Solutions for brown algae on corals

[Addicted2Reef’n]

I have 3 corals in my tank that are turning brown with algae on them. It seems to only be these 3. Phosphates did get high for a few weeks. I was unable to correlate that was the cause of it. I have since lowered phosphate to .03.
My flow suffered due to dirty gyres but I recently have cleaned those and flow has improved greatly.
Is there anything else I can do for these. I e even tried putting snails and crabs on them to help clean them up. Some of them got to work and others were not having it lol.
Any suggestions ?

 

[bluemon]

You can try a hydroxide dip, a gentle tooth brush to it, as well as snipping off effected areas

 

[Dburr1014]

I have 3 corals in my tank that are turning brown with algae on them. It seems to only be these 3. Phosphates did get high for a few weeks. I was unable to correlate that was the cause of it. I have since lowered phosphate to .03.
My flow suffered due to dirty gyres but I recently have cleaned those and flow has improved greatly.
Is there anything else I can do for these. I e even tried putting snails and crabs on them to help clean them up. Some of them got to work and others were not having it lol.
Any suggestions ?

Are you sure it's algae?
Can you post clearer pics?

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Are you sure it's algae?
Can you post clearer pics?

 

[Dburr1014]

That looks greenish. Coral looks stressed out/dying.
IMO, po4 at 0.03 is low. I recommend 0.05 - 0.15
Also, quick bouncing up and down is also stressful on coral and can have adverse effects.

Did this looks like this after the bounce, before the bounce, during?

Please post lighting/settings and flow.
You may/most likely need to lower intensity by 10ish% to give them recovery time.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

To me it looks like a few spots have died and algae growing in the dead spots. It might have been the low flow which allowed detritus to settle and block out the light in those spots.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

I will update and post my settings etc when home from work. Thx

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Lighting is 8 bulb T’5s
10:15 ON
11:30 50%
3:00 80
7:00 50
8:15 15
9:05 OFF
FlLOW
MAXSPECT 250’s on either end both flowing gradual from left to right and vice versa on 50% gradual pulse 6 sec
Also have a medium size gyre in middle back glass pushing random flow toward front and through rock work and arch.
Also have a simple propeller wave maker on right side that is pointed toward 3/4 upper part of tank to bounce off other flow patterns and create more turbulence, especially towards top where sps are.
The coral in question is positioned on right side and the propeller wave maker blows water over top of it.
The gyres were barely pushing ANY water at all when I realized how clogged up they were and have since taken apart and now are back to full capacity. I did this after coral turned brown

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

Sorry for the quality of pic but I highlighted the location of the coral I’m talking about.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

This coral has grown like crazy these past 6 months. Has grown as fast as GSP. I really believe the lack of flow with the increase in phosphates was the issue. Just unsure what to do now besides keep water clean and flow good. I will try toothbrush later

 

[exnisstech]

How high did your PO4 actually get? Mine has been too high for my Hanna to measure which maxes at 0.9 and coral were not bothered. I'll take high over low any time.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

How high did your PO4 actually get? Mine has been too high for my Hanna to measure which maxes at 0.9 and coral were not bothered. I'll take high over low any time.

.27

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

.27

I wasn’t thinking the phosphate itself bothered the coral but rather contributed to the conditions with the lack of flow to take hold on top the coral

 

[exnisstech]

I'm sorry for laughing but that's not high IME.
PO4 gets a bad rap as beings the cause of algae and people say it needs to be 0.1 or less but that has not been my experience.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

I'm sorry for laughing but that's not high IME.
PO4 gets a bad rap as beings the cause of algae amd people say it needs to be 0.1 or less but that has not been my experience.

Yea I get it. I ran a mixed tank with hang on back filter and never gfo and it thrived. Never tested phosphate once and never had issues. I just can’t think what else would cause a thriving coral to suddenly turn brown and stop growing. The edges of the coral seem to be coloring up and calcifying onto the rock so perhaps the middle will either color back up or grow back over it

 

[exnisstech]

I've had it happen to couple of encrusting pieces (can't remember the names) over the last year or so but I have no idea why. Mine started just dying off while all other corals, almost all acros seem fine. I moved them to a different tank and they've stopped receding but look to be just hanging on.

 

[Dburr1014]

OP, I think it was more of the flow and possibly the bounce of po4.
Keep it stable and keep the flow going. You may be fine, I've seen sps bounce back many many times.

 

[Addicted2Reef’n]

OP, I think it was more of the flow and possibly the bounce of po4.
Keep it stable and keep the flow going. You may be fine, I've seen sps bounce back many many times.

Wanted to update. Over course of 3-4 months the coral went from all way brown expect a corner to now it is back colored up and encrusted all back over except for the very top but soon will, sometimes just leaving it alone does the trick,