SPS losing tissue from the base up. Why?

[Dj City]

I think you have a low po4 problem and you won’t know for sure until you have a reliable tester (hanna). You have po4 because you have bubble algae, but maybe the algae is consuming it faster than the corals can.

Kalk can precipitate po4…so that may contribute to your low/lower po4…if it is indeed low.

I also use a kalk reactor, but I honestly don’t think it helps with stability. Every time I add in more kalk it raises my alkalinity and I have to cut back on the doser supplying water or I get a spike.

The most stable for me is 2-part dosing which I am also doing.

I'll get the Hanna ultra low phosphate checker.
I need to know better that API kits letting me know.

 

[Perry]

Try and run the tank with lights, food, flow, and a protein skimmer, and of course a way to keep temp stable. You may think I am being a jerk, but I am not. This is a case of TOO MUCH! The tank looks young, like really not acro ready. This is based on ONE single parameter, and guess what, it cannot be measure, so instead of chasing rabbits, instead dial into simplicity. No dosing kalk, maybe just simple hand dosing Sodium Bicarbonate and Calcium Chloride, each day, based on alk test, yes test everyday. The tank and corals, and microbial life look amiss, this is causing small polyps to lack food source, thus dying. Removing all mechanical filtration except a skimmer, will ensure particulate that remains in the system to feed those hungry acros. They are STARVING! This is due to an environment that is not creating food sources that are needed. Forget about nitrates and phosphates, seriously, if you want to recover, strip it down to bare basic Berlin Method, simple and proven.

Edit: The idea here is to get the corals to ask for the main minerals and nutrients. Its like over watering a plant, the case of over caring, let the system balance itself out, the unseen parts is what I speak of, the microbial life. More diversity, more biology, less technology.

 

[Dj City]

Try and run the tank with lights, food, flow, and a protein skimmer, and of course a way to keep temp stable. You may think I am being a jerk, but I am not. This is a case of TOO MUCH! The tank looks young, like really not acro ready. This is based on ONE single parameter, and guess what, it cannot be measure, so instead of chasing rabbits, instead dial into simplicity. No dosing kalk, maybe just simple hand dosing Sodium Bicarbonate and Calcium Chloride, each day, based on alk test, yes test everyday. The tank and corals, and microbial life look amiss, this is causing small polyps to lack food source, thus dying. Removing all mechanical filtration except a skimmer, will ensure particulate that remains in the system to feed those hungry acros. They are STARVING! This is due to an environment that is not creating food sources that are needed. Forget about nitrates and phosphates, seriously, if you want to recover, strip it down to bare basic Berlin Method, simple and proven.

Edit: The idea here is to get the corals to ask for the main minerals and nutrients. Its like over watering a plant, the case of over caring, let the system balance itself out, the unseen parts is what I speak of, the microbial life. More diversity, more biology, less technology.

All I have on on this reef is a reefmat, a under performing skimmer and JUST started dosing kalk yesterday.

I feed this reef heavily. It's overstock with fish.
Ithe reef consumes about 1dkd daily.

My thought was to add kalk to even out the alk swings.
I was adjusting by hand but that's where the swings were coming from.

 

[fish_collector]

You'll drive yourself mad trying to find the solution to base up STN. I agree with what has been said regarding a 5 month old tank supporting SPS, it's young and that in itself is challenging to try and keep SPS growing. You are going to lose corals along the way, that is a given and not too much you can do about it. SPS corals typically don't give up their secrets until they're done, sometimes you will make a system change and it'll be a few weeks to months before the SPS respond, and when they go, they go. As has been said keep alk and salinity as stable as you can keep them, maintain your nitrate at 5-20 and your phosphate at 0.1- 0.2, give the tank bright quality light and have a few wavemakers move the water generously, feed your fish several times a day, dip new additions well, don't sweat the small stuff and you'll be ok. Stability is the key, day in and day out. Nice reefs take years to grow, mastering SPS may take even longer, certainly not in 6 months.

 

[Perry]

All I have on on this reef is a reefmat, a under performing skimmer and JUST started dosing kalk yesterday.

I feed this reef heavily. It's overstock with fish.
Ithe reef consumes about 1dkd daily.

My thought was to add kalk to even out the alk swings.
I was adjusting by hand but that's where the swings were coming from.

Been at this awhile, have a dedicated YouTube channel on Acropora specifically, and I will tell you I am not too proud to admit that I am utilizing this exact same idea I presented to you. I could go on about experience and stuff, but I will simply say that this hobby is EASY, we, not it, make it difficult. Please know I am here to see you succeed, nothing more, nothing less. Acropora require more than checklists, boxes to check off, and perfect said parameters. In fact, Alan and I recently been beating this idea up on live. Long, long, long conversations with us documented for all to check out. Be well, and keep at it, you will get to that place. Some amazing information put down here by other great reefers, so I am not here to confuse, quite the opposite really :)