Holy Scoly...ALK Issue Related?

[SkullV]

Today I noticed a small hole forming on the outer rim of my Scoly with some white crap coming out of it. I blew the white stuff off and fed it some mysis since the tentacles were out. It took the Mysis which I'm assuming is a good sign, but this is my favorite coral and I would like to keep it going.

Admittedly I was a week behind on my water change (which I just did). I tested the water before the change and got:

• Ammonia - 0
• Nitrite - 0
• Nitrate - 5
• Calcium - 440
• ALK - 5dkH
• pH - 8.2

I have always had a problem keeping my ALK up. I originally though it was because of the salt I was using, but I have switched salts and have the same problem. I guess I just have enough SPS that dosing is truly necessary. Luckily I have a dosing pump coming and will start Kalk dripping soon. In the meantime I added 2tbsp of Kent Superbuffer dissolved in RODI (brought ALK up to 6dkH) and will continue to do that daily until the level is stable at 9-10 (unless someone says otherwise).

Looking at this list I can only assume ALK is the issue with the scoly, and I have done some reading that helps me confirm this. I would love to hear some other opinions though; and also some "success" (I hope) stories of people who have had a hole in their Scoly where it still recovered.

 

[seapug]

your alkalinity is a little low but not enough to kill your corals. What you are describing sounds more like mesenterial filaments it was using to attack a neighboring coral or a neighboring coral was using to attack the scoly. What corals are near it?

 

[SkullV]

your alkalinity is a little low but not enough to kill your corals. What you are describing sounds more like mesenterial filaments it was using to attack a neighboring coral or a neighboring coral was using to attack the scoly. What corals are near it?

There is a Favites Sp. about 3.5" away but it has always been like that without issue. I did move the scoly even farther away though just in case.

 

[SkullV]

Here are some pictures of the hole. I just did another 5g water change. I squirted him with a little water/selcon to get him to puff up so you could get a better view of the hole. Normally it looks like a very healthy scoly, with a hole in it.

 

[SkullV]

Well I have done 10g of water changes in the last 2 days and did one dose of Kent Superbuffer. I am now at 7dkH. I wonder if it was just the fact that I was dosing an all in one supplement (Brightwell Liquid Reef) and it just had WAY more Cal then Alk.

 

[RokleM]

I've seen pictures of coral boring parasites, commonly in brains (trachyphyllia/wellsophyllia). I wonder if this is one of those? What salt mix are you using? Also check your mag levels, which if out of whack could cause alk/calc issues.

 

[andrewk529]

what is your Mg level? You can simply add baking soda to increase your alk. In any rate,I would suggest doing some readng on Randy's DIY reef supplmentation recipes.