Issue with SPS

[RRT1187]

Hey Everyone. I am having an issue with a couple of my SPS. I have a gatorade birdsnest it has been doing really good in my tank then I noticed that it appeared to be burnt on the base of the coral. Then I noticed a couple of days later that it appeared to be burning on the tips. So I lowered my light intensity. It then appeared to get worst and now it has no polyp extension and only tips have color. I have a birds of paradise birdsnest right next to it and it is doing very good. The PAR that it was before it started to go bad was 200 (Radion Pro Light) and I dropped it down to 170 when it appeared to be bleaching.

I also just got a Pocillopora Damicornis and it was doing really good with full polyp extension. After about 10 days I noticed that appeared to be losing color on the base. So I raised it up closer to the light. Now the polyp extension has been lost and appears to only extend on the sides that are closest to the light. All other sides of the color are losing the color. It is in roughly 160 PAR as well. It is right next to a Ponape Birdsnest that is doing good.

My Alk is 4.01
Mag is 1200
Cal is 400
Sal is 1.025
PH is 8.22
Temp is 77.5 - 78.0

I increased the dosing on Mag to try and get it up to 1300
I use the ZEO method. I dose Zeobak, ZeoStart, Sponge Power, ZeoFood, Stylo Glow, K Balance, and Pohls Extra. I dose per the recommended amount.

I was told to run my Zeo Reactor continuous and haven't turned it off since.

I just don't understand why I have issues with certain corals and not with others. Could my light be the issue? I was trying not to bleach them and turned the light down but now my SPS is in the 160-200 zone (which seems low to me). My highest intensity is run for about 3 hrs a day and has a 10 hr on to off period. Could my levels be affecting the corals? Could the light be the problem? Could the ZEO all day be the problem? I just don't understand why the Gatorade lost life but the birds of paradise is doing good.

 

[ajcanale]

It seems that with SPS issues a lot of people seem to start with "lighting" when they should actually be looking at parameters. Given that you are dosing ZEO... I could be wrong here... but I believe you are supposed to keep ALK in the lower ranges, similar to traditional carbon dosing. You posted 4.01 as ALK which I assume is is Meq/L format, which converts to 11.2 dKH. dKh is the most common of measuring formats, at least in regards to discussion.

Given ZEO method your alk should be in the 7.5-8.5 dKh range (2.7-3.5 meq/L), and stable!

Also your Calcium is low.
Considering ionic balance: at your current alk level it should be around 450. But, if you get your ALK down to appropriate levels your target calcium should be around 420.

You never mentioned how (or if) you regulate calcium/alk levels, so I will assume its with 2 part dosing.
What I would focus on is getting alk lowered. You can simply refrain from dosing ALK, while continuing dosing Calcium. Daily testing will be important until you reach ideal levels. Around 8 dKh (2.85 meq/L) Alk, and 420ppm Calcium. Also keep working on that 1300 magnesium... though 1200 is acceptable.
Good luck, hope this wasn't confusing.

 

[RRT1187]

I am dosing using the balling light method. I lowered my alk dosing but I might should just turn it off all together. I haven't had to do any dosing of calcium since the beginning. It always seems to be in the 400 range so I don't mess with it. I will work on lowering ALK. Once things are lowered how quickly can you expect to see changes in the corals? I always wonder about how often I should mess with something. Like once a change is made (light or parameters) how quickly can I expect to see the corals make a reaction?

 

[RRT1187]

Also, I do weekly 5% water changes.

 

[RRT1187]

Also, I have brown diatoms growing on my rocks. Has been for a few weeks. I haven't worried about it because I read that it will go away with time. Do you think that could be causing a problem with my acro's?

 

[ajcanale]

I am dosing using the balling light method. I lowered my alk dosing but I might should just turn it off all together. I haven't had to do any dosing of calcium since the beginning. It always seems to be in the 400 range so I don't mess with it. I will work on lowering ALK. Once things are lowered how quickly can you expect to see changes in the corals? I always wonder about how often I should mess with something. Like once a change is made (light or parameters) how quickly can I expect to see the corals make a reaction?

If alk is being consumed, calcium is being consumed, and vice versa. Calcium levels do not drop as quickly because it is in higher concentration in saltwater. You should also be monitoring magnesium, which will eventually need to be replenished.

 

[ajcanale]

Also, I have brown diatoms growing on my rocks. Has been for a few weeks. I haven't worried about it because I read that it will go away with time. Do you think that could be causing a problem with my acro's?

Shouldn't be an issue, and I've found "diatoms go away on their own" to be somewhat misleading. This theory is based off of silicate consumption during the cycling of a new tank. While this might be true during cycling, the assumption that silicates are never again present in the water column is incorrect.