STN (sps coral dieing from base up) and how to reverse it?

[kiel]

just a quick question, can anyone advise if acropora will have trouble regrowing lost tissue once there are diatoms on the bare skelton?

 

[DustinB]

It will grow back over the dead spots.

IME, STN from the base or middle has always been a sign of low alk, but as others have stated there could be many issues. Low alk, alk swings, low flow, phosphate concentrations, etc...

 

[NyReefNoob]

i dont believe the bio-pellet and needing low alk and cal, as i have been running them for around 8 months now with cal of 450-470 alk 9 and mag 1350 or so, i do not have any rtn or anything of the such myself. i do have awesome color and growth, i dont run phosban or carbon nor do i have a fuge of any type, i do run a monster skimmer though,

having the swings is more then likely the problem especially if your getting alk swings, even though the rock may have been kept alive and in water your tank still will have went through another cycle when you reset it back up

 

[gary faulkner]

thereefranch

Great first post! and





[welcome]

 

[Ponganunt]

thereefranch : Credit for your post

thereefranch : Credit for your post

This is the very good comment [thereefeanch]

 

[ca1ore]

Assuming parameters are within accepted ranges, STN in my tank has ALWAYS been a result of some kind of change - either fluctuating chemistry, new lighting, adding or subtracting filter media. Sometimes STN will stop on its own, but more often fragging healthy tips is necessary to prevent complete loss of the colony. I also find that STN can spread amongst SPS corals.

RTN is far more problematic. I've only ever had it in new corals and IME it's invariably fatal to the complete colony regardless of whether one frags or not. Doesn't seem to spread though.

 

[rt67ghy]

Just wondering has anyone had success in treating STN with iodine dip? I have succeeded in saving both a wall hammer and a branching hammer from brown jelly disease using iodine dips and would consider using the same treatment for acros on an experimental basis.

 

[Icefire]

This is the very good comment [thereefeanch]

all that for a 4 yrs old thread?

Come on!

 

[CuzzA]

Just wondering has anyone had success in treating STN with iodine dip? I have succeeded in saving both a wall hammer and a branching hammer from brown jelly disease using iodine dips and would consider using the same treatment for acros on an experimental basis.

6 day ampicillin treatment OUTSIDE of the display will kill the bacteria and ciliates that cause necrosis.

 

[rt67ghy]

Thanks for the response CuzzA. I haven't had STN yet but am doing research on it to be prepared.

 

[christopherjudd]

I have very little experience with sps. But when one of my frag started to develop stn, I dipped it. I used tlf revive and the stn stopped.

 

[rt67ghy]

I have very little experience with sps. But when one of my frag started to develop stn, I dipped it. I used tlf revive and the stn stopped.

It's good to hear it can be beaten if proper measures are taken on time. It seems from other threads I've read on this issue that the worst thing one can do is to take no steps and watch to see if the affected acro recovers since it invariably spreads to the other acros in the tank and kills them all. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[christopherjudd]

It's good to hear it can be beaten if proper measures are taken on time. It seems from other threads I've read on this issue that the worst thing one can do is to take no steps and watch to see if the affected acro recovers since it invariably spreads to the other acros in the tank and kills them all. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Yeah so far no signs of atm coming back... Cross fingers. I'm not sure if this is the remedy
For all acros.

 

[rt67ghy]

6 day ampicillin treatment OUTSIDE of the display will kill the bacteria and ciliates that cause necrosis.

I'm curious. How many minutes should the acro be dipped?

 

[CuzzA]

Here's the complete article on the subject, including the treatment.

<iframe src="//www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/wZy9eSpJ7r9ToZ" width="668" height="714" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" style="border:1px solid #CCC; border-width:1px; margin-bottom:5px; max-width: 100%;" allowfullscreen> </iframe> <div style="margin-bottom:5px"> <strong> <a href="//www.slideshare.net/cuzza/white-band-antibiotic-treatment-for-corals" title="White band antibiotic treatment for corals" target="_blank">White band antibiotic treatment for corals</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="//www.slideshare.net/cuzza" target="_blank">cuzza</a></strong> </div>

 

[GPCRalph]

Glad this was revived. Great thread with great info. Thanks!
-R

 

[rt67ghy]

Thanks CuzzA. That's a great article with a lot of valuable info. I'm still reading it when I get the time. I suppose I'll keep some ampicillin in hand just in case I need it.

 

[CuzzA]

You're welcome.

 

[deputydog95]

I'm confused on something. On one hand I hear SPS corals need a phosphate free environment. Then on the other they say they will fade and grow slowly if there isn't low levels of phosphate/nitrate available.

Which is it? Should there be zero nutrients or just low nutrients?

 

[rt67ghy]

All photosynthetic corals need some phosphates (and nitrates) to survive since they host the beneficial algae zooaxanthellae. Low PO4 is recommended to avoid algae/cyano growing all over the tank but actual zero PO4 and nitrates will harm and corals and lead to their deaths.