Burnt tips

USMA36 · Jan 27, 2020

I have noticed some burnt tips on one Acro and burnt edges on some montis. I started dosing Carbon (vodka) about 10 days ago to bring down my nitrates which had spiked at 20 - 25. My alk is currently 9.6 it is usually 8.5 but just increased after I started dosing The vodka. i run gfo and my phosphates are .05. I have read that high alk and low nutrients will cause burnt tips, but my nitrates are still about 15. I was dosing 8ml each 4 x day of 2 part and my total water volume is 100 gallons. I just cut that back to 5ml each 4 times a day to try and lower alk a little. Would that 1.1 Dkh raise over the course of 10 days cause the burnt tips or is it the dosing? Maybe a combination of both? What else should I do? Should I cut the burnt tips off or just let it be. The Burnt tips are starting to brown from algae.

Retro Reefer · Jan 27, 2020

Any changes in your lighting? Not sure if the bump in Alk would be the soul cause of your issues but I would get it back down to 8.5 or even lower.

IslandLifeReef · Jan 27, 2020

Based on your post about your ICP test and this post, I would say that your problem is most likely stability. In the ICP test you stated that your salinity dropped from 35 ppt to 30 ppt in a day. Now, you are changing nutrient levels by adding carbon dosing to GFO along with an ALK change.

The best thing you can do is stop changing things and let your tank recover. Do you have any pictures? Are you sure it is tip burn and not RTN/STN?

Did you send in another ICP test since there were indications that the last one may have been contaminated or a bad test?

USMA36 · Jan 27, 2020

I ordered a new test and will send that once recieve it. The last test was back in late October. I have been testing everyday. The only new thing in the last month is the carbon dosing to lower nitrates, but I hear what you're saying about too many changes at once. I have been guilty of that before. I'm guessing it is tip burn. It's just the very tip of one acro and the edges of 2 or 3 montipora plates. It hasn't gotten worse over the last few days like I think it would if it was stn or rtn. The only changes noticed in testing are that over the course of a week or so my alk went up to 9.6 from 8.5. That was gradual over the course of 10 days. My nitrates have dropped from 20-25 to 15 in that same timespan. Phosphates have been steady at .003 to .005 but I have been running gfo for the last month.

IslandLifeReef · Jan 27, 2020

I didn't realize that the test was that long ago, just remember it was a recent post. So, that salinity drop probably isn't it.

Any pictures? With it only being one acro and a few monti's, maybe that angle fish developed a taste for coral. Also, any reason that you are trying to bring that NO3 down? If there weren't any problems, I would hesitate to start carbon dosing for a problem that doesn't need fixing.

If it were me, I would stop the carbon dosing if it is new. Same with the GFO if it is new. Consider adding bacteria such as those mentioned in the "why can't I keep SPS" thread. Other than that, just leave it alone for a while to let it settle out.