Test results and acropora issues

[Syntax1235]

I received my icp test results today. I've been having issues with acropora tissue recession over the past several months without apparent cause. My tank started to improve after a series of large water changes, where I changed over 100% over a few days time. This test was done about two weeks after.

Any red flags besides PO4? I have been feeding heavy over the past few weeks to try and give my corals more nutrients, mission accomplished! Odd though, my Salifert and Red Sea phosphate test kits both agree on .04.... I wonder if the Triton reading could be an error? .3??? Is it possible for PO4 to rise in stagnant water before it's tested?

Anyway... any insight as to possible causes of stn would be appreciated. No alk spikes either.

 

[fin mike]

Very interested in this one. I'm having the same issues. What about Nitrate?

 

[BigKid4788]

Sudden rise in p and p04 can cause issues. Nothing good happens quickly in a reef tank. I would do a water change once a week for a month

 

[jvb89]

Lowering the phosphate too quick can cause some recession issues but I've never seen it with them rising. I know that I was having tissue recession and my iodine always tested low. Once I got it back up my issue went away. Worth a try!

 

[Syntax1235]

The rise in P04 has occurred within the past month and is not related to the tissue recession that I have experienced over the past 6 months or so.

I still don't understand how my Salifert and Red Sea kits can agree but the Triton is 10x higher?

This is a bit of a puzzle because these test results follow a series of water changes, these parameters are skewed from before the water changes. I'm assuming that any small deficiency was much greater...

I'm leaning towards iron but can't be sure. I've got a large chaeto bed that grows fast, stripping iron I guess? Iron deficiency can really cause these issues?

Nitrates have always read low in my tank, I'm guessing this was a contributing factor.

 

[jvb89]

Iron deficiency won't cause it but no nitrates can

 

[Syntax1235]

Iron deficiency won't cause it but no nitrates can

Didn't you write in your previous post that you had tissue recession problems with low iron?

 

[Chris Adams]

Try testing with a hannah phosphorus ulr checker not the other 1.
I am very happy with it.
I prefer not to do large water changes as the larger you go the more dramatic the fluctuation of params in my opinion. Unless you keep your display dosed and close to your WC params. Am I wrong in my thoughts? Please tell me as this is just something that has been on my mind lately as I see people saying do massive WC for SPS issues.

A more consistent smaller WC is what I feel safer doing with my sps tank.
I am still a novice after 20 years in the hobby

 

[jvb89]

Didn't you write in your previous post that you had tissue recession problems with low iron?

Iodine

 

[Syntax1235]

Iodine

Doh!!!

 

[Syntax1235]

Lowering the phosphate too quick can cause some recession issues but I've never seen it with them rising. I know that I was having tissue recession and my iodine always tested low. Once I got it back up my issue went away. Worth a try!

How low were your readings?

 

[jvb89]

How low were your readings?

Same as yours

 

[billw]

I still don't understand how my Salifert and Red Sea kits can agree but the Triton is 10x higher?

One possibility: I believe that home testkits test for inorganic phosphate only and the Triton test looks at total phosphate in the sample. I'm just taking a SWAG here confirm this with a chemist i.e. @Randy Holmes-Farley.

 

[Syntax1235]

One possibility: I believe that home testkits test for inorganic phosphate only and the Triton test looks at total phosphate in the sample. I'm just taking a SWAG here confirm this with a chemist i.e. @Randy Holmes-Farley.

I was mistaken regarding my P04 test.... I was reading the test wrong... it is that high according to my Salifert. I'm bringing it down slowly with less feeding and a about a 50ml of aquaforest p04 minus... it's not much but it should budge it in the right direction...... was about .2 this evening.

 

[Charlie Denmark]

Hi, in my opinion all 4 elements in the I group is waaaaaaay to low. That Can caurse tissue loss.

 

[Syntax1235]

Hi, in my opinion all 4 elements in the I group is waaaaaaay to low. That Can caurse tissue loss.

I've been dosing the Core7 for about a month now, no real change in the acros that were declining; however, the newer introductions are doing well.

I think having a lot of chaeto is a double edged sword - nice to have the nutrient removal but to be a significant drain on the Iodide group.