I found the recent article appropriate for me, but I would like to offer some additional advice I tried to reverse this situation.
I have a 140 gallon mixed reef for 5-6 years. It is well set up and easy to maintain in the past and I took husbandry for granted as the tank continued to grow very easily.
My technique to growing sps well is to keep hands out of the water as much as possble. Moving and rearranging is limited. Technique showed good growth until last 2-3 months.
One weekend I changed lights to 250K Ushio 14K DE, reintroduced carbon, began eliminating mojano with kalk.
The first indication of problems was a green digitata died within 48 hours. Two other colonies dies the following 2 weeks. Others were traded in and fragged. I did not loose a single softie or LPS. The specimens were as large as 12-16".
I tested parameters:
temp 76C
salinity 1.026 gm/ml
Ca 450 ppm as Ca
alk 180 ppm as CaCO3
Mg 1300-1400
Phosphate 0.0 by Lamotte test
Nitrates ~40 ppm 8O
Since Nitrates were high I assumed this was the cause. They were reduced to less than 20 by water changes and are currently going back to <5ppm. The nitrates were not tested for atleast 2 years because they were always ZERO prior to that.Remainder of colonies are doing well at this point at 4 weeks later. All detritus was collected and siphoned.
The nitrate problem was created from two sources. A true refugium was removed 1 year ago, and a 100gramParottlet took a liking to sitting under the light at times. (YOU FIGURE THE REST)
ANyway, returning to a thriving tank through benign neglect should be done over a course of 2-3 months. I think I would have faired better if I simply changed water several times. Followed by changing bulbs, then slowly reintroducing carbon ect. over a period of time.
In short I did lose three corals rapidly, not a slow decline, All frags were readily reobtained since I traded over the years in this area, and people were kind to give some of my free frags back.
SO my advice is to not get tank back in shape over a 3 day wekend if Old tank syndrome is suspected.
I have a 140 gallon mixed reef for 5-6 years. It is well set up and easy to maintain in the past and I took husbandry for granted as the tank continued to grow very easily.
My technique to growing sps well is to keep hands out of the water as much as possble. Moving and rearranging is limited. Technique showed good growth until last 2-3 months.
One weekend I changed lights to 250K Ushio 14K DE, reintroduced carbon, began eliminating mojano with kalk.
The first indication of problems was a green digitata died within 48 hours. Two other colonies dies the following 2 weeks. Others were traded in and fragged. I did not loose a single softie or LPS. The specimens were as large as 12-16".
I tested parameters:
temp 76C
salinity 1.026 gm/ml
Ca 450 ppm as Ca
alk 180 ppm as CaCO3
Mg 1300-1400
Phosphate 0.0 by Lamotte test
Nitrates ~40 ppm 8O
Since Nitrates were high I assumed this was the cause. They were reduced to less than 20 by water changes and are currently going back to <5ppm. The nitrates were not tested for atleast 2 years because they were always ZERO prior to that.Remainder of colonies are doing well at this point at 4 weeks later. All detritus was collected and siphoned.
The nitrate problem was created from two sources. A true refugium was removed 1 year ago, and a 100gramParottlet took a liking to sitting under the light at times. (YOU FIGURE THE REST)
ANyway, returning to a thriving tank through benign neglect should be done over a course of 2-3 months. I think I would have faired better if I simply changed water several times. Followed by changing bulbs, then slowly reintroducing carbon ect. over a period of time.
In short I did lose three corals rapidly, not a slow decline, All frags were readily reobtained since I traded over the years in this area, and people were kind to give some of my free frags back.
SO my advice is to not get tank back in shape over a 3 day wekend if Old tank syndrome is suspected.
