Stumped with why my SPS are turning brown.

[disaster999]

My tank was doing fine a few weeks back, parameters are looking good and stable, corals looks good and are growing. I was talking to a friend and he convinced me to up my lighting since hes getting good results blasting his corals with strong lighting so I slowly upped my photo period and intensity. But once I see 1 frag starting to look pale I quickly backed down my lighting back to where it was. But I guess the damage was done as Im noticing a few more frags loosing their colors.

At around the same time I noticed my pH starting to tank, usually my pH swings from 8.3 during the day to 7.9 at night to barely getting up to 8.1 during the day and dropping to 7.6 overnight. I have cleaned and recalibrated my pH probe but it still reads the same. I also noticed my green, red, and blue stags are turning brown. My skimmer is barely skimming anything as well but I havent changed my feeding schedule at all and with my bioload, I would at least expect my collection cup to be collecting something 2 days after I cleaned it.

What really got me questioning whats going on with my tank is with some of my corals turning pale, or brown, some of my corals doesnt evem seem to be bothered by it. The green monti is growing like weeds. This purple stylo and pink millie with green PE is doing fantastic, a bunch of my other millie which lost their color still have lots of PE. This pink lemonade frag I recently bought still looks ok

My system is around 100 gals with a fuge growing some red macro, grape, and chaeto algae. Im dosing AFR keeping my parameters at ~400ppm calcium, ~7 alk, ~1350ppm mag, ~10-25ppm nitrate using salifert test kit, ~0.04ppm phosphate with Hanna checker and ~410ppm potassium. Stock list I have 2 tangs, 2 clowns, 2 chromis, 5 anthias, 1 cardinal, 1 angel, 1 Spotted scat, and a bunch of snails. Other than the nitrate being a little high, nothing really jumps out at me. I ordered and sent in an ATI ICP water test to give me a better understanding of whats going on with my tank but its gonna take at least a week or 2 before I get the results back. Right now theres really not much I could do than keep everything the same and wait...hoping I could get some insight here.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What kind of lights do you have? Turning brown is often a sign of low lights, or higher nutrients (but sounds like your nutrients are in check). Pictures will help too.

 

[Dburr1014]

My tank was doing fine a few weeks back, parameters are looking good and stable, corals looks good and are growing. I was talking to a friend and he convinced me to up my lighting since hes getting good results blasting his corals with strong lighting so I slowly upped my photo period and intensity. But once I see 1 frag starting to look pale I quickly backed down my lighting back to where it was. But I guess the damage was done as Im noticing a few more frags loosing their colors.

At around the same time I noticed my pH starting to tank, usually my pH swings from 8.3 during the day to 7.9 at night to barely getting up to 8.1 during the day and dropping to 7.6 overnight. I have cleaned and recalibrated my pH probe but it still reads the same. I also noticed my green, red, and blue stags are turning brown. My skimmer is barely skimming anything as well but I havent changed my feeding schedule at all and with my bioload, I would at least expect my collection cup to be collecting something 2 days after I cleaned it.

What really got me questioning whats going on with my tank is with some of my corals turning pale, or brown, some of my corals doesnt evem seem to be bothered by it. The green monti is growing like weeds. This purple stylo and pink millie with green PE is doing fantastic, a bunch of my other millie which lost their color still have lots of PE. This pink lemonade frag I recently bought still looks ok

My system is around 100 gals with a fuge growing some red macro, grape, and chaeto algae. Im dosing AFR keeping my parameters at ~400ppm calcium, ~7 alk, ~1350ppm mag, ~10-25ppm nitrate using salifert test kit, ~0.04ppm phosphate with Hanna checker and ~410ppm potassium. Stock list I have 2 tangs, 2 clowns, 2 chromis, 5 anthias, 1 cardinal, 1 angel, 1 Spotted scat, and a bunch of snails. Other than the nitrate being a little high, nothing really jumps out at me. I ordered and sent in an ATI ICP water test to give me a better understanding of whats going on with my tank but its gonna take at least a week or 2 before I get the results back. Right now theres really not much I could do than keep everything the same and wait...hoping I could get some insight here.

Agreed with mojo.

Once Coral starts to pale they are not uptaking any nutrients. That leads to lower pH and the tank during the day. So that's the pH puzzle piece.
Also when they don't take up nutrients, the nutrients will build up in your tank and also cause SPS to turn brown.

So my question is: what was the intensity and length of lighting versus what you ramped it up to?

I always suggest you one or the other not both at the same time. You must go slow with the lighting.

The best course of action until we know more about what your tank consists of is to, lower the lighting to the original length of time and 10% less of the intensity of the original number for 2 weeks. After the two weeks slowly ramp up the intensity to your original number. Then you can start ramping the intensity up 5% to 10% weekly or the length of time by about 30 minutes weekly.

This will basically give them a 2 week rest of whatever is bothering them. You must make sure your tank remains stable in nutrients and alkalinity.

