What could be causing receding in my LPS corals

[Rawsreef]

For the past few months or so I've been dealing with issues with my acans. At one point they were extremely fluffy and happy then I noticed they were not doing so well. I noticed once I started doing larger more frequent WCs to help bring down phosphates, the acans started declining. I realized it was possibly from the alk going to above 11 when I usually keep it around 8.6 so I switched salt to a lower alk mix. I now use red sea salt, which is at least twice as expensive as the IO I used.

Some of the acans have improved while some barely have any flesh. But now my chalices are receding pretty bad too, and it's been happening to them since around the time I switched salts about a month ago.


I tested yesterday

calcium was at 390, alk was at 8.4, magnesium was a bit lower than I expected at 1200. Po4 at around .6 (still struggling to get it where I want it) and didn't even bother testing nitrates.

I dosed some seachem dry mag powder to start getting mag up. Could the low magnesium be the issue? Or could something else be going on?


Thanks!

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

For the past few months or so I've been dealing with issues with my acans. At one point they were extremely fluffy and happy then I noticed they were not doing so well. I noticed once I started doing larger more frequent WCs to help bring down phosphates, the acans started declining. I realized it was possibly from the alk going to above 11 when I usually keep it around 8.6 so I switched salt to a lower alk mix. I now use red sea salt, which is at least twice as expensive as the IO I used.

Some of the acans have improved while some barely have any flesh. But now my chalices are receding pretty bad too, and it's been happening to them since around the time I switched salts about a month ago.


I tested yesterday

calcium was at 390, alk was at 8.4, magnesium was a bit lower than I expected at 1200. Po4 at around .6 (still struggling to get it where I want it) and didn't even bother testing nitrates.

I dosed some seachem dry mag powder to start getting mag up. Could the low magnesium be the issue? Or could something else be going on?


Thanks!

Photos? Anyway could be pests if they have been living with those parameters for awhile, if it's a sudden shift in parameters than thats probably the culprit.



I've been dealing with LPS-eating sea spiders which have caused recession in mine \/

Though po4 at .6 isn't good, try getting that down slowly, also check at night for any pests

 

[Rawsreef]

Photos? Anyway could be pests if they have been living with those parameters for awhile, if it's a sudden shift in parameters than thats probably the culprit.



I've been dealing with LPS-eating sea spiders which have caused recession in mine \/

Though po4 at .6 isn't good, try getting that down slowly, also check at night for any pests

Doesn't seem like a pest as it's happening progressively to all my LPS and doesn't look like bite marks but I may be wrong. I'll get some photos up on a sec thanks for the response!

 

[Rawsreef]

Here's some photos

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

Here's some photos

I remember reading something about a disease that causes tissue loss in LPS and turns their skeleton purple, if it's new recession it could be that with the chalice, if it's old it could just be coraline algae

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

I have seen this a number of times over the years in many Genera of corals. To my recollection I have only seen it on LPS (Goniopora, Micromussa (Acans), Symphyllia, Favites/Favia, Goniastrea).
I have no idea what it is despite a rather drawn out search (Some sort of Cyanobacteria?) and have had limited success treating it with Chemiclean baths.

Pictured above is the skeleton of Goniopora that slowly lost tissue revealing the red skeleton underneath. This was well after it had been fragged and was actively growing. You can see the older growth is white on the profile shot which leads me to believe it was infected after fragging.

I have also noticed that it tends to pop up in isolated specimens along side otherwise healthy frags from the same colony and does not readily infect other corals. In this particular system it was in a lower flow/light area. It popped up on the opposite corner of the tank in a Favites/Favia colony but the other corals seem unaffected.

Notice the "mutated" coloration of the colony below and the hints of pink skeleton showing through the tissue. There are two other colonies of the same coral (same source, same "age" in this system) in another tank showing no signs of this issue.
I have done 2 Chemiclean dips so far on the colony and am keeping a close eye on it for changes.

These are frags of the colony pictured above. They are housed in a separate tank in the same system and are not exhibiting any issues with health or coloration.


Has anyone else seen this issue before and do you have any information as to what it is and how it might be treated? I'm not a fan of full-system use of antibiotics as I see that as a slippery slope towards bigger biological issues but I'm willing to experiment on an isolated tank.

