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FAQs on Stinging-Celled Animal Health/Disease/Pests 4

FAQs on Cnidarian Disease: Cnidarian Disease 1, Cnidarian Disease 2, Cnidarian Disease 3,
FAQs on Cnidarian Disease by Category: Diagnosis, Environmental, Nutritional, Social, Pathogenic, Parasitic/Pest, Trauma, Treatments
FAQs on Cnidarian Disease by Group:
Hydrozoan Disease, Jelly Disease, Polyp Disease, Sea Fan Disease, Mushroom Health, Zoanthid Health Pests, Predators, Anemone Health, Stony Coral Disease,

Related Articles: Cnidarians, Water Flow, How Much is Enough,

Related FAQs: Cnidarians 1, Cnidarians 2, Cnidarian Identification, Cnidarian Behavior, Cnidarian Compatibility, Cnidarian Selection, Cnidarian Systems, Cnidarian Feeding, Cnidarian Reproduction, Acclimating Symbiotic Reef Invertebrates to Captive Lighting

Mushroom killing bacteria?      8/21/17
Hi Crew! I am at a total loss, I need help.
I run 2 tanks, my main 75 gallon display tank (established 3.5 years) and a newer (7/8 mth) 55 gallon 'frag tank'.
I am a big mushroom enthusiast, but also keep a variety of other soft corals, Zoanthids, lps and a couple small easy sps (birdsnests, montis).
<Mmm; you likely have heard/read that Zoas and Shrooms often "fight" chemically; more than most stony corals>
You'll hate to hear this but I have never been big on testing, I simply rely on frequent small water changes via drip, and constant observation for anything looking 'off'. I have a low fish stock in both (maroon clown, starry blenny, azure damsel, pink spotted watchmen and an unknown Anthias in the 75, and a small clarkii clown and azure in 55).
<I'm of the same "practice">
Up until recently both tanks have thrived, very minimal coral or fish loss over the past few years. Everything has always seemed very stable and well balanced, no issues with algae and in fact immediately before my current
issue my display tank looked the best it ever had.
But we all make mistakes, and I always learn from them, but in this case I think it's too late. I know I should have been quarantining everything and I have learned and now have a quarantine tank set up but as I said, too late.
<Mmm>
So on to my issue. A few months ago I purchased the coral contents of a fellow reefers tank with plans of fragging and reselling the corals. The vast majority were Euphyllia (torches, hammers, frogspawn, as well as a favia, large brain and some others) I placed them all in my frag tank, except one large plate that I didn't have space for that went into my display.
<The Euphyllias rank near the top for allelopathy amongst Scleractinians...
Oh how I wish you'd slowly acclimated the new to the established as gone over here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cnidcompppt.htm
Within 24 hours the brain and plate both looked ill
<Losers to the mentioned combatants; classical>

and eventually started melting, and were covered in the dreaded brown jelly. Never having dealt with brown jelly before it was a great learning experience. I promptly removed both corals but the brown jelly didn't take long to affect the other Euphyllia (i suppose since they were not well established and under stress). I saw no ill effects on any corals in my main tank, assuming because they were well established and healthy. My attempts at fragging off dying pieces, treating in a separate tank with furan 2, dips with revive, rinsing in fw etc all failed. In the end i lost
the vast majority of Euphyllia that I had purchased, aside from the frogspawn which never seemed effected.
<More reading: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/envdisphysiof.htm
A few weeks later and all the Euphyllia in the frag tank were gone besides the frogspawn, and everything seemed back to normal, so I resumed my normal practices. I fragged some Rhodactis mushrooms in the frag tank,
<... Yeeikes; not in the tank; not this soon>

