Looks like someone took sandpaper to my corals....why?

[spsfragur]

I can't figure this out for the life of me...I had my water tested at lfs as well and all parameters match my salifert kits.

Most all sps are affected, except my Millie and green slimer.

Corals are losing specks of flesh very very slowly and it looks like someone just swiped some sand paper across them....they have no polyp extension and look grayish with thin tissue.

I tested water over and over again. I performed three 40 percent water changes the last three days, but no improvement.

Any ideas what this could be? I have no nipping fish, no aefw, and no red bugs. This is not your typical stn/rtn events....think fine grit sand paper and sps tissue....tissue loss finely speckled...slow, but a general decline in health....my digi finally died after dealing with this the last 4 weeks....

Any ideas? Hope someone has experienced something similar...

Thanks!

 

[spsfragur]

Alk 8.5
Ca 419
Mag 1330
Salinity 35 ppt
Nitrates and phosphates undetectable

Thx

 

[EuroGTI]

I know you say no pest, but it sounds like pest to me. The missing tissue spots being bites.

 

[trueblackpercula]

Without pics it's impossible to help

 

[spsfragur]

Heres a shot of my setosa frag...looks like this on others as well...thinning tissue, sandpaper look....you can see the actual death where it is white completely....hopefully this shot helps for some sound advice....as a preface, been growing sps corals for 5+ years, thx

 

[spsfragur]

Zoomed in shot to see tissue loss pattern...sorry camera isn't too great...

 

[markalot]

How old is this tank?

How stable is the Alk ... how often do you test?

Any new plumbing?

Anything change in the last few weeks?

Pretty darn good picture for a not so great camera.

 

[Duke4130]

Have you seen any little circles missing on the corals? There has been some aefw going around. Have you added anything new lately?

 

[ajcanale]

Nitrates and phosphates undetectable

^this... and montiporas that have thinning tissue, in my experience, have been a result of low alk, or magnesium, or both.


The pic of what you posted above is absolutely not a result of any type of predator such as AEFW (which doesn't even make sense) or MENB. Not ruling it out overall; just with this specific piece, based on what you've presented

 

[spsfragur]

To answer the questions posted...

-Tank is new, about 6 months old
-alk seems stable, check it every other day last few weeks with salifert, as I have been paranoid about what in the world is going on, my two part is b-ionic
- this isn't aefw, spots typically are blotchy and they don't attack setosa

Thx.

 

[spsfragur]

^this... and montiporas that have thinning tissue, in my experience, have been a result of low alk, or magnesium, or both.


The pic of what you posted above is absolutely not a result of any type of predator such as AEFW (which doesn't even make sense) or MENB. Not ruling it out overall; just with this specific piece, based on what you've presented

I want to believe it is a nutrient issue, but I struggle with....I don't carbon dose and only run a little carbon rox passively...when I have Dealt with low nutrients in the past, I get pale coloration, but never death....

Willing to try anything though, can up my feeding

 

[markalot]

To answer the questions posted...

-Tank is new, about 6 months old
-alk seems stable, check it every other day last few weeks with salifert, as I have been paranoid about what in the world is going on, my two part is b-ionic
- this isn't aefw, spots typically are blotchy and they don't attack setosa

Thx.

I would start feeding the corals, I like Reef Roids, to try and get some food in the water. If you are using GFO or any other phosphate remover take it out.

 

[markalot]

Is this an LED lit tank? Is this your first LED tank? I and others have found LED are a pain because to get it bright to the eye the PAR is extreme ... but that usually leads to pale colors, not sandpaper.

Last think I can think of is salinity and correct calibration of a refractometer with 35ppt solution.

 

[spsfragur]

Is this an LED lit tank? Is this your first LED tank? I and others have found LED are a pain because to get it bright to the eye the PAR is extreme ... but that usually leads to pale colors, not sandpaper.

Last think I can think of is salinity and correct calibration of a refractometer with 35ppt solution.

Double checked refractometer with 35 ppt calibration solution...were good there...

Lights are radium 250 watt on m80 ballast....

 

[WayneL333]

I bet you're running biopellets?

 

[markalot]

Double checked refractometer with 35 ppt calibration solution...were good there...

Lights are radium 250 watt on m80 ballast....

Missing glass shields on the lights?

I'm out of ideas. Maybe some polyfilter to see if any contaminants got into the tank?

 

[spsfragur]

I bet you're running biopellets?

Nope, but nitrates are zero...

 

[spsfragur]

Missing glass shields on the lights?

I'm out of ideas. Maybe some polyfilter to see if any contaminants got into the tank?

Radiums are se, so already has uv protection....do still run a glass cover though...

I will order some poly filter to try out...

 

[EuroGTI]

It def sounds like a nutrient issue. I experienced something like this when I was carbon dosing. Thinning tissue and then random Stn in no particular pattern.

I know you say your not carbon dosing, but the tank is young and clean. The undetectable phosphates and nitrates make me think it's a nutrient diffiency. How's the coralline growth??

Maybe try getting some detectable phosphate and nitrate and go from there. The thinning tissue leads me to think the corals are starving.

 

[rovster]

In my experience, this is either Alk spike or high nitrate. I would recheck levels with kits other than your own and go from there. You'd be surprised how often these kits can go bad. Happened to me twice. GL!