Burnt Tips

[Spartanman22]

I'm currently experiencing some burnt tips on a lot of my SPS and I'm unsure of why. On a couple small frags this has turned into RTN resulting in the loss of the coral. Most other pieces seem to still be hanging in there. I test my parameters multiple times a week and my results have consistently been as follows:

Alk: 7.4-7.7
Cal: ~450
Mg: ~1350
Temp: 78-79
pH: ~7.8

I realize my pH is low. This is due to not having any fresh air in the apartment since it's summer and hot out. However, with that said, pH has been consistently at this value for several months now and all SPS were doing great all summer until about 2 weeks ago.

I recently went on a week long vacation, but upon returning my parameters were unchanged. I did a 5 gallon water change , replaced my filter sock, and gfo.

I'm thinking the gfo is the issue. Prior to replacing it 2 weeks ago I hadn't changed it in a while. I intentionally put in about half of what I usually use (1/4 cup), but is it possible that I just stripped my water too much?

My system is fed pretty aggressively using an automatic feeder and 2 feedings of frozen a day.

The system is a 25 gallon display with a 15 gallon frag tank all plumbed together. Display is lit with an OR-T247 and has been on the tank since May. The frag tank is lit by a Kessil A350 and has been on the tank for over a year.

Flow in the display is 2 × MP10wES and flow in the frag tank is 1 × MP10wES. I have a small fuge with chaeto and an SCA 301 skimmer than pulls a pretty consistent skimmate.

I have noticed that the burnt tips and STNing seems to be more isolated to the display. I only have one pice in the frag tank as of now displaying and damage.

So, given all of that if there are any suggestions or ideas I'd greatly appreciate it! I'm currently of the opinion that I over used GFO and stripped the tank of PO4. I turned off the reactor last week. So, if this is the true issue it's likely just a waiting game for things to stabilize and pieces to begin recovering.

 

[swk]

What salt are you using? Red sea blue bucket by chance?

 

[Spartanman22]

No I use reef crystals and have used RC for the last 2 years. Would it be a good Idea to throw a little carbon in a filter sock to try and absorb any toxins that may have been inadvertently introduced into the system?

 

[jminick2]

my vote would be on the GFO

 

[Spartanman22]

my vote would be on the GFO

That's what I'm thinking. I shut off GFO on Monday. I'm hoping now things just start to calm down and recover. I threw a very small amount of carbon into a mesh bag and put it in my sump just in case there was a toxin introduced.

 

[mjaustin22]

What salt are you using? Red sea blue bucket by chance?

Dont want to hijack this thread but was curious as to why you thought this salt might be the culprit. I've been using this salt for 1.5 years and recently started getting burnt tips and am unsure as to why.

 

[swk]

Dont want to hijack this thread but was curious as to why you thought this salt might be the culprit. I've been using this salt for 1.5 years and recently started getting burnt tips and am unsure as to why.

Sent you a pm, but has either your alk increased, or nutrients decreased lately?

 

[Myka]

I don't see any PO4 test results. Do you test for PO4? If not, why are you using GFO? GFO should be used to maintain a certain amount of PO4, not strip the water to 0. My tank is currently at 0 ppb using Hanna checker and I`m doing all I can to get some in there. :lol:

 

[tmz]

I'm thinking the gfo is the issue. Prior to replacing it 2 weeks ago I hadn't changed it in a while. I intentionally put in about half of what I usually use (1/4 cup), but is it possible that I just stripped my water too much?

That would be my guess and I'd test for PO4. GFO also takes out some other things like some organic phosphate,

 

[scumbag_gli]

Sent you a pm, but has either your alk increased, or nutrients decreased lately?

I already knew where this was heading. This just happened to me. Alk went through the roof...had to send it back to them for a lab test, they replaced my salt for me...twice now =\

 

[Myka]

Don't you guys test the parameters of each new bucket of salt? I go through about 50 buckets a year, and I test every single bucket even if they are from the same batch.

 

[Spartanman22]

I'll test a new bucket when I get it in. I've had GFO offline for about a week and a half and things seem to have stabilized. So hopefully I get a quick recovery on the portions that had some recession.

 

[tmz]

Don't you guys test the parameters of each new bucket of salt? I go through about 50 buckets a year, and I test every single bucket even if they are from the same batch.

Not a bad practice.
I test it once in while.
The same salt I've used the same salt mix for about ten years;it has been very consistent. I also rely on very small frequent water changes;i.e.,1% per day minimizing the effect of any variations.I use about 16 buckets per year for a 650 gallon system. 50 buckets per year for 69 gallons seems very high.

 

[Kurkis493]

I was using Red Sea (blue bucket) for awhile and in September I did a large (40 gallon water change) on a 120 gallon system as I tend to do from time to time and my alk swung heavily....

I lost 3-4 pieces to RTN and currently 80% of my tank has burnt tips and some of them are still peeling back.

My growth in the system has almost all but stopped, I have 40% PE and all of my corals have gone very, very pale...

I'm not entirely sure how to handle the situation other than to get my parameters back in check which has been the case for the last 3-4 days but I am still experience tissue loss on the tips of various corals almost daily since....

I'm hoping it is just the aftermath of the initial problem.

I keep ULNS (zeovit) system and now I am not sure which salt to switch too...

This is very frutrating for me as my tank is 18 months old and started to really take-off in color and growth. I feel like all of that time is now lost. I don't know how quickly tanks bounce back from this sort of thing.

 

[tmc1313]

I also rely on very small frequent water changes;i.e.,1% per day minimizing the effect of any variations.I use about 16 buckets per year for a 650 gallon system. 50 buckets per year for 69 gallons seems very high.

^+1
I was doing large water changes (roughly 20%) and would always have some type of setback with one coral or another. Not sure what parameters were changing every time (I assume alkalinity), but then I started doing smaller frequent water changes (4 gallons once a week) and everything stopped burning, RTN'ing, etc... and got right back on track.

 

[tmz]

Kurkis,I would guess some alk variation triggered the burnt tips;but it's a guess. Personally, now that it's stable, I'd trim of the dead areas going back into a quarter inch or so of healthy tissue .

 

[Kurkis493]

Should I trim back or should I let it be?

I know I read somewhere on here that not cutting back the tips will result in a faster recovery time for the coral.

 

[braaap]

I already knew where this was heading. This just happened to me. Alk went through the roof...had to send it back to them for a lab test, they replaced my salt for me...twice now =\

Same happened to me with a Red Sea Coral Pro bucket. Alk was CRAZY high. 14. Smoked half my tank. I test the buckets now.