SPS are STNing from base up! HELP...

[stpatrick]

Hi everyone. My SPS are stning from there base up. I have been doing major water changes all week.

Tank background.
60g gallon Solana. ALK= 7.8, CA= 450, PH= 8.2, NO3= 10, PO3= .06.

Here are the changes i did in the last month. I have been having problem with light diatom dusting on glass after water changes. TDS meter is 0. I thought I might have issues with hi silicas. SO I added another chamber to my ro/DI system. I added a ANION SILICA RESIN chamber.

I also removed my BI pellet reactor because my corals where not coloring up like they should be. Thought the water was to clean. I removed it about a week ago.

Lights - 250 radium single ended MH. 2 24" t5s and three strips of blue led for accents.

Thoughts?

 

[stpatrick]

Here is my Toxic. Look through to the base.


Here is my Hulk Milli - Loosing it bottom.


Strawberry Shortcake,


Tyree TriColor,

 

[stpatrick]

No Alk swings. It started about 6 days ago with my frag farmers red table. Thats when I started to wonder whats up. I didnt wantto loose that one so I tested params and everything was fine. I removed the silica cartrage from my ro/do line up. Changes all my top off water. I did a 15 gallon water change. Couple days later it still continued and a few of my other corral when completely blah and new something was up. I did a 25 gallon water change. Today I noticed it went to many of my other corals. I did a 10 gallon water change, added a cup of BRS ROX carbon and a cup of GFO. I also put my Bio pellet reactor back on line. I added about 125 ML of WM Ecobak. THe red table that the STN started with seems to have slowed down. I have never seen this in the 2+ years I have been keeping sps.

 

[stpatrick]

Here is a link to my build for background on the tank set up, if anyone is interested

My Build thread.

 

[stpatrick]

http://www.*********.com/forums/member-tanks/108217-stpatricks-60-gallon-solana-xl.html

 

[stpatrick]

http://www.*********.com/forums/member-tanks/108217-stpatricks-60-gallon-solana-xl.html

:deadhorse1: I guess they dont let I link to the Other boards....

 

[russeko8]

Watch for the small starfish I too thought I was having this problem until I found several times over the small blue gray with perfect 5 stars chowing the corals at the base in the event I cought the culprit red handed and removed it the problem would go away. My tank is full of these star fish if they were all coral eaters I would have an empty tank seems some of them in my experience the perfect 5 star go rouge once in a while or are a different species and start eating coral and the damage I have seen looks like your pics. Not saying there couldnt be another problem just informing you of one I delt with. A suspended frag rack can provide an area where predation wont happen usually proves it out one way or another.

Best of luck

Russ

 

[russeko8]

You may also want to check for stray voltage its probably not it when I have seen this problem in the past it usually goes at tips and base, but it is a good thing to check.

 

[tdb320reef]

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What kind of carbon are you using and how much?

 

[rimlessreefpete]

nitrates could be a little lower but shouldn't affect coral in this way, check Magnesium levels, this parameter can certainly cause base up STN.

 

[rc4kinu]

I had a similar experience recently. The only thing I can think that was different in my routine was a new bucket of salt. Same brand. I honestly think it was a quick spike in ALK that quickly came back down after the first water change. By the time I clued in what was going on and tested my parameters, they were back in line.