Coral Bleaching Need Advice.

[Charlie’s Frags]

I personally think your alk should be in the low 7’s with your nutrients that low. How high above the water is the hydra? What AI program are you running? What are you doing to keep your nutrients that low?

 

[enzo86]

I personally think your alk should be in the low 7’s with your nutrients that low. How high above the water is the hydra? What AI program are you running? What are you doing to keep your nutrients that low?

The Hydra's are running AB+ and are currently cut down about 50% off Normal AB+ settings, I also run 4 Blue Plus T5 bulbs which are currently off. Most of this was all in good shape other than slow growth until I started dosing NO3. Then everything got turned upside down.

For Export I have a Fuge about the size of a shoebox run on a 4 hrs lighting window. Also have a BM Curve 7 set on as Dry as possible. The real reason I think they are low is that I just don't have that many fish in the RS450 Tank. One Blue Tang, Pair of Clowns, and a few other small fish. I also do have a small CUC. I do feed RR once a week.

 

[enzo86]

One Addition Question: Does this look like some sort of Pest (the worm looking things) Or maybe just fish poo ?

 

[jda]

.0275 ppm of phosphate is enough. This is not your problem. 2.5 nitrates is also not your problem. Once you have enough, then you have enough. If you are using GFO or organic carbon, then I would cut back since you do not want the P to get any lower.

Look for more maturity or lighting as your issues... get a couple of T5s... nearly nobody regrets this and they can make a huge difference.

 

[enzo86]

.0275 ppm of phosphate is enough. This is not your problem. 2.5 nitrates is also not your problem. Once you have enough, then you have enough. If you are using GFO or organic carbon, then I would cut back since you do not want the P to get any lower.

Look for more maturity or lighting as your issues... get a couple of T5s... nearly nobody regrets this and they can make a huge difference.

Never done Carbon Dosing, Never run GFO, Tank is almost 24 months old. I am running AquaticLife T5's with the AI Hydra 52's, Tank was doing great till last week when i started dosing NO3 then everything started getting turned upside down. For now I have cut the lights back about 50% and quit dosing NO3/PO4 and Kalk, ALK is still holding at 8.1 which tells me nobody really seems to be using it up. I think I am just going to keep my hands off the tank for a few weeks and see what happens.

 

[enzo86]

BTW, thanks for all the advise guys.

 

[Som1else]

They might still need more nutrients. Maybe dose a tsp or two of reef roids at night for a handful of weeks

 

[Javamahn]

can I ask how old you tank is?

 

[enzo86]

UPDATE:
Ok, something is up, my Monti's are still going downhill, once the lights went out tonight I got a blue light out and all my Monti's have these little smaller than a piece of rice bugs on them. See Attached Picture. Not sure if these are just some sort of Pods, or if they are pest. They are extremely fast moving and if I touch the Coral with a stick they all scatter. Any Idea what they are, seems like they are eating around where STN is going on.

 

[enzo86]

Also seems to be some sort of asterina starfish on this piece (not on the others that seem to have these bugs), did some googling and can't figure out if these starfish truly eat live coral or only tissue that has already died.