Low alk and burnt tips?

[Bill Nye]

My reef has been doing pretty well since and growth has picked up. I have been busy at work and didn't test very diligently this week and after testing to day my kH is 6.4. I remembered to test alk because a some of my smooth skin acros tips are burnt and the tissue is gone.

I thought high alk caused tip burn not low alk? Could there be another reason this is happening? All of my other acros are fine but I am watching them.

 

[vinhle00]

Would need more info on your set up, other parameters, if you dose anything.
But to name a few other things that might causes recession at the tip; fish nipping, dosing certain products, high direct flow.

you could also try to test again with another test kit to be sure. Pictures would help too.

 

[Eastone]

What was your kH? Usually they burn from rapid swings and changes, or in instances where nutrients are low-zero and alk is high

 

[scumbag_gli]

What's your phosphates at? Also is your test kit still good? Something doesn't sound right

 

[Bill Nye]

Ok I should have included more info.

My kH usually runs around 7-7.4. It is very stable ...I autodose 11x per day and have been doing the same routine for months. My phosphates are at .02 per a hannah Phosphorus test kit. I checked my magnesium today and it seemed high. I used a salifert test kit and it came to 1360. I use red sea blue bucket and haven't been dosing mag so I'm not sure how its gotten so high.

Recently my phosphate reactor died on me and I was going to replace it but I noticed my coral growing faster and looking more colorful so I never did. My nutrients have always been low...I haven't had detectable nitrates (salifert test kit) since my cycle ended.

All other SPS are looking normal with good polyp extension. The coral in question has been in the same spot for at least 4 months and has grown considerably since being placed there. The tips looked lighter than normal yesterday and today they are white.

 

[vinhle00]

hmm. when was the last time you did a water change and how much? did you test the alk from the mixed water? There might be a chance that the salt batch you had was very high in alk and caused a swing then the alk dropped by the time you tested.

 

[Denadai]

Sometimes is just impossible to know what happened....just keep going

Best Regards

 

[Bill Nye]

Thanks for the replies.

I am slowly bringing my alk back up to range hand dosing small amounts after lights out in addition to increasing the duration of my autodosing to keep up with the increased demand.

There hasn't been any progression of the bleaching so I guess I will never really know why it happened but I am happy it didn't affect my other SPS.