i need input please

[Joker]

ok so for about a week or two i have noticed some of my coral are not looking right. i tested and the only thing was my alk dropped from 8.0 to 7.3 in a 5 day span. i fixed that slowly and brought it back up to 8.0 waited a day or two and raised it to 8.3 where i normally keep it. after a few ore days go by and now my red planet is browned out and my ding dang millie is bleached but with very lite green and some brown to it. i took them off the rock and lowered them in the tank to not stress them even more. fast forward to today and now im seeing one of my acans and a green chalice loosing flesh. i dont know what is going on. here is what my tests came up as of today

salinity: 1.025
temp:78.8
alk: 8.0 dosed 10.7 to raise it to 8.3
cal: 490
mag: 1410
phos: 1
nitrate: 0

i dont know what is going on but im freaking out and cant figure it out. the only thing i can think of is the tank is kinda close to my bathroom and my wife sprays her stuff and walks by the tank. can that be the issue? all the help i can get would be awesome.

 

[Joker]

the other thing i have been suspecting is a piece of pvc i have been using as a filter sock hold. its like this one

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Silver-Line-Plastics-3-in-x-10-ft-Sewer-Drain-Pipe-PVC-Sewer-Pipe/50006386

but it has black inside of it. can this be leaking stuff in the tank? i have tried to by a real filter sock holder but the one i need is out of stock and has been for a long time now. an other thing that just popped in my head is when i wash my filter socks. i do a full wash with nothing in the washer to rinse it of any left over soap then i wash the sock with hot water then let air dry. is this how its done or have i been poisoning my tank this whole time?

 

[jcherepo]

Hmmm, maybe an ICP test? I know there are 2 thought schools on if they are worth it, but I do 2 or 3 a year. I have heard of contamination from perfume and aerosols in the past as well. However, if that has always happened, then I wouldn’t think it would all of the sudden have an effect.

 

[Joker]

Hmmm, maybe an ICP test? I know there are 2 thought schools on if they are worth it, but I do 2 or 3 a year. I have heard of contamination from perfume and aerosols in the past as well. However, if that has always happened, then I wouldn’t think it would all of the sudden have an effect.

yea its always happened sense day one of setting up the tank

 

[Slombardi]

Mix up as much water as you can and do a couple giant water changes. At least if its in the water column you will get it out

 

[Joker]

Mix up as much water as you can and do a couple giant water changes. At least if its in the water column you will get it out

I'm on it now. I have carbon coming in the mail too.

 

[Joker]

Mix up as much water as you can and do a couple giant water changes. At least if its in the water column you will get it out

Do you think I should do a iodine dip on the acan and chalice?

 

[serwobow]

Having phosphate at 1 (ppm?) and nitrate at zero seems like a problem. Corals could be responding badly to lack of nitrates.
I think you should try to increase nitrates to at least 5ppm.

 

[Joker]

Having phosphate at 1 (ppm?) and nitrate at zero seems like a problem. Corals could be responding badly to lack of nitrates.
I think you should try to increase nitrates to at least 5ppm.

I have tried. The only thing I haven't done yet is take off the skimmer. I even overstocked my tank with fish and still 0. I also have been over feeding to try and bring it up. I have the following fish
3-4" sailfin tang
2 clowns
Male anthias
Algae blenny
2 cardinals
Helfrichi firefish
Flagfin goby
Very small mandarin goby(just added last night)

 

[coralfishreef]

I’ve noticed that frozen food doesn’t raise nitrates and phosphates much if at all. I’ve had to feed pellets to get an increase in nitrates.

 

[Joker]

I use pellets and flakes but as of lately only flakes as that's the only thing besides frozen my anthias will eat

 

[gobyvin]

Don’t think the pipe sock holder is a big deal. Water change and carbon would be a start. Zero nitrates might be issue but doubt that too, unless your corals are new as in less than a year old Aquacultured specimens from systems with higher nitrates to begin with.
Personally, I would NEVER use a clothes washer to wash my filter socks.
I use garden hose to knock all detritus out that I can, turning the sock inside out and back so the rinse is thorough. If they are really dirty they soak a few hours in bleach water then rinse with hose and soak in water and seachem prime to neutralize any remaining bleach. After that dry and use. I keep enough socks to have one set in service for a week or so before switch out. Washers NEVER fully eject soap residue water, top or front loader. This could be your phosphate source as it is a huge component of any soap/detergent.

 

[Joker]

I just took off my skimmer and I will start feeding pellets more

 

[Joker]

Don’t think the pipe sock holder is a big deal. Water change and carbon would be a start. Zero nitrates might be issue but doubt that too, unless your corals are new as in less than a year old Aquacultured specimens from systems with higher nitrates to begin with.
Personally, I would NEVER use a clothes washer to wash my filter socks.
I use garden hose to knock all detritus out that I can, turning the sock inside out and back so the rinse is thorough. If they are really dirty they soak a few hours in bleach water then rinse with hose and soak in water and seachem prime to neutralize any remaining bleach. After that dry and use. I keep enough socks to have one set in service for a week or so before switch out. Washers NEVER fully eject soap residue water, top or front loader. This could be your phosphate source as it is a huge component of any soap/detergent.

I just took my filter sock out too. But I will start to hand wash them from now on. All my corals but 2 come from local reefers. The 2 that aren't from locals are from ora and only 1 of them is having a issue. It's the red planet.

 

[jsak1976]

Your phosphates are at 1ppm? Or .1ppm?

 

[Slombardi]

Do you think I should do a iodine dip on the acan and chalice?

Idk about the dip. I have heard they help, but never successfully did it myself. I feel like the nitrates and phosphates wouldn't make it go down hill so quick. A water change and some carbon would at least get out any pollutants that may have gotten in the water and buy you some time to get an icp test back.

 

[Spaceman]

What test kits do you use?

 

[Slombardi]

Don’t think the pipe sock holder is a big deal. Water change and carbon would be a start. Zero nitrates might be issue but doubt that too, unless your corals are new as in less than a year old Aquacultured specimens from systems with higher nitrates to begin with.
Personally, I would NEVER use a clothes washer to wash my filter socks.
I use garden hose to knock all detritus out that I can, turning the sock inside out and back so the rinse is thorough. If they are really dirty they soak a few hours in bleach water then rinse with hose and soak in water and seachem prime to neutralize any remaining bleach. After that dry and use. I keep enough socks to have one set in service for a week or so before switch out. Washers NEVER fully eject soap residue water, top or front loader. This could be your phosphate source as it is a huge component of any soap/detergent.

I soak in bleach water for a day then rinse a few times and soak in tap for a day with seachem prime. Then air dry before I use again.

 

[Joker]

Your phosphates are at 1ppm? Or .1ppm?

1ppm

 

[Joker]

What test kits do you use?

i use hanna for low phos(dont have any yet)
hanna for alk
salifert reg phos, nitrate, ph, alk, cal, and mag