3 yr tank

[o2bnh20]

Serveral of my SPS are whiting out on me. I have already lost a beautiful teal A.Nobilis. I did save some frags but this is a heartbraking loss to me. I have another A.Humilis that's not looking well and is whiting out along the base.

I think algae and to much nutrients in the tank is to blame. I can't keep the red algae out of the system. I have a good skimmer, I have a fuge that grows well but the red algae grows right along ith it. I do a 10% water change every other week, my phophates and Nitrates come in 0. PH=8.2, temp=0.

I don't think I overfeed but I guess I'm going to have to just about stop feeding altogether(poor fish). I think I need to better siphon the ditiritus off me rock somehow. It's hard though now with all the corals and covering the rock.

I've heard that algae is the leading reason why people get out of the hobby and I know why now. After all the money and effort I've put into my tank to see my corals dying off is really upsetting.

 

[Justin74]

Corals whitening, algae becoming a plague? Sounds like a product of old bulbs that need replacing. If not the case, I would use some RowaPhos real fast. Dont stop feeding! Stopping the feed will do all sorts of things like not only starving your fish and the corals from feeding off of fish waste. But more importantly the overall health, and cleanliness depends on your pod population. Lots of pods will help keep the substrates clean, in turn giving a natural source of food to the fish and so on and so on up the ladder.

First things first. Put some iron based phophate removal in there,(yes, I know you tested 0, but the algae is getting it regardless of what your tests say, otherwise they wouldnt be growing ) Frequent waterchanges can also fuel unwanted algae, if measures arent in place to keep them in check. Once the phosphate media is in place. Do all the manual removal, of red,green whatever algae you can get your hands on and out of the tank. Now that you got most of it out, feed your dang fish!
Dose a lil phytoplankton to feed your pod population and filter feeders at least once a week, ideally before your waterchanges. Try replacing any flake or pellets that you may've been using with natural foods like cyclo-peeze, and mysis shrimp. Processed foods can be very high in phosphates. And if you havent done so before be sure and rinse any frozen foods with fresh water, as the packing water is pure algae food and will quickly defunk all your hard work.

Manual algae removal,Rowaphos, and boosting your pod population will greatly improve your tanks overall health and make maintenance a lot easier on you. Good luck!

-Justin

 

[o2bnh20]

That's some good info. I do use phosban in a reactor. I try not to use flake food but one clown will only eat flakes. So he gets very little food bu probably gets sone of the frozen food I feed my LTA.

I do have lots of pods, and I use DT's about once a week.

I haven't heard to rinse the frozen food, good idea, I use them about three times a week.

I have several LPS corals that are a little more forgiving than SPS. Not exactly sure why I'm getting whiting yet.

 

[ReefDoctorMicromussas]

I know that you'll say my Ca is 450....

BUT when I had this same problem I had recently switched to another product that was not keeping up with the tanks Ca+ demands... I even noticed the coralline turning white.. When I switched back to my good ol" Seachem Ca+ everything came back... minus a few acros and my Rainbow Monti