SPS TIP BURN HELP NEEDED (DO I CUT?)

[itsnicholas]

Hello. My alkalinity jumped from 8.3 to 10 last week. It has now been stable for 7 days at 8.4dkh. My TSA fruity pebbles coral started receding the first few days but now has settled down.

The picture with 3 images are from Today(Left), Yesterday(Middle), and 2 days ago(right). The photo of the bottom of the coral was from today as well. I do not see much recession at all within the fruity pebbles coral over these 3 days.

There is some algae growing on the dead tips. Should I start to cut a few tips, wait a couple days, and cut a few more until the white, dead skeleton is gone so the coral can regrow from those tips?

The coral looks healthy all around besides the tips, polyps are out and extended. These images were taken with the lights off and the flash on.

How should I handle this? Any advice literally at all is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[mcarroll]

How old is this tank (the color of the rocks makes me ask), and what are NO3 and PO4 levels like?

Lighting on the high side by any chance?

 

[itsnicholas]

How old is this tank (the color of the rocks makes me ask), and what are NO3 and PO4 levels like?

Lighting on the high side by any chance?

The tank is around 2-3 years old. The green on the rocks isn't stringy, and its not visibly green at all when the lights are on. Coralline is now starting to grow all over in my tank so hopefully it will grow on the rocks soon.

I have Viparspectra lights, all the corals were doing great up until the alk jumped.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@SPS Freak

 

[Matt L]

Did this happen after the alk spike? I’d let the coral recover first regardless. In time they will grow back over as long as algae doesn’t take over. Otherwise cutting the dead tips a few at a time can help.

 

[itsnicholas]

Did this happen after the alk spike? I’d let the coral recover first regardless. In time they will grow back over as long as algae doesn’t take over. Otherwise cutting the dead tips a few at a time can help.

Yes after the alkalinity spike. Is a TSA fruity pebbles able to grow over dead skeleton? Or will it just branch out from where the tip is dead?

 

[NeutronMan]

While not a fruity pebbles, I am nursing a Maleficent that arrived nearly DOA (it was rtn in the bag). The very tip of one branch decided to stick around and is now actively growing downward and over the exposed and algae covered skeleton…

 

[hatfielj]

The corals are a bit stressed at the moment so best to leave them alone IMO. Once they start growing again and looking good, you can certainly do some trimming if desired. It’s anyone’s guess what they will do if you just leave them alone long term. They might encrust over or they might start branching again.