 

[Rawsreef]

I remember reading something about a disease that causes tissue loss in LPS and turns their skeleton purple, if it's new recession it could be that with the chalice, if it's old it could just be coraline algae

That's interesting I just got this chalice gifted to me around Xmas, I thought the skeleton was just that color, the skeleton is purple from the moment it starts to show on this chalice.

The raja rampage was already showing some skeleton before I added this chalice so not sure what to think.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

That's interesting I just got this chalice gifted to me around Xmas, I thought the skeleton was just that color, the skeleton is purple from the moment it starts to show on this chalice.

The raja rampage was already showing some skeleton before I added this chalice so not sure what to think.

@encrustingacro might know more about this

 

[Lavey29]

You probably have bottomed out nitrates so your corals are slowly starving to death. Water changes do virtually nothing to lower phosphates because they are bound in rocks and sand and leach out after you remove water to backfill what was taken out.

 

[hexcolor reef]

What’s PH at? And you should measure nitrates.
Start target feeding your corals high proteins.

Also I would stop water changes and what ever your dosing that raises your ALK levels. Which is probably the top off water you are using

Start using PhosGuard for phosphate removal

 

[Rawsreef]

You probably have bottomed out nitrates so your corals are slowly starving to death. Water changes do virtually nothing to lower phosphates because they are bound in rocks and sand and leach out after you remove water to backfill what was taken out.

I don't think they bottomed out, I feed heavy and a lot of fish. I will double check what the nitrates at today. I will also do a spot feeding to the corals and see if that helps out too.

What’s PH at? And you should measure nitrates.
Start target feeding your corals high proteins.

Also I would stop water changes and what ever your dosing that raises your ALK levels. Which is probably the top off water you are using

Start using PhosGuard for phosphate removal

I haven't had the need to dose alk, the water changes have been enough to maintain the alk levels.

I will look into phosguard, I've used GFO a few times which lowers the po4 fast but depletes before I can get them down to an acceptable level, also GFO is pricey.


E- I rarely test ph but the last time I checked they were at around 8.0, the tank has a RO 250 skimmer and a fuge so ph has never been a worry. But I will check again today

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

maybe its the camera angle but it looks like a lot of those corals are in the shade. Maybe see how they react to a little more light.

 

[Lavey29]

maybe its the camera angle but it looks like a lot of those corals are in the shade. Maybe see how they react to a little more light.

Good point, OP what lights are you using and tank par?

 

[Rawsreef]

maybe its the camera angle but it looks like a lot of those corals are in the shade. Maybe see how they react to a little more light.

The Miami hurricane chalice and acans are definitely in shadier spots of the tank, but the raja rampage is under direct light center of the tank about half way up. I'll try moving the hurricane after today's feeding to see how it responds after feeding.

Good point, OP what lights are you using and tank par?

6 bulb 48 inch t5 fixture. Never tested par so not sure on that

 

[Lavey29]

The Miami hurricane chalice and acans are definitely in shadier spots of the tank, but the raja rampage is under direct light center of the tank about half way up. I'll try moving the hurricane after today's feeding to see how it responds after feeding.

6 bulb 48 inch t5 fixture. Never tested par so not sure on that

Well that's a good set up so maybe the par is to high?

Try the free photone app with your phone and see what your par is at the water surface.

 

[Rawsreef]

Well that's a good set up so maybe the par is to high?

Try the free photone app with your phone and see what your par is at the water surface.

Wow I never even knew that was a thing. I don't think par is too high because the raja rampage was growing good for a while, but I'll definitely check the par with the app and post the results.

Would the t5 bulbs be FL or HPS?

 

[Rawsreef]

Under FL daylight settings for light source here's the numbers

 

[kevgib67]

My raja rampage chalice seems to do well in lower light at the bottom of my tank. I definitely think you need to bump your magnesium ( upper 1300’s to 1400) calcium (425).

 

[encrustingacro]

high phosphate probably

 

[Lavey29]

Wow I never even knew that was a thing. I don't think par is too high because the raja rampage was growing good for a while, but I'll definitely check the par with the app and post the results.

Would the t5 bulbs be FL or HPS?

Which Light Source to Choose

Selecting the right light source setting is crucial for accurate PAR measurement

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