Have issues...Need Help

Discussion in 'Soft Corals' started by drahckilltanen, Oct 9, 2007.

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  1. drahckilltanen

    drahckilltanen Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2007
    Messages:
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    I am having trouble with my corals and would like help if anyone can. All of my corals are limp and shrivled up and do not seem to respond to anything (has been this way for three days). I have had this happen before when I only had my Kenya tree and it has been of and on with looking bad and good. All of my new corals thrived for the first day and now all my corals look very poor, limp, and closed up. I am comming up on four days like this and do not know what to do. Also my mushroom corals are mostly white ( I know high salinity can cause this but my salinity is ok).

    I will explain what I have got:

    Tank: 40 gallon Oceanic
    Filters: Fluval 302 Canister
    Penguin Biowheel for 50 gal
    Protein Skimmer: Fission Microskimmer
    Lighting: Coralife 65 watt with 10K Dalight and 65 watt Actinic
    Coralife 1 Watt Night Bulb
    Fish: 2 Blue Chromis Reef Fish
    1 Coral Beauty
    1 Firefish
    1 Yellow Spotted Goby
    Inverts: 1 Fireshrimp
    1 Cleaner Shrimp
    1 Pepermint Shrimp
    2 Electric Blue Hermit Crabs
    6 Red Foot Hermit Crabs
    2 Blue Foot Hermit Crabs
    1 Ghost Hermit Crab
    1 Halloween Hermit Crab
    2 Emerald Crabs
    1 Royal Urchin
    8 Banded Trocus Snails
    8 Tonga Nassarius Snails
    6 Cerith Snails
    6 Astrea Snails
    1 Tiger Serpent Star
    Corals: 2 Small Kenya Tree
    1 Flower Leather
    4 Small Xenia Colonies
    12 Small Mushrooms (Blue, Red, and Green)
    Water Info: PH 8.3
    Salinity 1.024
    Amonia: 0 ppm
    Nitrate: 0 ppm
    Nitrite: 0 ppm
    Alkalinity: 14 dkh (a little high)
    Phosphate: 1 ppm
    Temp: 78 degrees Farenheit
    Calcium: haven't measured yet but I do suppliment it
    Supplements Used: Kent Marine Essential Elements (many trace elements)
    Kent Marine Coral Vite
    Kent Marine Calcium Suppliment
    Kent Marine Selenium and Magnesium
    Salt Mix: I use only Reef Crystals
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2007
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  3. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    If you only are running just 1 65 watt lamp then thats where I'd start to look first and then how long has the tank been running for ?
     
  4. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    You add more supplements that I do and I have a fully loaded 180 gallon SPS tank :) Not sure why your adding calcium either if you're not testing for it?
     
  5. Brandon1023

    Brandon1023 Fire Goby

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    Yea it's definitely your light (as in 1, you need more!). You are also probably supplementing your corals into reclusion, as well. How long has this tank been setup?
     
  6. drahckilltanen

    drahckilltanen Plankton

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    The tank has been up for 8 months now. Also with the light it is two bulbs:
    1 65 watt 10K daylight
    1 65 watt True Actinic
     
  7. Brandon1023

    Brandon1023 Fire Goby

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    All right well that's a little better. However, are they regular fluorescents? Any possibility of getting a picture up? How far are the corals from the surface?
     
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  9. drahckilltanen

    drahckilltanen Plankton

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    I do test for calcium, I just have not tested it yet this week. I try to keep it at around 450 ppm. I only use small amounts of supplements for my tank. I put in a teaspoon of the Coral Vite and Essential elements when I do my water changes twice a month.
     
  10. drahckilltanen

    drahckilltanen Plankton

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    I will post a pic of the tank when I get home to do it. Oh, yes the are flourecents however, this same light has been used on a 75 gallon with many corals and no issues. I will note also I just changed the bulbs out due to their age.
     
  11. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    If you're doing water changes, you shouldn't have to add any supplements at all unless you have a HUGE stony coral load. Just food for thought if/when it comes time to buy new supplements. :)
     
  12. bulltrader

    bulltrader Bristle Worm

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    Location:
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    If you just swapped out the lights that can be a problem. If the corals are used to the lighting (which was probably overdue) and then you change the bulbs the increased lighting will cause the corals to shrivle-up for a few days to become a customed to the brighter lights. They should recover soon if it's been 4 days.