and to my surprise they melted. I have never had issues with fragging any mushrooms in the past. At the time I did not think it could be related, (and am still not sure it is) maybe I had just 'butchered' them or they weren't well established, so I simply decided to hold off on any fragging for a while. At some point I moved some mushrooms into my display, considering them quarantined and healthy. Weeks went by with no issues, now the nightmare starts.
A few weeks ago I lost one of my prize Rhodactis in my display. It had been doing amazing and was growing rapidly, and then didn't open fully for a couple days, then suddenly melted within hours. Since then many healthy
mushrooms (some that I have had for at least 3 years) have just suddenly melted away.
<A familiar "cascade" event>
Some first detach from the rock then disappear, some start expelling their guts then begin oozing from their mouths till they melt away, the odd one simply begins oozing from an outside edge then melts. These are healthy mushrooms, not recently fragged or damaged in any way. I have learned to syphon them out now as soon as i see it beginning, but I need to find a way to stop this!
<For now; just time going by: NO CHANGES>
So far it has only affected Rhodactis and Discosoma, I haven't lost a single Ricordea, or any other type of coral for that matter. The mushrooms that die are all in random places in the tank, it doesn't necessarily travel from one and then directly to it's neighbour. I even accidentally damaged a hammer coral while moving it (it and an anemone were getting dangerously close to each other ) and it has recovered quickly and without incident.
I've done large water changes and added carbon with no luck, just in case it was allelopathy.
<Ah, good>
I apologize for the long story, but I feel all details are necessary.
<They are; no worries>
Please help guide me, what steps should I take next? I have spent 3.5 years building my mushroom collection, this is devastating to me. I am normally very good at researching and problem solving on my own, but I feel I have
hit a dead end.
<IF you have other well-established systems to move some stock to, I would.
Otherwise, no further additions or fragging here for a few months>
The last thing I would like to note is that the only other major change I had made around the time this started was that I began feeding Reef Roids to the tank, although I am sure this is merely coincidental.
<Agreed. Bob Fenner>

Please help. Cnid. allelopathy in a new, large sys.       5/26/16
Hello Mr. Fenner,
<Hey Dai>
I hope you can point me in the right direction. I have a 265 gallon reef tank that I set up 4 months ago. I have sump/refugium, 4" carbon reactor, 6" media reactor with media pellets, 8" skimmer. Lights are 4 Hydra 26 HDs.
Nitrate /phosphate is zero

<Mmm; stop here: You know that all bio-mineralizing life requires "some" NO3 and HPO4? W/o these basic chemical nutrients all your "corals" will be very stressed/starved>
and the water is within reef parameters. The tank has 3 sections. Left is Zoas, center is 100 plus heads of hammers/frogspawn, and the right is 18" green leather and 4" green toadstool.
<Yeeikes....>

Everything was fine with Zoas multiplying, hammers sprouts tiny babies but within the past 5 days, some of the hammer heads just died leaving stalk white skeletons.
<The "losers"... to either the Alcyoniids or Zoanthids>

I bought a 60 gallon so this weekend I can put the finger/toadstool in it.
I hook up the FX6 filter (400 GPH) with carbon to address chemical warfare since Monday. I think the reasons on the demise of the hammers are :
1. Chemical release from leather/toadstool.
<Possibly>
2. Media reactor strips all nitrate/phosphate which hammers do need to grow.
<Definitely a/some factor>
So my plan is:
1. Move the toadstool/green finger to the 60 gallon.
<Okay>
2. Discontinue the FX6.
<All-right>
3. Discontinue the carbon and media reactor (all in one pellets).
<Sounds good>
The Zoas are thriving with new heads forming every week. I love to have a garden of hammers and while some people grow these like weeds, I can't keep them alive. Before dying, they thrive then die next day. Is my diagnosis and plan of action correct? Thank you Mr. Fenner. Dai
<I do agree with your plan; is what I would do, try at this point. IF no improvement, I would move the Euphyllias elsewhere. DO PLEASE READ AND HEED my acclimation protocol for introducing any/all NEW Cnidarians... by mixing water to/fro twixt the main-display and isolation/quarantine system. HERE:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/CorlCompArt.htm 
Bob Fenner>
<<Note: next time mention triple-dosing iodide-ate>>
Re: Please help

