MurphyJ
Active Member
Long post as I am chronicling 6 months of data / issues. During this time I experienced work and family obligations that took me away from the tank so my response to issues were, well, pathetic. Long and short I OWN every issue!
I will start at the beginning and walk you through the STN episode, my observations and responses. I picked out a few corals to show progression through the issues. Tri-color, Pro Coral Rainbow, Cookie Monster.
Please feel free to be brutal in your observations! Well, except for pic quality. I take shots when I have time and for my personal use so no fancy editing.
I have been reefing since the nineties but new to Acros. I have checked under microscope for pest and none found. Dipped and checked until I'm cross-eyed. I dip and QT new coral. And since this effected other corals and not just Acros I feel it was water based and temp. But if you think this is pest - please speak up!
System background:
Tank set up in 2016 70gal 4ft long Lighting 3 AI 26hd PAR 450-600 top / 350 mid / 150 sandbed. Deep sandbed, mix LR and dry. Mixed reef LPS, low SPS, Zoas.
2017 start prep for SPS, added dry rock, let tank mature
Oct 2018 add first Acros. Tank is stable and good growth from small frags to small colony. Slowly added frags to tank. PE is good day and night. Good color and no losses once coral was established (until now)
ALK 8.2 CA 420 PH 8.1 NO3 2 PO4 .08 Sg 1.0265 Temp 78 I2 .06 FE 0 K 420 SR 10 RO/DI system 0 TDS. I have a lot of random flow. I dose aminos and feed Rods Coral Food 2x a week. No fish that nip corals.
First pics are of corals before the issue. Note that Cookie Monster has not encrusted on the branch behind him.
Tri-color is long branching Acro in front of Tort
Cookie Monster blue coral at bottom
Pro coral center
STN episode start:
Oct 26, 2019 Temp dropped overnight from 78 to 73. Removed old heater and forgot to add the new one. Heater installed Oct 28th and slow rise back to 78.
Nov 19, 2019 everything looks good except for the green acro above the Cookie Monster. Some STN at the base and in shaded area. This coral never really settled in and PE was never good. Thought it was temp shock. Note that Cookie Monster has already encrusted onto the branch behind him.
Dec 5, 2019 Tri-color a bit off on color, tips pale and blue color off. Cookie Monster had some color fade at the base. Reduced skimmer and removed filter floss to let NO3 and PO4 come up.
Dec 31 2019 Tri-color has lost 2 branches and some STN along the base. Pro Coral has discoloration around base, colors a bit pale. Cookie Monster shows no issues but on the Acro above the STN is progressing. A few other Acros not happy, but most have good PE and color.
Jan 20 2020 Tri-color almost gone. Removed all dead areas. Pro Coral is receding at the base color pale. Cookie Monster looks good. Growth across the tank is slow to stopped.
ALK 8.4 CA 440 PH 8.0 NO3 12 PO4 .04 Sg 1.026 Temp 78 I .06 FE 0 K 420 SR 8
Feb 8 2020 had an ALK spike from 8.4 to 9 during the week. Coral growth had been slowing and didn't catch the change. All other parms stable.
ALK 9.0 CA 440 PH 8.0 NO3 12 PO4 .06 Sg 1.025 Temp 78.6 I .06 FE 0 K 410 SR 10
Feb 14 2020 Tri-color barely holding on. Only 2 tips left. Stag in front of him losing color. Pro Coral color pale and receding at base. Cookie Monster looks good but no cleaning ring around base so growth has stopped. All corals are looking pale and some STN popping up across the tank. Garf Bonsai has burnt tips on some. Bubble algae and the red algae has taken off. Increased WC volume, dialed up skimmer and monitoring ALk closely. Thought STN was due to ALK swing.
Feb 29 2020 found 2 magnets that had corroded. Covers broke and rust on exterior. Large WC, ran Polyfilter until Metasorb came in. Ran Metasorb for 10 days.
March 1 2020 added DOS for dosing and I'm monitoring consumption and dialing in.
March 14 2020 added Trident for better monitoring..
ALK 8.4 CA 420 PH 8.1 NO3 16 PO4 .04 Sg 1.026 Temp 78.6 I .06 FE 0 K 420
Mar 25 2020 Tri-color gone and tort above it has started STN. Stag is really doing some odd colors. Pro coral is really pale and tissue receding at the base. Note the Gonzo Starship on the other branch has a clean ring! He is encrusting although pale. Cookie Monster is declining fast. Dosing trace elements and increased Aminos.
Mar 29 2020 Started Vibrant 5ml 1x week To reduce the red algae and help the corals with the opportunistic algae growing on the STN parts.
Apr 9 2020 Cookie Monster and Pro coral have stopped STN. Still ugly but no additional STN from Mar 25th. PE is out on both. Algae is already receding and bubble algae is turning white and removed easily.
All corals in the tank that had STN have stopped except for the tort that was above the Tri-color and my large purple Austera. Frags from these are growing and no issues. Montis took a hard hit during Feb - Mar but are coming back. Only Montis that did not suffer are the Setosa. Chalice all seem OK except for Killer, a really mean cup chalice. Killer has tissue lose on the exterior. The other chalice have improved color and are growing. Euphyllia, Catalaphyllia and Goniopora all out the whole time.
