RTN Help

[Nabob89]

Hi everyone, I recently had my first ever bout with RTN. Lost all of my SPS and LPS over a 2 day span (monti cap, chalice, stylo, and hammer), as well as some mushroom corals. My remaining corals look fine (toadstool, palys, GSP, and ricordea), and my 2 maxima clams and BTA look good. Tank is a biocube 32 w/AI prime light, has been up for >3 years now. I have a pretty light bioload with only 2 clowns and a royal gramma. I haven't added any new corals to the tank in about 2 months. Temp has been stable at 78-79 with inkbird controller, SG 1.024. Other params:

Alk: 7.1
Ca: 420
Nitrate: 0 (using API test kit)
Phos: 0.2

I had been trying to naturally raise my nitrate by feeding more recently....not sure if this may have set something off to cause the RTN? I've been reading everything I can find about RTN, and so far this is the only possible culprit that I can find.

Now that the damage has been done, how long should I wait before attempting to add any stony corals back to the system? And does anyone have any other advice/other treatments I should be doing in the meantime? Thank you for your help!

 

[Nabob89]

I should also mention that over the 2 days of losing the corals, I removed all dead coral colonies and did 25% water change x 2

 

[highfive52]

With the freakish weather. How stable is temperature. May not be nutrient issue.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I'm no expert, but how long has no3 been 0?

 

[Joker]

I'm thinking between the low NO3 and low alk and possibly if there was temp swings this could be the problem.

 

[Nabob89]

With the freakish weather. How stable is temperature. May not be nutrient issue.

Yeah certainly a possibility as well. I do have a window AC unit in the adjacent room, so the temp in the tank room hasn't gotten crazy high thankfully

 

[Nabob89]

I'm no expert, but how long has no3 been 0?

For a few weeks now tbh. I use the API test kit for nitrates weekly...always is between 0-5. It is a color-coded test kit so not the most accurate, but they have definitely been very low. I use RedSea test kits for alk/ca/mag so I trust them a bit more

 

[Joker]

For a few weeks now tbh. I use the API test kit for nitrates weekly...always is between 0-5. It is a color-coded test kit so not the most accurate, but they have definitely been very low. I use RedSea test kits for alk/ca/mag so I trust them a bit more

I would get a better test kit for nitrate too. Api isn't the most reliable kits and have been know to give bad results.

 

[stingythingy45]

I would check for ammonia just to be sure. With that amount of die off it could have caused an increase in bio-load. Enough to possibly cause a quick ammonia spike. I would sit tight for a while before adding any SPS.

 

[dz6t]

What types of food did you increased feeding?

 

[Nabob89]

What types of food did you increased feeding?

I was feeding Frozen Brine (SF bay brand) and Omega One pellets