bboudreaux
New member
Im really trying to be patient here b/c I would like to know what caused this so definitely keeping this in mind.
SPS STN from bottom up
- Thread starter bboudreaux
- Start date
Im really trying to be patient here b/c I would like to know what caused this so definitely keeping this in mind.
bboudreaux
New member
Just finished doing this last night. So heartbreaking having to do to my babies. Sad very sad over here.
bboudreaux
New member
lynchmob3000
New member
I'm gonna throw some kalk in my ato. Just a pinch. All this talk about kalkwasser
Tek
Mr. Vu
I have been fighting the same issue on 2 tanks. One with biopellets and the other without. I removed all GFO, carbon, and the biopellets. I also increased fish feeding and coral feeding at night. The tank which had the biopellets has stopped STN on a tricolor and it is growing back. I have a few other acros which show very slow STN and PE is very little to nonexistent. Then I also have other acros which are growing as if nothing is wrong with excellent PE. Birdsnest, stylophora, and montis are normal.
The tank which never had biopellets has a number of acros with STN while some acros have great color growth and PE.
The common largest change before all this happened was that I increased lighting on both tanks. Shortly after I had remendous growth spurts in both tanks but N03 and P04 dropped to 0 about 1 month later.
I suspect the growth spurt caused the corals to use up all available nutrients and the chemical filtration compounded the problem. I have since fed the tank even more and reduced lighting. N03 is still low .01-.02 but detectable and P04 .02-.03
Both tanks seem to be bouncing back.
Tank which had biopellets had a 15k 250w mh swapped to 10K and LEDs at 80% added for supplementation. Other tank is all LED and I was running 80% blues and 20% whites.
15k mh is back in now and LEDs down to 30%. All LED tank had some LEDs removed and both channels down to 30%.
The tank which never had biopellets has a number of acros with STN while some acros have great color growth and PE.
The common largest change before all this happened was that I increased lighting on both tanks. Shortly after I had remendous growth spurts in both tanks but N03 and P04 dropped to 0 about 1 month later.
I suspect the growth spurt caused the corals to use up all available nutrients and the chemical filtration compounded the problem. I have since fed the tank even more and reduced lighting. N03 is still low .01-.02 but detectable and P04 .02-.03
Both tanks seem to be bouncing back.
Tank which had biopellets had a 15k 250w mh swapped to 10K and LEDs at 80% added for supplementation. Other tank is all LED and I was running 80% blues and 20% whites.
15k mh is back in now and LEDs down to 30%. All LED tank had some LEDs removed and both channels down to 30%.
Ptyochromis
New member
Are you running GFO? GFO will precipitate calcium and carbonates.
I would try dosing at night. This way you are adding buffer when the pH will naturally drop.
Also, when you dose kalk be sure to ONLY add the clear bit. Do not add the cloudy water/sediment at the bottom.
I would try dosing at night. This way you are adding buffer when the pH will naturally drop.
Also, when you dose kalk be sure to ONLY add the clear bit. Do not add the cloudy water/sediment at the bottom.
powder_blue
New member
Just use Randy's 2-Part recipe 2 (for kalk users) and you won't have to worry about the Ph spikes.
lynchmob3000
New member
Man sounds like your corals demanded too much alk and you may of had swing
FernandoReef
New member
I used to have the exact same problem.
To me the alk was too low and as I got a bit higher they started to do ok.
I know that sometimes your values can be "normal" but then, every tank is a different story.
To me the alk was too low and as I got a bit higher they started to do ok.
I know that sometimes your values can be "normal" but then, every tank is a different story.
lynchmob3000
New member
But why turn lights back down if you say your growth took off?
lynchmob3000
New member
I know what you mean, my tanks first year I would get stn if my alk tested 7. I run it at 8 and I have no issues. Now I think it could handle the swing
bboudreaux, there are some hypothesis that limewater with increasing zooxanthellae due to increasing nutrients could be harmful because of competition between coral and zoox for HCO3 and CO2. Kalk consumes all CO2. 2 part gives much less CO2 then a ca-rx and if 2 parts is made with CO3+HCO3, there is even less CO2.
Ptyochromis
New member
bboudreaux, have you checked your pumps and heater for precipitate?
Tek
Mr. Vu
Not enough nutrients to support the growth spurt so the SPS went downhill. They used it all up and I can't put enough back in fast enough.
Tek
Mr. Vu
I run a doser and it was always adjusted to keep pace. No ALK swing. N03 and P04 went to 0 is the problem. No food to fuel growth.
lynchmob3000
New member
Most of the serious sps keepers will say that an alk swing is the only thing that will make an acro stn.
Uncle Luke
Active member
Call your city water company and ask if they use chloramine. If they do, that can have an underlying effect... When was the last time you replaced your Ro di filters?
scar79
Member
I've had a base up STN occur just once on me, and it was as simple as high salinity. I had tested everything, removed the two colonies for dipping and found nothing. Recalibrate my hydrometer and sure enough I was at 1.028. Corrected back down to 1.0255 and the STN stopped. I did lose one of the colonies though