Did I miss anything? Does this type of STN fit temp swing and heavy metal? Will be sending out water for analysis.
I will start at the beginning and walk you through the STN episode, my observations and responses. I picked out a few corals to show progression through the issues. Tri-color, Pro Coral Rainbow, Cookie Monster.
Please feel free to be brutal in your observations! Well, except for pic quality. I take shots when I have time and for my personal use so no fancy editing.
I have been reefing since the nineties but new to Acros. I have checked under microscope for pest and none found. Dipped and checked until I'm cross-eyed. I dip and QT new coral. And since this effected other corals and not just Acros I feel it was water based and temp. But if you think this is pest - please speak up!
System background:
Tank set up in 2016 70gal 4ft long Lighting 3 AI 26hd PAR 450-600 top / 350 mid / 150 sandbed. Deep sandbed, mix LR and dry. Mixed reef LPS, low SPS, Zoas.
2017 start prep for SPS, added dry rock, let tank mature
Oct 2018 add first Acros. Tank is stable and good growth from small frags to small colony. Slowly added frags to tank. PE is good day and night. Good color and no losses once coral was established (until now)
ALK 8.2 CA 420 PH 8.1 NO3 2 PO4 .08 Sg 1.0265 Temp 78 I2 .06 FE 0 K 420 SR 10 RO/DI system 0 TDS. I have a lot of random flow. I dose aminos and feed Rods Coral Food 2x a week. No fish that nip corals.
First pics are of corals before the issue. Note that Cookie Monster has not encrusted on the branch behind him.
Tri-color is long branching Acro in front of Tort
Cookie Monster blue coral at bottom
Pro coral center
STN episode start:
Oct 26, 2019 Temp dropped overnight from 78 to 73. Removed old heater and forgot to add the new one. Heater installed Oct 28th and slow rise back to 78.
Nov 19, 2019 everything looks good except for the green acro above the Cookie Monster. Some STN at the base and in shaded area. This coral never really settled in and PE was never good. Thought it was temp shock. Note that Cookie Monster has already encrusted onto the branch behind him.
Dec 5, 2019 Tri-color a bit off on color, tips pale and blue color off. Cookie Monster had some color fade at the base. Reduced skimmer and removed filter floss to let NO3 and PO4 come up.
Dec 31 2019 Tri-color has lost 2 branches and some STN along the base. Pro Coral has discoloration around base, colors a bit pale. Cookie Monster shows no issues but on the Acro above the STN is progressing. A few other Acros not happy, but most have good PE and color.
Jan 20 2020 Tri-color almost gone. Removed all dead areas. Pro Coral is receding at the base color pale. Cookie Monster looks good. Growth across the tank is slow to stopped.
ALK 8.4 CA 440 PH 8.0 NO3 12 PO4 .04 Sg 1.026 Temp 78 I .06 FE 0 K 420 SR 8
Feb 8 2020 had an ALK spike from 8.4 to 9 during the week. Coral growth had been slowing and didn't catch the change. All other parms stable.
ALK 9.0 CA 440 PH 8.0 NO3 12 PO4 .06 Sg 1.025 Temp 78.6 I .06 FE 0 K 410 SR 10
Feb 14 2020 Tri-color barely holding on. Only 2 tips left. Stag in front of him losing color. Pro Coral color pale and receding at base. Cookie Monster looks good but no cleaning ring around base so growth has stopped. All corals are looking pale and some STN popping up across the tank. Garf Bonsai has burnt tips on some. Bubble algae and the red algae has taken off. Increased WC volume, dialed up skimmer and monitoring ALk closely. Thought STN was due to ALK swing.
Feb 29 2020 found 2 magnets that had corroded. Covers broke and rust on exterior. Large WC, ran Polyfilter until Metasorb came in. Ran Metasorb for 10 days.
March 1 2020 added DOS for dosing and I'm monitoring consumption and dialing in.
March 14 2020 added Trident for better monitoring..
ALK 8.4 CA 420 PH 8.1 NO3 16 PO4 .04 Sg 1.026 Temp 78.6 I .06 FE 0 K 420
Mar 25 2020 Tri-color gone and tort above it has started STN. Stag is really doing some odd colors. Pro coral is really pale and tissue receding at the base. Note the Gonzo Starship on the other branch has a clean ring! He is encrusting although pale. Cookie Monster is declining fast. Dosing trace elements and increased Aminos.
Mar 29 2020 Started Vibrant 5ml 1x week To reduce the red algae and help the corals with the opportunistic algae growing on the STN parts.
Apr 9 2020 Cookie Monster and Pro coral have stopped STN. Still ugly but no additional STN from Mar 25th. PE is out on both. Algae is already receding and bubble algae is turning white and removed easily.
All corals in the tank that had STN have stopped except for the tort that was above the Tri-color and my large purple Austera. Frags from these are growing and no issues. Montis took a hard hit during Feb - Mar but are coming back. Only Montis that did not suffer are the Setosa. Chalice all seem OK except for Killer, a really mean cup chalice. Killer has tissue lose on the exterior. The other chalice have improved color and are growing. Euphyllia, Catalaphyllia and Goniopora all out the whole time.
Did I miss anything? Does this type of STN fit temp swing and heavy metal? Will be sending out water for analysis.