Thank you Mr. Fenner. So you are saying maybe it is the Zoas that are affecting the hammers as well ?
<Might/could well be; yes>
In that case should I move the hammers to the 60 and leave the toadstool/finger in the main tank?
<Yes; a better plan... Plus I'd triple dose all (both systems) with iodide-ate... every three days, three times>
Or just leave them in the main tank for now? I bought the 60 for the leathers specifically. Is it OK to run the 4" carbon reactor?
<Can't say from here. I would NOT use such on a newish system period>
On another topic. I think the" all in one pellets" give people the false sense of security.
<Oh yeah; the/a "western ethic"... trained to be good consumers... "Buying" something... but sans understanding, often false notion/s>
The dealer touts as " zero nitrate and zero phosphate" so people go crazy thinking they don't have to do water for a year. But while this is true, it is hurting corals because it is stripping of the essential nutrients that corals need.
<Yes... even other media/sources tout that the world's reefs are "nutrient free" when in good shape. NOT the case. They are nutrient concentrated; with the life there scavenging most all available. NEVER zero nutrients in the water>
If you have to rely on these 'miracles" to get nitrate/PO4 to be zero then that person needs to evaluate his technique of husbandry.
<Very well stated>
Thank you and I look forward to your guidance. Dai
<And I to your further sharing. BobF>
Re: Please help     5/27/16

Ok, so this is the plan. Move the hammers to the 60. How much of new water to old water ratio be?
<About half>
If the old water is not good (chemical warfare, no nutrients) then may be start with 100% fresh water?
<Not I>
You talk about triple dose 2 tanks but I am not familiar with the medication. You mean every three days, I dose the tank 3 times a day and for how long? Is this the iodine coral dip?
<See WWM re. B>
Thanks! Dai

Help My Corals Are Dying and I don't know why    1/10/16
HELP! My Corals are Dying.... an informative advert.

If you are like me, every morning you wake up and the first thing you do is go over to your tank and feed your fish. Everything in your tank looks fine, until one day you notice one of your corals is dead! You think, what the heck happened?
Yesterday everyone looked healthy.
Here are some quick tips on how to find answers:
1) Test your water! Your tank maybe eating up more nutrients than you think.
Test all water parameters and make sure your tank has the correct amount of supplements needed for your tank type.
2) Add Supplements! When a doctor advises we need take supplements to raise the vitamin levels in our bodies, we follow their advice and start taking vitamin supplements.
Corals are no different. The supplements we add allow corals to grow, thrive, and remain healthy.
3) Monitor your tank during the night. Parasites and other harmful creepy crawlies tend to come out a night to feed. A simple red light will allow you to see what  is going on in your tank without disturbing your tank's day and night
cycle.
4) Dip! If you notice parasites are enjoying the all you can eat coral buffet, dip your corals and rid the tank of those tissue eating pests.
<One approach. Bob Fenner>

Coral problems     7/28/15
Hello,
My name is Jon. I have been in the hobby <sic>along time but I have been having alot
<No such word>
of problems with some of my corals and I need your advice. Some of my Acropora are dying from the base up. Also a fair amount of my Zoas are not doing well. I have yet to see any pests on the Zoas when I check them. I do have alot of xenia in my one tank with the Acros. Not sure if that's a problem with that tank. These two tanks are both 75gallon. I run doser on both with bionic and no3po4x.
<These organisms need some/measurable NO3 and HPO4... SEE WWM re>
I use Salifert test kits for every parameter except ph and phosphate. Api for ph and Hanna checker for phosphate. The tank with Acropora has zero phosphate
<Starving>
with Hanna checker but I have Cyano growing
<.... what's your RedOx here?>
and Bryopsis plus the xenia is over growing that tank. Nitrates were 10pm last I checked. The other tank with lps and soft coral has .02 phosphate and 5ppm nitrates but has hair algae issue. Both are bare bottom.
I have about 75 to 90 lbs of live rock and a good amount of flow in the tank.
Calcium runs at 470ppm
<Too high... READ on WWM re this as well>
for both tanks and alkalinity at around 8 dKH for both tanks. Magnesium at 1300ppm
<Out of ration; problematic as well>
for both tanks. Ph is at about 8.1 for both tanks. Temp is around 78 and goes up 2 degrees when lights are on. I thank you for all your help in advance.
<Where to start? There are chances your situation is influenced by allelopathy; but the mis-use of the chemical filtrant may be more primary than this.... When you're done reading, write us back w/ more specific questions. Bob Fenner>
Re: Coral problems. Reef Tanks, Life, Everything!       7/29/15

