Very Stuck with Acro Problems

[FreakinReefin]

I am very confused... I just recently switched into a larger tank, from a 55 to a 100g with a 29g sump; and I used all of my old rock sand and water with some new water mixed with Instant Ocean. My tests all indicate that the water is in great shape, however I don't have the widest variety of tests. I have the API salt water test kit and the reef test kit.

Ph=8.4
Sg=1.027
Kh=10
Phos=0.0
Amm=0
Nitrite=0
Nitrates=20-25
Cal=400+

I have not tested magnesium, strontium, moly, copper etc...

All of my acro and monti have either completely died or are in the process of dying. I had some temperature issues but not too big of a deal. My temp got up to 85 but now I have it steady at around 75-76...tad low. My other corals, polyps and brain, are stuggling but are sticking through and don't seem to be doing any worse. What could be doing this??? I dose magnesium once a week but only 15ml. I use the appropriate doses of C-balance and also Kent Trace elements. Calcium is SeaChem Reef Complete and additional trace elements(concentrated vitamins and minerals) are Seachem Reef plus.

My only suspicion is a split valve that I had to use and am planning to quickly replace that is made of brass. It is a "Y" splitter that is splitting my main flow pump. The tank is a closed loop type tank, however I am using it as a standard set-up. I am thinking that maybe some of the brass, or elements within the valve, are bleeding into the water and killing my corals...HELP!

 

[FreakinReefin]

Nothing?? Really???

 

[gotfish]

What were your nitrates normally at when in your 55g tank? They are a bit high for sps. I'm thinking that when you switched over, you may have had a small cycle. The loss of having the bacteria on the glass makes a huge difference and would allow a buildup of ammonia and then nitrites until the bacteria repopulated. That could be why your nitrates are as high as they are.

 

[FreakinReefin]

What were your nitrates normally at when in your 55g tank? They are a bit high for sps. I'm thinking that when you switched over, you may have had a small cycle. The loss of having the bacteria on the glass makes a huge difference and would allow a buildup of ammonia and then nitrites until the bacteria repopulated. That could be why your nitrates are as high as they are.

They were normally at about 15-30...I have bio-balls in the sump , but even then...these acros are dying very fast, I'm talkin about seeing dead white spots around 3-4 days tops into ownership. Do you think it is possibly because of that brass splitter? The corrosion and leaching would be my first suspicion...but I am just not sure if copper or even zinc leaching could kill acros that fast.

 

[Chichas01]

They were normally at about 15-30...I have bio-balls in the sump , but even then...these acros are dying very fast, I'm talkin about seeing dead white spots around 3-4 days tops into ownership. Do you think it is possibly because of that brass splitter? The corrosion and leaching would be my first suspicion...but I am just not sure if copper or even zinc leaching could kill acros that fast.

The brass valve is bad. I would get rid of it today. It coudl easily be the root of your problems.

Also everyone is going to blame your balls...bio balls that is. Sorry couldn't resist.
If you are going to keep them, you will probably want to do some maintenance on them during your water changes. You could pull out a portion of them, 25% maybe, and rinse them to keep them from building up nitrates. They can work on a reef tank, but you have to do the maintenance if your going to keep them.
I also think there is a good possibility you had a small cycle when moving tanks. Happened to me and I lost a serpent star in the move

The brass valve is bad. I would get rid of it today. It could easily be the root of your problems.

 

[FreakinReefin]

The brass valve is bad. I would get rid of it today. It coudl easily be the root of your problems.

Also everyone is going to blame your balls...bio balls that is. Sorry couldn't resist.
If you are going to keep them, you will probably want to do some maintenance on them during your water changes. You could pull out a portion of them, 25% maybe, and rinse them to keep them from building up nitrates. They can work on a reef tank, but you have to do the maintenance if your going to keep them.
I also think there is a good possibility you had a small cycle when moving tanks. Happened to me and I lost a serpent star in the move

The brass valve is bad. I would get rid of it today. It could easily be the root of your problems.

Gosh...I should never have used that splitter... I'm going to get rid of that and do several 25% water changes over the next week and see how it goes from there. The good thing is that I had some parasite on one of my Blue Tangs and it disappeared in less than a week...that would explain the copper leaching though.

 

[luke33]

I'd agree with chicas, you pry had a small cycle. That and your trates are a bit high and temp a bit low. What did you use to have the temp at? And are you using a refractometer to test your sg or a swing arm?

 

[FreakinReefin]

I'd agree with chicas, you pry had a small cycle. That and your trates are a bit high and temp a bit low. What did you use to have the temp at? And are you using a refractometer to test your sg or a swing arm?

Previously I had the temp at a consistent 78 degrees and the nitrates were 15-30 as I go from water changes of 25% every 2 weeks. Since my first post I have now changed the brass splitter to plastic and did a 60% water change on the 55g and have not hooked that tank up to the main tank to share water yet. I have my corals in the 55 gallon to try to restore some of the life while the water chemistry settles. I always use a regularly calibrated refractometer to test my SG.

Also I added SeaChem's Denitrator media in the media tray above my wet dry trickle as well as added SeaChem's Cuprisorb to the outflow before the return area of the sump. I am going to give it a day or so to settle and see what happens.

 

[tasos]

It is copper for sure!!!Place Cuprisorb in a canister as quickly as you can!!!!!!!!!
I had the same problem in my first aquarium.Nothing except fish can live with copper in the water.