Chain Reactor? RTN?

MammothReefer · #1 09/28/2007, 10:34 AM

Is it unheard of to have a chain reaction of RTN? I recently picked up a few sps some of the ones I purchased I got really cheap as they were brown or damage I figured I'd take a chance and see if I can bring em back around. Well, of course as expected some of the damaged ones didn't make it, what I didn't expect though as once 1 of the bigger damaged ones let go, some of the seemingly healthy SPS that I picked up as well (for not so cheap) RTN'd as well. I added the SPS on Monday, they are RTN'D last nite. I have a fairly vast amount of water I assumed, that an acro rtn'n wouldn't effect my tank to the point pollution wise where everything else would freak..

My params are a pretty solid atm.

Mag 1420-1440
Calc 460
ALK 9.6
PH 8.15-8.30
Salinity 1.026
Phos (non detectable)
Nitirate/Nirtae (non detectable)
Temp 79.0-79.5 (yaaa new heater

)

Any thoughts? Is it not unheard of for 1 dying acro to set a chain reactor, or maybe I just had a run of bad luck and a picked a couple corals that I shouldn't have.. I'm thinking about going in and fragging whats left of anything that is dying/or damaged.

tylorarm · #2 09/28/2007, 11:14 AM

I'm surprised a bunch of experts haven't chimed in yet, but IME it can spread. The cause of RTN doesn't seem well known from what I've read, and may have a number of different causes, but i believe bacterial infection (vibro?) can be a factor. Thus, makes sense it could spread, and therefore probably good idea to get sick out of closed environment (tank).

Greg Hiller · #3 09/28/2007, 11:48 AM

Yes, it can spread. Many folks believe that a dipping in 10-15 drops of Lugols Iodine (or one of the other coral dips that are now marketed) per liter of water for 10 minutes before addition to the tank is a good idea to make RTN less likely to occur and to spread.

MammothReefer · #4 09/28/2007, 12:04 PM

Hmm ya you know.. There was one that was rtn'n when I bought it, but I dipped it and still is holding steady, the big one that started to go was just bleached but did have some signs of damage, it started to turn brown so I thought it was healing (from being bleached) but then it let go.. and that in exchange caused this very sexy deep water unknown acro I picked up to litterly just shed it's skin at once (the entire piece) there is a 4th acro that is showing signs of damage to, I'll dip that one tonight and whats left of the others and try to save them..

Do you think I should go threw and DIP all my acros that are removable now just to be on the safe side?

millepora · #5 09/30/2007, 03:50 PM

RTN is contagious, just like a fever.

jmaneyapanda · #6 09/30/2007, 03:59 PM

RTN is a symptom, not a disease. It is the corals response to a specific condition- whether it be infection, parameters, lighting, etc. The important thing to assess is what has changes since this RTN event. I would get it is water-bourne, so I would do a good water change, get some fresh carbon in there and maybe dip.

MammothReefer · #7 09/30/2007, 04:29 PM

Well they are all new additions to my system, and as I said some of them were already damaged I wanted to try to give em a go, and see if I could bring em around, but ya.. I did a couple water changes (was needed anyways) went ahead and dipped all the new additions in TM..i should change my carbon it has been a bit. Although am I a bit confused as some of you are saying on thing, and others the opposite.