Thank you for your help! Sorry if I jump all over with questions. I just am distraught over corals not doing well and want to be successful.
<No problem; I do understand >
Sorry for the long letter. Here goes. How much nitrate do Sps need? And Zoas?
<A few ppm>
What's a good level for phosphate for sps and Zoas?
<A few hundreds ppm>
Should I feed Zoas and sps?
<Definitely YES>
If so what should I feed?
<? Just read on WWM.... see the FAQs, articles....>
I have fauna Marin Zoa and Ricordea food? Is that good for Zoas?
<Not really.... most commercial prep.s are garbage. So much pollution. Make your own mashes... with supplements>
How do I feed that and how often? I also use oyster feast maybe once a week for both tanks. What should I feed sps and how? Broadcast or direct? How often?
<Again; all gone over and over. We have many thousands of people use the site daily.... no time for re-keying... see the 14k some pages>
My Acropora tank has two clownfish and a yellow Coris wrasse for pest control. I feed the fish once a day.
<See WWM re this as well. I'd feed more frequently>
The other tank has a pair of Banggai cardinal which don't come out.
What kind of fish do I get to control algae?
<STOP writing and start reading>
Whenever I get a tang they either nip my Zoas or my brain coral which then they stay closed.
Are Salifert calcium test kits good?
<They're okay... middle of the road for colorimetric assays... Accurate and precise enough for most aquarists use>
What should I get my calcium down to?
<No more than 400 ppm>
what's out of ration mean?
<Ratio... Ca:Mg s/b about 1:3>
What's RedOx and why is it important? How do I test it? How do I change it if need be?
<Aye ya... the reading>
Xenia does chemical warfare? How do I combat that? How do I get rid of xenia on big rocks?
What about the no3po4x? It's keeping my nitrates down. My Acropora tank has 10ppm nitrate and the Zoanthid, lps tank has 5ppm nitrate. Should I back off on that chemical or feed more. Some of my Acropora are receding from the base and Zoas don't look good except for a couple of colonies. Should I add iodide to benefit the Zoas? I have read some people had good growth by doing that. I do use Kent tech I once a week.
Lastly I put a light over my sump in each tank and put Caulerpa down there.
Will that help nitrates and phosphates so I don't need to use no3po4x? Should the refugium light be on 24 hours so Caulerpa doesn't go sexual or be on reverse daylight photoperiod? Thanks again!
<Enjoy the reading. Write back after you've done a bit more studying.... With specific questions. I do suggest you invest in a few good reef books (Fossa and Nilsen are my faves, but Delbeek and Sprung copies will work), and the time to study, understand what you're up to. Bob Fenner>

Cyano bacterium... as a poss. factor in corals doing poorly        4/29/15
Hello Crew,
Just finished reviewing the exhaustive FAQ for the day and did not see my issue discussed. Poor coral growth. 88 gal with 25 gal refugium, tank is 28 in tall,
<Deep....>

