Corals Not Thriving

[Reefster]

Any idea what could be happening in my tank?

1) red stuff growing on rocks. coralline? good thing or bad thing?
2) leather is dying off
3) brain coral is not responding to food and is not getting bigger during day when lights are on.

pH around 8.2
Salt 1.027
Nitrites zero
Nitrates between 5-10
Water change 2 wks ago - approx 20%
90 gal tank

 

[Smitty]

How are you reading your salt/salinity level, with a hydrometer or refractometer? Because your salt level is kinda high.

 

[Reefster]

Refractometer. What should I get it down to?

 

[fastrd400]

Replace 5 gallons of tank water with fresh RO. Do this once a day until it drops to 1.025. Also, what lighting do you have over this tank. I am wondering if they might be light starved.

 

[Reefster]

I have AI Sol's running for about 10 hrs at 55%

 

[FishyReef]

For your AI Sols, what mix of white/blue do you have and at what percentage each. I also have AIs and have been having a lot of trouble with corals not looking their best. In my case I think it has something to do with getting the right white/blue/royal blue balance in the right percentage for the right amount of time. You definitely need to fix your salinity, but lighting may also be playing a factor. They might actually be getting too much light...

 

[Reefster]

Just checked water again and salinity is 1.024. Had it mixed up with my mixing container. Is this too low?

Lights are w:41, B:54, and R:51

Brain coral has been fine since mid Feb and now it just is. It responding to anything.

 

[Smitty]

Your salt level sounds perfect...do you think you have any fish/inverts picking at your corals?

 

[Reefster]

I don't think there is anything eating them. Been watching and have not seen any. It is next to a hammerhead coral. Should I separate them? What about dipping in coral Rx again?

 

[Smitty]

How close are the corals, they may be having a war. Hammers are aggressive.

 

[Reefster]

About 3inches apart.

 

[yote]

Is that pic of the Brain what it looks like now with the lights on or is that a before picture?
If that's what it's looking like now,it looks perfectly fine to me.

 

[Reefster]

That was a now picture with lights on. It is normally at least 50% bigger.

I just found a dead urchin. It was limping around for about the same time as the brain has been down as well. Is the urchin the cause of the brain problem or suffering from the same thing as the brain?

 

[Bifferwine]

Have you checked your tank for stray voltage?

Identifying, Locating and Curing Stray Voltage in a Saltwater Aquarium