cek1313
Member
I am new to this forum as I have never needed to put much of an emphasis on regulating my macro growth. Up to today, I assume I have been lucky...
I have a 50G long under (4) 96W PCs--Inside are about 5-7 species of sps and various other invertebrates. The only verts are a flame angel and (2) onyx percs which reside in a GBTA. This morning, I awoke to find the entire tank extremely cloudy. All of the coral polyps were open and the fish and gbta seem unaffected--the only (extremely visible sign) was that one of my bunches of macro algae (Caulerpa sp. racemosa, prolifera) had turned completely white/transparent. Almost as if it had sporulated completely. Oddly enough--the remaining bunches (approximately 5) are doing fine--no whitening and the other tank residents appear to be unaffected.
After reading a few of the threads in this column, I am suspecting that NO3, PO4 and/or Fe are imbalanced or completely absent and have resulted in a meltdown. Unfortunately, I use commercial test kits and don't have very accurate readings. What I have found today is that NH4=0, NO2=0 and NO3=0. Phosphates are not registering on my seachem test kit and CA is approx 400ppm. PH is 8.3-8.4. I add iodine (kent) about once a week as well as CA if needed, strontium and molybdenum as well as "Reef Vital DNA and Coral Vital". I added these yesterday in the regular amounts. Last night around 12am, everything appeared fine as usual. As of 8am, the above cloud started.
Can anyone suggest what I have going on in there? Since the cloud outbreak, I have changed 25% of the water and added activated carbon (which I never use) to "absorb" some of the cloud. It is working and all inhabitants remain unaware.....Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.....
I have a 50G long under (4) 96W PCs--Inside are about 5-7 species of sps and various other invertebrates. The only verts are a flame angel and (2) onyx percs which reside in a GBTA. This morning, I awoke to find the entire tank extremely cloudy. All of the coral polyps were open and the fish and gbta seem unaffected--the only (extremely visible sign) was that one of my bunches of macro algae (Caulerpa sp. racemosa, prolifera) had turned completely white/transparent. Almost as if it had sporulated completely. Oddly enough--the remaining bunches (approximately 5) are doing fine--no whitening and the other tank residents appear to be unaffected.
After reading a few of the threads in this column, I am suspecting that NO3, PO4 and/or Fe are imbalanced or completely absent and have resulted in a meltdown. Unfortunately, I use commercial test kits and don't have very accurate readings. What I have found today is that NH4=0, NO2=0 and NO3=0. Phosphates are not registering on my seachem test kit and CA is approx 400ppm. PH is 8.3-8.4. I add iodine (kent) about once a week as well as CA if needed, strontium and molybdenum as well as "Reef Vital DNA and Coral Vital". I added these yesterday in the regular amounts. Last night around 12am, everything appeared fine as usual. As of 8am, the above cloud started.
Can anyone suggest what I have going on in there? Since the cloud outbreak, I have changed 25% of the water and added activated carbon (which I never use) to "absorb" some of the cloud. It is working and all inhabitants remain unaware.....Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.....
