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SPS Problem

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troyholl View Drop Down
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    Posted: July 11 2012 at 2:35pm
One of my SPS, a Blue Tort, that has been growing like crazy and doing very well is either being chewed on or going white on once side/stem. Can you look at the picture below and give me some ideas?

Parameters are doing good... and I don't have any other corals having any problems....frustrating because this is one of the nicest frags and was/is doing great except this.

Ammonia 0, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0
Salt 1.026
Calcium 600
Alk/DK 6.9
Temp 77.2 to 78
PH 8.00 to 8.20
MG 1400



Troy Hollingsworth
Riverton, Utah

270 Gallon "Custom" Tank
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Laird Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 2:54pm
My tank doesn't like it if my salinity is that high, my calcium is that high, or alk that low.

Can you see in little tiny tiny bugs on it?
Indefinite hiatus from sw aquariums.

Once I have my glorious return I'll set back up the following.
50 Gallon rimless cube.
180 Gallons mixed reef paradise
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troyholl View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troyholl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 2:58pm
Can't see any bugs at all.... Been using a magnifying port to look and don't see anything.

Salt is usually 1.025 spot on but crept up on me for some reason.

I've been working on getting the Alk higher and its moving up. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why my calcium keeps staying so high. I've stopped doing water changes for 3-4 weeks now and I've got a decent amount of coral, including SPS, in the tank now. I've been expecting it to fall. I'm not dosing anything or running a reactor at all.


Troy Hollingsworth
Riverton, Utah

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lskurys Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:10pm
With your alk.  I was having the same type of problem.  When I started to run the ac in my house my problem started.  I piped a half in line in the she skimmer breaher tube from out side and have not had any other issues with alk. 
220g , large elite aquatics sump. 3 Radion Pro Gen 3 lights 3 Mp 40's
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troyholl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:11pm
Originally posted by lskurys lskurys wrote:

With your alk.  I was having the same type of problem.  When I started to run the ac in my house my problem started.  I piped a half in line in the she skimmer breaher tube from out side and have not had any other issues with alk. 

interesting....


Troy Hollingsworth
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wickedsnowman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:31pm
Unfortunately it looks like STN. I agree about the alk and cal. If you dose more alk and bring it up to around 9dkh it should bring down the cal.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lskurys Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:32pm
I guess I was not getting enough O2 out of the house.   Just think back to early June or late May before you started up your AC if you had the problem back then also.  If you did not have any problems back then your tank might need a little oxygen. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ReefdUp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:44pm
That doesn't look like a chemical problem or RTN to me...it looks like damage inflicted by another organism or equipment. There is flesh encircling the damaged area, the tissue was quickly removed/deteriorated based on the stark contrast btw the skeleton & the tissue, and the coral otherwise appears healthy (polyps are out and it does not have the typical near-death concrete look.)

STN/RTN wouldn't have healthy tissue encircling it. There wouldn't be good coloration with sudden tissue loss...with polyp extension...with red bugs. Low alkalinity wouldn't cause a circle of damage.

Got a black urchin, emerald crab, pom-pom crab, powerhead directed at the coral, any LPS within 6-8", etc?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troyholl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 3:48pm
Originally posted by ReefdUp ReefdUp wrote:

That doesn't look like a chemical problem or RTN to me...it looks like damage inflicted by another organism or equipment. There is flesh encircling the damaged area, the tissue was quickly removed/deteriorated based on the stark contrast btw the skeleton & the tissue, and the coral otherwise appears healthy (polyps are out and it does not have the typical near-death concrete look.)

STN/RTN wouldn't have healthy tissue encircling it. There wouldn't be good coloration with sudden tissue loss...with polyp extension...with red bugs. Low alkalinity wouldn't cause a circle of damage.

Got a black urchin, emerald crab, pom-pom crab, powerhead directed at the coral, any LPS within 6-8", etc?

I was leaning this way as well in my thoughts. There are two main branches to this coral and the other branch, as well as the top of this one, look awesome and are growing like crazy.

I have an Emerald crab that in my old tank caused lots of problems with stuff, usually snails, that somehow got to the new tank... makes me mad, we didn't want him and when I seeded the tank with just a couple small rocks from the old tank he somehow made the transition... and to make matters worse; we figured the cycle would kill him but I didn't really have much of a cycle at all.. also figured he would starve during the cycle but I've spotted him a few times. I have not though seen him anywhere near this coral.

I do have one MP40 that sits about 10" away pointed pretty direct at this coral... not 6 to 8" but just a bit farther away. I'll move it a bit higher so its less direct and see what happens. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ReefdUp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 5:10pm
I had a problem with some of my corals looking like that a few years ago. One night at 3 am I watched the tank with a light. Sure enough, there was my emerald chomping away at my SPS. He left everything else alone...but ate my SPS. Has that spot been growing gradually or did this happen overnight?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troyholl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 5:47pm
Originally posted by ReefdUp ReefdUp wrote:

I had a problem with some of my corals looking like that a few years ago. One night at 3 am I watched the tank with a light. Sure enough, there was my emerald chomping away at my SPS. He left everything else alone...but ate my SPS. Has that spot been growing gradually or did this happen overnight?

Started a new days ago but monthly the past 2 days. 
Troy Hollingsworth
Riverton, Utah

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote laynframe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 7:33pm
your alk is way too low and thats why your calcium is high. are you dosing 2 part or calcium reactor?
The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote troyholl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2012 at 7:36pm
Originally posted by laynframe laynframe wrote:

your alk is way too low and thats why your calcium is high. are you dosing 2 part or calcium reactor?

Nope, not yet. I have a couple BRS dosing pumps and 2-part being delivered early next week. I have been dosing some Alk from Kents every other night and the Alk is rising now... but I'm taking it slow..


Troy Hollingsworth
Riverton, Utah

270 Gallon "Custom" Tank
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