Is this STN?

[Syoung]

I don’t believe I need to dose, but I need to monitor my dKH more often. I had been checking only about monthly because my tank is ~8 months old now. I had never seen a significant change in dKH from around 8. I had last checked it mid January and it was the same as always, 7.6. I did not check it again until last weekend and found it to be 6.5. Since then I’ve doser some baking soda and checked daily. I brought the dKH up to ~8 and haven’t seen a change since I brought it up. I’m thinking I’ll just check it once or twice a week, but since I haven’t seen any drop this week maybe I just need to dose occasionally? If I’ve corrected the dKH from 6.5, do you think the STN will stop?

My thought process is that you'll want to routinely check alk in the beginning stages, since SPS are present.

For instance, after a water change alk may be 9 dKH, then over a two week period drop to 7 dKH. Then a water change brings it back up to 9.

Just an example, but at the beginning it is useful to estimate your daily consumption, and whether your water change schedule can replenish alk (and other compounds) while avoiding large swings. If not, a small bit of kalk in the ato could increase stability.

As for the current STN, it should halt with stable alk. Whether it regrows over that area, I'm not sure yet.

 

[KMench]

Yeah I’ll make sure to check the alk at least once a week from here on out. I checked it Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday this week with no noticable change. I’ll be sure to continue to check at least once or twice a week into the future. I’m ok if that region doesn’t grow back, I just want the coral to survive currently ;Blackeye

 

[Syoung]

Out of curiosity, what is your tank size, water change schedule, salt brand, and number of sps?

Also, are you seeing lots of coralline growth, or the rocks are already covered?

 

[KMench]

75 G tank with 30 g sump. Use Kent reef salt currently, there’s sporadic coralline growth nothing crazy. Might have a dozen and a half SPS frags. Some of the frags have encrusted and are growing but, they’re corals and don’t exactly grow that fast lol. My magnesium and calcium levels are both fine, alk was the only thing that dropped.

 

[markalot]

I don’t believe I need to dose, but I need to monitor my dKH more often. I had been checking only about monthly because my tank is ~8 months old now. I had never seen a significant change in dKH from around 8. I had last checked it mid January and it was the same as always, 7.6. I did not check it again until last weekend and found it to be 6.5. Since then I’ve doser some baking soda and checked daily. I brought the dKH up to ~8 and haven’t seen a change since I brought it up. I’m thinking I’ll just check it once or twice a week, but since I haven’t seen any drop this week maybe I just need to dose occasionally? If I’ve corrected the dKH from 6.5, do you think the STN will stop?

Depends on the overall health of each coral. I see some base recession at 6KH, usually ok between 6.5 and 7 but 7 is a good target. Even though the tank is new when you add SPS they start consuming Alk and Calcium. Water changes might be enough to start out but you may have to do some level of very small dosing to maintain 7. Just be careful, underdosing is better than overdosing.

In addition, SPS can grow fast, really fast. One of the things that make them fun, after the frustration of getting them healthy.

 

[blebs]

numbered according to how they were posted

1) non diagnostic
2) non diagnostic
3) STN
4) STN

 

[KMench]

Fragged the pink one when it continued. The frag didn't make it more than 24 hours. There is still a small area of tissue that's hanging on for life on the top of the initial frag that's left. I guess there's still a bit of hope.