Euphilia Issues

[riley9010]

I’ve Had the Red Sea Max170e up for around 6months and have a 6 euphilias (1 torch, 3 frogspawn, 2 hammers one walling one branching) among a handful of other corals. most of these have been in the tank for 2 months or more and yesterday I noticed all the euphilia were irritated and slightly closed. Immediately i tested nitrate which was a little high (<20 though). Even thought my other corals seemed unbothered I proceeded to do a 10% water change which today has still yet to resolve the issue. I dose Polyp lab One about every other day (about 1 capful) any other suggestions would greatly help!

Parameters: am:0 nitrate:20 nitrite:0 dKH:15 Magnesium:1500 Calcium:500

 

[fachatga]

If you take some pics with white light that is helpful. I may not have any insights but anybody that can will want to see what it looks like. I would doubt nitrates under 20 would be an issue though.

 

[MaxTremors]

Dkh of 15 is absurdly high. Should be between 7 and 12 (though 8-11 would be more ideal).

 

[Shirak]

As noted already, 15dkh is very high and could be the main reason for the Euphyllia issues. Mg and Ca are also high but not crazy high. Number of potential reasons why.
Are you dosing anything for alk and Ca? What salt are you using? What water are you using to mix salt and do top offs? What are you using to measure salinity and what is the reading? What are you using to test the parameters you listed?

 

[riley9010]

I’ve Had the Red Sea Max170e up for around 6months and have a 6 euphilias (1 torch, 3 frogspawn, 2 hammers one walling one branching) among a handful of other corals. most of these have been in the tank for 2 months or more and yesterday I noticed all the euphilia were irritated and slightly closed. Immediately i tested nitrate which was a little high (<20 though). Even thought my other corals seemed unbothered I proceeded to do a 10% water change which today has still yet to resolve the issue. I dose Polyp lab One about every other day (about 1 capful) any other suggestions would greatly help!

Parameters: am:0 nitrate:20 nitrite:0 dKH:15 Magnesium:1500 Calcium:

As noted already, 15dkh is very high and could be the main reason for the Euphyllia issues. Mg and Ca are also high but not crazy high. Number of potential reasons why.
Are you dosing anything for alk and Ca? What salt are you using? What water are you using to mix salt and do top offs? What are you using to measure salinity and what is the reading? What are you using to test the parameters you listed?

 

[riley9010]

RoDi system with instant ocean salt. I’m using the Salifert Test kits for Mg,Ca and Alk. I’m pretty sure dosing the Polyp Lab One (doses Mg,Ca and Alk) is the issue even though I’m dosing half the recommended the amount from the bottle. I’ve read on forms that as long as the calcium is high enough the high dKH should be okay? I use a Hannah salinity checker.salinity 31.5 ppm

 

[riley9010]

RoDi system with instant ocean salt. I’m using the Salifert Test kits for Mg,Ca and Alk. I’m pretty sure dosing the Polyp Lab One (doses Mg,Ca and Alk) is the issue even though I’m dosing half the recommended the amount from the bottle. I’ve read on forms that as long as the calcium is high enough the high dKH should be okay? I use a Hannah salinity checker.salinity 31.5 ppm

Also several corals like star polyps in the tank are fully extended and show no signs of irritation

 

[Shirak]

RoDi system with instant ocean salt. I’m using the Salifert Test kits for Mg,Ca and Alk. I’m pretty sure dosing the Polyp Lab One (doses Mg,Ca and Alk) is the issue even though I’m dosing half the recommended the amount from the bottle. I’ve read on forms that as long as the calcium is high enough the high dKH should be okay? I use a Hannah salinity checker.salinity 31.5 ppm

Yes looks like polyplab one is alk and Ca. Neither of which you need in your tank 15dkh is way high no matter the Ca level which now based on your very low salinity is also very high. You should be around 8-9dkh and 450 Ca, 1400-1450 Mg at 35 ppt salinity not 31.5

 

[Shirak]

Also several corals like star polyps in the tank are fully extended and show no signs of irritation

the euphyllia are going to be much more sensitive about correct water parameters that remain stable over a long period of time

 

[riley9010]

 

[riley9010]

Yes looks like polyplab one is alk and Ca. Neither of which you need in your tank 15dkh is way high no matter the Ca level which now based on your very low salinity is also very high. You should be around 8-9dkh and 450 Ca, 1400-1450 Mg at 35 ppt salinity not 31.5

Would you recommend doing a large water change, something like 50% ?