38 across reef tank light bank 3 T5 bulbs coral sun Actinic 420 and 3 ocean sun 10,000k.
<Do you have access to a PAR or PUR meter? Maybe check w/ your LFS, clubs thereabouts re borrowing>
Have tried 5hrs -9 hrs of light a day. The tank is built in and is exposed on both front and back, no direct sun but lots of
light most days. Water temp 80.4, sp generally 1.024-25, pH 8.25, KH 108, Ca 410 relatively low phosphate and nitrate. Lots of live rock, feed reef energy A&B every other night. The problem is that every coral I put in the tank turns brown or brownish, I like mushrooms and have purchased green, orange, blue but within weeks they all turn brownish. Have enormous growing Frogspawn
<Ahh; this Euphyllia is one factor.... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/carycompfaqs.htm
but is brownish green.
Second problem, I started doing frequent water changes to control my hairy algae and it has been very helpful, but I have developed a Cyano bacterium problem that the local store said was due to too frequent water changes!
<Mmm; other factors really.... DO the reading re BGA, its control on WWM...  easy enough to sort out>
He recommended Red Slime away "safe for inverts, corals fish.
<Can be of use; but... the reading>
Well now I still have red slim but lost an anemone, most of my snails, crabs and a gorgeous large Royal Gramma and a lovely Midas blue eyed blenny all of which seemed to be doing well prior to treatment. I am approaching true frustration.
Please impart some wisdom and help correct this situation.
Dr. Bob
<Do you need help using the search tool, indices? Your answers are all archived; well, speculations and further adventures more like. Do the  reading and write back w/ more specific concerns. Bob Fenner>

Help! Something eating my corals in the middle of the night!       2/12/15
Hello! First I want to say thanks for all the information you guys provide, it's helped me get through a lot of sticky situation. I need your help once again. For the past several days I have looked all over your site and the rest of the Internet for an answer and have not been able to find one. This started about a week ago when I noticed my mushrooms that were close to the sand bed just completely vanishing overnight. Mushrooms that were close to the sand bed were BEAUTIFULLY opened all day and next day in the morning COMPLETELY gone and all I saw was slime covering where the mushroom used to be and some mushrooms just the outside ring was left but the entire center was gone. First it happened to about 10 Ricordeas from literally one night to the next, then it happened to a huge colony of red and blue mushrooms.
On the 3rd day I decided to remove all sand and investigate, found nothing.
I decided I would put the alarm clock about 2 hours after lights shut off to investigate. I did this and the only thing I found was A TON of little round white and brown snail.

<Mmm; don't think they're the immediate cause. What other Cnidarians are here?>
Tried looking on internet but I believe may be some type of Nerite snails, I don't think they are the problem because they were EVERYWHERE and not on top of any corals and I figured they can get to all corals not just the ones near the sand. Next night (after removing all my remaining mushrooms) now it was a few Acan, chalice, and Favia frags that were also on sand bed.
<Mmm; these too should not have out-warred Corallimorphs>

They are literally half eaten and all i see is a slimy residue and the skeleton underneath. I have since moved these corals to a higher location and they are doing fine now. I took another coral and put it on the sand bed right before I turned off the lights and sure enough by morning it was covered in slime and skeleton was all that was left. Please help! I don't know what else to do! There is still some sand left and I really don't want to remove ALL my sand but I will if I have to. Thanks.
<Well; such an overnight problem (vs. a little over weeks time) and w/ the Shrooms presenting as you state... Am guessing this is/was some sort of "melt down" prompted by a challenge to the Mushrooms... Did you do something the day ahead of the event? Like add a supplement, medication, algicide or such? You may gain solace and useful input from reading re other such events; here: http://wetwebmedia.com/toxicwipeoutf.htm
and the "same advice" listed there. Bob Fenner>
Re: Help! Something eating my corals in the middle of the night!       2/12/15

Thank you so much for the quick response! I also thought that maybe it was a series of events from maybe the mushroom toxins but I'm starting to rule that out because during the day all these corals that are waking up dead and covered in slime are nice and opened during the day and at night they're gone..
<... more like a chemical battle... Allelopathy>
Plus the ones that were affected were moved up and are doing well and others that were doing well up top, I moved down and were eaten that night.
I did see a couple of Asterina stars which I forgot to mention. Can you please clarify which is the bad Asterina vs. the good ones and do they eat all types of corals?
<You can just look this up on WWM... the indices, search tool on every page>
So far it's been mushrooms, Acans, chalices, Favia, and all have been on the sand bed. Wall hammers, wall frogspawn,
<...?! You didn't mention these Euphylliids in your orig. email... Read about these as well>

