High nutrients - pale Tenuis

[ryshark]

My fixture is about 7-8” off the surface and runs 8hrs on/off with one ReefBrite blue xho and one Oprhek OR3 blue also ran the same 8hr photoperiod.

My tanks nutrients never get high so can’t speak for what high nutrients will do, but here’s some examples of my Tenuis in low nutrients with similar lighting. I did have a similar thing going on a year or so back with my Tenuis. The issue turned out to be rusting MP40. So maybe worth checking pumps

Also 8-bulbs on ATI fixture?
I'll check my pumps(I also have MP40's), thanks.
Did you happen to send in an ICP and see any metal on the report?
Nice looking acros!

 

[386reeftrader]

Also 8-bulbs on ATI fixture?
I'll check my pumps(I also have MP40's), thanks.
Did you happen to send in an ICP and see any metal on the report?
Nice looking acros!

Yes, ATI mine is 6x54w. I do have an 8x80w fixture also that I ran for years, same results but kept that one 9-10” above the surface.

I never sent in a ICP , just knew somthing out of the ordinary was up. Started pulling apart pumps and found a rusty shaft inside one of my MP40s. Seemed to have hit my Tenuis the hardest for some reason.

 

[coral reeftank]

I don't think your phosphate and nitrate values are the culprit, I've kept my systems around .5 ppm Phosphate and around 50 ppm nitrate with no issue. I've even gone higher with no immediate issues as well. It's worth noting that I don't consistently keep the tanks at these values, this is the about the peak that I'll let them rise to. After a big feeding I'll watch the N and P climb up to this range, then after a few days the parameters will drop down and I'll do another big feeding to get back to this point. The key in being able to do this is a robust filtration and microbial system that can expedite nutrient export.

If your issue is only affecting tenuis, it could possibly be a species specific pest/microbe that is ailing your corals. I'd examine them closely and see if anything is visible.

Also have you done an ICP test to see if you potentially have any contaminants in your tank? Tenuis are a very finicky species and can just do weird things sometime. A few large water changes might also help.

 

[ryshark]

I don't think your phosphate and nitrate values are the culprit, I've kept my systems around .5 ppm Phosphate and around 50 ppm nitrate with no issue. I've even gone higher with no immediate issues as well. It's worth noting that I don't consistently keep the tanks at these values, this is the about the peak that I'll let them rise to. After a big feeding I'll watch the N and P climb up to this range, then after a few days the parameters will drop down and I'll do another big feeding to get back to this point. The key in being able to do this is a robust filtration and microbial system that can expedite nutrient export.

If your issue is only affecting tenuis, it could possibly be a species specific pest/microbe that is ailing your corals. I'd examine them closely and see if anything is visible.

Also have you done an ICP test to see if you potentially have any contaminants in your tank? Tenuis are a very finicky species and can just do weird things sometime. A few large water changes might also help.

I’ve been following your thread and was surprised by your nutrient levels.
Not all of my Tenuis are pale, I doubt it’s pest related. Looking back at my log it’s been 10-months since I’ve changed my RODI pre-filters and 6-months since I changed the DI. I know my city uses Chloramines too, so I’m really thinking now that this is the issue.
I have Triton ICP kit arriving tomorrow.

 

[ryshark]

I don't think your phosphate and nitrate values are the culprit, I've kept my systems around .5 ppm Phosphate and around 50 ppm nitrate with no issue. I've even gone higher with no immediate issues as well. It's worth noting that I don't consistently keep the tanks at these values, this is the about the peak that I'll let them rise to. After a big feeding I'll watch the N and P climb up to this range, then after a few days the parameters will drop down and I'll do another big feeding to get back to this point. The key in being able to do this is a robust filtration and microbial system that can expedite nutrient export.

If your issue is only affecting tenuis, it could possibly be a species specific pest/microbe that is ailing your corals. I'd examine them closely and see if anything is visible.

Also have you done an ICP test to see if you potentially have any contaminants in your tank? Tenuis are a very finicky species and can just do weird things sometime. A few large water changes might also help.

Nice write up on your thread, by the way. You have amazing acros!

 

[coral reeftank]

Nice write up on your thread, by the way. You have amazing acros!

Thanks! In the past I’ve had heavy metal issues that I could not figure out. My system somehow had very high levels of lead and other contaminants. I ran some Purit, and poly filter. This was able to absorb the contaminants. If you have any on hand I’d recommend you to try some in your system to see if it helps. Just don’t put too much in, as it can strip the water very fast and lead to rtn.

 

[coral reeftank]

Also a bottle of dechlorinator is a good tool to have around. I remember the days of using tap water and that was an absolute necessity.

 

[ryshark]

Thanks! In the past I’ve had heavy metal issues that I could not figure out. My system somehow had very high levels of lead and other contaminants. I ran some Purit, and poly filter. This was able to absorb the contaminants. If you have any on hand I’d recommend you to try some in your system to see if it helps. Just don’t put too much in, as it can strip the water very fast and lead to rtn.