 

[Shirak]

Would you recommend doing a large water change, something like 50% ?

No I would stop dosing the polyplabs for now. Continue with the water changes you have been doing with water mixed to 35ppt salinity. Double check the Hanna salinity checker. I have one and it’s constantly going out of calibration:/. Monitor alk levels and let it slowly come down to 9ish dkh range.
large drops from a big water change would stress the corals more

what are you doing for feeding? I find my euphyllia like to be target fed a couple times a week with some lps pellets or chopped mysis

 

[riley9010]

No I would stop dosing the polyplabs for now. Continue with the water changes you have been doing with water mixed to 35ppt salinity. Double check the Hanna salinity checker. I have one and it’s constantly going out of calibration:/. Monitor alk levels and let it slowly come down to 9ish dkh range.
large drops from a big water change would stress the corals more

what are you doing for feeding? I find my euphyllia like to be target fed a couple times a week with some lps pellets or chopped mysis

I typically feed a mix of mysis, rods food, and new life spectrum pellets twice a day and target feed reef roids once a week.

 

[Privateye]

I do agree at NO3, KH, and Ca are a bit high, but I have also personally kept euphyllias in these ranges (up to 16 dKH, up to 50ppm NO3, up to 600ppm Ca) without issue. I used hi-flo water instead of RO for many years until I moved and I didn't trust the water anymore.

I recommend doing the larger water changes and stopping the polyp lab as directed. At the least, it's a great place to start. If that doesn't solve it then we rule them out and look towards pathogens. If we reach that point my next question would be do you run a UV sterilizer?

 

[Uncle99]

Certainly a DKH issue there and You did not seem to post your PO4, which could easily be a factor.
Maybe PO4 bottomed out?

Carbon, nitrogen (which you have) and phosphorus all required for balanced nutrient system.

 

[Idoc]

@Shirak has given good advice...

Smaller water changes to slowly bring down the alk over time. Don't do your alk more than 0.5 dkh per 24hrs.

Also stop the dosing... you didn't need that in a new tank... you can resplenish what euphyllia need with regular water changes.

IO salt mixes to 9dkh, 400ca, and around 1380mag. Try to maintain around these numbers. Also, don't dose anything that you aren't actively testing for so you don't overdose, such as in this case.

Good luck!

 

[Shirak]

Certainly a DKH issue there and You did not seem to post your PO4, which could easily be a factor.
Maybe PO4 bottomed out?

Carbon, nitrogen (which you have) and phosphorus all required for balanced nutrient system.

I was wondering about that also having looked at the photos in what appears to be a fairly clean sand bed, rocks and glass. Hence my question on feeding. I would certainly put regular PO4 testing high on my list of important parameters.

 

[riley9010]

I was wondering about that also having looked at the photos in what appears to be a fairly clean sand bed, rocks and glass. Hence my question on feeding. I would certainly put regular PO4 testing high on my list of important parametes

I do agree at NO3, KH, and Ca are a bit high, but I have also personally kept euphyllias in these ranges (up to 16 dKH, up to 50ppm NO3, up to 600ppm Ca) without issue. I used hi-flo water instead of RO for many years until I moved and I didn't trust the water anymore.

I recommend doing the larger water changes and stopping the polyp lab as directed. At the least, it's a great place to start. If that doesn't solve it then we rule them out and look towards pathogens. If we reach that point my next question would be do you run a UV sterilizer?

I do run a UV sterilizer on the system

 

[riley9010]

I was wondering about that also having looked at the photos in what appears to be a fairly clean sand bed, rocks and glass. Hence my question on feeding. I would certainly put regular PO4 testing high on my list of important parameters.

I had recently siphoned the sand bed the day before. But I will test the phosphate and check the levels