blown jelly disease with high nitrites

[gnuh88]

Just found out my torch coral was suffering from the Brown Jelly Disease. Completely killed the coral in less than two days so I took it out but the damage is done already. Now my yellow carpet is looking really sick. My clownfish tries to play with it but it but it's harassing it more than helping. Most of my my other corals and fishes looks like they are doing okay. Did my testing and my levels are high. Before this my Amnonia, Nitrite was 0 and nitrates was 10, phosphorus was 0.2

pH 8.2
SG 1.025
NH3 0.25
No2 0.1
No3 10
Calcium 490

I did a 15% water change for two days and clean the filters and the levels are still the same. I'm just curious whether I should continue to do water changes everyday and if it's beneficially. My tank is RSM 34 Gallons running for over 8 weeks.

[boxfishpooalot]

you know what I dont know what to say, but ill direct you to sombody who may know.

What is the temperature? What do you use to measure SG with? NH3 is .25? Is that with Red Sea, if so disregard it, if not its a problem.

Look here for "expert" help:

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Forum9-1.aspx

[gnuh88]

My temperature ranges from 76.5-78.9 throughout the day. I use a refractometer to measure the SG. I do use the red sea test kit to measure my amnonia and nitrates. I know they are worthless but I hate to get a new set if it came with the system. But I will consider buying a new set of test kit after the holidays.

[Frick-n-Frags]

if a coral is stressed enough by funky water conditions, it can easily be weakened enough to go down to the brown jelly.

it could be a suite of stress factors all adding up also.

waterchanges are a beautiful thing when in times of doubt and confusion. heh

edit: WAIT I just read that this is a 2 month old tank.
_______________(insert string of tough love here)

seriously, you are probably still cycling by the sounds of your timetable regarding things like adding carpet anemones.

[Frick-n-Frags]

this is what I call "tuition"

where you pay, and pay dearly, for your reef education

[andrewkw]

brown jelly will raise nitrates quickly. That being said an anemone isn't likely to do well in a new tank regardless so I'm not sure what to tell you.

Any coral with brown jelly you should blow it all off and dip it and only try and save it if it looks like it can be saved. If its almost gone just throw the whole thing out so it cannot spread to other lps.

When I had brown jelly my sps died as a result of the water quality going to hell from all the lps dying. Almost a crash.

[Frick-n-Frags]

Originally posted by andrewkw
brown jelly will raise nitrates quickly. That being said

yes, explain why that was being said?

brown jelly is an infection that grows on weakened corals from things like too much nitrates to start with

[Frick-n-Frags]

brown jelly = result of crappy maintenance regime

bottom line


or in rare cases jumping the maintenance gun and packing a brand new tank full of stock when the biology hasn't even begun to think about settling down yet.
and probably feeding the heck out of it too......

too bad people can't see the nutrients accumulating in their mini-sewers. they can only see the results of things building for a while. then it is usually too late for the rapidly dying victim.


edit: and don't be so fast to blame the fact that a couple corals died as the cause your tank half-crashing. their biomass isn't squat. the problem happened before the corals all died.

[andrewkw]

you can bring brown jelly in from a sick coral. That's what happened to me. I had 0-5 nitrates before brown jelly then they shot up as more things died.

While i'm sure you can create a situation where you cause it in your tank, you're just as likely if not more likely to bring it in with a new coral. Especially if you go frag crazy and put a lot of freshly cut pieces in.

[Frick-n-Frags]

stress is the magic word here for sure.

you have to assume the brown jelly bacteria are always around waiting for their opportunity.

yes, a fresh fragging situation could be enough stress on a coral to let the jelly start. but healthy corals will not get it.
If they all start getting it, there is water problems.

and I would also frag off jellied pieces and siphon it to keep the jelly biomass as low as possible to help fight it.

[sunfish11]

Having nitrates at 10 isn't going to bother any coral, certainly not LPS.

[mickyfin]

The tank is too young. You should stock slowly at first. An anenome should go in after a year or so (if at all!) IMHO .

I agree with FnF here. Water changes, maybe remove some stock and slooooooow dooooown.