SPS tissue loss

[Spartanman22]

I have three colonies that have slowly started losing tissue from the base up. I have frag all of them to try and save a piece and the frags are doing well in my frag tank.

I don't have parameters for PO4 or NO3 but my pH is 8.3, temp 78.2, salinity 35ppt, cal 400, and Alk 4 meq/L.

I know cal is a bit low and alk is high. I'm working on adjusting those but my tank has been run at am alk of 4 meq/L since day one for over a year and no problems until now.

I usually run a sponge in between the skimmer and return baffles to collect large particulates and run carbon in a TLF reactor. The only changes I can think of that coincide with the tissue loss is I added a filter sock to my drain and a GFO reactor. I've run the GFO in the past but it's been a while since. Is it likely that I'm just stripping the water and don't have enough nutrients?

The tank was lit by a kessil A350 but now uses an OR T247, and a MP10WES for flow.

 

[Spartanman22]

This isn't the best picture but here is an example

 

[alb_56]

Sorry couldnt see the pic.

 

[alb_56]

When did you change the lighting?

 

[Spartanman22]

This week but the tissue loss coincides with the increased filtration more so than with the lighting change.

 

[Usernam Invalid]

Why are you using GFO if your not testing PO4. I would take the gfo off line. Test po4 n no3

 

[elmafioso52988]

I would also remove the gfo. Too much gfo too quickly can start rtn in a sps tank in no time. You want to start slow and always text before you use it.

 

[SPotter]

having a baseline for po4 and no3 is extremely important when keeping sps. There are many succesful tanks that have low and that have high nutrients. The most important thing is to keep the levels stable regardless of what level you target. You most likely stripped the water too fast and your sps are responding to that. How much gfo did you use on what size tank? did you add all of the gfo at once? When I use gfo I figure out the total amount I want to use and then break it into thirds...adding 1/3 a week for 3 weeks.

Also...I dont think your ca is low. could it use a little buffering sure...but i wouldnt worry about that right now. Diagnose and fix one problem at a time.

 

[Reefvet]

The only changes I can think of that coincide with the tissue loss is I added a filter sock to my drain and a GFO reactor.

GFO without testing is always a bad idea.

Are you running any in your frag tank ?

I'd put money on the answer being no.

 

[Spartanman22]

I am running GFO in my frag tank since it is plumbed into my main system.

I normally do test I just got lazy and am now paying the price for it. I will test when I get home. I fragged up the colony and most of the tissue loss seems to have declined.

I removed my filter sock and took my GFO offline for the moment. Once nutrient levels increase a bit I will establish a baseline and incrementally introduce GFO and the filter sock back into my system.

For my tank 400 on calcium is a bit low. It's usually run around 460 and that's where I've had good results. So that will be adjust as well in time.