- Joined
- May 6, 2018
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So, I have a question for everyone keeping SPS, and Acros in particular...
For around 2 years now I've been having issues with most acros in my 177L frag tank. This problem also occurred in a previous 10g system frag system, from which these corals were transferred, but NOT in my separate 200L system. I'll introduce a health frag/coral from a different system and within a couple of months growth will stop and the polyps will "tulip"- as best as I can describe it! At the same time, the tissue, primarily around the coralite will blister (neoplasia?).
When this 177L system was first setup growth was good, without signs of this problem. Corals transferred from the "problematic" 10g would heal and start growing again. After around 6 months, the same problem occurred in this 177L system. Corals moved from this system to a separate 200L system will heal within a few weeks and continue growing as normal. Coral left in this system will eventually wither away and STN/RTN. This phenomenon seems to come in waves.
Background:
- 177L frag/QT system, approx 1.5yrs.
- Started with MicroBacter7 and a small amount of live rock for seeding
- No sand, no sump. 400i skimmer, dosing ATI essentials with NaOH.
- No fish, only inverts. Snails, lots of critters etc
- NO3 and PO4 dosed (both checked for contaminants by ICP test)
- 200-550PAR from full spectrum LED and T5
- Feeding blended seafood/mysis, Reefroids, aminos, vitamins etc. at least 1x a day
- All coral is dipped in potassium salts and re-based before entering the system. Can't find any relevant pests on the tissue
- I've been in the hobby approx 16yrs with a masters in marine biology and have previously worked in coral wholesale (never seen this in our coral farm before)
Other notes that I think could be relevant:
- Seems to affect mainly Acros
- Seems to be worse following a bacterial bloom (slightly cloudy water)
- Intensive (30% every 3 days) water changes might have helped in the past
- I originally thought it was due to elevated copper/tin as this was very high in my system, but now both read near 0ppm (see attached ICP)
- I'm in the process of QTing some fish to add some fish poo (and possibly beneficial gut bacteria?)
- I've recently tried a 10% water change with NSW to introduce some bacterial variety
I know there have been threads on Neoplasia in the past, but all seem inconclusive as to the cause with imbalanced dosing, carbon dosing and many other things suggested as possible causes. Anyone with similar experience or seen this in other tanks please chime in- the more data the better! Any help would be really appreciated.
For around 2 years now I've been having issues with most acros in my 177L frag tank. This problem also occurred in a previous 10g system frag system, from which these corals were transferred, but NOT in my separate 200L system. I'll introduce a health frag/coral from a different system and within a couple of months growth will stop and the polyps will "tulip"- as best as I can describe it! At the same time, the tissue, primarily around the coralite will blister (neoplasia?).
When this 177L system was first setup growth was good, without signs of this problem. Corals transferred from the "problematic" 10g would heal and start growing again. After around 6 months, the same problem occurred in this 177L system. Corals moved from this system to a separate 200L system will heal within a few weeks and continue growing as normal. Coral left in this system will eventually wither away and STN/RTN. This phenomenon seems to come in waves.
Background:
- 177L frag/QT system, approx 1.5yrs.
- Started with MicroBacter7 and a small amount of live rock for seeding
- No sand, no sump. 400i skimmer, dosing ATI essentials with NaOH.
- No fish, only inverts. Snails, lots of critters etc
- NO3 and PO4 dosed (both checked for contaminants by ICP test)
- 200-550PAR from full spectrum LED and T5
- Feeding blended seafood/mysis, Reefroids, aminos, vitamins etc. at least 1x a day
- All coral is dipped in potassium salts and re-based before entering the system. Can't find any relevant pests on the tissue
- I've been in the hobby approx 16yrs with a masters in marine biology and have previously worked in coral wholesale (never seen this in our coral farm before)
Other notes that I think could be relevant:
- Seems to affect mainly Acros
- Seems to be worse following a bacterial bloom (slightly cloudy water)
- Intensive (30% every 3 days) water changes might have helped in the past
- I originally thought it was due to elevated copper/tin as this was very high in my system, but now both read near 0ppm (see attached ICP)
- I'm in the process of QTing some fish to add some fish poo (and possibly beneficial gut bacteria?)
- I've recently tried a 10% water change with NSW to introduce some bacterial variety
I know there have been threads on Neoplasia in the past, but all seem inconclusive as to the cause with imbalanced dosing, carbon dosing and many other things suggested as possible causes. Anyone with similar experience or seen this in other tanks please chime in- the more data the better! Any help would be really appreciated.