Frag Discs Turning Orange/RUST

[Pygmey]

Randy,

Curious if you know what this could be. I had a great thriving tank with corals growing. Even corals recovering from someone else's tank. Corals started growing so I glued them to larger frags. This is a 40 gallon tank. Over the last few weeks I started getting recession and even losing some. I tested all params and they looked good. Reached out to fellow trusted reefers and noone had an idea.

I removed a frag from the tank and pried it off the disc. Underneath the glue between the frag and the disc was rust colored. Broke the disc in half and the orange went all the way through the disc.

Is this causing a release of metals?? I put in a poly-filter to try to extract it.. I also saved water that will be sent to triton pre poly-filter. I am hoping that will show that I had elevated metals. Attached is a pic. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks

 

[rock_lobster]

Looks like is was in an anaerobic part of the frag? If it were rust seems like there would be more on the outside of the disk.

 

[Pygmey]

I just find it odd that any frag glued to that disc that had orange started to recede

 

[Pygmey]

I guess my theory(not saying I am correct) is there are metals either in the frag disc or the glue and the other is reacting with it.

 

[Pygmey]

Anyone?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not sure what that is.

Do you know what the plugs are made of? There may have been iron in the mix used to make it.

 

[FMF0331]

I had the same problem with the corals i purchased ... i now clip off all my SPS and glue onto a new disk

 

[Pygmey]

I do not know what they are made of but I would agree it looks like the aftermath of iron.. Do you know if that would release enough metals in the water to cause chalices and favias to recede. It seems like the ones that did it are either directly on the disc or were close to it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know what they are made of but I would agree it looks like the aftermath of iron.. Do you know if that would release enough metals in the water to cause chalices and favias to recede. It seems like the ones that did it are either directly on the disc or were close to it

Iron release is not a problem. Many people dose it (Red Sea recommends extremely high doses, IMO) and many use GFO (iron).

The concern would presumably be if other metals were there too.

 

[Pygmey]

Well I was having great growth and colors.. Then a few weeks after adding these discs I started to have recession of tissue on chalices and favias.. Parameters are good.. So if this is not it then I have no clue what it could be

 

[dvbrien]

any update on the outcome of this?