Whats this on my SPS ?

[epicfatigue]

Hello all,

Just wondering if anyone can help me with what this is and the best way to tackle it.
My first thought is alage but one thing I have learnt is sometimes best to seek advice before it's too late!

 

[Dburr1014]

Hello all,

Just wondering if anyone can help me with what this is and the best way to tackle it.
My first thought is alage but one thing I have learnt is sometimes best to seek advice before it's too late!

Really, really hard to see in that pic you submitted.
But, algae doesn't grow on healthy tissue. It may however, get stuck on a branch then start growing. But this does not look like that is the case.

 

[Waters]

Does it blow off with a turkey baster? Definately looks like algae to me....and the monti does look whiter in that section which could indicate dieing areas but it is hard to tell.

 

[epicfatigue]

Does it blow off with a turkey baster? Definately looks like algae to me....and the monti does look whiter in that section which could indicate dieing areas but it is hard to tell.

Does blow off, should I scrub it with a toothbrush? Tank does have alage but doesn't look like this ? This is very brown in appearance.

 

[Waters]

Does blow off, should I scrub it with a toothbrush? Tank does have alage but doesn't look like this ? This is very brown in appearance.

If it blows off and is brown, most likely diatoms. I would just keep blowing it off.....toothbrush might iritate the coral.

 

[Dburr1014]

Does blow off, should I scrub it with a toothbrush? Tank does have alage but doesn't look like this ? This is very brown in appearance.

How is the flow in the tank?
Looking at test results you posted, po4 is low and no3 is really low. Need to work on that.
Could be diatoms waters said... Imo, never seen diatoms work like that.
With nutrients so low, I thought dinos, but again, never seen them work like this either.

 

[sculpin01]

You need to add nitrate and phosphate to your water (Brightwell Neophos and Neonitro are often used). Both nitrate and phosphate are functionally zero in your system. Without those, you will see die back of corals at their edges, which is what is happening in the pic above. Shoot for nitrate 5-10 and phosphate 0.05-0.20.

 

[epicfatigue]

You need to add nitrate and phosphate to your water (Brightwell Neophos and Neonitro are often used). Both nitrate and phosphate are functionally zero in your system. Without those, you will see die back of corals at their edges, which is what is happening in the pic above. Shoot for nitrate 5-10 and phosphate 0.05-0.20.

I actually already dose nitrate and phosphate, currently I am dosing around 3-4ppm a day if nitrate but the tank uses it so darn fast. Phosphate I dose around 1ppm a day.