keep everything stable.

Alk: 9.0DKH
Cal: 425 ppm
Mag 1500ppm
PO4: 0.1 - 0.05ppm on average
NO3: 12-25ppm on average

I have sent in several ICP tests over the last year and every singe one has come back almost completely green. I honestly have never seen an ICP test that looked so good on any of my tanks (I can post the most recent one if people are interested).

For Lighting I have 8 Radion Gen 4 Pros with diffusers on them at about 16in off the water. I rented a par meter when I first set them up and have PAR maps for the tank at 50%, 60%, and 70%. I am running the lights at 55% currently and there is no place in the tank where the PAR is over 310.

For Flow I have 2x MP40 and 4x MP60 (overkill but I wanted to push water across an 8ft tank so I went with more horsepower) I use a combo of Tidal Swell mode and Reef Crest on the vortechs to keep the currents in the tank constantly shifting.

Water changes are done via one of the DOS units at 6gal a day. I use Tropic Marin Pro salt and adjust the alk up a bit to match the display.

I use no other media like GFO. I have a carbon reactor plumbed into the manifold but rarely use it unless I feel the need to.



Everything seems perfect for corals (especially SPS) but here I am unable to keep anything alive, much less get it growing)

Please help. I have no clue what this issue is.

 

[Luis1992]

Make sure you have no current going through the tank with a volt meter. Also, out of curiosity do you make your own saltwater? If not might switch where your buying from in case they’re RODI system isn’t maintained well. What kind of light and flow are you running? Are you feeding the corals? If all else fails do an icp test

 

[HWDylan]

Make sure you have no current going through the tank with a volt meter. Also, out of curiosity do you make your own saltwater? If not might switch where your buying from in case they’re RODI system isn’t maintained well. What kind of light and flow are you running? Are you feeding the corals? If all else fails do an icp test

I make my own RO/DI water. I have the 6 stage BRS filter because well water has a ton of CO2 and it was burning up my resin incredibly fast.

No volts in tank aside from induced voltage from the pumps. I have a ground probe in the tank anyway to avoid that issue since I have had it in the past.

Lighting and Flow are posted in the OP.

I feed a DIY food blend that contains Reef Roids and Coral Aminos to cover that. I also have tried target feeding the chalice before it died but could never get a feeding response.

 

[tripdad]

Did your ICP test check for chloramines/chlorides?

 

[HWDylan]

Did your ICP test check for chloramines/chlorides?

It was through Triton so no chloroamines test.

Here is the ICP test data

I have some chlorine test strips I can use real quick and see if those show any chlorine.

EDIT: Chlorine tests strips show 0 total and 0 free chlorine

 

[Dilan Patel]

maybe look at this in a different way other than chemistry...What fish do you own/ CUC? I know you said you weren't a noob but I will still ask if you dip EVERY coral and which dip. Does the death happen overnight or gradually. Parameters in my eyes seem gtg. Are the zoas opening up?

 

[Slawman]

How is your Salinity? The DOS water change approach is never 100% accurate particularly if you are pumping from downstairs.

Why are you dosing Alk and Calcium? I would tend to stop all additives/dosing until you nail the issue. There are no corals or clams that need it and the Coraline will be able to go for months with no specific additives.

Is algae growing on the glass?

The photo of your display is quite dark and I cannot tell the color of the bottom or rocks, are they brown? Diatoms?

 

[Auquanut]

Sorry about your troubles. It really is an awesome setup. I would think that with your NO3 and PO4 where they are, your zoas should be lovin it. It sounds like you have things well in hand. My parameters are nearly identical to yours, and everything from softies to acros are flourishing. The only thing I can think of is lighting or something like fish or parasites. Following along.

 

[HWDylan]

maybe look at this in a different way other than chemistry...What fish do you own/ CUC? I know you said you weren't a noob but I will still ask if you dip EVERY coral and which dip. Does the death happen overnight or gradually. Parameters in my eyes seem gtg. Are the zoas opening up?

Fish are:
1x Blonde Naso Tang
1x Convict Tang
1x Tomini Tang
1x Purple Tang
1x Sailfin Tang
1x Blue Hippo Tang
1x Yellow Tang
1x White Tail Kole Tang
4x Green Chromis
1x Black Cap Basslet
1x Royal Gramma
1x Orchid Dottyback
2x Black Clowns
1x Quoyi Parrot

All were QTed for a minimum of 5 week with Copper Power/Prazi treatment followed by sterile tank transfer and observation.

CUC is a ton of cerinths, trochus, and nerites. Theres a few other things like periwinkles and 2 Mexican Turbos.

Zoas open up for a while and slowly over the course of about 2 weeks close up and whither away.

I dip everything in that I do not know the source of in Beyer. Several things have come from my work tank that I know and am comfortable transferring in with no dip besides a mild iodine treatment.

How is your Salinity? The DOS water change approach is never 100% accurate particularly if you are pumping from downstairs.

Why are you dosing Alk and Calcium? I would tend to stop all additives/dosing until you nail the issue. There are no corals or clams that need it and the Coraline will be able to go for months with no specific additives.

Is algae growing on the glass?

The photo of your display is quite dark and I cannot tell the color of the bottom or rocks, are they brown? Diatoms?

Salinity is 35ppt. I use the Hanna Conductivity checker backed up by a Milwaukee Digital Refractometer.

