SPS Tank O Death

[michika]

Originally Posted by untamed

I think that the problems are viral or bacterial, combined with tank conditions which weaken the corals immunity to attack by virus or bacteria. The viruses and bacteria may be unavoidable, or they might be introduced.

I take it these bacteria or viruses you are suggesting would be SPS specific in some way? Maybe just leaving the tank fallow isn't enough to kill something like this off. Would this be something that ozone may take care of?

Since I already plan to run ozone on my 180g it can't hurt to try it out on this tank. I think that might be my next step. What I'm hearing is that the issue could be one of three things; equipment/food/drygoods/etc. (I'm starting to doubt this though since I'm almost run through everything I can test), chemical contamination (silicone, the glass), or third a biological contaminant.

This (Red Sea Aquazone Plus 200mg/hr) was what we were thinking of buying for the 180g. Do you think it could be controlled enough to use it on this 28g system for a few weeks? If ozone was the solution to the problem I would buy a more appropriately sized ozonier for this system.

[michika]

While i have the monitor/controller on order, I still have to buy the ozonier itself, and its an expensive purchase. Still though maybe just getting the readings from the monitor will help turn things around.

I figure in a month maybe 6 weeks this tank will come down, and everything will go into the 180g, save for the rock and sand. I'll seed the new system with rock and sand from other trusted sources. I will also have to figure out a method to transfer my clams with as little of my current tank water as possible.

So for people who've had bad silicone or an unknown chemical in their tank how did everything react? Was it just your SPS that had problems?

This morning everything is still holding on, all the frags have color, there are four of them, and one of them has good polyp extension (this frag almost seems immune to the situation).

Can I also ask what I would see if I was seeing light burn? Is it possible that my light is too strong? Its a 175w SE MH in a luminarc reflector. I'm debating switching it out back to my badwing. I assume if it was light burn I would see bleached tips, although I'm not sure about the polyp retraction.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by michika

I've never tested for Strontium, Iron, or Silicates. What makes you think I should be testing them? Does something stand out about my problem that makes you think of these elements?

Silicone was the non-anti-fungal type made by GE. Although someone recently sent me a PM letting me know that they had seen a thread where there was something wrong with the silicone itself. From what I understand anti-fungal silicone was packaged and sold as the non-anti-fungal variety. I'm still looking into this, and waiting on a link to that thread.

I thought you had other tanks running, so I thought it would be easy (and cheap) for you to try changing the rock and sand out.

Corals are sensitive (and SPS are obviously more so) to both high and low readings of Strontium, Iron, Silicates, and Potassium (which I forgot to mention). I don't test for these regularly, and I don't suggest you do either, but it is something that I would check if there is someone or an LFS around that could test your water for you.

I really don't understand why people use silicone that isn't specifically meant for aquariums. What's a few bucks?

Originally Posted by untamed

I think that the problems are viral or bacterial, combined with tank conditions which weaken the corals immunity to attack by virus or bacteria. The viruses and bacteria may be unavoidable, or they might be introduced.

I thought of this as well, but figured the more likely culprits should be questioned first. As far as whether there is SPS specific bacteria/virus, I'm no biologist, but I would assume that is quite likely. There are SPS specific parasites after all.

Originally Posted by michika

Can I also ask what I would see if I was seeing light burn? Is it possible that my light is too strong? Its a 175w SE MH in a luminarc reflector. I'm debating switching it out back to my badwing. I assume if it was light burn I would see bleached tips, although I'm not sure about the polyp retraction.

When I've light burned my SPS they just bleached out, but they did it very quickly. Like in a day. Once I covered them with half a dozen layers of screening and slowly acclimated them they took about 4 week to color back up. I never left it unattended though, so I don't know what they would look like if the burn wasn't stopped (by screen or w.h.y.).

Originally Posted by michika

I figure in a month maybe 6 weeks this tank will come down, and everything will go into the 180g, save for the rock and sand. I'll seed the new system with rock and sand from other trusted sources. I will also have to figure out a method to transfer my clams with as little of my current tank water as possible.

I would strongly suggest that you do not put any of the livestock from your nano into your 180g. I wouldn't put the rock or sand in there either. I'd be WAAAAAAAAAY too paranoid to do that. Could you imagine this battle on a 180g tank?

[michika]

Originally Posted by Myka

I really don't understand why people use silicone that isn't specifically meant for aquariums. What's a few bucks?

I would strongly suggest that you do not put any of the livestock from your nano into your 180g. I wouldn't put the rock or sand in there either. I'd be WAAAAAAAAAY too paranoid to do that. Could you imagine this battle on a 180g tank?

Actually the silicone I used and continue to use is aquarium safe, and actually DESIGNED for use in aquariums...

If you scroll up you would know that I've already decided to not move over the rock or sand and to seed my new system from other sources. But what would you suggest I do with the fish in my system? I'm holding fish in this tank that cannot and should not stay in the system much longer.

[digital-audiophile]

Could there be an unknown situation within the walls of your home? I'm sure Tony will elaborate more, but I remember reading some of his historical threads on the issues that he has had with SPS after he moved into his new house. If I recall correctly after his move, his long established tank was no longer able to sustain SPS in the new location.

As odd as this may seem you could have issues with the new tank as well?

I know, not much help but just a thought to throw out there.

[michika]

I don't think so, I wouldn't even know what to look for. Ideas?

[digital-audiophile]

This is the primary thread I was thinking of http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...ronment&page=4 , page 4 specifically Greg's comments.

It's a long shot but if you are considering the glass as a source of contamination it could be something else in your house (paint, plastic in the microwave etc.), or in proximity to your home. (gas station, cell phone tower etc.)

This would be so very hard to pin down though, but it could be along the lines of animals sensing thunderstorms, or people sensitive to telepathy and so on.

[Myka]

^ Good call.

Originally Posted by michika

Actually the silicone I used and continue to use is aquarium safe, and actually DESIGNED for use in aquariums...

If you scroll up you would know that I've already decided to not move over the rock or sand and to seed my new system from other sources. But what would you suggest I do with the fish in my system? I'm holding fish in this tank that cannot and should not stay in the system much longer.

I wasn't aware that GE puts out a slilcone specifically for aquariums. I've never seen it. I use All-Glass silicone.

I thought I read your entire thread, and I didn't see anything saying that you decided not to move your livestock over. I even went back and looked again. Oh well...not a big deal, at least I don't think so...?

Ya, that's a tough call on the fish, but I think the fish are less likely to transfer "issues" than liverock, sand, clams, and corals. Mainly because fish don't have sand or rock attached to them. Being somewhat paranoid myself though, I would likely move the fish to a quarantine tank just for a few days or a week max to kinda clean themselves off before going into the 180g.

[michika]

Originally Posted by Myka

I wasn't aware that GE puts out a slilcone specifically for aquariums. I've never seen it. I use All-Glass silicone.

[Nevin]

The metal mesh used for door/window bug screens would work, less likely to burst into flames than the gauze...

Regards,
Nevin