Do you know your actual par numbers? And how is your flow? They must be blasted with lots and lots of indirect flow.

 

[JaaxReef]

Another possibility for the change… I would look very carefully at your pale or brown corals for pests. Specifically black bugs. They tend to like specific acros and montis and it could be why some corals are effected more than others. Irritation may not kill the coral at first but can really stagnate growth and loss of color and some loss of polyp extension will usually be the first symptoms. Though all the corals react a bit differently.

It’s worth checking, in addition to lighting and nutrient advice already given here.

 

[disaster999]

What kind of lights do you have? Turning brown is often a sign of low lights, or higher nutrients (but sounds like your nutrients are in check). Pictures will help too.

They are A8SE blues, Have 2 over my tank. Ill try and get some pictures of some of the SPS that are struggling/turning brown as well as ones that are bleaching. I had the same trail of though as you with regards SPS turning brown, but they were already sitting at 350-400 par of lighting previously and guessing well over 500+ par after I messed with my lighting so definitely not lacking any light.

Agreed with mojo.

Once Coral starts to pale they are not uptaking any nutrients. That leads to lower pH and the tank during the day. So that's the pH puzzle piece.
Also when they don't take up nutrients, the nutrients will build up in your tank and also cause SPS to turn brown.

So my question is: what was the intensity and length of lighting versus what you ramped it up to?

I always suggest you one or the other not both at the same time. You must go slow with the lighting.

The best course of action until we know more about what your tank consists of is to, lower the lighting to the original length of time and 10% less of the intensity of the original number for 2 weeks. After the two weeks slowly ramp up the intensity to your original number. Then you can start ramping the intensity up 5% to 10% weekly or the length of time by about 30 minutes weekly.

This will basically give them a 2 week rest of whatever is bothering them. You must make sure your tank remains stable in nutrients and alkalinity.

Do you know your actual par numbers? And how is your flow? They must be blasted with lots and lots of indirect flow.

Definitely didnt just doubled my par overnight. I probably spend 2 months slowly ramping up my lights. Before I messed with my lights, I had a 30%/50% split between whites and blues and my sps are sitting between 300-500 par. My lights first comes on at 12 and spends 2 hours ramping up, 1 hour blues, then another hour to whites and blue then hold it there for 6 hours and another 2 hours for the ramp down. First 2-3 week I bumped it up to 50/50 white/blue for 4 hours then back down to my regular 30/50 split for another 2. Then bumped it up to full 50/50 white/blue for the full 6 hours for another week. Seeing how everything is still doing fine, I bumped it up to 60%/60% and increased my white+blue lighting schedule to 7 hours then finally ended up with 70%/70% white blue before noticing some bleaching and backed it down to 50/50 but keeping the schedule.

I didnt have a par meter with me while ramping up my lights, pretty much just doing it by feel and seeing how my corals were reacting. I probably shouldnt of even messed with it in the first place....if it aint broke...

Most of my flow is coming from a single Jebao DMP40 at 100% on random flow.

Another possibility for the change… I would look very carefully at your pale or brown corals for pests. Specifically black bugs. They tend to like specific acros and montis and it could be why some corals are effected more than others. Irritation may not kill the coral at first but can really stagnate growth and loss of color and some loss of polyp extension will usually be the first symptoms. Though all the corals react a bit differently.

It’s worth checking, in addition to lighting and nutrient advice already given here.

Checked for pests. dont see anything bothering them.

 

[Dburr1014]

Most of my flow is coming from a single Jebao DMP40 at 100% on random flow.

What size tank? Most likely you do need more flow. It's better to have different flow options from more than one powerhead and then to try to get different flow options from one. IME.

They are A8SE blues, Have 2 over my tank. Ill try and get some pictures of some of the SPS that are struggling/turning brown as well as ones that are bleaching. I had the same trail of though as you with regards SPS turning brown, but they were already sitting at 350-400 par of lighting previously and guessing well over 500+ par after I messed with my lighting so definitely not lacking any light.

Definitely didnt just doubled my par overnight. I probably spend 2 months slowly ramping up my lights. Before I messed with my lights, I had a 30%/50% split between whites and blues and my sps are sitting between 300-500 par. My lights first comes on at 12 and spends 2 hours ramping up, 1 hour blues, then another hour to whites and blue then hold it there for 6 hours and another 2 hours for the ramp down. First 2-3 week I bumped it up to 50/50 white/blue for 4 hours then back down to my regular 30/50 split for another 2. Then bumped it up to full 50/50 white/blue for the full 6 hours for another week. Seeing how everything is still doing fine, I bumped it up to 60%/60% and increased my white+blue lighting schedule to 7 hours then finally ended up with 70%/70% white blue before noticing some bleaching and backed it down to 50/50 but keeping the schedule.

I didnt have a par meter with me while ramping up my lights, pretty much just doing it by feel and seeing how my corals were reacting. I probably shouldnt of even messed with it in the first place....if it aint broke...

