Most of my coral dead or dying:

[hrdneglcry]

So I wanted to make this to let you know do not ever use epsom salt in a reef. I have a fish with a blockage and as anlast ditch effort I used a post on here saying epsom was reef safe and possibly would fix the blockage. I am here with probably a 400% water change or more and months later. My two $300 pieces of green sinularia are mostly gone. My Anthelia is fading. Even my gsp are shrinking. I think that stuff is like copper in sense that things absorb it and it kills them. I did not help the fish. I went per the instructions per gallon and just standard epsom. I have 180 tank and a 120 sump. My whole reef is decimated. Still dying and being killed months after the initial does which was in there for just a day. I'm not sure if I asdd new coral if it will perish also. These are easy corals. I have had them and grown them a long while. No major trouble. I have run carbon and zeolite. But its all slowly withering. Not other tanks to move it too. I think it absorbed the poision. Whatevers killing it. Was a saltwater post about epsom for a constipated Tang.

 

[Uncle99]

That is a sad post.
Sorry to hear this.
That poster is usually very good.

 

[dschuffert]

I am so sorry to hear this. I would be devastated if this happened to me. I wish you the best.

 

[Lavey29]

Epsom salt is used in freshwater tanks not reefs. You probably spiked your magnesium which is the buffer for your alk and calcium.

 

[hrdneglcry]

Epsom salt is used in freshwater tanks not reefs. You probably spiked your magnesium which is the buffer for your alk and calcium.

Yeah what does that mean? Can I correct it? Something remains very off maybe two months later. After many water changes. Over 100%

 

[crazyfishmom]

Yeah what does that mean? Can I correct it? Something remains very off maybe two months later. After many water changes. Over 100%

Can you list your parameters?

 

[hrdneglcry]

Can you list your parameters?

I cannot. I keep only soft corals. I never does but sometimes feed. I might have some tests what do you want me to test for specifically? Calcium? I have done the whole system water change like 4x over now. So the Instant Ocean should have stabilized the tank. I mean its all I ever used for replenishing anything.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I cannot. I keep only soft corals. I never does but sometimes feed. I might have some tests what do you want me to test for specifically? Calcium? I have done the whole system water change like 4x over now. So the Instant Ocean should have stabilized the tank. I mean its all I ever used for replenishing anything.

I think it would help us understand.

For example, if you’re keeping soft corals and your nutrients are very low because you’ve essentially taken them out of the water through the many water changes that might be causing your corals to continue to decline.

It would be great to understand:

Alkalinity
Phosphate
Nitrate

Since you’ve done so many water changes, I would expect calcium and magnesium to be just fine.

 

[Solo McReefer]

I wonder if it's not the sulfate

That is the toxic part of the chemical

 

[JonoH]

Sounds like you need to do an ICP?

 

[hrdneglcry]

Sounds like you need to do an ICP?

An ICP?

 

[hashbrown1408]

how much water change did you do at a time? Is it possible you kick started a new cycle?

 

[JonoH]

An ICP?

ICP-OES

The most experienced in solution based water chemistry in the industry. Continuing to revolutionise reef keeping worldwide since 2008.

www.triton-lab.de

These can be purchased from most LFS - you send them off and they will give you a full range of parameters.

 

[Spare time]

I cannot. I keep only soft corals. I never does but sometimes feed. I might have some tests what do you want me to test for specifically? Calcium? I have done the whole system water change like 4x over now. So the Instant Ocean should have stabilized the tank. I mean its all I ever used for replenishing anything.

Not knowing the parameters means you can't prevent something like this from happening. Even soft corals need you to test the water.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Mag sulfate is given to people for constipation

I can only imagine that treating tang constipation started with, "Hey, this worked for me, maybe I should give some to my tang"

I suppose it's like the first person to pick a toad to get a high, someone had to try it

Is the mechanism of action supposed to be the same as with people? I wonder

Magnesium in general is a laxative

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I second that you should do an ICP to truly understand what chemical levels are off in your tank. Best of luck, and sorry about the loss of your corals!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would suggest that you should start testing your water to understand it a bit better. If you have leather corals they will consume alk and calcium, even zoa’s need alk stabiiity and stability in nitrate and phosphates .

 

[Tamberav]

Corals can show long lasting effects after a stressor event even if the problem is corrected.

How much of a water change did you do at a time?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Epson

So I wanted to make this to let you know do not ever use epsom salt in a reef. I have a fish with a blockage and as anlast ditch effort I used a post on here saying epsom was reef safe and possibly would fix the blockage. I am here with probably a 400% water change or more and months later. My two $300 pieces of green sinularia are mostly gone. My Anthelia is fading. Even my gsp are shrinking. I think that stuff is like copper in sense that things absorb it and it kills them. I did not help the fish. I went per the instructions per gallon and just standard epsom. I have 180 tank and a 120 sump. My whole reef is decimated. Still dying and being killed months after the initial does which was in there for just a day. I'm not sure if I asdd new coral if it will perish also. These are easy corals. I have had them and grown them a long while. No major trouble. I have run carbon and zeolite. But its all slowly withering. Not other tanks to move it too. I think it absorbed the poision. Whatevers killing it. Was a saltwater post about epsom for a constipated Tang.

Epsom salt is Magnesium Sulphate. Both Magnesium and Sulphur are major ions in Sea Water.

Was the product you added food grade?

Unless you threw in a huge amount of it into the tank it is unlikely to have caused the problems you experienced given you say a 300 gallon system.

 

[hrdneglcry]

It did cause the problems immediately. The article said to to UPS no added fragrance standard epsom.
And answering anothe post not sure how water changes would deplete the stuff in the tank. its actually in the salt. Also it had been over due for a water change this time when the stuff started shrinking again. Like a month .