Stringy Acro Tips - Burned tips help!

[db1317]

Not sure where to begin here, but last Sunday, I noticed my hippo tang swimming around methodically and nipping on 4 of my acros. He is fat and well fed at least I believe. I feed nori daily, except for that Sunday day, plus I've been feeding two times(frozen hikari brine and mysis) because I've added a few anthias. After I saw him, I checked my acros closely and noticed the tips were white, stringy, and weren't smooth and looked indented. So, I'm not sure if he caused the problem or was creating it? It's been a week and I have noticed an occasional nip, but nothing like last Sunday. I'm also seeing stringy white stuff coming from the tips. I'm pretty certain it's not AEFW as I haven't added anything new in several months. I run GAC(Two Little Fishies) and RowaPhos in two different reactors and have not changed amounts in over a year. On 12/1 and 12/2, I nuked some ugly palys w/ a total of 10ml of Joe's Juice. I dose ESV 2 part using a Bubble Magus. On 11/5, I changed to ESV from Seachem Reef Fusion 1/2(2 Aquahouse dosing pumps). I wasn't happy with the aquahouse pumps, so I made the switch to the Bubble Magus when I changed to ESV. Prior to the change, my dKH would fluctuate from 7-8. Since then, I've been able to gradually get it up to 8 consistently. I've been changing my dosing to get it dialed in, but I've been changing from 36-42ml/day. Right now I'm at 39ml/day - Dosing is done 3 times a day. I have had a few jumps in my alk, but they've been no greater than .6. I also use ESV salt which should mix at 9dKH, but I've been lazy and haven't tested lately; however, my daily dKH testing is leading me to believe it's mixing higher than that after my two recent changes. I'm attaching some daily notes and pics...Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've had no troubles and have been very successful with over the past year w/ my SPS. Basically, I'm at a loss. I also built a trap and am in the process of getting the tang out since he is getting too big anyway. Also, today I'm going to do a water change, which I religiously do 10G weekly(Approx 80 total G). Should I do a large 15-20G? Any ideas on what's going on would be greatly appreciated.


dKH(Hanna Checker) Ca Phosphates
11/27/12 Tue 7.67 @7AM
11/28/12 Wed 7.62 @7AM 400 Salifert
11/30/12 Fri 7.78 @7AM
12/01/12 Sat 7.95 @9AM
5ml of Joes Juice on ugly zoanthids
12/02/12 Sun 8.23 @8AM 0 effluent reactor
5ml of Joes Juice on ugly zoanthids
10 G water change
Saw Hippo Tang munching on SPS tips all day...
12/03/12 Mon 8.74 @6:30AM
Changed dosing to 39ml/3 times per day
Noticing sliming on main colony of Myagi, too.
12/04/12 Tue 8.79 @7AM 420 Salifert
Tips on Myagi looked chomped in main colony
12/05/12 Wed 8.51 @7AM
Myagi was sliming a bit on a few tips
12/06/12 Thu 8.46 @7AM
12/07/12 Fri 8.34 @7AM
12/07/12 Fri 8.34 @7AM
Added 1G of new water that was removed after cutting up montis
12/08/12 Sat 8.96 @7AM 420 Salifert .02 main display
Sat 8.51 @9PM
12/09/12 Sun 8.62 @10AM

 

[sminker]

Looks like nipping to me. If it was necrosis you would see it spreading along the branches. Are the corals regrowing in those areas. Sometimes a friendly nip or two is good, can help encourage growth. But if its a regular nuisance to the corals then you could have a problem. Keep an eye on PE. If the corals start closing up then its time for the nipper to go.

 

[db1317]

It's only been a week since I really noticed it but they do appear to be regrowing. Although, I still see sliming and not a lot of nipping. In that acro, PE hasn't been as good as it was, even at night. Would having my dKH go up .6 be too much? I've attached a few more pics with red arrows that show the stringy whatever it is coming from the tips. If there is no immediate nipping, would the tips slime like that?

 

[sminker]

Corals shouldn't slime unless they are being agitated. That's their natural defense. Are they just sliming out of no where with nothing around them?

What type of lighting are you running?

 

[sminker]

Double post.

 

[db1317]

I don't see anything that causes it, but I might be seeing it after the fact. I'm running ATI Sunpower 6x54. Bulbs are about 6 months old.

 

[db1317]

I figured I'd update this thread because there were a lot of variables and possible causes, but I believe the issue a combination of over feeding and a recirculating skimmer that was being fed directly from the overflow that wasn't getting enough feed water. After a few water changes, I finally tested for nitrates as I've never had any reading before and sure enough I was getting a reading of about 2ppm. I also tested my effluent from my phosphate reactor and it was .05 on the hanna checker. In the end, I had inadequate skimming, rising alk, phosphates, and nitrates that I'm sure all played a part in my problem. I have dropped the alk back into the 7-8 dKH range, fixed the skimmer feed problem, replaced my GFO, and have been doing water changes to reduce nitrates and phosphates. My acros have stopped the sliming and are starting to look better. My nitrates are <= 1ppm(I can't see the difference in the salifert low range, but it's not clear so I have some nitrates registering). After a few 12% water changes, I can't seem to get it any lower. Since my ESV water mixes to about 9.4dKH and my tank is 7.5dKH, I don't want to do a large water change. Will I be able to lower nitrates with daily 5-10% water changes, or should I look to use a product like AZ-NO3? Or perhaps, just leave things be?