and Acroporas are unaffected. Any other ideas?
<Reading. BobF>
Thanks again

Re: Help! Something eating my corals in the middle of the night!     2/14/15
Hello again! I have spent the ENTIRE SEVERAL DAYS reading and I can't figure out what this could be.
<My guess/conjecture is the same as I've stated: There ARE predators of cnidarians; fish, crustaceans, molluscs, worms... but this is MUCH MORE likely an allelopathogenic effect. The Euphylliids "winning" and the Corallimorpharians losing... There's not much living material/tissue to these animals (mostly water)... once toxified they phagocytose... self-digest at the cellular level>
All corals are doing great now ever since I decided to get EVERY CORAL off the sand or anywhere near the bottom and I put an egg crate and lifted it up with pvc to about 2 inches from the sand to putt all my frags on. After about 2 days seeing that I did not have not even 1 more loss I decided to do another experiment.
<Ohh, I do like this>

I got a maze brain frag, and another typed of Favia frag that were both doing great and sat them down on the sand and I shut off the lights and waited with a red flashlight in hand. Sure enough my sand started attacking the coral. I can't explain what I saw but it was like micro little white specks rising from the sand onto the coral. The best way I can explain is that it's like a slimy/hazy cloud of little tiny micro white specks rising from sand onto the coral. This is the best pic I could get.
<Sorry to state, I can't make out much here>
Please explain what this is because in 15 years of reefkeeping I'm at a loss. If you try and look at the bottom of the coral u can see the specks.
The only way I was able to take a pic is turning on my blues. You can see towards the bottom right of the pic. Not all the way in the corner of the pic but just to the left of the corner. Thanks in advance.
<Well; maybe "something" in the gravel is at play here; I don't know what it is though. I would put your data, pix on the various "reef bb's" and see what other folks speculate. Thank you for sharing. Bob Fenner>

 

Freshwater dipping new corals & coral frags    3/16/14
Hello,
<Alyssa>
I have looked through Wet Web Media and have not been able to find a complete answer to why dipping corals and frags in freshwater (RO/DI) is not recommended.
<Too much stress; not worth it in trade-off of what one might get in terms of lessening pests, parasites. Some slightly lower spg (a thousandth or two) with the addition of iodide/ate, and possibly a simple sugar (glucose or such... a hexose or pentose) IS>
 I have seen statements that say to not do it on Wet Web Media, but I would like to know the science behind the why.
<How much? Have you considered the use of a reference librarian... help w/ a computer search bibliography? There's bits and pieces re these on WWM>
Thank you for your time!
Alyssa
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Coral Killing Worm??   12/23/13
<Steph; you're about an order of magnitude over our stated file size>
This worm type thing has just made itself visible over the last couple days. Not quite sure what it is and just so happens to be wrapped around in the trumpet colony (about 15+ heads) that very suddenly began dying and are dying very quickly....very close to being 100% dead now. It looks like it was eaten down to the skeleton! At least it does to me....
<Mmm, not from this organism>
Any clue what this thing is?? It is about the thickness of a strand of hair and tan & black striped and quite long...about 3-4 inches so far. My leather coral which was a neighbor of the trumpets is nearly on its side today and I am wondering if this thing started to mess with it. Don't want to go sticking my hands in there to get the dead trumpets out without knowing this thing wont hurt me haha.
<Could be a type of (Sedentariate Polychaete) spaghetti worm... >

See attached pictures. Thanks kindly for your assistance & Happy Holidays!
<Thanks. Something else going on here... a lack of nutrient, allelopathy likely... Write back w/ the history of stocking, the gear employed (esp. chem. filtration), any water quality test results... Bob Fenner>

