Why is my SPS peeling and turning white??

[Breakthecycle2]

Alk - 9
Calcium 400
Phosphates .08
Nitrates <5
Salinity 1.025

Lighting- 3 Radion G3 on 50% overall intensity,with mainly blues. Whites on for 5 hours, maxed out at 35%. They are hung about 10 inches off the tank. The tank is 72" x 28" x 22". I recently had a velvet outbreak, so remaining fish are in QT. I did have to take everything out and rescape the tank, in order to get all the fish out. I dose Red Sea Reef Foundation and Coral colors once a week. Everything was fine until recently I did a 25 gallon water change yesterday. I have a 1200 GPH return pump and a Gyre 150 on about 70%. Theh only thing recently I did was dosed Prazi Pro and lowered the overall intensity of the white lights, because one of my Lobo's starting bleaching. Three or 4 acro pieces have completely lost all color from yesterday. Now one is completely peeling. LPS seems fine.

 

[hybridazn]

You might have caused a mini cycle when you pulled all the rock and re scaped the tank. How deep is your sandbed?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Not even an inch

 

[hybridazn]

Any magnets or other metal parts in the tank? Check for rusted parts

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Any magnets or other metal parts in the tank? Check for rusted parts

Nothing metal in the tank at all.

 

[jared graves]

Do you dose anything with potassium?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

No, just the coral colors program as I mentioned.

 

[hybridazn]

Just saw what your phosphates tested at. .08 is a little high. Try getting that down to around .02-.04

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Thats why I did the water change yesterday. I also run ROWAPHOS and Chemipure Elite. It started after the water change yesterday

 

[Mattrg02]

Since it happened after a water change, my guess would be a swing in parameters, such as alkalinity.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

ALK is still the same.

 

[Russ265]

im gonna go out on a limb and say you have no phosphates and are running gfo.

what test kit are you running to get the po4 numbers?

 

[justaDutchguy]

I'm a European, so my opinion does not match american standards amd that's ok, but what alleays catches my eye is the diversity of stuff you americans dose and then ask why something goes wrong.
Get back to the basics, nitrates around 5, po4 around 0.04.. Then balance alk, cal and mag, nothing else should go in your water. Ofcourse when that all is in balance you can look at the more secondary water parameters, in a very slow, overtime and patient way.
Still, with just this basic values, you can achieve good coral growth and colour.

 

[justaDutchguy]

For example, I achieved all basic parameters to stable levels with some powerheads, live rock and a skimmer, nothing more.
Then put in fish and coral in balance. Fish produce, corals use..
I do dose ATI essentials, but thats it. No coral foods, no "boost that coral color" or any other nonsense products.

I guess i have to upload some pics now... But realy, my advice to any tank owner, as in all aspects of life, don't believe blindly what is sold as a miracle.

 

[Mattrg02]

I'm a European, so my opinion does not match american standards amd that's ok, but what alleays catches my eye is the diversity of stuff you americans dose and then ask why something goes wrong.
Get back to the basics, nitrates around 5, po4 around 0.04.. Then balance alk, cal and mag, nothing else should go in your water. Ofcourse when that all is in balance you can look at the more secondary water parameters, in a very slow, overtime and patient way.
Still, with just this basic values, you can achieve good coral growth and colour.

No need to act as if Americans experimenting is a bad thing. I find that insulting. It's not like we dose uranium.

 

[Nowell]

I'm a European, so my opinion does not match american standards amd that's ok, but what alleays catches my eye is the diversity of stuff you americans dose and then ask why something goes wrong.

I'm insulted yet I agree with you.

 

[chefjpaul]

I'm a European, so my opinion does not match american standards amd that's ok, but what alleays catches my eye is the diversity of stuff you americans dose and then ask why something goes wrong.
Get back to the basics, nitrates around 5, po4 around 0.04.. Then balance alk, cal and mag, nothing else should go in your water. Ofcourse when that all is in balance you can look at the more secondary water parameters, in a very slow, overtime and patient way.
Still, with just this basic values, you can achieve good coral growth and colour.

Not totally disagreement but,
zeovit, triton, prodibio, elos.......

Not all "Americans" dump ungodly amounts of stuff in our reef system like they do their stomachs.

 

[twilliard]

No, just the coral colors program as I mentioned.

You have to be careful with this stuff. If not tested accurately this will do more harm than good
I used to use it

 

[justaDutchguy]

I never said that Americans experimenting is a bad thing. All I am trying to say is that the market is flooded with products that we don't realy need, but are made to believe we do. Since some years, live rock, salt mix and some other basic stuff has developed so much that the basic stuff is realy all we need.

 

[justaDutchguy]

To the insulting part. I never intended to insult "Americans" But it's difficult to state fairly clear observations in regard to the diferences between american and european reefkeeping without doing so.
I mean, the most beautifull tanks i've seen are over there in in the States and the amount of knowledge on reefkeeping and the way it is shared is just great, hence the fact i am on R2R. Still i think often people are confused and just take any advice for true as they see the advisors tank and go, hey, that works great, i'll do that too.
It takes experience to know what happens in a tank, and why it happens, so i don't think it is a bad thing to start at the very basics. And it works. Everyone can have a successful reef tank by mastering the basics. Going one step further is an option then, but then with even greater care and patience.