What is causing this?

[LetItReef]

Hello- picked this up about 2 wks ago that was super red and I notice it couple days ago that is turning into this. I know I can’t save it anymore.
Params:
Alk 8.3
Ca 390-410
Mg 1200-1260
Po4 - 0.20 high Probably this is the issue
lighting- Kessil 360w

Thanks!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hello- picked this up about 2 wks ago that was super red and I notice it couple days ago that is turning into this. I know I can’t save it anymore.
Params:
Alk 8.3
Ca 390-410
Mg 1200-1260
Po4 - 0.20 high Probably this is the issue
lighting- Kessil 360w

Thanks!

It's definitely not happy, appears to be RTN. How high are you ramping that kessil? @saltyfilmfolks Any suggestions? You're good with sps and rtn

 

[LetItReef]

It's definitely not happy, appears to be RTN. How high are you ramping that kessil? @saltyfilmfolks Any suggestions? You're good with sps and rtn

My max intensity is only 40% 20% color for 4 hrs.
This Monti was near on top of my tank and I just moved it to a low area.

 

[hybridazn]

Can you test nitrates? How is flow?

 

[LetItReef]

I just got my Nitrate kit in the mail and I will test it tomorrow. It is receiving high flow.

 

[hybridazn]

Montis tend to not like a lot of flow. That is probably an issue as well

 

[mtraylor]

The tips are burnt. The leading 2 things are too much light, or the alkalinity. Alk is usually the culprit.

 

[LetItReef]

The tips are burnt. The leading 2 things are too much light, or the alkalinity. Alk is usually the culprit.

It was near the bottom and doing ok then I moved it up and this has become an issue but I moved it down again.

Alk at 8.3

 

[jda]

.20P is not too high for a monti in it's own. I would focus on lighting and acclimation to that lighting... or maybe the Nitrate level. If the N is above 20, or so, then I would worry about N and P being a bit too high... some folks thrive with levels this high, but they are the exception and rule generally does not.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Geez, that’s odd. Yea it could have not liked the move becuse of the Light. Seems weird though. You have to have a pretty major hot spot I should think.

Look at flow too, I’ve suffocated more than a few sps.

That’s a bummer. And yea , it can come back.

 

[LetItReef]

Here’s the No3

 

[mtraylor]

With my second look at the picture I wanted to add a couple thing. If you look at your Scoly in the picture, you will see that the skeleton is receding. This is also a sign of Alkalinity issue. The algae that you see all in the aquarium and lack of coralline algae could also be Alkalnity. I know where your alk tested, but I would get a second source. It appears that something isn't right with your tank parms. How mature is the aquarium?

 

[LetItReef]

With my second look at the picture I wanted to add a couple thing. If you look at your Scoly in the picture, you will see that the skeleton is receding. This is also a sign of Alkalinity issue. The algae that you see all in the aquarium and lack of coralline algae could also be Alkalnity. I know where your alk tested, but I would get a second source. It appears that something isn't right with your tank parms. How mature is the aquarium?

It’s a Trachy and not receeding. Lights were off for couple hrs when I took this pic.
I test my Alk everyday and it sits 8.0-8.3.
My regret of buying the “bimini pink” and creating those ugly patches.
I agree that is something is off on my params. I think my No3 and Po4 are my suspect and I will keep an eye.

 

[mtraylor]

Oh ok. Yeah its a Trach, not sure why I put scoly, maybe because I have been looking to get another one LOL. Well it looks like skeleton exposed on the one side, but maybe its going to sleep. So how mature is the aquarium? I don't see much coralline algae. What kind of test kit do you use for the Alk? Do you use RO/DI water?

Phosphates are high and nitrates are not too bad. The phosphates are definitely contributing to the algae growth.

 

[LetItReef]

Approx 2 yrs but within that I probably rescape 4 times. There are couple small patches of coralline.
I am using distilled and I measure it everytime and reads 0-1 tds.
I am using Salifert test kits.
How should I increase coralline?

 

[Denisk]

Coralline has nothing to do with your sps. It really all comes to stability. I don’t think your lights did that if you said you moved everything slowly so it was acclimated properly.

I noticed you didn’t post some information about your tank. But what’s the size of the tank, do you run carbon, is your temp stable, do you top off the water manually, what is your salinity, and with sps I highly recommend an Rodi system (I really think any Reef should be using only Rodi water) 1 tds isn’t good as we don’t know what metals could be in that 1 TDS.

Stabilty is key. I know you have a Monti you said but I really don’t like using that as indication of your water being stable for other sps. It helps but montis are really hardy to begin with.

 

[LetItReef]

It’s a Nuvo 40 tank , has an auto top off, with a Temp of 78.
1.025 salinity and a bag of carbon in the back of the chamber.

 

[mtraylor]

Approx 2 yrs but within that I probably rescape 4 times. There are couple small patches of coralline.
I am using distilled and I measure it everytime and reads 0-1 tds.
I am using Salifert test kits.
How should I increase coralline?

If the aquarium has been going for 2 years, you should have substantial coralline growth. The reason I was asking is because to achieve coralline algae you have to have your basic parms in check with attention to Calcium and Magnesium and phosphates and Nitrates. If just these are maintained with your core parameters, you will have good coralline growth. Even if you rearranged the rock more than you have you would have coralline everywhere if the parms were constant.

If everything is in check. Coralline can be achieved with calcium and magnesium. Distilled water is good, but RO/DI is better. When I first started reefing I used distilled from store in jugs and it worked but it caused me more issues than I needed.

Salifert are sometimes revered to the best test sets on the market for Reefing. When I got serious about testing my parms, I sucked it up and bought some Salifert test kits. What I quickly started to notice is that even though I had the best revered test kit on the market that was dictated by the price and complexity of use. That my parms when tested, were not accurate sometimes. I would start chasing the numbers or think I was good when I was not. What I learned later was that this was caused by having out of date test kits. Since they were so expensive, they usually sat in the lFS's longer and by the time I picked them up it was close or over the date. I did not notice this till someone on a forum recommended me to get a second test done by LFS or get a new test kit just to take a look. I then noticed the date on the test kit. This is just an FYI. They are probably the best, but be aware. Also since they were so expensive. I tended to keep them longer and not update them. Some test kits can sit around for a long time and be more accurate. Each is different.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I had pretty much zero corraline despite high stable alk and mag.
Some of the darker reds and a bit of purple here and there , little in the DT (high reef led lighting )a ton in Refugium , warm Lower Light
I personally don’t think corraline has much of anything to do with anything. An indicator yea, sometimes.

It was fine till it was moved.

I do agree , you’ll want to look a rodi. Though. Eliminates a lot things.
(There is a cheap decent one on Sdreefs right now , needs filters)
And if ya happen to head this far south , I’ve got a coupe armloads of frags you can have.

A fwiw , I did finally test my no3 and Po4 this year. I don’t honk it’s your nutrients.

 

[LetItReef]

I had pretty much zero corraline despite high stable alk and mag.
Some of the darker reds and a bit of purple here and there , little in the DT (high reef led lighting )a ton in Refugium , warm Lower Light
I personally don’t think corraline has much of anything to do with anything. An indicator yea, sometimes.

It was fine till it was moved.

I do agree , you’ll want to look a rodi. Though. Eliminates a lot things.
(There is a cheap decent one on Sdreefs right now , needs filters)
And if ya happen to head this far south , I’ve got a coupe armloads of frags you can have.

A fwiw , I did finally test my no3 and Po4 this year. I don’t honk it’s your nutrients.

I will call SDreefs if they have any zero waste water RODI - probably pricey.

Oh yah , if I ever go down South. I will pm you. Thank you!