SPS Melting away

[strike2867]

It looks like the SPS growth spots are melting away. I put in a Leng-sy montipora cap and saw a lot of the white/purple growth spots melt away. When I was cleaning my sump, which has a good build up of detritus, my new pink Millipora had its growth spots melting away. My older SPS are showing ok growth, nothing amazing. With possibly the exception of two Pink Montipora Caps. My Nitrates are at 10, and climbing down from slowly increasing Vodka dosing. I'll keep checking them and increase Vodka dosing(done twice a day on a timer) until they're down to 0 or so. With the exception of 1 daily feeding, I've automated everything in the tank. I use Kalk + 2, but nothing for Alkalinity. Any suggestions? Has anybody seen this? Do I need to provide more data about my tank?

 

[zachfishman]

More info would be good. What are your other params? Did you recently start running GFO, or make any other changes? Is this process a slow, chronic issue or is it something that has recently sprung up?

 

[strike2867]

More info would be good. What are your other params? Did you recently start running GFO, or make any other changes? Is this process a slow, chronic issue or is it something that has recently sprung up?

Ph flunctuates 7.88 to 8.04 on a controller.
Temperature fluctuations are 79-79.6
Phosphates unsure, but can test if needed.
Alkalinity is good according to strip test, but I can get exact number. Likely 8-9.
Magnesium unsure

Tank is 90 gallons with 2x 250 MH's on for 5.5 hours a day. 4x Stunner strips on for 11 hours a day. If it helps increasing the time MH's are on makes Corals do worse. I'm not running GFO now. I have an Octopus XP 2000 Skimmer. I try to stay away from making any changes whatsoever, hence everything is on a timer.

 

[zachfishman]

I'd move away from the strip test for Alk. Titration tests are often much more accurate and will give you a real number. Maybe a stupid question, but are your MH shielded?

Pics are a great help in this circumstance, especially ones showing progression.

 

[strike2867]

API Alkalinity test yielded 9Kh. Shielded with regular glass. I have the Orbit 48" light fixture. Not a stupid question at all, I would have never thought they needed to be. I can take pictures of the current state, but don't have pictures of it happening. Could probably get it to happen again by messing with the tank.

 

[zachfishman]

How's your SG and how do you measure it? Double checking with another reefer's or LFS refractometer might be a good idea if things aren't doing all that well. That and running a polyfilter. I had some major unidentified problems in my 29 that have only just begun to clear up after I threw in a poly.

 

[strike2867]

How's your SG and how do you measure it? Double checking with another reefer's or LFS refractometer might be a good idea if things aren't doing all that well. That and running a polyfilter. I had some major unidentified problems in my 29 that have only just begun to clear up after I threw in a poly.

SG is roughly 1.026 measure by a Hydrometer validated by LFS. Should hopefully be validated again soon.