I am dosing alk and cal because there has always been a big consumption in this tank and I want to hold the parameters stable to rule out swings as a possible issue. I did stop dosing about 6mo ago for a while to see and the alk crashed down to 5.8 dkh.

Algae does grow on the glass. It is mostly Diatoms (confirmed with a scope).

the rocks are a mix of brown and purple. There are patched of diatoms and GHA but that seems to be slowly receding.

 

[Schnizzle]

What is consuming all that alk and Ca? Just the coraline?

 

[HWDylan]

What is consuming all that alk and Ca? Just the coraline?

honestly I have no clue. I assume the coraline.

I asked about this in the chem forum and Randy pointed out that a full DKH/day isnt uncommon at all even with no corals.

I have always just dosed what the tank needs

 

[Schnizzle]

PH? I couldn’t find it if you did mention it.
Anything near the skimmer air intake that could be a pollutant?

 

[HWDylan]

PH? I couldn’t find it if you did mention it.
Anything near the skimmer air intake that could be a pollutant?

pH swings between about 8.1 and 8.25ish

Skimmer and sump are in a isolated room. I dont think there is anything that could be a contaminant. I removed all scented plugins from the fish room area. I am not sure what else to be looking for honestly.

 

[Slawman]

Fish are:
1x Blonde Naso Tang
1x Convict Tang
1x Tomini Tang
1x Purple Tang
1x Sailfin Tang
1x Blue Hippo Tang
1x Yellow Tang
1x White Tail Kole Tang
4x Green Chromis
1x Black Cap Basslet
1x Royal Gramma
1x Orchid Dottyback
2x Black Clowns
1x Quoyi Parrot

All were QTed for a minimum of 5 week with Copper Power/Prazi treatment followed by sterile tank transfer and observation.

CUC is a ton of cerinths, trochus, and nerites. Theres a few other things like periwinkles and 2 Mexican Turbos.

Zoas open up for a while and slowly over the course of about 2 weeks close up and whither away.

I dip everything in that I do not know the source of in Beyer. Several things have come from my work tank that I know and am comfortable transferring in with no dip besides a mild iodine treatment.




Salinity is 35ppt. I use the Hanna Conductivity checker backed up by a Milwaukee Digital Refractometer.

I am dosing alk and cal because there has always been a big consumption in this tank and I want to hold the parameters stable to rule out swings as a possible issue. I did stop dosing about 6mo ago for a while to see and the alk crashed down to 5.8 dkh.

Algae does grow on the glass. It is mostly Diatoms (confirmed with a scope).

the rocks are a mix of brown and purple. There are patched of diatoms and GHA but that seems to be slowly receding.

The diatoms could be one cause. this has killed corals in my systems in the past. I would also try to work out why your calcium and alkalinity are lowering, this is very odd and not explained by anything you have posted so far.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

What is the lowest PAR in the tank and what PAR are your corals receiving if the highest PAR is 310.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Salt 38? Shouldn't it be nearer 35? That's all I can take a stab at from the numbers you've provided. Edit, sorry I missed the post above about the salinity. You've got me there. What about something in the abs plastic bottom?

 

[HWDylan]

The diatoms could be one cause. this has killed corals in my systems in the past. I would also try to work out why your calcium and alkalinity are lowering, this is very odd and not explained by anything you have posted so far.

That alk and cal consumption has been very consistent for months and months in this tank. I have been dosing about 180ml for the majority of this tanks life. It does seem high and I have pulled my hair out trying to figure out where all of that alk and cal are going. There is almost no precipitation anywhere in the tank (on heaters etc). I wish I could figure that one out because it is the only thing about this tank that seems off besides the corals dying.

What is the lowest PAR in the tank and what PAR are your corals receiving if the highest PAR is 310.

Its a pretty shallow tank so not a TON of variation in PAR. The lowest spot reads at 109.

Salt 38? Shouldn't it be nearer 35? That's all I can take a stab at from the numbers you've provided. Edit, sorry I missed the post above about the salinity. You've got me there. What about something in the abs plastic bottom?

That stupid Apex probe never displays correct. I gave up on trying to get it to say 35 and just ignore it mostly.
I check salinity fairly regularly with the Hanna since it is so easy

That plastic bottom is the standard bottom Reef Savvy uses in all their Phantom Bottom tanks so I would assume that it is not the issue.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

That plastic bottom is the standard bottom Reef Savvy uses in all their Phantom Bottom tanks so I would assume that it is not the issue.
[/QUOTE]
Did you stick the bottom down with anything, or is there some stagnant water trapped under and being released into the system?
Any air fresheners running or sprayed near by?
Has any copper got into the system from your quarantine? If you used copper treatment that is. Could it be a bad batch of salt?
Could you just leave the tank to run without sticking hands in and doing maintenance on it for a while? As in not do a water change I know 6 gallon a day on that size system isn't alot but for what reason does it need a water change every day? for that amount wouldn't adjust anything.
I'm just clutching at straws, I understand that its frustrating.

You do have alot of light on that tank and the corals you listed are low light corals so could it just be too much light?

Also you mention you have a reactor with carbon in it, do you leave that full of water the just open a valve when you want to use it? If so the water in the reactor could be going bad.

 

[Duncan Tse]

I would suggest to maybe run carbon in a Reactor 24/7 to see if it can pull out any unwanted chemicals. Wait a couple of weeks and see if you can add corals in without it melting away

 

[clm65]

Just throwing out ideas...are you sure your Hanna salinity meter is accurate?