I suck

[pugsrcool]

According to my Acorpora, I do any way.

He has recently been turning 'dingy' and his polyps are not extending. Or not nearly as much as they used to. I'll try to put all the relevant info most briefly

Parameters: 1230pm; ph 8.26, temp 79.9, conductivity 33.7, alk dKH 6.8 (but I don't trust it, the test kit is about a year old), CA 250 from about a week ago (Don't trust this either, but have begun more frequent dosing). NO other test results of significance. I don't test for Mg b/c I don't dose it.

Setup: Neptune controller, RapidLED fixture with Cree LED (no kit, their recommended setup), sump, probes for pH and conductivity. Peristaltic pumps for dosing 2-part solution. This recipe I've been using for over three years: http://www.reefdup.com/2012/12/16/how-to-make-2-part-dosing-solutions/

Livestock: plate corals, Acan, montipora, poker star, candy canes, hammer. All doing well. The plate corals seem to be less than happy too, but not nearly as bad as the Acro. For a time, when I changed a lighting program, the candy canes began to recede but recovered when I returned it to previous settings.

I did recently add a 'moon' cycle for about an hour or two, but at a very low percentage, about 2-3

I lowered some flow in the tank b/c of the distressed plates
Moved the CA dose to the daytime to allow for more frequent dosing
ALK doses at nite based upon a pH threshold of 8.14. This will make about 8.37 at the high during the day
The ALK effectively doses about every 3-5 days based upon this setup; about 6-sec bursts with 2hr delay for the next dose
I did twiddle with the lighting, no more than 5%. But returned it to as previously set soon after.
I began using the APEX lighting tool for the mix and white recently, but not the blue

Help! My Acro is slowly shuffling off this mortal coil. I'm sure it's my fault.

 

[cugly]

It looks like you have alot of algae more like your po4 is high ca is low and so is your alk. If you're not to sure about the results of the test you need to be. Its a good a idea to have stable conditions that doesn't fluctuate to much. I would also test for mag it could be the cause of your imbalance with the alk and calcium. I would start with making sure you have solid parameters and go from there.

 

[pugsrcool]

So, my chief point of uncertainty is the wealth of reporting about inaccurate tests for water parameters. I have tested for phosphates and they are negligible or as near as I can tell from the test.

So, my question is: how do increase alk w/out spiking the pH?

About a month ago, a snail died and I didn't see it till the algae appeared. I just haven't removed it yet

 

[cugly]

I wouldn't worry to much about ph. Worry about alk, ca and mag. Your po4 is low because the algae is consuming it , if you have alot of algae you have po4. Manually remove or get more clean up crew once the algae are all gone it will show how much po4 you have.

 

[pugsrcool]

I will begin more frequent dosing. I have N older Mg test. So, I need a new one. Will advise

 

[RobTheReefer]

I would start carbon dosing...pronto. Your nutrients are out of control.

 

[pugsrcool]

Do you mean po4?

 

[naterealbig]

I thought I remember reading somewhere that algae, not unlike corals, can emit chemicals that can be toxic when competing for space. You might want to take a look into this.

Rob - it looks like a Caulerpa sp. growing in there. Are you certain the nutrients are "out of control"? What is the difference between this, and growing Caulerpa in a refugium? If you saw this in a sump, would you say the same thing?

Additionally, carbon dosing is not the answer for everyone. Lastly, I have seen many beautiful, healthy corals thrive in aquariums that were laden with algae.

OP - I would start with manually separating the algae from the coral. Then double check parameters with a reliable kit; Salifert, red sea, etc., and go from there.

 

[RobTheReefer]

...Are you certain the nutrients are "out of control"?...

Nope. Not certain.

Testing for nitrate would help. Testing phosphates may not. I had a hair algae outbreak and my phosphates were undetectable on a Hanna Checker ULR Phosphorous.

One thing is certain, that is an obscene amount of algae thriving in there.

 

[BrickFishHouse]

Lots of good advice here.

Alk and Calcium are the building blocks and magnesium helps it happen.

Bring their levels up gradually, but get it done relatively quickly. Your alk is pretty close to being dangerous and your calcium needs a lot of love.

I would want to know the maximum daily recommended dose of the 2-part and set the doses to go to maybe 80-90% of that to allow for the "random oops factor."

Once you are there, then dial back to maintenance dosing.

So you are aware, the coral may recover fully, or it may never recover and you won't know it for several months. But by giving it what it needs, you stack the odds in your favor.

Hope this helps!

 

[naterealbig]

I agree, that is a lot of algae, and your alkalinity and calcium are on the very low end of acceptable (if not slightly below). Again, retest alkalinity and calcium with a reliable kit. There are products that will raise calcium and alkalinity levels with minimal pH increase. (check out BRS - they have some great tutorials on alkalinity and calcium supplementation) Pruning back the algae would likely help as well. It is definitely at the point where it is trapping detritus which will exacerbate a nutrient issue (if you have one), and might even be emitting harmful chemicals near the coral. What everyone is getting at, is fix your basics - and then go from there.

 

[pugsrcool]

Indeed the algae need harvested. And I haven't done so in a few months; I usually do so with water changes. The chief cause of this bloom was a dead snail coinciding with a family emergency.

Correct me where necessary: the algae growth 'sequesters' any imbalance in the nitrogen cycle, thus, protecting the reef from harmful effect.

I agree, the basic building blocks for coral health, as I understand it, were low. The war I my mind was balancing high pH with increasing KH, which were linked in my experience.

I have foregone any worry about pH I favor of increasing dKH. I will give it a week or two before I decide if this is improving matters. Nothing good happens fast

 

[pugsrcool]

And, the dead portions on the right side are actually from a stinging Acan. That took me about 5 months to figure out. He was extending about 6-8 inches and he is about an inch or so across.

 

[pugsrcool]

Current situation:
Ph 8.3
Alk 8.2 and rising
Ca 390and rising
Mg around 1300
Po4, and such 0
Temp 79.6

 

[pugsrcool]

 

[pugsrcool]

The small plate coral was an orphan we adopted when a pistol shrimp buried him and nearly killed him

 

[pugsrcool]

 

[pugsrcool]

My plates and candy canes are unhappy. I'm concerned that the LED schedule or par or whatever argument you believe works, is a possible source. My acro hasn't gotten better, he's gettin worse. But so many other corals are quite happy. How do I figure this out without nuking the happy coral? The plates and candies are over 3 yrs and have tripled in size, until recently.

 

[lynchmob3000]

Like someone suggested I would pull all the macro out and scrub the rocks with a tooth brush so those corals can out compete with that macro, cause right now they are losing. Also some gfo will most likely be needed or it will come right back

 

[pugsrcool]

For my understanding, why does the algae compete with the coral? My understanding, tho limited it be, is that macro algae is just unsightly, not pernicious