I really messed up

[Phildago]

Guys, I really messed up on this one. I was using an api phosphate test, and it kept coming up as 0.25... So I divided to employ some gfo before it could get out of hand.

The GFO must've bottomed out my phosphate because a bunch of my corals started bleaching. I pulled it as soon as I realized the bleaching had begun and I'm hoping they recover quickly, but wow what a mistake.

It seems like some corals are still losing color, does anybody know how long this might go on for presuming all other conditions remain the same?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I honestly don't think that's it. How much time elapsed between adding the GFO and the bleaching episode?

I would pull the GFO and add some activated carbon in case some poison entered the system.

How stable has your alkalinity been?

 

[Billldg]

What are you tank parameters at. If your phosphates are at 0 ppm then it could bleach out corals, but it usually needs something along with it to cause it.

 

[Phildago]

I honestly don't think that's it. How much time elapsed between adding the GFO and the bleaching episode?

I would pull the GFO and add some activated carbon in case some poison entered the system.

How stable has your alkalinity been?

~2-3 weeks from adding to bleaching.

Alkalinity has been rock solid at 8.2 until the bleaching and it has now creeped up to 8.6 but I'm modifying my dosing to account for that.

Calcium 408 also rock solid between 402 and 408 this whole time.

Salinity has been 34-36 ppt with no sharp swings, just basic fluctuation from skimmate removal.

Ive had carbon running and just changed it to fresh just in case.

What are you tank parameters at. If your phosphates are at 0 ppm then it could bleach out corals, but it usually needs something along with it to cause it.

Honestly, I don't trust the test, so I didn't bother even trying again. Maybe if I had a better method to test it'd be worth a try, but I'm certain it was the phosphates because the only times I've seen anything like this before is with low phosphates/nitrates in the past when I carbon dosed.

Still having growth and the corals are very much alive, but the color is faded. They could potentially die if the trend continues but they're okay for now.

 

[Phildago]

Oh, and my macro algae died off pretty rapidly in this time frame. Another hint to a nutrient deficiency

 

[Billldg]

Low nutrients will cause bleaching if your lighting par is high enough, I believe the same go’s for alk as well.

 

[Triggreef]

Large amounts of GFO can deplete alk quickly and cause some damage. I swore off GFO years ago and gave up testing for po4 and no3. Theres a lot of it and it doesn't hurt anything. It also leaches off iron which helps nothing.

 

[Billldg]

If it’s possible I would purchase a ULR Hanna phosphate checker. If your phosphates have bottomed out then I would start to raise them slowly, but don’t chase numbers as the corals are already a little stressed.

 

[Phildago]

Low nutrients will cause bleaching if your lighting par is high enough, I believe the same go’s for alk as well.

I think this is my case. Everything sits between 450 and 125. Led t5 hybrid. I have some pieces that I've fragged and moved throughout the tank, and only the higher par pieces have bleached so far.

I turned down the par a bit to help prevent anything further until I get some color back and can reacclimate them

 

[flyfisherman]

Guys, I really messed up on this one. I was using an api phosphate test, and it kept coming up as 0.25... So I divided to employ some gfo before it could get out of hand.

The GFO must've bottomed out my phosphate because a bunch of my corals started bleaching. I pulled it as soon as I realized the bleaching had begun and I'm hoping they recover quickly, but wow what a mistake.

It seems like some corals are still losing color, does anybody know how long this might go on for presuming all other conditions remain the same?

some of your corals will die, some might make it, but the ones turning white very well could die. Toss the GFO its not worth it.

fwiw-the only time i ever bleached a coral to death was introducing GFO.

 

[Phildago]

Large amounts of GFO can deplete alk quickly and cause some damage. I swore off GFO years ago and gave up testing for po4 and no3. Theres a lot of it and it doesn't hurt anything. It also leaches off iron which helps nothing.

I am now sworn off. I wasn't testing it, but have been having great success and figured I could try to get ahead of any potential problems by testing. Obviously this turned into the opposite for me.

Honestly, I just didn't think it was possible to do this with a single round of GFO. I was figuring it was a potential issue with long term use.

If it’s possible I would purchase a ULR Hanna phosphate checker. If your phosphates have bottomed out then I would start to raise them slowly, but don’t chase numbers as the corals are already a little stressed.

