Help with SPS - ONLY Tips Lose Tissue

[reefdude3749]

Thanks in advance...I have been reading and reading and have not found any solutions to my SPS problems. In summary, the very tips of my SPS keep losing tissue and then it continues to work on down slowly, cyno or algae starts to grow on tissueless tips. Does not make a difference if SPS are near the top section of tank or on my sand bed. My Alk, Ca and Mg are very consistent, test every few days with Hanna/Salifert. Recently battling a little cyno but no chemical only physical removal. I have other LPS, anems, etc that are all doing fine for some time. Tank has been running about two years.

10x3x3 tank, about 700 gallons with sump
10 Radion Pros running 20K mostly at 50% maximum intensity (ramp up/down)
- recently changed UV channel from 100% to 50% to 0%
Four MP60s on opposite sides of tank
two in sump skimmers
tumbling chaeto with LEDs
Calcium reactor / Apex control / peristaltic pump
Ca 420; Alk 8.2; Mg 1300
pH 7.95 to 8.15
Red Sea Pro salt with RO/DI
Continuous water changes equating to 25% monthly

I would really appreciate any guidance, I am stumped.

Thanks, JPB

 

[tripdad]

Have you recently added anything to battle the cyano? Carbon, GFO, etc.?I see you said no chemical but any media added?

 

[reefdude3749]

Tripdad...no, I have not used any carbon, gfo, etc to battle the cyno.

I did forget to mention that I started dosing vinegar about a month ago, and am dosing 56 mls a day during the photo period of 1PM-8PM. my SPS issue predates the vinegar dosing and has not made it better or worse, nor have I seen any impact on nitrates/phosphates, but I have seen less cyno and skimming has increased some. The goal of vinegar dosing was to reduce nitrates and phospahtes, although my nitrates are trace (maybe 1 ppm) and my phospahtes are about 0.03 ppm via Hanna (do not beleive tests for phosphate, it is likely being used by cyno and hence not measurable).

As an FYI, I do have BRS Rox Carbon as well as some GFO and reactors at my disposal if they are recommended to use to remedy my tank problem.

Thanks again, JPB

 

[tripdad]

Ok, normally see tip damage from too much light, alk burn or predation. Keep alk stable, check alk of new saltwater so as not to create swings, turn down lights, by the way one side effect of carbon dosing is much clearer water so more light gets thru, check at night for predators.

 

[jackson6745]

Most of these tip burn threads have a common denominator, carbon dosing. Maybe you need to lower your alk or even lower your vinegar dose.

 

[wheelman76]

Ok, normally see tip damage from too much light, alk burn or predation. Keep alk stable, check alk of new saltwater so as not to create swings, turn down lights, by the way one side effect of carbon dosing is much clearer water so more light gets thru, check at night for predators.

What type of predators start at the tips?

 

[tripdad]

Fish, I have had both a Tang and a Pygmy Angel nip tips.

 

[dunc101]

In my experience, tissue loss at the tips of acros were caused by alkalinity swings. How stable is your alk?

 

[ghostman]

+1 to the above. Alk burn at the tips occurs if my Alk gets over 8.0. I also had an urchin that would clip off tips as it traveled over smaller frags. He's gone

 

[reefdude3749]

Folks...thanks for all of the advice. I made a few changes to see if I could stop the deterioration of my tank...unfortunately, things have only gotten much worse. I am now losing all of my SPS and my two hammer corals started expelling the tissue from their individual heads. The LPS hammers look fine say day one, day two they are a bit deflated and day 3/4 the tissue is completely expelled. I have fragged the larger hammer into about six different pieces with multiple heads on each...unfortunately, I am still losing some heads. What really stinks, is that besides the death of my corals, my fish are doing great and my tank looks clean, little algae, etc.

Is it possible that I have some parasite or other "infection" that is consuming my tank? If so, is there anything I can do to fix it?

Alk Swings
I do not believe that I have any significant alk swings. My tank runs a calcium reactor on a peristaltic pump. Additionally, I do continuous water changes with a LM3. In order to confirm, I tested my Alk ever day for the past month and the data in flat, surely within the error of my testing kits (Salifert and Hanna Checker). My Alk runs about 8.0.

Predators
I have spent a lot of time looking for possibly culprits here, but have not see anything. My gut tells me this is not the problem.

Carbon Dosing
I stopped carbon dosing over the course of a few days...I was only adding about 50 mls daily into my 700 gallon system...again, I do not think this is the root of my problem.

GFO / GAC
I suspected possible chemical warfare so I started up my GAC...I did not note any changes from this and things started to further deteriorate a couple of weeks after. I do not think this has helped or hurt my situation.
My Phosphates have climbed a little, possibly due to some of the tissue decomposing before I could get it out...I added 2.5 cups of BRS HC GFO in a reactor.

Lighting
I reduced my lighting slightly and slowly, but I do not think this is the cause either...I am running on 20K with a ramp up to about 50% of maximum intensity...same issue on SPS no matter what depth in my 36" deep tank.

I tried to address everyone's questions and let you al know what adjustments I have made over the past few weeks to try and fix this...thanks again for any advice you can all provide.

Thanks, JPB

 

[rovster]

I would drop the Alk under 8. Same happened to me. Things are looking better now with the lowerd Alk. GL!