Browning corals

lolgranny · Oct 17, 2016

Have you checked for pests?

GoJimmy · Oct 17, 2016

lolgranny said:
Have you checked for pests?

Haven't considered pests. I haven't added anything in over 2 months and I always dip in Revive when adding. My first acro had a gorilla crab in it and it did cause some browning. But they're gone now for months.
Plus the browning seems to be in the shaded areas. I have tried raising my light and increasing the intensity. I don't have a par meter but I plan to track intensity with my phones lux meter app

lolgranny · Oct 17, 2016

GoJimmy said:
Haven't considered pests. I haven't added anything in over 2 months and I always dip in Revive when adding. My first acro had a gorilla crab in it and it did cause some browning. But they're gone now for months.
Plus the browning seems to be in the shaded areas. I have tried raising my light and increasing the intensity. I don't have a par meter but I plan to track intensity with my phones lux meter app

Didnt want to be that guy to ask, but its always worth checking

Otherwise id say youre on the right track

Stevenbulbus · Oct 18, 2016

Very interesting thread

Stevenbulbus · Oct 18, 2016

Great thread

Tomisue · Oct 18, 2016

One of my montiporeas started browning, but I fixed it by adding iodine. I now dose iodine every 3 weeks

7hogwarts · Oct 18, 2016

I also think a water test from Triton might be in order to check other parameters.

GoJimmy · Oct 18, 2016

Tomisue said:
One of my montiporeas started browning, but I fixed it by adding iodine. I now dose iodine every 3 weeks

I do have a RS Colors test kit. I will test for iodine this week. Thanks for the suggestion

GoJimmy · Oct 18, 2016

7hogwarts said:
I also think a water test from Triton might be in order to check other parameters.

I never considered that but that's a great suggestion. I heard it's about 150$ American. My be an option in the future if all else fails.

GoJimmy · Oct 18, 2016

Tomisue said:
One of my montiporeas started browning, but I fixed it by adding iodine. I now dose iodine every 3 weeks

So I had a chance to test for iodine tonight. The result was 0.06ppm which is exactly where it should be. Also tested for iron, 0.10ppm, also in line. Maybe tomorrow I'll test for potassium. Also I think I'm going to pull the trigger and order a Hanna checker phosphorus ULR tester. I think I need to know for sure where my phosphate levels really are if this browning could be nutrient related.

john.m.cole3 · Oct 20, 2016

Triton tests are 450. I order mine from uniquecorals.com

GoJimmy · Oct 20, 2016

GoJimmy said:
I never considered that but that's a great suggestion. I heard it's about 150$ American. My be an option in the future if all else fails.

I've been thinking about this one. My biocube has roughly a water volume of 25gal, (roughly with rocks and sand) I do a 4gal water change weekly. I always use the same Reef Crystals salt mix and have been dosing Kalk in my ATO. I think my parameter would remain fairly stable. What could I possible learn from a triton test that I could react to without going to a full out triton system?

john.m.cole3 · Oct 20, 2016

GoJimmy said:
I've been thinking about this one. My biocube has roughly a water volume of 25gal, (roughly with rocks and sand) I do a 4gal water change weekly. I always use the same Reef Crystals salt mix and have been dosing Kalk in my ATO. I think my parameter would remain fairly stable. What could I possible learn from a triton test that I could react to without going to a full out triton system?

I'm sorry I meant it's $50 (my shift button is being shifty). You may find there are excess heavy metals or that your home test kits are bed or not accurate. I did one and found out that my refractometer calibration fluid was off. I couldn't even keep simple corals alive in my first tank. Iy came back at 1.020 SG. I bought better calibration fluid and cross checked it with a fellow reefer's tank. Now it sits at 1.026 and I haven't lost a coral in a long time. They even grow now, crazy. Worth the $50 IMO.

GoJimmy · Oct 20, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
I'm sorry I meant it's $50 (my shift button is being shifty). You may find there are excess heavy metals or that your home test kits are bed or not accurate. I did one and found out that my refractometer calibration fluid was off. I couldn't even keep simple corals alive in my first tank. Iy came back at 1.020 SG. I bought better calibration fluid and cross checked it with a fellow reefer's tank. Now it sits at 1.026 and I haven't lost a coral in a long time. They even grow now, crazy. Worth the $50 IMO.

Yeah that makes sense. I still use the old hydrometer style from Red Sea. I've spent so much in Rodi filter systems, equipment, test kits, and I don't have a refractometer yet. Lol. I got scared when I saw $450! I can handle 50 bucks!

john.m.cole3 · Oct 20, 2016

GoJimmy said:
Yeah that makes sense. I still use the old hydrometer style from Red Sea. I've spent so much in Rodi filter systems, equipment, test kits, and I don't have a refractometer yet. Lol. I got scared when I saw $450! I can handle 50 bucks!

hahaha, yeah... maybe I should invest in a good keyboard

GoJimmy · Oct 20, 2016

john.m.cole3 said:
hahaha, yeah... maybe I should invest in a good keyboard

So you do the test through UniqueCorals. Does anyone know if there is a distributor in Canada that deals with Triton testing?

john.m.cole3 · Oct 20, 2016

GoJimmy said:
So you do the test through UniqueCorals. Does anyone know if there is a distributor in Canada that deals with Triton testing?

I order the test from unique coral, then send it off to Europe to get tested. you set up an account with triton and they send you an email when your results are in. Takes about 2 weeks. search ICP testing to look for others.

GoJimmy · Oct 21, 2016

Does anyone know if browning could occur from not using carbon in my sump? Really I'm only using floss, and gfo in a reactor. I haven't used floor since I started my tank 10 months ago

sil40sx · Oct 21, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Cut back on flake food. It's much higher in nutrients than frozen.

Is it the same with pellets?

mcarroll · Oct 21, 2016

scardall said:
Go online. www.amazon.com

scardall said:
https://www.amazon.com/ME-Amino-POL...=1476585169&sr=1-1&keywords=ME+polyp+extender

Now that is a hard sell! Dang!

Are you really that big a fan of that stuff? Is it snake oil or do they tell you what's in it? Just curious since most don't. I use a DIY amino acid, but I don't dose very much of it.

Stevenbulbus said:
[...]

3000 lux isn't gonna work for most folks since they will be measuring at the surface – there aren't too many lux meters in service that actually have submersible probes.

It's not really a big deal, but I also question the the 1-meter number....can you post the source or tell us were that screenshot is from?

Measuring with a typical lux meter, I wouldn't go much below 10,000-15,000 lux at the surface without considering it experimental. I.e. be there regularly to observe and make changes (more food, whatever) as needed.

Generally, it seems to be that corals achieve their compensation point around 5,000 lux. They can definitely survive at levels below that, but other conditions have to be optimal and growth will likely be slow without the boost from photosynthesis.