Alk swing and the after effects???

[BrentH]

I remember hearing someone say that it takes a week sometimes a few to really see the effects of something like a alk swing I'm having issues with my tank and can't figure out what's going on other then a alk swing I had a little while back .... Not sure of this makes sense ? If anyone understands lol let me know I may just hav to ride it out

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What are you observing that is a problem?

 

[BrentH]

Burnt tips and rtn on a few colony's ... On my ssc it looks like some of the tips are melting like stringy stuff coming off

 

[bertoni]

How big was the swing, and how long ago did it happen?

 

[BrentH]

It went from 8.5 to 7.0 not huge also I found out I have zero phosphates and like 5 nitrates and read sonewere this could cause bleaching ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd be surprised if that caused burnt tips, but some sps tanks seem unusually prone to problems from alk changes, while others are not. Maybe the type of corals, maybe the nutrient levels, or maybe something else distinguishes these specific types of tanks that are more prone to this problem.

 

[djsmallz]

I had an alk swing when I went on vacation alk went from 8 to 13 and I had those same issues.....almost 3 weeks and things seem to be turning back in my favor....no more burnt tips and the colors that bleached seem to be regaining color very slowly.

 

[tmz]

Anecdotally, similar swings in my tanks and those of friends have been followed by similar effects on sps . That doesn't necessarily mean the swing caused it but it's an elephant in room in a number of cases of which I am aware. 0 PO4 could also be an issue.
Maybe , a varition in the uptake of carbonate/bicarbonate and/or a lack or excess of phosphate alters the coral's ability to control the deposit of calcium carbonate in the skeletal matrix ; maybe not.

 

[BrentH]

Thanks for the replys things seem to be lookin better today .... I'm glad .... The stringy lookin stuff I'm thinking May be when the coral grows sometimes they produce a wierd like stuff ... Have u guys ever seen that or get what I'm taking about? I know may sound kinda weird

 

[tmz]

I don't know what you mean by the stringy stuff. Could be slime or could be unattached tissue.

 

[BrentH]

I know sorry prob sounds kinda out there I'll try and get a pic of what I'm talking about ..... When I have a coral that's spreading to a rock or whatever it kinda slimes , melting lookin that's what my shortcake was doing on it's top

 

[BrentH]

Here's the best I could do on a pic it's the end of the tips like stringy slime?

 

[bertoni]

If the slime is clear, it might be a bacterial bloom, which could be brought on by a bigger organic load, or carbon dosing.