Seeking Advice - SPS in decline

[EvMiBo]

I see the link you mentioned before was talking about Potassium in posts 13 and 14. Yet, no mention of what your values are..? Did you get a K+ test kit?

Phosphate might be high, it might be fine too. Based off the coral sizes I'd say its a pretty mature system, I've seen tanks with big corals like yours with even higher phosphates.

Finally, temp says 76-81 F, is that a daily temp swing?

 

[EvMiBo]

[double post]
mod pls delete

 

[SloppyWhenWet]

How often and what do you feed the tank. I would suggest a calcium reactor. Feed the tank good coral food. Don't need to always run carbon and gfo. How many cups of each do you run? My po4 is over .20 fuge takes care of it. Many people get cyano and things from keeping the system so clean. Fresh water will dose po4 and things to get rid out. I am not sold on super low po4. I would feed over the day for a few and then stop for a few. Corals load up and let the tank clean up.

 

[Moser]

I had similar problems with monti's a few years ago.
I dosed Salifert Iodine and literally within about two weeks, all of the monti's that hadn't died completely bounced right back.

I haven't stopped dosing iodine since!. I know some say it's a useless additive, but i can't seem to run my tank without it!.
No harm in trying?. I worked out the weekly dose and divided it by 7 into a daily dose.

I know of a couple of people that dosed it heavily from day 1 and got a big cyano outbreak after the first dose, so start slowly, maybe half dose for a day or two and if all ok, then dose full.

Mo

 

[JVJordan]

I see the link you mentioned before was talking about Potassium in posts 13 and 14. Yet, no mention of what your values are..? Did you get a K+ test kit?

Phosphate might be high, it might be fine too. Based off the coral sizes I'd say its a pretty mature system, I've seen tanks with big corals like yours with even higher phosphates.

Finally, temp says 76-81 F, is that a daily temp swing?

I don't know my K+ value. I don't have a test kit and read they are not reliable. The temp swing is up to that range, daily. Those are the set points for the heater/chiller.

 

[JVJordan]

How often and what do you feed the tank. I would suggest a calcium reactor. Feed the tank good coral food. Don't need to always run carbon and gfo. How many cups of each do you run? My po4 is over .20 fuge takes care of it. Many people get cyano and things from keeping the system so clean. Fresh water will dose po4 and things to get rid out. I am not sold on super low po4. I would feed over the day for a few and then stop for a few. Corals load up and let the tank clean up.

I guess its about 1.5 cups of GFO/Carbon each. The GFO is recharged with sodium hydroxide solution so it may not be quite as potent as it is upon purchase.

I feed a mix of fish flakes, pellets, nori, frozen mysis, oyster eggs, cyclopeeze, reef chilli, etc. Mostly pellets and nori. Bioload is about 20 fish, mostly in the 4-5" size.

 

[JVJordan]

I had similar problems with monti's a few years ago.
I dosed Salifert Iodine and literally within about two weeks, all of the monti's that hadn't died completely bounced right back.

I haven't stopped dosing iodine since!. I know some say it's a useless additive, but i can't seem to run my tank without it!.
No harm in trying?. I worked out the weekly dose and divided it by 7 into a daily dose.

I know of a couple of people that dosed it heavily from day 1 and got a big cyano outbreak after the first dose, so start slowly, maybe half dose for a day or two and if all ok, then dose full.

Mo

Thanks for the suggestion I have some Lugol's that I can try.

 

[EvMiBo]

I don't know my K+ value. I don't have a test kit and read they are not reliable. The temp swing is up to that range, daily. Those are the set points for the heater/chiller.

Honestly, I have nothing else to compare it to, besides a triton test result I should receive within a couple of days - but I use salifert potassium test kits (in a black salifert box). The color change is clearly read too. Will see what triton says but I think the salifert potassium kit is a decent investment, they're under $20 on ebay with free shipping. Furthermore, and fwiw several people depend on them with heavily stocked sps tanks.

Regarding temp. I usually don't like to see more than 3 degree F change in 24 hours, but maybe that's just me? Most of your corals look happy... Maybe try to set it to 78-81, or 75-78, whichever is more easily achieved in your area.

 

[JVJordan]

I've been dosing magnesium chloride/sulfate, potassium nitrate/sulfate, and lugols iodine. One of the chilli pepper montipora colonies has clearly turned around, the other still looks like a wreck but isn't getting worse.

The one that has clearly turned around is in the frag tank under LEDs, the other is in the main tank under MH. Not sure what other difference they may be experiencing other than flow?

The orange pavona is mostly gone, but maybe hanging on...

I ordered a K+ test kit but it will be a few weeks to get here from overseas.

