Help, My Corals, Are They Going To Die !

[YoungFishBreeder]

Well today my Mushrooms Are starting to close up, and one fell off, And One of my xenias has curled up and gone GREEN.
I'm New to marine and wondered if anyone can help ill post Water tests Soon, Ill go do them after i have uploaded pictures.

Ok my stocking so far is,

1 x Sandsifting starfish
2 x Fighting Conch's
2 x Cleaner Shrimp
2 x Blue damsels Not sure what type
2 x clown fish
1 x landmine sea urchin
2 x Halloween hermit crabs
1 x Green Chromis

I Have a skimmer and a external and 3 powerheads running, Only additive is reef salt, One marine light and one blue actinic.

Test results
Ph: 8.2
ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm another test i have says 10 ppm ???

And the blue actinic is not left on at night, They are fed marine food mix, once in the morning and once at night.

 

[sianeds]

What is your temp and SG?

I have found my mushrooms did not tolerate warmer water.

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

What is your temp and SG?

I have found my mushrooms did not tolerate warmer water.

Hello Temperature is 82/30c , Just as the previous owner kept it and You have to put salt in a marine tank ?? ;P SP : 1.024

I've just noticed a clear/White goo on the mushroom rock and its stuck onto the rock i pulled one off with the net and it went all stringy.
(Just researched and this is what a dead coral turns into (Must get rid of it asap) Something about protozoans)

OK One Dropped off, Should i try and re-attach it ??

 

[afmo]

have they been stressed at all lately? any swings in SG? your nitrates are a little high also, but you say you are getting conflicting readings. What method are you using to test with?

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

have they been stressed at all lately? any swings in SG? your nitrates are a little high also, but you say you are getting conflicting readings. What method are you using to test with?

Yes, Stressed with a move, Also I have 2 salt water liquid tests, Both with 2 bottles but one where you have you shake the bottle and the other you don't. No the SG has stayed the same and i have had readings of 100 ppm with *Faulty* nitrate test. I am going to take some water down to my LFS for them to test.

Thanks for the help

If the 100 ppm of nitrate were true wouldn't the fish be dead ?

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

Ok So the action taken so far,

Extra water change
Temperature turned down



Should i clean out the filter ?, And would it be beneficial to add the 'weekly clean' liquid thing ?

 

[afmo]

how were they moved and how did you acclimate them after you got them? how long was the time period between them being moved from their first tank and into your tank? also, were there any problems with them in their first tank? or did this start after you put them into your tank? I think the very first thing i'd do is find out whats up with your nitrates. get a reliable reading and then figure out why you can't duplicate those readings.

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

how were they moved and how did you acclimate them after you got them? how long was the time period between them being moved from their first tank and into your tank? also, were there any problems with them in their first tank? or did this start after you put them into your tank? I think the very first thing i'd do is find out whats up with your nitrates. get a reliable reading and then figure out why you can't duplicate those readings.

They were moved in a bucket with water from the original tank
Time period 1 Hour
Same tank Same water, We took the lot
When he had them they were fine
Started when they had been in my tank for 3 days
Taking water to the fish store they will test it.

 

[meso81]

Now, Was it stated that the only additives you used was salt? Someone correct if I am wrong but.. aren't you suppose to be putting in calcium and food for these corals to thrive off of? and other trace elements for a salt water aquarium to sustain life?

Also is his lighting situation acceptable enough? Please advise I am also new to corals..

 

[Mr Miagi]

Now, Was it stated that the only additives you used was salt? Someone correct if I am wrong but.. aren't you suppose to be putting in calcium and food for these corals to thrive off of? and other trace elements for a salt water aquarium to sustain life?

Also is his lighting situation acceptable enough? Please advise I am also new to corals..

No. You shouldnt add anything you dont test for in a marine aquarium. You shouldnt need calcium and alkalinity supplements if you dont test for it, they can have a larger negative effect than just blindly dosing. Trace elements are made for heavily stocked tanks, who exhaust their supply far greater than an ordinarily stocked tank. Shrooms are bullet proof. Food? Most corals can survive just fine with their photosynthetic algae, you need to know what corals you have and thei general requirements before you add, buy, or worry about anything like that.


Get your water tested by an LFS mate, you need better results. Ammonia and Nitrite should be 0, and nitrate should be no more than say 40ppm. Right the results down if you need to, it would be a great hand to us.

Lighting is an issue, but it wouldn't bleach shrooms out that fast.

Were they that colour when you got them?

 

[afmo]

They were moved in a bucket with water from the original tank

ok, how did you acclimate them to your tank water? Did you just pull from the bucket and plop them in when you got them home? did you drip acclimate? etc?

 

[Mr Miagi]

They were moved in a bucket with water from the original tank

ok, how did you acclimate them to your tank water? Did you just pull from the bucket and plop them in when you got them home? did you drip acclimate? etc?

Shrooms are incredilby hardy. I dont acclimate them to my tanks anymore. They get cleaned, then thrown in. (Not saying this is suitable for many/all inverts, just for shrooms), so I highly dought acclimation was an issue affecting their "bleaching". However, we do need to know:

- if they were this colour before they went in to your tank?
- Updated water parameters from your LFS
- Lighting?
- Flow?

Lighting and flow would also have little to no immediate affect on your shrooms condition,its just for our general knowledge to try and help you along your way.

I think water parameters are playing the biggest part of your current situation.

Your Xenia can be incredibly "touchy" on acclimation, and may sulk for a few days. BUT, it could also be affected by your water params etc.

Let us know what you can ASAP. See the following post here: Attaching Mushrooms to find out more information about attaching your current "loose" shroom.

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

- if they were this colour before they went in to your tank?

Yes same colour, Hes had them for four months and the guy before him had them a year i think.

- Updated water parameters from your LFS

Haven't got round to this yet.

- Lighting?

Well theres 2 three foot bulbs in there one marine white, and one actinic blue. Were upgrading to 250w halides soon... or should we go 150w

- Flow?

3 Powerheads in the tank at the moment, Plus the output from the external filter.
( It's reef salt that's added )

 

[callell]

- Updated water parameters from your LFS

Haven't got round to this yet.

This is the most important question asked for far, as I think your answer lies in your readings

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

I understand that, But i can only get down when my parents can.