Acro Burn/ Burnt Tips

[JGK17]

After purchasing a couple acro frags during the holidays I noticed my JF Fox Flame had some white tips. At first I thought it was growth due to my high PH but after looking back at a photo when I first received it I realized it was a burnt tip. I've done quite bit of reading on what may have caused burnt tips and the only thing I can come up with is I was running too much carbon and for too long. (After I removed my carbon bag I realized its the most I've ever filled the bag) The remaining 8+ acro's I have in my tank are not showing any signs of burnt tips like my JF fox flame . I do have an ICP test that I plan on sending out this week. Does anyone else have any other suggestions or experience with burnt tips? Also, should I cut off the burnt tips? My parameters and pics of the coral are below.


NOTE: I have not had any large Alk. swings. My Alk. swings ~0.5dkh throughout the entire day.


Parameters
PO4: 0.02
NO3: 10-15
PH: 8.4
Alk: 7.9-8.0
Cal: 500
Mag: 1600
PAR: 200-350 (SPS only tank)



Before (Few days after receiving) Today (Burnt Tips)

 

[Dburr1014]

I consider po4 a tad low. My minimum is 0.04 but like to be at or above 0.08

Not saying that's it, but something to look at.

 

[JGK17]

My PO4 was 0.10 until 2-3 weeks ago and the past two weeks my PO4 has been 0.02 even with feeding normal/ heavy everyday. When I removed my carbon ~2 days ago I also removed my Phosguard (similar to gfo) from my sump. Im hoping with continued feeding my PO4 will increase a little.

 

[InvaderJim]

I don't have anything constructive to add, but I'm actually going through the same with a JF Fox flame so i'm following along.

 

[njreefkeeper]

A few times over the last 20 plus years I’ve noticed on occasion that many acros in my tanks were growing steadily. We all have that one acro that “takes off”. It’s usually been my observation that if it’s a “touchy” acro’s turn that it will sometimes get those burnt tips, but later as the skin has time to catch up with skeletal growth it evens out.

I can’t say that I’ve ever noticed anything related to carbon usage amounts though. Any time I’ve run chemiclean and it’s time to pull any residual from the water I like to put a large bag of carbon in the sump that’s usually more than my monthly change out. Never saw any burnt tips related to it that I can recall.

 

[dwest]

I would cut the white part off and put a dab of superglue gel on the spot where the cut piece was removed. Then I would leave out the phosguard and do 10% weekly water changes.

 

[JGK17]

I would cut the white part off and put a dab of superglue gel on the spot where the cut piece was removed. Then I would leave out the phosguard and do 10% weekly water changes.

Ok. Im also planning on sending out an ICP test today just to be safe.

 

[JGK17]

UPDATE

After removing my media bags that were filled with carbon and PhosGuard my JF Fox Flame tips are starting to turn yellow again. The color is still very dull but its ploys are still extended and it is encrusting the frag plug. I am still waiting for my ICP test results but things are start to look better!

Also, I changed my filters on my 6-Stage RODI unit this weekend. Im interested to see my ICP results for my RODI water.

Parameters:
PO4: 0.10
NO3: 15-25
PH: 8.4
Alk: 7.9-8.0
Cal: 500
Mag: 1550
PAR: 220-250

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Glad things are looking better. Sounds like the increased nutrients are helping.

 

[BirdFish5000]

I have had nothing but trouble with gfo/phosguard/etc; hopefully removing it will continue to steer things right for you.

 

[njreefkeeper]

I have had nothing but trouble with gfo/phosguard/etc; hopefully removing it will continue to steer things right for you.

I think you’ll find these resins may be helpful time to time down the road when your tank is mature. Or you can go the algae scrubber or refugium route. But when a tank is young, building up those nutrients and having a stable bacterial bed slowly building to process your input is so much more important than “clean” water.

