HLLE and coral snow

[fandaga]

Has anyone noticed HLLE after using coral snow frequently? My 1 year old Biota blue hippo tang started developing slight HLLE on one side above the eye. The only change has been dosing coral snow with probiotic every couple days to address a recent Dino breakout. I also use carbon Rox 0.8 that gets rinsed but have been doing that since I got the tang. I stopped adding coral snow and started feeding daily nori with selcon, hoping it will go away.

Edit: tang with suspected HLLE above eye

 

[jonelder68]

Never had a problem with it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What is " coral snow with probiotic" exactly?

 

[fandaga]

What is " coral snow with probiotic" exactly?

It’s CaCO3 with either MB7, PNS ProBio, or PNS deep cycle.

Also, doesn’t look like anyone has noticed correlation with coral snow and HLLE - probably just a coincidence.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s CaCO3 with either MB7, PNS ProBio, or PNS deep cycle.

Also, doesn’t look like anyone has noticed correlation with coral snow and HLLE - probably just a coincidence.

I understand the idea of it. What exactly did you use?

 

[Apotack]

Has anyone noticed HLLE after using coral snow frequently? My 1 year old Biota blue hippo tang started developing slight HLLE on one side above the eye. The only change has been dosing coral snow with probiotic every couple days to address a recent Dino breakout. I also use carbon Rox 0.8 that gets rinsed but have been doing that since I got the tang. I stopped adding coral snow and started feeding daily nori with selcon, hoping it will go away.

Edit: tang with suspected HLLE above eye

I was using coral snow for a short time and noticed the same thing. I stopped using it but I don’t know if it was causing the problem.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was using coral snow for a short time and noticed the same thing. I stopped using it but I don’t know if it was causing the problem.

What exactly did you use?

 

[Apotack]

What exactly did you use?

Just calcium carbonate, nothing else.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just calcium carbonate, nothing else.

Do you recall the brand? Particle size is likely to have an impact on the potential for the particles to have various effects, and few if any products supply such information. :)

 

[Apotack]

Do you recall the brand? Particle size is likely to have an impact on the potential for the particles to have various effects, and few if any products supply such information. :)

 

[fandaga]

I understand the idea of it. What exactly did you use?

I used 1 to 1/2 teaspoon of CaCO3 with two capful of MB7 and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes after stirring to suspend. I dosed all at once to my 47 gallon tank at around midnight when the tank was dark. I turned off the UV light and skimmer for 2 hours after dosing. The tank was completely white at first but then clear the next morning. Any hair algae was noticeably coated white the next day, and this did seem to inhibit algae and dino growth. I repeated this for 3 straight days using MB7 and then switched to PNS ProBio for one day and PNS Deep Clean on the last day. I noticed the issue with the blue hippo tang on the final day and stopped adding the coral snow. I also have a yellow tang and haven’t seen any sign of HLLE. I probably would like to set up coral snow on a weekly dosing schedule since it does seem to help with the tank clarity and limit algae. I’m just nervous if there are any downsides.

Edit. The CaCO3 is food grade from Amazon. Amazon product ASIN B0CFDD9NKM

 

[fandaga]

Do you recall the brand? Particle size is likely to have an impact on the potential for the particles to have various effects, and few if any products supply such information. :)

Yeah great point. I know the correlation between lignite carbon and HLLE has been established, but is the mechanism known? Is particle size the main issue and if so, could other fine particles in the water column lead to HLLE?

 

[Apotack]

Yeah great point. I know the correlation between lignite carbon and HLLE has been established, but is the mechanism known? Is particle size the main issue and if so, could other fine particles in the water column lead to HLLE?

That was my concern as well

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah great point. I know the correlation between lignite carbon and HLLE has been established, but is the mechanism known? Is particle size the main issue and if so, could other fine particles in the water column lead to HLLE?

I do not know, but it’s a hypothesis that explains why some folks may see an issue and others not.

 

[Sm1nts2escape]

Did you recently get a new batch of Carbon from BRS? Because I just posted this earlier.. "So my Yellow Tang immediately started getting HLLE after I switched from Petco carbon to BRS rox carbon. I switched because I read about a recent batch of Petco carbon having heavy metals in it killing corals and fish and then seen BRS Rox carbon was on sale. Immediately after noticing the HLLE I quit using using the BRS carbon and got some Marineland Carbon. Now two weeks later the HLLE seems to be going away. I have been running heavy carbon for two months now because of my fight with Dinos. Thankfully the dinos are gone and Mac & Cheese is healing nicely. I'm not saying for sure it is the BRS carbon but it showed up about a week or so after switching to it and starting to go away about two weeks after I quit using it. I have made no other changes to my husbandry, feeding or parameters. I have been running a bag of carbon in my reefmat every three days because of the dinos and my Diamond gobies."

 

[fandaga]

Did you recently get a new batch of Carbon from BRS? Because I just posted this earlier.. "So my Yellow Tang immediately started getting HLLE after I switched from Petco carbon to BRS rox carbon. I switched because I read about a recent batch of Petco carbon having heavy metals in it killing corals and fish and then seen BRS Rox carbon was on sale. Immediately after noticing the HLLE I quit using using the BRS carbon and got some Marineland Carbon. Now two weeks later the HLLE seems to be going away. I have been running heavy carbon for two months now because of my fight with Dinos. Thankfully the dinos are gone and Mac & Cheese is healing nicely. I'm not saying for sure it is the BRS carbon but it showed up about a week or so after switching to it and starting to go away about two weeks after I quit using it. I have made no other changes to my husbandry, feeding or parameters. I have been running a bag of carbon in my reefmat every three days because of the dinos and my Diamond gobies."

No, not that new for BRS Rox. I have stopped both adding carbon and using coral snow. HLLE hasn’t gotten any worse, but I’m not sure if getting any better.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use ROX 0.8, and have for many years in both my old and new tank, without issues to my yellow tang. :)

It is worth rinsing any GAC before use. :)

 

[victorcan]

Too much ROX have you increased quantity? I have had issues w/ HLLE when overdoing it, trying to fight Dino's or blooms.

 

[mcarroll]

I don't know who started this meme-trend of dosing calcium carbonate and calling it "coral snow".....it really doesn't take much, does it?

I would suggest leaving that product to the brewers, looking up "marine snow" and its actual composition and function. There you have something to emulate and experiment with.

Not the end-all reference on it, especially not with respect to marine snow and corals, but a good start:
https://oceana.org/blog/marine-snow-the-oceans-endless-snowfall-explained/