Monitpora color pale!

[Flippers4pups]

Since your are dosing K3PO4, not sure if you need to test potassium but if sps and acros are the direction, it wouldn't hurt.

Not sure if .02% soluble potassium and available phosphate of .03% is much to worry about. But on the K side, it would be nice to know how much is in the system.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Day 3. And we are P04 limited. 0.00
Upping K03P04 dosing to 25ml!
Fingers crossed AGAIN!

 

[reeferfoxx]

Day 3. And we are P04 limited. 0.00
Upping K03P04 dosing to 25ml!
Fingers crossed AGAIN!

Any changes regarding refugium or coral?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Any changes regarding refugium or coral?

Some improvement in color, but it's subjective at this point. Polyp extension looks good. Chaetomorpha is the same.

Before dosing again, I'll test for N03.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Well adding 25ml of P04 Yesterday must have finally helped. N03 is down to 20. That's good, but the montipora's are still pale. It's either low K or something else!

I'm seriously thinking about sending off a ICP test to see where I'm at. Seriously.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Well adding 25ml of P04 Yesterday must have finally helped. N03 is down to 20. That's good, but the montipora's are still pale. It's either low K or something else!

I'm seriously thinking about sending off a ICP test to see where I'm at. Seriously.

When is the last time you did a water change?

 

[Flippers4pups]

When is the last time you did a water change?

Last weekend. 25 gallons.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Last weekend. 25 gallons.

I would like to see a little more time involved going the nutrient route but if it isnt a trace element limitation or an excess of a particular heavy metal, then I'm all out of suggestions

 

[Flippers4pups]

I would like to see a little more time involved going the nutrient route but if it isnt a trace element limitation or an excess of a particular heavy metal, then I'm all out of suggestions

I'm not ruling out stress as well. These issues don't correct themselves overnight, I agree. Got to give it a month or two to see if lowering N03 and adding P04 helps.

Speculation is the only thing left after that. That's why a ICP test may be needed.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Speculation is the only thing left after that. That's why a ICP test may be needed.

Rhetorically speaking, IF the ICP test shows something, what would fix it?

Water change, poly filter pads, cuprisorb, or just plain old trace element dosings such as Kent Trace elements. If funds are an issue, I would start with TDS measurements from rodi, look for any rusted equipment, keep hands out of the tank, and start with a larger water change. That's just some things I do when something looks off.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Rhetorically speaking, IF the ICP test shows something, what would fix it?

Water change, poly filter pads, cuprisorb, or just plain old trace element dosings such as Kent Trace elements. If funds are an issue, I would start with TDS measurements from rodi, look for any rusted equipment, keep hands out of the tank, and start with a larger water change. That's just some things I do when something looks off.

TDS at RO/DI is 0. Fairly new pre sentiment filter, carbon blocks and DI was repacked at the same time. Check.

No rusted equipment. Check.

Contaminants. Unknown. Wouldn't know where they would have come from, but it's possible. Unchecked.

Trace elements low or depleted. Unknown. Unchecked. I do have some Kent elements around that is still good, but I really don't like dosing what I can't test.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Trace elements low or depleted. Unknown. Unchecked. I do have some Kent elements around that is still good, but I really don't like dosing what I can't test.

I agree, though it was either Sanjay or Mike palleta that did a article about trace elements and ultimately said that dosing trace elements didn't improve their tank nor did over dosing create a negative impact. I think the caveat was that there were no issues with the tank to begin with so dosing trace elements made no effect. The moral here is dosing or over dosing shouldnt create an issue. I would just dose the recommended amount and leave the tank alone. If you see an improvement, bonus. If not, oh well.

https://reefbuilders.com/2017/02/11/trace-elements/

 

[miPapareef]

@Flippers4pups - Checking back in and wondering if additional time with PO4 helped your corals out and/or lowered the nitrate.

 

[Flippers4pups]

@Flippers4pups - Checking back in and wondering if additional time with PO4 helped your corals out and/or lowered the nitrate.

Sorry for no update. The P04 addition hasn't brought down the N03. It's still at 40ppm. It has helped coral health. Tissue has increased on some of them. Color has improved, but not completely back to where it should be. But, without a doubt it has helped.

I have continued dosing 20 ml once a week and test for levels weekly to keep it at 0.02 -0.04.

 

[John3]

I just went through something very similar. I typically run higher nitrates around 15 which everything I have does fine with. I got lazy and stopped checking my nitrates. I first noticed my montis started turning brownish and pale in the middle. The new growth still seemed fairly colorful.

So I started testing everything again and whoops my nitrates were 40ish. I have since brought them back to 15 over a few weeks and my montis colored up super orange again.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I just went through something very similar. I typically run higher nitrates around 15 which everything I have does fine with. I got lazy and stopped checking my nitrates. I first noticed my montis started turning brownish and pale in the middle. The new growth still seemed fairly colorful.

So I started testing everything again and whoops my nitrates were 40ish. I have since brought them back to 15 over a few weeks and my montis colored up super orange again.

Water changes in my system will do nothing more than add some trace elements and dilute what's in there now. Doing water changes to lower any elevated N03 and or P04 in this system is moot. Growing macro algae such chaetomorpha is promising but at this point may take a 5 gallon bucket full, which I'm now at half of that in the sump. It's definitely growing, but not fast enough to impact it's level.

I know what lacking , based on my carbon dosing issues, anaerobic zones.

With a 1-1 1/2" sand bed, high flow in the DT and a basement sump with a decent amount of flow through it, there's is a ton of oxygen laden water in this system. I don't have a sand bed in my refugium section with the chaetomorpha. It would have to be a DSB to have any impact. This may be something I do soon to see it it helps before doing a sulfur denitrator reactor. But I'm still gathering information and what's needed to do one if a DSB doesn't work.

 

[dave57]

Following this is very interesting. I’ve had my k+ at 276 before and here was my monti cap couple days before the triton test.

 

[dave57]

And here is my monti cap at nitrates at 50 ppm