I have poly filter I bought awhile ago for emergency. Maybe I’ll use it now. All the acros including Tenuis still have great PE.

 

[coral reeftank]

That’s good that they still have PE, I’ve had good luck with dosing my system with zeobak and zeozyme along with other aminos and coral food. This improved the colors of my pale acros and has improved overall PE on all my acros.
In the past I ran high nutrients but had pale colors too. However, at that time I had stopped using zeobak and other bacteria sources. My hypothesis is that even though I had high nitrates and phosphates that they were not biologically available to the corals. I was also skimming wet too so that could’ve stripped additional nutrients as well.
I’ve stopped the UV and began the bacteria dosing again and am very pleased with the results.

At that time I was running a UV

 

[ryshark]

That’s good that they still have PE, I’ve had good luck with dosing my system with zeobak and zeozyme along with other aminos and coral food. This improved the colors of my pale acros and has improved overall PE on all my acros.
In the past I ran high nutrients but had pale colors too. However, at that time I had stopped using zeobak and other bacteria sources. My hypothesis is that even though I had high nitrates and phosphates that they were not biologically available to the corals. I was also skimming wet too so that could’ve stripped additional nutrients as well.
I’ve stopped the UV and began the bacteria dosing again and am very pleased with the results.

At that time I was running a UV

I used to use Prodibio biodigest/bioptim, back in the day and had very nice acros. Maybe Zeobak/Zeozym is similar. I’ll look into it, thanks.

I’ve been using MB7 at least once a week to help with PO4, but I’m seeing much quicker results with my 1/2 dose of Waste Away. I actually did another 1/2 dose of WA yesterday and will test again tonight. My plan is to stop when I get down to around 0.15 PO4 and then maybe I’ll switch to something like zeobak to help maintain and keep beneficial bacteria in the system.

 

[ryshark]

I also started backup daily doses of KZ Coral Vitalizer (food) and every other day of KZ SpongePower. Plus I have KZ FWS arriving today for healthier/thicker tissue.

In retrospect, I really think the issue was the 10-month old pre-filters before the RO membrane. Especially knowing my city will use both chlorine and chloramines. I didn’t realize it had been that long since I last changed them out. Time flies

 

[coral reeftank]

I also started backup daily doses of KZ Coral Vitalizer (food) and every other day of KZ SpongePower. Plus I have KZ FWS arriving today for healthier/thicker tissue.

In retrospect, I really think the issue was the 10-month old pre-filters before the RO membrane. Especially knowing my city will use both chlorine and chloramines. I didn’t realize it had been that long since I last changed them out. Time flies

A quick RODI refresh will probably benefit you too! Hopefully this will fix any issues you are having.

 

[Thirstysreef]

i would consider doing a ICP-MS test to check out your trace elements to see if any are depleted. i run po4 .1-.4 and never had it as the reason for pale color. but also as hung says, possible that you have have white bugs that only is attacking certain specimens.

 

[ryshark]

i would consider doing a ICP-MS test to check out your trace elements to see if any are depleted. i run po4 .1-.4 and never had it as the reason for pale color. but also as hung says, possible that you have have white bugs that only is attacking certain specimens.

Thanks for the reply. I actually just got my ICP results back today. Here is the link:

https://www.triton-lab.de/en/showroom/icp-oes/178815

 

[ryshark]

i would consider doing a ICP-MS test to check out your trace elements to see if any are depleted. i run po4 .1-.4 and never had it as the reason for pale color. but also as hung says, possible that you have have white bugs that only is attacking certain specimens.

There are no bugs that I can find and its not all of the tenuis that are pale. I'm hoping to see an increase in color now that the 10-month old pre-filters to my RODI units have been changed out. And I recently changed 7-month old DI too, even though TDS was still reading 0.

 

[jackson6745]

I know this thread is old but I had a smiliar issue and found white bugs on the pale tenuis pieces and others pieces that went pale on me.

 

[ryshark]

I know this thread is old but I had a smiliar issue and found white bugs on the pale tenuis pieces and others pieces that went pale on me.

Thanks. It ended up being white bugs. The white bugs were very easy to get rid of and the acros got their color back soon after.

 

[Troylee]

Thanks. It ended up being white bugs. The white bugs were very easy to get rid of and the acros got their color back soon after.

I totally missed your questions about my reefbrites and it prolly isn’t relevant any more but there 10” off the waters surface on my tank. Lol

 

[Baby Damsel 219]

Use Chemi Pure to remove nitrates, nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, and silicates. Takes about a day or two to start to work. My tank was dying off and it saved my tank really fast. Keep doing water changes.

 

[Jan86]

Thanks. It ended up being white bugs. The white bugs were very easy to get rid of and the acros got their color back soon after.

How did you get rid of them?