Acro STN event help

[jgraz]

I've been experiencing a large scale Acro STN event that I can't seem to put my finger on. Its kind of been progressing for awhile but I can at least trace it back to about 6 weeks or so. I am at a complete loss at this point so any and all assistance is appreicated. This is currently only affecting Acropora. All LPS and other SPS like birdsnest and montis look great with no ill effect. The Acro's have lost some color but other wise have good PE on unaffected areas. Though almost all are receding from base up slowly.

System: 90gal, 40 breeder sump, SWC 160 cone skimmer, TEK 8x54w T5, BRS Dosers for Calcium(55ml per day) and ALK(55ml per day), ECOBAK pellets in a Reef Octopus reactor, 2 MP40's for flow.

Parameters: Salinity- .024
Ammonia/Nitrites-0
Nitrates-0
PO4-.02 on Hanna
Calcium-430 Red sea Kit
Alk-7.2 Red sea Kit

Dosing/Feeding: I feed just about everyday a variety of different food and different days. I dose Zeobak every saturday and Amino's 2 times per week. Cal/Alk are also handled by dosers.

Livestock: 2 O.Clowns, Hippo, Kole, Yellow Tang, Blue spot watchman goby, Melunarus and Sixline Wrasse, Bangaii cardinal, Mandarin, Cleaner shrimp and the usual compliment of Hermits and Snails.

I have done several dips over the last few weeks and no pests have been observed. I have dipped in Bayer and Coral RX during those sessions. I may have seen a slowing of recession after a couple of the dips but it picks back up after a few days. I have fragged a few of the corals above the STN line and remounted on fresh plugs with mixed results. I have also tried to use glue around the STN line but that also failed to halt progression.

Im kind of at a loss here. I have had my testing checked buy another person using their kits and have had comparable results. I have also tested at various times during the day and have seen no significant swings/changes in alk or temps. Thanks in advance
John

 

[duke62]

Best thing i ever did was to stop dosing all that crap. Also only thing you can try is a extreme water change,like 75 percent. Just match new water with existing waters alk and temp. Thats what helped me a very large water change.

 

[jgraz]

Best thing i ever did was to stop dosing all that crap. Also only thing you can try is a extreme water change,like 75 percent. Just match new water with existing waters alk and temp. Thats what helped me a very large water change.

I've been thinking about a 50% change, just gotta get some larger containers to hold all the water. Im gonna be pulling the pellets this weekend, I might just go home tonight and shut it down.

 

[tangmaniac]

Your alk seams to be litle low compare to your cal, I would slowly raise alk .

 

[anthony27]

Hey John,


First off since you are running bio pellets that is a form of carbon dosing so I would not raise the alk as of right now cause that will cause burnt tips esp since your waste in the water is low.

Did this all start when you hooked up the bio pellets?

Think back to when this first started and see if any thing changed from there. Also dipping the coral constant and gluing and then re gluing the coral will only stress it out even more.

I would also advise to run carbon as a safety to make sure the carbon is buffing the water. With the water changes I would IMOP I would do about 30 gallons of water you don't want to do a 50% and then have other corals/ softies go back do to the big change of the water.

feel free to pm if you need any more help.

 

[viplok]

bio pellets? o yah. they took my acro away

stop bio pellet problem solved

 

[jgraz]

Hey John,


First off since you are running bio pellets that is a form of carbon dosing so I would not raise the alk as of right now cause that will cause burnt tips esp since your waste in the water is low.

Did this all start when you hooked up the bio pellets?

Think back to when this first started and see if any thing changed from there. Also dipping the coral constant and gluing and then re gluing the coral will only stress it out even more.

I would also advise to run carbon as a safety to make sure the carbon is buffing the water. With the water changes I would IMOP I would do about 30 gallons of water you don't want to do a 50% and then have other corals/ softies go back do to the big change of the water.

feel free to pm if you need any more help.

Thanks for the tips. I was def not going to raise Alk. I know that low Alk is a result of the carbon dosing and UNLS.

I did consider the fact that the dipping could have stressed them and since you mentioned it I had a bought of AEFW's a few months ago and was dipping weekly to clear that problem. Only dipping the acros and now my problem is only with acros. I can't believe I didn't think about this.

 

[mbg75]

Thanks for the tips. I was def not going to raise Alk. I know that low Alk is a result of the carbon dosing and UNLS.

I did consider the fact that the dipping could have stressed them and since you mentioned it I had a bought of AEFW's a few months ago and was dipping weekly to clear that problem. Only dipping the acros and now my problem is only with acros. I can't believe I didn't think about this.

Your saying u had AEFW? are you sure they are gone? Especially since its only Acro's that are affected.

 

[vio]

Best thing i ever did was to stop dosing all that crap. Also only thing you can try is a extreme water change,like 75 percent. Just match new water with existing waters alk and temp. Thats what helped me a very large water change.

+1 on Zeovit, stop dosing, that the way i crash my tank last year, Zeovit+Biopellets+DSB, make me trow 5 Gal. backet Acros in garbage.By the way what temp. u keep ? any crash on chiller ?

 

[jgraz]

Your saying u had AEFW? are you sure they are gone? Especially since its only Acro's that are affected.

Havent seen a worm or bite marks in a long time. With all the dipping, if they were there I would see them

 

[jgraz]

+1 on Zeovit, stop dosing, that the way i crash my tank last year, Zeovit+Biopellets+DSB, make me trow 5 Gal. backet Acros in garbage.By the way what temp. u keep ? any crash on chiller ?

I've been tossing around getting back to basics. This is throwing me over the edge. this weekend I put the GFO/GAC back online and biopellets off. My temps are stable around 81*

 

[anthony27]

The bio pellets should be turned off a little at a time a full turn off is not good and to many changes at once can cause problems.

In regards to what vio said yes I agree to a extent as long as u dose with in the guide lines and also do half what the bottle says you should be good. I had a deep sand bed and that is why when I did the change over to the Elos rimless I removed the sand.

 

[vio]

Not sure if u run full ZEOvit system, did u check the Potassium level ? yes anthony27 is right, never be aggressive , 81 F temp. may be also 82 F, depend of thermometer , i think is to high.

 

[anthony27]

Correct vio that may be to high, drop the temp a little by little down to 76 also, I had this problem as well but if you carbon dose and do not feed the sps hence feeding the fish then u are starving the corals.

Do you feed the fish every day or every other day. By carbon dosing you are not giving the sps enough food for them to grow which alot of the time is from the base hence encrusting. So that is when stn happens. I would also increase the regiment of feeding the fish as well. IMOP

 

[MHG]

I agree, you don't want high alk with zero nitrates.