Birds Nest whiting out from the middle?

Pete Horwath · Nov 27, 2018

okay folks here's my crisis of the week. Bird nest coral is whitening from the middle. frag was in the tank doing well for about 3 months. started seeing a little white of and one on one lower branch then this yesterday. I haven't added anything except for a cleaner wrasse to tank in months. I have very little experience with SPS as in I've never lost one (knock on wood) so don't know what to look for. I suspect its a water issue as I have two more corals misbehaving, a GSP (low in the tank) which is closed shut completely and has been since yesterday (other GSP's are looking fine) and a clover which is so shut it looks like it disappeared which was that way since this morning. Clover is very near the GSP other Clovers mounted higher are fine. Water parameters I have so far is tryed uploading a pic but its givbing me errors right now.
Salt = 1.024
PH = 7.82 which is a little low for my tank

Pete Horwath · Nov 27, 2018

LOL guess i was the only error here...lol

Pete Horwath · Nov 27, 2018

Water is Salinity 1.024, Ph= 7.82, Kh=9.1, Mg= 1290, Cal = 525 Nitrate and Phosphate are thru the roof Phosphate = .41 Nitrate = 32

fabutahoun · Nov 28, 2018

Parameters are not looking good, PH is low, Cal is very high, Nitrate and Phosphate also very high.

vetteguy53081 · Nov 29, 2018

Generally, Birdsnest comes back if condition can promote needed nutrients and flow.
my guess is either a deficiency with alk ( but do not chase numbers and stress it some more) and also was something added such as supplements recently? Low salinity also a culprit.
My suggestion is to get a second opinion on water parameters by taking a water sample to a trusted pet store and have them test for you to compare numbers and identify any false readings

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 29, 2018

Uh, that looks like bugs.

Maybe an alk problem or spike , but...

Po4 won’t do that btw.

Pete Horwath · Nov 29, 2018

I took it out and put it in my Frag tank and its already getting better!!! i'd say about half the polyps are out again. question do you think something could have died in the tank like an invert and caused my phosphates and Nitrate to spike? they usually run pretty high but nothing like that?