Help!!! Something really wrong in my tank

[molsen187]

i came home from working the overnight at my job to find my tank is shambles. all the coral is recding or receded. even the aptasia i had is no where to be seen. the fish seem to be doing ok so i don't know what the problem is.

my levels are
ammonia-0
nitrite-0
nitrate less than 10
calcium-420
sg-1.025
dkh-8
mag-1400
ph.8.3

i can not figure out for the life of me what is happening but it doesn't look good thats for sure. any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. if i think this thing is a goner keep your eyes posted in the for sale section cause i have some acans and frogspawn i'll be getting rid of instead of just letting it die.

 

[MikeG]

Could anything have gotten in the tank?
How has it looked recently?
How long has it been running?
What exactly isn't looking good?

If I couldn't figure anything out a good sized water change might help. Try to match all parameters as best as possible especially salinity, temp, and alk if you do this.

First thing I would do if you haven't is run a good amount of carbon.

 

[DoctaQ]

temp?

have you done anything to the tank recently?

 

[molsen187]

sorry the temp is 78. i haven't done anything new to the tank in awhile. its been up and running since august. i don't think anything could of gotten into it it's in my room so no one goes near it but me and there isn't anything in my room that hasn't been in there for the whole life of the tank. all my coral looks really shrunk up and receding back into the skeletons. its actually looked really good lately. i was just thinking yesterday before i went to work how awesome it was looking.

 

[wrassefan]

something die or is missing? I agree with a large water change and start running fresh carbon. How's the tank circulation...pumps all running? Any skimmer?

 

[molsen187]

i have the aqua c remora skimmer going. all my fish are accounted for. i have water mixing for a change right now just waiting for it to warm up. all my pumps are running fine. does anyone thing there could be stray electrical current or something in there?

 

[number1gsxxr]

You said the fish are doing fine so it might not be stray voltage but it can't hurt to check anyways.

You didn't list phosphates. Can you check for this? Also have you been dosing anything? Think back to any little change you might have made.

 

[molsen187]

i don't have a test for phosphates unfortunately. i don't dose anything i just do weekly water changes and everything seems to be fine. i fed them yesterday like i always do some mysis and rods reef then i went to work. everything looked happy and was eating when i left then came home this am from work and all the coral was shrunk up. the fish are swimming around happily. whats wierd is that all the aptasia is fading away and those things could survive nucular winters. i built the tank on a budget so things get added nice and slow and i havne't added anything in over 2-3 months.

 

[frank180reef]

are you getting more than normal waste in ur skimmer? this would tell u something died...............

 

[molsen187]

no the skimmer is functioning properly. i dont' think anything died because i've seen all three fish and the cleaner shrimp i have. its more the corals that are hinting that something is coming.

 

[FOXYB]

I say you do the WC add some carbon and relax you may just be having a bad tank day

 

[frank180reef]

agree!

 

[MikeG]

Your heater functioning ok? This can also happen if a heater cracks, have been through that before.

 

[Jeff.:P]

i say you do the wc add some carbon and relax you may just be having a bad tank day

+111

 

[molsen187]

thanks everyone for the help. i just ended up getting rid of the corals and fish. i really think it would be best for me to downsize and start over again. i just didn't want to risk everythings life. just have to get back up on the seahorse and try again...haha i know it was a lame joke but got to laugh at something.

 

[American Flyer]

Too bad that you had to get rid of that stuff. I've had similar occurrences in the past and I just stuck it out. Over time I've learned that a tank can be very temper mental. For example, every once in a while I will take a large powerhead and literally blow the hell out of the reef, crank up the filtration and let the sump do its job. When I stir up all that organic matter, the corals go nuts and it takes a few days for them to come out again. That of course is just an example but, I think patience (and a little bit of luck) can go a long way in this hobby. Good luck going forward!

 

[willray]

thanks everyone for the help. i just ended up getting rid of the corals and fish. i really think it would be best for me to downsize and start over again. i just didn't want to risk everythings life. just have to get back up on the seahorse and try again...haha i know it was a lame joke but got to laugh at something.

::
Since august.....Then you know nothing good happens in a tank overnight.As well as a recovery from a "bad tank day" as they can and do happen.Keep your sense of humor and good luck with the downgrade....err downsize.

 

[frank180reef]

so you you know what happened?