So are you saying you did have a power meter when you originally set up your lights?
If I'm not mistaken those are the Ecotech clones.

My first move probably would have been just to extend the lighting period To 12 hours.

 

[disaster999]

What size tank? Most likely you do need more flow. It's better to have different flow options from more than one powerhead and then to try to get different flow options from one. IME.

Its a Waterbox Marine X 110.4 4ft tank. Been wanting to get another DMP40 so I have one on each side.

So are you saying you did have a power meter when you originally set up your lights?
If I'm not mistaken those are the Ecotech clones.

Yes I did borrow my friends par meter at first when I got these lights,

My first move probably would have been just to extend the lighting period To 12 hours.

Probably, ive kept the photo period, but lowered the intensity back down to 50% now.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yup, at least 2 more PH would be good.

 

[Featherweight]

I'd get that alk up to 8 to 9 and calcium over 420 for a couple weeks and calibrate your salinity testing

 

[Dburr1014]

I'd get that alk up to 8 to 9 and calcium over 420 for a couple weeks and calibrate your salinity testing

Why alkalinity higher?
Stressed coral will only get worse trying to get them to grow more. IME.
Natural numbers of 7 to 8dkh is best in this case. IMO.
Coral need to rest in trying times.

 

[Featherweight]

Fair enough. I've noticed my tank feels these symptoms more as my pH and ALK drops, or remains in these lower ranges too long. I noticed less evening drop of pH w alk at 8 or so.

But I can understand the idea being "letting them rest". I certainly reduce my light by 10 percent or so when corals get a little stressed.

But have we figured out why the corsls are stressed? I'm wondering if lower ALK, lower calcium, and a potential misread of salinity could be factors of the why part...

 

[bobnicaragua]

Fair enough. I've noticed my tank feels these symptoms more as my pH and ALK drops, or remains in these lower ranges too long. I noticed less evening drop of pH w alk at 8 or so.

But I can understand the idea being "letting them rest". I certainly reduce my light by 10 percent or so when corals get a little stressed.

But have we figured out why the corsls are stressed? I'm wondering if lower ALK, lower calcium, and a potential misread of salinity could be factors of the why part...

Alk 7 and calcium 400 are absolutely not a problem for SPS.

Suppressed PH is a concern.

Before increasing light intensity, the tank was at 350-400 par. From there, you start ramping up the light intensity and duration in a 100 gal system with only 1 power head.

I don’t think you have enough flow to handle the lighting you were running.

 

[Steven Garland]

Oh man,I don't have any knowledge to drop on this but I miss your old tank from years ago !!! I can only imagine how good this one looks.

 

[Nasty_Goblin]

I have/had this issue as well. Excess phosphates combined with poor flow and high light can cause a weird mix of bleaching and brown “algae”growth on SPS.

I lowered my lights and tweaked my flow and that seems to be helping. Monti’s in particular are hardy for me and color is starting to return.

If you have some viewing glasses put those on and look for color on the polyps. Even if the surrounding area is going brown it can recover given enough time.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

I just came here to say .04 phos is walking a fine line especially if you have a lot of corals. The Hanna checker could be +/- a bit. I prefer to keep my phos between.1-.2 just to be safe and I get great colors and growth with my acros.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

Also is ur Hanna phos checker the ulr version?

 

[Patrick.S]

I’m no sps expert, but could your ph drop coincide with your house being sealed up and ac running? Perhaps a coincidence that it lined up with the lights being turned up. Or the raised light and depressed ph teaming up to cause the overall problem? Just a few thoughts

 

[Featherweight]

I’m no sps expert, but could your ph drop coincide with your house being sealed up and ac running? Perhaps a coincidence that it lined up with the lights being turned up. Or the raised light and depressed ph teaming up to cause the overall problem? Just a few thoughts

My pH dropped and my corals stopped feeding for 2 days because of running ac 24/7 during a heat wave. That CO2 effect is real!

 

[bobnicaragua]

My pH dropped and my corals stopped feeding for 2 days because of running ac 24/7 during a heat wave. That CO2 effect is real!

I keep a little CO2 meter beside my tank. When it’s really hot and the AC runs nonstop, the CO2 isn’t bad. It really creeps up at night when it starts cooling off and the windows are still shut.

Refugium helps. Kalkwasser at night helps. Outside airline to the skimmer helps.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

I’m no sps expert, but could your ph drop coincide with your house being sealed up and ac running? Perhaps a coincidence that it lined up with the lights being turned up. Or the raised light and depressed ph teaming up to cause the overall problem? Just a few thoughts

My pH dropped and my corals stopped feeding for 2 days because of running ac 24/7 during a heat wave. That CO2 effect is real!

Call me crazy but I added a fresh air exchanger to my hvac unit just for this reason. Cost me about 1k and I justified it saying we will be healthier not breathing in so much c02 :)