re: Coral Killing Worm??   12/24/13
Were you able to see the picture? Is it that the picture was too large or was it too many pics?
<... the total file size. See where you find how to write us if concerned>
My tank is a 29g biocube with a history of high nitrates :very high 80+ at times:
<I encourage you to read on WWM re ways/means of controlling NO3>
 and am FINALLY putting in a skimmer this wknd also my bulbs are probably just about 9 months old..also about to upgrade to LEDs finally.
My Favia frags died then my trumpets started going!
<... at least water quality to blame>
 My Ricordeas, mushrooms, softies & Zoas have been beautiful.
<... these last three poisoning the others when stressed. Read here:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/CorlCompArt.htm
and the linked files above... esp. for the Zoanthids, Alcyonaceans... One can keep such a mish mash together, even in small volumes, but the systems must be homeostatic (stable) AND optimized... Yours is not...>
The mushrooms are dividing like crazy.
I have a plate that is bigger than ever and looks good & another baby plate growing from a colony of Zoas. Pair of clowns, 6ish Astrea Turbo/Trochus Banded mixture with one or two Nassarius remaining.
My last hermit bit the dust as well (was 9 months old). The funny thing is that the hermit died right on the trumpet colony base close to where that worm is coming from. I also have some micro brittle stars, bristleworms, lots of feather dusters, colonial hydroids, etc hitchhikers. My 5ish month old Scooter Blenny also disappeared last week. Literally disappeared.
Still no sign of it.
Unsure what Allelopathy means. Battling some Cyano now. Things aren't going great in there. I had ignored it a bit because I was just getting ready to upgrade and was hoping once that occurred things would straighten out but cannot upgrade now as my significant other got laid off last week. So, for xmas i will be buying myself a used AquaticLife 115 & either the new bulbs or a retrofit LED kit. Also about 3 months into my Purigen & ChemiPure so about to switch those out. And im running a small fuge in the back.
Im getting ready to really overhaul this mess of a tank!
Incase you are able to view just one photo I have included one. I am not sure how to resize and such.
re: Coral Killing Worm?? Take 2    12/24/13

Sorry - forgot to add the photo. Also, I was using a lot of Prime during the last week since the scooter blenny disappeared....incase he is decomposing in there!
<Not a viable method to resist pollution. B>
re: Coral Killing Worm?? Take 2    12/24/13

<Don't write: READ>
No? I thought it would help keep any possible ammonia from being toxic...aside from a couple extra water changes that is. So, I shouldn't use the Prime?
Does the worm look like a Spaghetti Worm to you? I know I have Googled them & they aren't usually striped like that? I apologize for my ignorance here.
Im excited to get things back on track. Slowly but surely.

death slime? Info.?     10/29/13
HI,
<DB>
My parameters are all in check. I've had my tank established for almost three years with no serious issues.
All of a sudden I noticed one day a pinkish slime (NOT CAYNO) covering 1 of my Ricordeas, the next day the Ricordea was completely gone... everything!
<... Cayno? You likely mean Cyano/bacteria... BGA>
About 2 days later I saw the slime on another Ricordea, I cleaned it off, but the Ricordea died just like the first.
A day or 2 later, the same thing happened to my last Ricordea
<No fun>
Now I came home from work and I noticed it on half of my war coral, I used a pipette to clean it off and the war coral is destroyed right down to the skeleton
Any ideas of what is going on? what I can do to treat the tank ?
<... do you have access to a microscope? I'd be looking at a bit of this material... chicken/egg sort of question here... Is there some sort of "destroyer" at work, OR just evidence of decomposition... ONCE whatever the cause is here killing your Cnidarians... In other words, need information/data to help you. Bob Fenner>
Thanks in advance,
Dustin

