I understand the lack of time, or occasional "just don't feel like it". I fall victim to this too. I service/maintain aquariums full-time for a living. Sometimes when I clean and test tanks all day I don't want to clean and test my own. Recently, I managed to turn off my doser, and at the same time I slacked off on testing for a month. Things were starting to look "off" in the tank - a little less PE than usual, colors a tad faded, nothing singularly significant, but all together I knew something was wrong and whatever it was the damage was already done. That's what people don't get about "oh I just look at my corals, and they tell me if something is off" -
the damage is already done. So I do a full panel test - alkalinity was 5.85 dKH, and I normally keep it around 7.2 dKH. So it had fallen significantly. Keep in mind my tank is about 95% SPS. At first, I assumed consumption has gone up, but I would do an "extra" manual dose again and again, and I wasn't getting anywhere. Finally I noticed, and switched the doser back on, and life is good. I very slowly got alkalinity to 7.0 and left it there - change it too much and MORE damage will be done. That was 3 weeks ago, and the tank appeared mostly unaffected. Remember however,
the damage was already done. So now three weeks later, I'm seeing the results of my mistake (yep, that's how long it takes 2-4 weeks). I now have some very thin skinned Acros, and some browned out ones. Most are so far unaffected or only mildly affected, some look terrible. The moral of the story?? If I would have taken 90 seconds a week away from "enjoying the tank" and performing the most important parameter check on the tank - the alkalinity - I would have saved what is probably going to be several months of rehabilitation to get the Acros back to where they were in early February. I am so mad at myself.
I'm going to go do a water change and test the tank right now...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharkbait-huhaha
I have not had one coral die on me, because I didn't check my parameters lol, But I did have corals die on me from stinging one another, BJD,
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IME, the leading cause of Brown Jelly Diesase is low alkalinity. So IMO yes, you've experienced coral death from not testing and dosing. The trouble is that you, like many others, don't recognize the direct results of your actions (or inaction), and pass on this misinformation to other people. Ignorance is always bliss.
