need help SPS Browning

tony varrell · #1 12/12/2007, 08:27 AM

I have an issue that has me scratching my head. I have several large colonies of Acro and Milli that are truning brown. What I mean is that is starts at the tips and then works it's way down eventually making the coral look like it has been burnt in someway. Some polyp extention remains but the coral turns burnt brown and in distress. However there is no RTN. All water parameters are within my range with the exception of my DKH. It has dropped to 7.6 from a usaul 10. I have done multipule water changes. I am at a loss on how to correct this. Please comment..

michika · #2 12/12/2007, 08:37 AM

Photos?

Any exact parameters?

Has anything changed in the last month? New fish, new salt mix, new anything?

tony varrell · #3 12/12/2007, 08:49 AM

Yes I have added 2 regal angels. A phospate reactor a carbon reactor and a nitrate reactor. I think this was a overeaction out of desperation. The only change in my water was the drop in akalinity.

michika · #4 12/12/2007, 08:53 AM

Can you tell me about your nitrate reactor a bit more?

Just to make sure I am understanding this correctly some of your colonies are developing brown tips, limited polyp extension, and the rest of the colony has retained its coloration?

Assuming the angels don't pick my next suggestion would be to take out the colonies, if you can. Examine them very closely for anything that may be irritating the coral.

tony varrell · #5 12/12/2007, 09:02 AM

The nitrate reactor is an H&S sulfur based reactor. it has been in the system for 2 weeks. This problem was there before the reactor was installed. These are mature colonies that are incrusted on rock and would mean I would have to somehow cut them free. Some colonies remain unfazed at this point. Also the monopora has not been affected at all to this point. Crazy..

michika · #6 12/12/2007, 09:08 AM

If they are encrusted don't bother removing them at this point in time.

I guess where I am caught up is if the tips have just their color, or if the flesh has been striped away and replaced by brown algae that caught hold.

Something else I am wondering is if you stripped something out of the water when you brought your phosban, and carbon reactors online. Again, assuming that the problem wasn't there before they were added.

tony varrell · #7 12/12/2007, 09:23 AM

The problem was already there prior to installing the equipment. The problem initiated my equipment changes. my thought at the time was maybe my test kits(salifert) were not accurate. I have since upgraded my test kits to Lamotte and still get excellent reading on my water parameters. The corals still have flesh and some polp extension. They are not dead and no RTN yet..

michika · #8 12/12/2007, 09:27 AM

It sounds like you took all the right steps once you identified the problem, running the reactors etc.

I'm really sorry to say but I can't think of any other possible causes, or ideas at the moment. However, that being said I do remember someone having a similar problem. Check through the SPS forum back a bit further, I'm thinking October-ish, as I believe there was a thread about it.

armagedon48 · #9 12/12/2007, 03:06 PM

how old is your bulb?

just an idea, i dont really know what im talking about.

nietzsche · #10 12/12/2007, 03:40 PM

have you fixed the problem with the dKH going down to 7 from 10? if you go to the reef chemistry forum and look in the articles, there is a link to an article on how to raise alk using baked cooking soda or normal baking soda depending on your pH

nietzsche · #11 12/12/2007, 03:43 PM

also, can you go ahead and list your parameters anyways? like phosphates, pH, nitrates, current alk, etc.

marin31ife · #12 12/12/2007, 03:54 PM

listing your paras would help......

not being harsh but you may think they are spot on but others will tell you different

what are your phosphate paras, a lot of people try to eliminate phos in sps setups not realising that they cant survive without a trace of phos.......others will argue this point but its proven

like already asked, how old is your build,what lighting do you use, what k rating are your lamps, would all help for us to try and solve your problem.....

joe

tony varrell · #13 12/12/2007, 05:07 PM

Thanks guys. My bulbs are XM 10K 250 I use three of them. Current water permeters.

DKH 7.3 LAmotte test kit
nitrates .3 La motte test kit
Phosphate0 Rowa test kit
Calicum 400 Salifert test kit

michika · #14 12/12/2007, 07:07 PM

Do you test magnesium?

CUNAReefer · #15 12/12/2007, 09:59 PM

Did some research for you

Large scale bleaching events may be difficult to manage, and difficult to pinpoint a source. If the majority of bleaching is toward the top of the tank, it may be because of a recent bulb change or other lighting issue. If bleaching is spread out evenly throughout the tank, it may be because of some chemical factor. In either case, a large scale water change is in order. Though you may suspect that it is a lighting issue, you want to mitigate any possible chemical factors contributing to the bleaching event. After bleaching has stopped, your corals will still be alive. You will want to begin doing large scale or spot feedings for the corals during day and night. So long as there is tissue remaining on the coral, it will be able to survive the ordeal. When recovered, most corals attain a very brown or dark appearance as they begin to repopulate their tissues with zooxanthellae. And corals may never regain their original color after such an event.

If it is small scale bleaching, it is more likely that the bleaching is caused by some pathogenic, parasitic or stress related factor. You may wish to treat these corals by dipping them in an iodine solution, such as Lugol’s. Though dipping itself is stressful, it can often ameliorate. After dipping, you may then spot feed the coral back to health.