Can't Keep Corals. Please Help/Growing Corals 9/7/11
<Hello Hunt>
Here is the background on my tank, specks and routines Red Sea max 250, 65 Gallons (Set up March 2011)
<Just got one of these myself, nice system.>
2 Vortech MP10's
JBJ auto top off
Running only the three 10,000k t5's
2 12" blue stunners
1 24" blue/violet mix stunner
1 10k 12" stunner
<The stunner LEDs do not do much for coral growth, but geared more toward color pop. In reality, the three T5s are providing the only light your corals can use and is not quite enough. In terms of coral growth, if the light is within the active spectrum of the chlorophylls in the Zooxanthellae algae, which fall between 400-550nm and 620-740nm, then there will be nutrition provided for the coral to grow. And, most shallow water corals do not benefit from wavelengths below 450nm. You would have been better off leaving the original T5 complement and adding one or two Ecoxotic stunner lights. I'm quite sure there is enough space in the hood to do this as these LED strips are less than 1/2" deep. Take a peek here.
http://www.ecoxotic.com/aquarium-led-lights/stunner-led-strips/stunner-led-strips-12-watt.html>
Some corals will also require additional nutrients and in looking at your parameters, your system is pretty nutrient free. Consider using a product called Phyto-Feast produced by Reed Mariculture or another similar product to provided these nutrients.>
Light cycle goes as follows: 9am blue and blue/violet stunner comes on, 10am 10k stunner comes on, 11am mains come on and 10k stunner goes out. reverse at night starting at 9pm.
Just hooked up Neptune's Apex lite with 3 Bulk reef supply dosing pumps for Alk, cal, and Mag about 3 weeks ago.
Running Chemi-pure Elite and an extra bag of Carbon
<The carbon isn't necessary when using Chemipure.>
Live stock:
2 Ocellaris clowns
1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Yellow Eye Kole tank <Tang> 3.5"
<Your tank will be too small for this fish in time.>
1 Coral Beauty 3"
1 Starry Blenny
1 Sand Sifting Starfish
<Likely will starve to death in this system.>
Corals:
rock with Zoanthids
frospawn <Frogspawn, and this is an aggressive
coral in terms of allelopathy and likely causing some problems.>
Birdsnest
Stylophora
<Moderately aggressive.>
Par.
Alk - 12.2
Mag - 1440
Cal - 420
Phos- 0
Nitrates - 0

ammonia- 0
salinity - 1.025
ph - 7.9-8.1
temp - 79.5-80.3
I do a weekly 5 gallon water change, never miss it.
This tank has been up since end of March and started out well. Almost an instant cycle, started out with live rock and live sand. In the past two to three months we have had nothing but problems minus the fish. All of our corals are dying and cannot figure out why (small Birdsnest, long tentacle plate coral, pagoda cup rock, digitata frag). Par *had* been a little rocky to start and I attributed some corals dying to that. Lost a different birds nest due to Alk swings.
<Would not cause loss of corals. I'd relocate the Frogspawn and see if conditions improve.>
I had been using reef fusion two part dosing from the beginning. Then I purchased the Apex lite and dosing pumps to start adding Bulk Reef Supply 2 part solution so that I can keep everything super stable. Despite trying to make all the parameters more stable and get my tank on "cruse control" [Mr. Saltwater Tank] it seems as though nothing is working. I had the plate from the start of the tank, first one I bought, and the pagoda was in for at least two months, both were doing great and then just started to literally decay. I have coral rx'ed everything that went into the tank and had even had to take some out to re-dip to see if it would help but nothing. I did notice that there were some worms on the bottom of the plate and pagoda when I took them out for a dip.
At that point I was lost because I didn't know if it was the bugs killing things or the parameters. I had also found Zoanthid eating Nudibranchs on which I dipped to kill and have not seen them since. Now, in the past three days, my Frogspawn, which has been the best and healthiest coral I have, has lost two of its five heads completely. And it was lost quickly, first one was there when I went to work and gone when I got home and same for the second one.
I guess my question is what the heck, I have heard that people do way less and have parameters that change a lot more that have no problems, and I feel like I am going above and beyond and I got nothing. Could there be a big bug problem or am I doing something wrong?
<Lighting for one, nutrition, and better selection of corals in terms of allelopathy.
Although the RSM is 65 gallons, the foot print isn't all that large and with Euphyllia corals such as your Frogspawn that are capable of shooting out powerful sweeper tentacles up to one foot in length doesn't give your other corals much breathing room. This event generally occurs in the evening
while you are sleeping.>
Any help would be great. My wife loves the tank when its going well but I think she has had about enough and I don't want to give it up so I'm sort of desperate. Thanks in advance. If you need anymore info on the tank or situation let me know,
<As above and do read here and related articles/FAQs found in the header.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/growingcorals.htm
A good investment would be purchasing a book titled Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.
James (Salty Dog)>
Hunt


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