Its not, I'm starting a full time program at school and money's short at the moment. I got a ATI lab test kit for Christmas that I'll be sending out tomorrow though.

How would you go about bring phosphate back up?

My plan as of now is to just feed some extra until I start getting an algae film on my glass daily, then cut back little bit by bit on the feeding until I have my balance again.

 

[Phildago]

some of your corals will die, some might make it, but the ones turning white very well could die. Toss the GFO its not worth it.

fwiw-the only time i ever bleached a coral to death was introducing GFO.

GFO is gone for good. So is my trying to get ahead of possible issues when there are none currently... Which is what caused this to happen. Everything was going great, I got bored and started looking for a problem to solve and just caused an actual problem.

Next time I'm just going to build a cabinet from the spare wood I have or work on the reef pi I have lying around.

 

[Billldg]

I am now sworn off. I wasn't testing it, but have been having great success and figured I could try to get ahead of any potential problems by testing. Obviously this turned into the opposite for me.

Honestly, I just didn't think it was possible to do this with a single round of GFO. I was figuring it was a potential issue with long term use.




Its not, I'm starting a full time program at school and money's short at the moment. I got a ATI lab test kit for Christmas that I'll be sending out tomorrow though.

How would you go about bring phosphate back up?

My plan as of now is to just feed some extra until I start getting an algae film on my glass daily, then cut back little bit by bit on the feeding until I have my balance again.

I have had good luck with NeoPhos, simple calculations to get what you want. If I am raising my tanks P04 then I would add enough to raise it to .02 ppm and then test the next day. Remember, GFO works very well and could have actually stripped it out of your sand, if you have a sand bed, as well. So it may take a little while, but don’t chase numbers. Bring it up slowly.

 

[Billldg]

I have a 120 gal total water volume tank, so I add 5 cap fulls to raise it .02 ppm as per their calculations, and testing their calculations it is pretty close. Remember though, sand, rock, corals, and anything else will also be consuming what you add which is why it may take a little while.

 

[Phildago]

I have had good luck with NeoPhos, simple calculations to get what you want. If I am raising my tanks P04 then I would add enough to raise it to .02 ppm and then test the next day. Remember, GFO works very well and could have actually stripped it out of your sand, if you have a sand bed, as well. So it may take a little while, but don’t chase numbers. Bring it up slowly.

Shoot. I have a dsb in my sump. I'm definitely not going to chase any number here.

Have you heard of anyone having luck with dosing red sea reef energy? It's what I have on hand currently, and although not exactly phosphate, it contains fatty acids which theoretically should increase phosphate.

 

[flyfisherman]

i would quit the hobby if I had to manage and test phosphates/nutrients the way some people do on these boards.

let the tank balance itself. if you want lower phosphates/nutrients add more coral or wait for your coral to grow and consume the excess!! in the meantime keep a good cleanup crew to clear whatever algae is eating it.

 

[flyfisherman]

feed the tank a little extra for a few days. that will bump up the nutrients naturally, no?

 

[Phildago]

i would quit the hobby if I had to manage and test phosphates/nutrients the way some people do on these boards.

let the tank balance itself. if you want lower phosphates/nutrients add more coral or wait for your coral to grow and consume the excess!! in the meantime keep a good cleanup crew to clear whatever algae is eating it.

I'll be doing this. I do have red sea reef energy which I figured couldn't hurt to dose, and will be feeding a bit heavier until I see some color come back. My clean up crew is starving and ready to go at this point. Hopefully not starving to death, but we will see

 

[Phildago]

feed the tank a little extra for a few days. that will bump up the nutrients naturally, no?

I don't see why not. Here's where my current issue lies.. Will the bleaching continue now that the GFO is gone and I'm introducing more phosphates? Do I need to drastically cut back on my lights in the meantime to save my corals? Or should it just start going uphill since my lights are moderately reduced and nutrients are being supplied?

 

[Billldg]

Shoot. I have a dsb in my sump. I'm definitely not going to chase any number here.

Have you heard of anyone having luck with dosing red sea reef energy? It's what I have on hand currently, and although not exactly phosphate, it contains fatty acids which theoretically should increase phosphate.

I’m not sure, I have used either NeoNitro and NeoPhos to raise either N04 and P04, You can feed the tank to raise P04, but remember it will also raise N03 as well. Whatever you do, I think you will recover from this, no problem.