HELP!! SPS Dying

[gerrygab]

I have a problem. Over the last eight weeks I have added 3 or 4 sps frags plus a plate coral. They have been shrinking back, turning white and dying.
I will tell you about my system, some of which is old tecnology. 90 gallon 100 lbs of base rock, amiracle dls sump, Sieo 820, Tunze 6060, rowaphos and a reactor, 2x 250 watt 13k Giesemann bulbs and finially a Via-aqua canister filter. Now, my water test is Temp 81, Cal, 475, Alk, 7.2, PH 8, Sal 1.024, KH 2.55 and Nitate 25. I think the big problem is Nitrate levels. My plan is to get rid of the canister filter and old style drip filter and build a new sump so I can put my new Euro-reef skimmer and make a section for a refugium. Does this sound like a correction to my problem? Oh yeah I'm doing 25% change tomorrow. I know I will get lots of different opinions but I want to know if I am heading in the right direction with the changes. Thanks, Gerry

[reeferaddict]

Definitely get that skimmer online... nothing will help your SPS at this point any more than that... calcium is a little on the high range but OK... and Alk is a little on the low range, but still OK. I see you have two measurements for Alk... try to shoot for 10 dKH.

What other livestock do you have in the system? How did you acclimate the corals? And finally, did you make any changes before you noticed the die off?

[OAcalgary]

your Alk value needs to be up. at least 9 and your nitrate is a major major problem. since the nitrate is 25ppm = parts per million. it is very difficult to do 25% water change for the numbers to go down... and also, when your test is shown this figure, your LR has already absorb some of the nitrate, so your total nitrate should be LR absorbed nitrate+ 25ppm + error on test kit. i will not purchase SPS if you have a testable number in nitrate.

you can try using RO water for water changes, in large amounts, like 40-50% weekly, plus a full blown refugium. in the mean time, the skimmer is just going to lower DOM's = the inital organics that make nitrate, but in my experience, a 25%nitrate reading will not be lowered by anykind of skimmer alone.

so my opinion is 3 things. water change in large quantities, refugium and RO system.

Cheers

[Beverly]

As well as the above good advice, I would also test for and adjust magnesium levels. Both calcium and magnesium are required for the growth of stony corals. I try to keep my Mg between 1250 ppm and 1325 ppm.

[Aquattro]

Getting rid of the cannister and drip filter will remove the source of NO3, which will allow your live rock to do it's job. Once you get your skimmer online, nitrate producing filters removed, your rock will eliminate the rest of your nitrates (as long as you're doing regular water changes, not over-feeding, etc). At this point I'd do a few smaller water changes, just because the system sounds stressed already and a big change might do more harm than good.

[gerrygab]

That's what I thought, I feel really stupid!! Today I am putting together a sump filter and refugium, What would be the fastest way to get a fuge growing, should I get some of that mud stuff? I guess nobody in Victoria has any sumps kicking around they went to sell.
Thanks for the help guys!! Gerry

[reeferaddict]

Whatever you do... do it slowly.... if you want to get a fuge growing with mud, add a little every day instead of all at once. Drastically changing water parameters, even for the better, could be fatal to your system, especially if things are stressed to begin with... just use patience.