Melting soft corals ?

[Mrt88]

Hi all,

having an issue with a new tank that I can’t sus out,
So added a few bits of Xenia and a toadstool. The Xenia has all but melted away to nothing and the todstall has shrivelled back into itself completely.
the tank is 8 weeks old, was a complete new setup.

450l
Live sand and dry rock.
livestock 1 clown tang transferred from my old tank.

tank was cycled using dr Tim’s one and only, however noticed today I still have nitrites. Didn’t expect that.
full range of results bellow.

ph 8.2
Nitrite +1 ppm
Nitrate 40
Phosphate 0.42
Kh 7
Calcium 560
Mag 1580
Ammonia 0
Salinity 1.025

what are my options ? Has the cycle completed or should I look to add more nitrifying bacteria ? Thanks all

 

[vlangel]

I would move your livestock back into the old aquarium if you still have it.
If not then yes, I would add live bacteria. Tomorrow test again. Nitrite is pretty deadly so if it's very high at all try to make other arrangements for the livestock until the tank is fully cycled.

 

[taricha]

I don't think the nitrite specifically is the problem (it's pretty low toxicity in saltwater), nor do I think that the coral issue is directly a "cycling" problem. I do think it's likely that a new system may be off in ways that are hard to pin down exactly.
Corals aren't really a fan of that "new tank smell" (figuratively)

 

[zdrc]

Unlike for freshwater fish, nitrite is way way less toxic in saltwater to the point that it's not really worth measuring most of the time. However, it does affect your nitrate test results, so with measurable nitrite your nitrates probably aren't really 40 ppm.

I wouldn't transfer the fish.

The coral extra don't care about nitrite as far as I know. It's believed that even ammonia isn't harmful to coral. Ammonia suffocates fish and any other animals with blood (e.g. inverts) by inhibiting the binding of oxygen to hemoglobin in the blood. Coral don't have blood so they aren't affected by it. Very high ammonia levels probably aren't good for coral, but they're significantly more resilient to ammonia than fish or inverts. The most modern school of thought is corals can go in even before the cycle finishes.

The nitrifying bacteria in the tank should handle the nitrite soon enough.

How long was the coral in the tank? Did it look OK before you put it in? Your calcium is really high and your phosphate is a little high too. Neither of these things should kill softies though.

Is it possible any chemicals made it into the tank? Are you using RODI water?

 

[Mrt88]

Thanks all for the replies.
no chemicals that I can think of. All Ro water ran myself and checked at 0tds. Tropic Marin pro reef salt.
Yeah both looked healthy frags when I got them. were about the size of a ping pong ball each. Only thing I did was to remove them from their rocks and rebase them, dip them using Red Sea dip, then no issues for about 1 week then they started to melt.
still some life left in the toadstool but only just.
was due to add more livestock but will hold off for now.

tested copper and silicates too, nothing out the ordinary there

 

[Mrt88]

Today’s update, starting to see a diatom bloom happening. I do have another bottle of dr Tim’s, guessing that can’t hurt at this point, not sure if it’s clear but all that’s left of the toadstall is at the front of the tank. Has shrunk so much it has detached from its .

planning a 20% watcher change today.
Anything else anyone can think off ?

 

[zdrc]

I'm not sure if there's an easy explanation. A 20% water change isn't a bad idea. Maybe try another frag in a week or so. Is there any unusual equipment you're using?

Why did you get a new tank? Did you have any problems in the old tank?

 

[Mrt88]

I'm not sure if there's an easy explanation. A 20% water change isn't a bad idea. Maybe try another frag in a week or so. Is there any unusual equipment you're using?

Why did you get a new tank? Did you have any problems in the old tank?

Not that I can think of. Just a simple setup pulled off my old tank.

every part got stripped deep cleaned and the stored for about a month before I moved house.

2 radions running at 20% power
2 Nero 5 averaging about 45% random flow
Filter roller
My old deletec skimmer
Vectral m1 return pump.

apart from equipment that was cleaned only thing that came over from my old setup was my clown tang. Couldn’t part with him.
attached a photo. Doing a water change now.
thank you all so much.