Corals bleaching/losing flesh

[Chase89]

I need some help. I have a mixed reef tank and a few weeks ago I noticed one of my SPS corals, seasons greetings montipora, turning white. He was a recent addition and I thought it was a one off. So I moved him, thinking lighting or flow. He kept getting worse.

Around the same time I thought I was having pH issues as my pH was always lower than what it should've been, consistent but low. So I began to work on bring it up. Opened windows, ran my skimmer airline outside, and finally, very carefully, tried an additive. Everything got way worse. My nem almost died and my galaxiea was all closed up... I was trusting my Apex probe and it was off! And my pH spiked really high. I Did a few water changes over the course of a few days and everything is back in line. All the while my hammers, zoas, mushrooms and all the softies were fine.

Here are my current paramater, they been consistent over the last week:

80 gal w/sump
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm
pH: 8.0 average +/- .05 daily
Phosphate: 0
KH: 11 dkh
Calcium: 460 ppm
Magnesium: 1410 ppm
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 78.6

The reason I'm posting is because my corals are still bleaching. The latest one to be effected is my stylophora, my first SPS, my favorite SPS, the one that was growing so fast and encrusting over the rock is now bleaching and loosing flesh. Is this just a residual side effect? Is there something else I should be looking for? I don't want to lose all my SPS, how do I stop this!?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Your going to have to ride it out.

Your alk is kinda high commpared to your nutrients. True zeros aren't usually good or reccomended.

In a newer tank it even a bit harder.
If you know your par you could consider lowering the amount of light and or the amount of time.

The coral in the picture has what's called alk burn. Or white tips.

 

[cmcoker]

Low nutrients and high alkalinity is probably contributing. In this situation I would try letting the alkalinity drop (I'd shoot for 8ish) while making changes to get nitrate and phosphate above 0.
How are you testing no3 and po4?
What are you using for nutrient reduction? If some sort of media, I would reduce until you get a trace reading. If no media try increasing feeding, or adding something like red seas reef energy.

 

[Chase89]

I haven't heard of that before but it makes a lot of sense. I used the pH additive twice it shot my all up way too high. I'm preparing another water change now.

How bad can it get? Any tips to correct it?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

WC's w lower alk salt or patience and time.

IMO don't use a single sided buffer. Dose evenly as amuch as possible.
The ph buffer is pure alk.

The coral is growing bone too fast and can't keep up. Lowing light reduces reduces the rate of growth.

You don't really want to know how bad it can get, save that it probaly won't.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Yep, Salty is right. KH is too high with NO3 and PO4 at zero. Look into supplementing KNO3 and feed more food, more often to the fish and tank. Your tank is too clean for SPS/LPS.

Reduce water changes to every other week and stop chasing PH! If you keep your big three in check and constant (KH, calcium and magnesium) your PH should be fine. Stop adding buffers!

 

[Chase89]

cmcoker, I have a skimmer, and I also have a gfo/garbon canister. Before this started happening my feeding schedule was:

1) mysis
2) green seaweed
3) no feeding
4) repeat.

Since this started happening I've changed that to every day mysis and coral food with seaweed every third day.

I'm testing everything with an API test kit.

Do you think just turning off my skimmer and gfo/carbon would work?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Jus gfo and light.
Skimmer is a lot of air imo.

 

[Chase89]

Salty & flippers,

Got it! I wouldn't have even worried about my pH if my season greetings would have been ok and my Apex hadn't lied to me! Lol

Next time I'll know better! Since my little pH episode I've realized the importance of double and triple checking with different tools to ensure accurate readings. I won't make that mistake again.

Moving forward I'll just keep an eye on alkalinity, calcium and magnesium.

Should I continue to do water changes until my alkalinity is in line?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Defiantly don't need GFO running right now. GFO is for reducing PO4, which you don't have.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Alk will decease naturally.
Check the alk content on your salt. High alk salt won't lower the alk.

 

[Chase89]

Salty,

Could light be an issue? My lighting hasn't changes and my stylophora was taking off! Everything that is white in the second photo was purple and bushy a few weeks ago. He's been in that spot for a few months and seems to like it. Should I change the lighting with everything else going on?

 

[Chase89]

Flippers and Salty,

Awesome, I'll turn off my gfo, increase feeding and let everything fall naturally.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

See above posts.
Lower the light or time temporarily.

 

[Chase89]

salty,

Got it! Sorry, misread that.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No worries at all.

Reef anxiety i figure and a lot to digest. Been there.

 

[Chase89]

Hahaha yes, and this coral has been my pride and joy! I was excited to see it encrusting and doing so well.

It seems like everyone suggest different thing for parameters. What do you guys suggest?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Me, I think a lower alk is easier. Everything else falls in line from there.

 

[Chase89]

Noted.

 

[cmcoker]

cmcoker, I have a skimmer, and I also have a gfo/garbon canister. Before this started happening my feeding schedule was:

1) mysis
2) green seaweed
3) no feeding
4) repeat.

Since this started happening I've changed that to every day mysis and coral food with seaweed every third day.

I'm testing everything with an API test kit.

Do you think just turning off my skimmer and gfo/carbon would work?

Agree with above to leave skimmer on and remove gfo.
Id recommend a better kit for nitrate and phosphate, like red sea pro, salifert, hanna checker for phosphate, etc.
I haven't found API to be very good on low end of those tests.