 

[BirdFish5000]

I think you’ll find these resins may be helpful time to time down the road when your tank is mature. Or you can go the algae scrubber or refugium route. But when a tank is young, building up those nutrients and having a stable bacterial bed slowly building to process your input is so much more important than “clean” water.

I've been looooooving my algae scrubber

 

[JGK17]

Glad things are looking better. Sounds like the increased nutrients are helping.

Do you have acros in your tank? If so, have you experience that 0.10 PO4 is a good range to be at or do you run a low nutrient system?

 

[JGK17]

I have had nothing but trouble with gfo/phosguard/etc; hopefully removing it will continue to steer things right for you.

I've been considering on taking Abe's (from Coral Euphoria) approach to gfo (phosphate remover) & active carbon by running small amounts and at very low flow rates. For example, Abe only runs ~1/4 - 1/2 a cup of active carbon for his 160 + gal DT with a Tom's Aqualifter pump that only flows ~ 3GPM.

 

[BirdFish5000]

I've been considering on taking Abe's (from Coral Euphoria) approach to gfo (phosphate remover) & active carbon by running small amounts and at very low flow rates. For example, Abe only runs ~1/4 - 1/2 a cup of active carbon for his 160 + gal DT with a Tom's Aqualifter pump that only flows ~ 3GPM.

I've never run it THAT slow, but that seems like it could be quite reasonable. It's freaky how quickly GFO can work, even just in a media bag.

 

[JGK17]

I've never run it THAT slow, but that seems like it could be quite reasonable. It's freaky how quickly GFO can work, even just in a media bag.

Yeah its definitely a different approach. Im even considering using my apex to only turn on my active carbon reactor for only one day or a couple hours a week. But for now, I am not gonna make any changes as everything is doing good or is starting to make a turn for the better in my system.

 

[BirdFish5000]

Only thing there; any concern about water going stagnant in a reactor that only gets run a few hours per week?

 

[njreefkeeper]

I've been looooooving my algae scrubber

I have one too. In fact, they work so well you have to dose trace elements eventually. My acros started looking pale. An ICP showed that even with my weekly water changes I had stripped the tank of almost every trace element. Within a week of adding them the colors are back and algae is growing well again. Now im
Wondering if I’ll ever need to do another water change since everything is being replaced and nutrients are in check.

Only thing there; any concern about water going stagnant in a reactor that only gets run a few hours per week?

If you have a finely tuned scrubber you should never need any GFO or other resins.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Do you have acros in your tank? If so, have you experience that 0.10 PO4 is a good range to be at or do you run a low nutrient system?

Yeah I have acros. I struggled with them for a really, really long time. Then I started dosing nitrates and phosphates. Since I got consistent with my dosing, my PO4 has been between 0.15 and 0.2 ppm consistently. Color and growth is great.

I don't know if 0.15 - 0.2 ppm is ideal. I mainly chose this range by what was easiest to dose. I found that if I targeted 0.1 or lower, I had trouble keeping levels consistent. Dosing a lot, up to 0.15 - 0.2 ppm, made it easier to maintain detectable levels. I've been considering lowering it to between 0.125 and 0.15 ppm, but we'll see how that goes.

For some reason running higher PO4 is hotly debated in this hobby, and I'm not sure why. At the end of the day, corals need to "eat" more than just light. In some tanks, corals appear to get all the food they need from light and from particles floating in the water, like they do in the ocean. In these tanks, PO4 can be zero and the corals are fine. In other cases, like mine, corals don't seem to do well unless there are "high" phosphates.

There's room for both of these different viewpoints at the table, because clearly they both have merit. But those who argue you never need PO4 above 0.03 ppm without nuance or context are doing our hobby a great disservice.

 

[JGK17]

Only thing there; any concern about water going stagnant in a reactor that only gets run a few hours per week?

Fair point. Im not sure if it will matter. I will probably just stick with media bags and put it in my sump anytime I want to clear up the water and/ or reduce PO4.