Hi everyone. I had a pretty large torch coral die overnight. It's been healthy for a couple months. I also had a maxima claim completely kick the bucket overnight as well, though it's been declining for the last couple of weeks or so. A few weeks ago, I bought a small torch from a LFS and it died in 2 days. So something's off. The LFS says my alkalinity is too high, but I've read it should be at 9.0. Mine has been a bit over 9 recently and it was 8.8 when I tested yesterday. All of the parameters I check are posted below. One thing I changed yesterday, I decreased my temp just slightly because I heard it should be 78 F. I've been running 79.3 and I was going to grade down over time. Last night I dropped it from 79.3 to 79.0. Didn't think I would wake up to a dead coral over such a small change. Still not sure if that was it.
Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong, what I should change, and/or what killed my torch:
Here's the info and a pic is attached.
Tank age since first starting cycle: 8 months:
Current inhabitants: 5 chromis, a blenny, a sandsifting goby, a purple gramma, 2 clowns, 2 firefish, a longnose hawkfish. Cleanup crew consisting of some turbo snails, some hermit crabs, a nassarius snail, an emerald crab. And a handful of coral - a couple of torches, a leather toadstool, some blastos and acans. Oh and two anenomes.
Coral pro red bucket salt (should I change this to something else to lower my alkalinity?)
140 gallon system including sump.
I run my lights pretty low (I think it's low anyway). I run the blues; no red.
I do weekly 15% water changes. I miss a week here and there.
Parameters as of yesterday:
Temp 79.3F
Salinity a bit above the 35 mark. Approx 35.5
Nitrates 3.2. This has been declining. Been feeding less and installed a refugium about a month ago.
Phosphate 0.16
Alkalinity 8.8
PH 7.8
Calcium 450
Thanks in advance.
![20221204_105519- to post.jpg 20221204_105519- to post.jpg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/2850/2850633-340aaf4c3c7a51ab950ace26778a19d8.jpg)
Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong, what I should change, and/or what killed my torch:
Here's the info and a pic is attached.
Tank age since first starting cycle: 8 months:
Current inhabitants: 5 chromis, a blenny, a sandsifting goby, a purple gramma, 2 clowns, 2 firefish, a longnose hawkfish. Cleanup crew consisting of some turbo snails, some hermit crabs, a nassarius snail, an emerald crab. And a handful of coral - a couple of torches, a leather toadstool, some blastos and acans. Oh and two anenomes.
Coral pro red bucket salt (should I change this to something else to lower my alkalinity?)
140 gallon system including sump.
I run my lights pretty low (I think it's low anyway). I run the blues; no red.
I do weekly 15% water changes. I miss a week here and there.
Parameters as of yesterday:
Temp 79.3F
Salinity a bit above the 35 mark. Approx 35.5
Nitrates 3.2. This has been declining. Been feeding less and installed a refugium about a month ago.
Phosphate 0.16
Alkalinity 8.8
PH 7.8
Calcium 450
Thanks in advance.
![20221204_105519- to post.jpg 20221204_105519- to post.jpg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/2850/2850633-340aaf4c3c7a51ab950ace26778a19d8.jpg)