 

[jimrawr]

JVJordan my sps show similar symptoms to yours and I cant get to the bottom of it either. They just sort of looks pale and then the skin gets 'thin' somehow. Take a look ay my thread if you get a chance. I wonder if we have the same issue going on, whatever it might be

 

[d3hree]

I've been dosing magnesium chloride/sulfate, potassium nitrate/sulfate, and lugols iodine. One of the chilli pepper montipora colonies has clearly turned around, the other still looks like a wreck but isn't getting worse.

The one that has clearly turned around is in the frag tank under LEDs, the other is in the main tank under MH. Not sure what other difference they may be experiencing other than flow?

The orange pavona is mostly gone, but maybe hanging on...

I ordered a K+ test kit but it will be a few weeks to get here from overseas.

Iodine gets depleted very quickly under intense lighting because corals use it to detoxify excess oxygen created by zoos. I had similar issues that iodine has resolved. Corals in my frag tank were fine but transferring them to the DT caused them to die within 2 weeks. Both tanks were on the same system. The DT has 1kw MH, the frag tank has 6x39w t5. In order for the DT corals to survive I am adding 100ml of I2 per day.

 

[JVJordan]

Iodine gets depleted very quickly under intense lighting because corals use it to detoxify excess oxygen created by zoos. I had similar issues that iodine has resolved. Corals in my frag tank were fine but transferring them to the DT caused them to die within 2 weeks. Both tanks were on the same system. The DT has 1kw MH, the frag tank has 6x39w t5. In order for the DT corals to survive I am adding 100ml of I2 per day.

I don't have any zoanthids, but I do have to wonder if the lighting is playing a role given the different results in the same water/system. Another somewhat unique aspect of my system is I have a ton of branching frogspawn (started from 4 heads, now maybe 200?) and about 30 RBTAs of varied sizes. I figure they may be impacting the system chemistry in an unusual way.

 

[d3hree]

not zooanthids...zooxanthellae, the symbiotic algae on sps corals.
These photosynthetic organisms generate oxygen but too much irritates the soft tissue on sps. Iodide turns the excess oxygen into non toxic iodate so the corals dont need to sheild the polyps to prevent excess oxygen being created.
The more intense the light the further the potential for the increase of excess oxygen therefore the more need for iodine addition

 

[Moser]

Iodine gets depleted very quickly under intense lighting because corals use it to detoxify excess oxygen created by zoos. I had similar issues that iodine has resolved. Corals in my frag tank were fine but transferring them to the DT caused them to die within 2 weeks. Both tanks were on the same system. The DT has 1kw MH, the frag tank has 6x39w t5. In order for the DT corals to survive I am adding 100ml of I2 per day.

Matt, what sort of Iodine are you dosing, Salifert?.
Do you measure your iodine levels?.

Cheers
Mo

 

[d3hree]

im using brightwell Mo. I started off with salifert but brightwell worked out easier for me to automate with a 1ml peri on a timer. Ive since swapped to a 4 channel doser but ive kept the brightwell iodine, its a little stronger than salifert iirc.

I test with DD and salifert kits. Ive got an icp test too that I will send off when I get a little more organised.

 

[Moser]

Do you aim for 0.06 on iodine test, or dose 100ml/ day regardless?.

I dose only 15ml of Salifert daily, which is the weekly recommended dose divided into a daily dose.

What happens with an overdose?.

Cheers
Mo

 

[d3hree]

I do...however 0.06 and 0.09 ( too high) on the DD test are the same colour!
The first signs of an overdose are algae film on the glass within a day, then brown outs then death.
IME something is better than nothing, your 15ml a day may sit your tank at the lower end? Are you testing? My idea was to confirm dose amount and validate my hobby test results with ICP test but I just havent gotten around to it

 

[gdemos]

You've clearly had success leading up to this but I must say the 6-8 week run between carbon/GFO change seems twice as long as the norm. I'm curious as to the condition of the media when you change out. Does it appear stagnant/caked I the reactor? Possible it is harboring bacteria? I'm sure you test for po4 fluctuations as a lead to charge GFO but time alone may have an impact. Just a thought.

 

[Moser]

Matt, I run at 0.06 on d&d.
My dose is the upper end of the. Salifert recommended dose for 1000G, but I haven't checked in a while. It dose sometimes drift, but the plating monti's go very pale when it drops low...

Your dose seemed high to me?.

Mo

 

[d3hree]

Are you 1000g?...I thought you were larger.
Have you seen Dave Wolfe is dosing 160ml per day of the salifert product?
Brightwell dosing is 5ml per 50g(US) every 2-3 days.
I am 2200 gallons, therefore 220ml every 2-3 days. I simplified this to just 100ml daily dosed in 4 intervals.
I dont have plating montis to establish low visual values but i know too well the effects of zero iodine on sps and always watch for it. I think with my dosing I am at more risk of swinging high than low.