Need Help - Corals Look Pale

[JCOLE]

Hello everyone,

A couple things have happened over the last couple days that could have led up to my corals looking pale. My corals looked good yesterday and now this.

My parameters are

Alk - 9.1
Calcium - 482
Magnesium - 1280
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0.20
Salinity - 1.026

I was dosing 2-part for the last week but stopped because I need to wait for my tank to stabilize. Letting my tank drop down to around 8.3. Currently dropping .10 dkh everyday.

Phosphates were in the upper 30's-40's last week. I started using Phosguard on my tank Wednesday night and now they are down to .20.

A couple things that might be a cause that happened last night.

1- could be the phosguard?
2- I made a DIY Aiptasia zapper wand to clear out some aiptasia. I made it quick and wasnt thinking. I stripped two wires for the - and +. I was using the tip of the + wire to zap the Aiptasia. I did it about 15 times. Didnt think until I was done that it was COPPER wire. Could this affect the coral?
3 - during my zapping I briefly touched some palys which I think caused them to release some palytoxin in the water. If so can this cause issues with corals?

I cannot bring up my nitrates for anything. I dose loudwolf sodium nitrate about 1-2ppm everynight and it is still reading 0. I have a fuge with Chaeto and mangroves that might be slowing the nitrates?

 

[JCOLE]

Although not SPS. But my waving hand Anthelia is a white color. It normally is a pinkish/brown color but there is a section that is white now. Hard to tell with the lighting though.

 

[TX_Punisher]

Your fuge is consuming the n03. Slowly increase the dosage while testing until you get some color on the test kit.

Electricity/current in a reef tank is known to cause issues with inhabitants. Can’t tell you for sure if that was the cause but I doubt it helped.

Up the doser slowly until you start to show some no3.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Having the same problem with my chalice. I have no no3 and very low po4 though unlike your high levels.

 

[JCOLE]

Your fuge is consuming the n03. Slowly increase the dosage while testing until you get some color on the test kit.

Electricity/current in a reef tank is known to cause issues with inhabitants. Can’t tell you for sure if that was the cause but I doubt it helped.

Up the doser slowly until you start to show some no3.

I installed a ground probe in my DT about a month ago. Hopefully that would help dissipate any current.

Do you think the phosgaurd could be an issue?

 

[Ike]

What's your fish load like? What are you using to test phosphate and nitrate? Are you feeding your fish well? This is likely a reaction to the phosban and you driving nitrates and/or phosphates too low. Do not just dump more of some type of nitrates supplement in there until you understand what's going on as you may do a lot more damage. Your tank looks practically sterile and I would bet there's no way you were or are actually at .20 for phosphate

 

[Ike]

And no, this has nothing to do with grounding probes, stray voltage, or palytoxin... There is no good evidence that that stuff is much of a factor in healthy corals one way or another.

 

[JCOLE]

What's your fish load like? What are you using to test phosphate and nitrate? Are you feeding your fish well? This is likely a reaction to the phosban and you driving nitrates and/or phosphates too low. Do not just dump more of some type of nitrates supplement in there until you understand what's going on as you may do a lot more damage. Your tank looks practically sterile and I would bet there's no way you were or are actually at .20

Tank is 150 gallons. Upgraded from a 55g two months ago. I added my existing live rock to new dry rock. Dry rock was curing for a little over a month. I was suspecting that the new rock was leaching phosphates because it steadily increased from .06 to .46 in a matter of a couple weeks.

Fish load is not heavy. Have a maroon clown, a couple damsels, and a couple chromis. I feed a couple small times a day and reef roids every two days.

I am testing phosphates with Hanna ULR checker and Nitrates with Red Sea. Have yet to see a slight hint of pink on the Red Sea Colorimeter wheel.

Did a 20 gallon water change earlier in hope's that might help.

 

[Ike]

It's likely the phosban one way or another, even if PO4 really is that high, and there have been plenty of people that have had issues with corals bleaching or RTN'ing from using GFO and seemingly related to dropping phosphates too quickly. I would verify your test results elsewhere if possible, because you tank does not look like one that has high phosphates. I'd suggest adding some fish and feeding them well; your corals will thank you. Just dumping some nitrate supplement in isn't going to help.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I installed a ground probe in my DT about a month ago. Hopefully that would help dissipate any current.

Do you think the phosgaurd could be an issue?

I think so. I used phosguard a long time ago and I had 3 frags rtn the next day. Chasing low po4 with absorbing products always caused me more problems than it helped. I’ve had much better growth and coloring not worrying about po4 or no3.

 

[JCOLE]

I was adding Phosguard because my LPS was not looking good but my SPS was. I added the Phosguard and my LPS looked great the next 2 days after until today...

 

[Punchanello]

I think it is the Phosphate remover too.

My LPS and SPS look very very similar to yours but that's after 3 months fallow. I have been feeding heavily but I imagine the end result is the same as using too much GFO, very low N and P and very pale corals.

 

[ambrosiozoa]

what is the tank temp at? any swings/changes throughout the day or week?

 

[JCOLE]

I think it is the Phosphate remover too.

My LPS and SPS look very very similar to yours but that's after 3 months fallow. I have been feeding heavily but I imagine the end result is the same as using too much GFO, very low N and P and very pale corals.

I stopped the Phosguard and fingers are crossed their color will come back.

 

[JCOLE]

what is the tank temp at? any swings/changes throughout the day or week?

Now in the summertime around 77.8 mornings and up to around 78.8 at peak of day.

It has been this way for a couple weeks now.

 

[Ike]

Just realized you're using phosguard, which is aluminum oxide based product (not GFO) and often stresses out octocorals and some type of corals even more than GFO based PO4 removers. Leeching of some type has been speculated as the cause.

 

[JCOLE]

Just realized you're using phosguard, which is aluminum oxide based product (not GFO) and often stresses out octocorals and some type of corals even more than GFO based PO4 removers. Leeching of some type has been speculated as the cause.

I stopped the Phosguard. I am going to do water changes everyday for a week. Do you think this is a good idea?

 

[Ike]

I stopped the Phosguard. I am going to do water changes everyday for a week. Do you think this is a good idea?

The negative effects don't seem to be lasting, so don't worry too much about what it may have leeched. Regarding water changes, do one or two decent size (25ish%) if you'd like. No need to get carried away and do one every day though.

 

[ckalupa]

The only time I have seen Xenia family animals turn pale was related to too much lighting in range with the parameters you have listed.

It is the dandelion of the reef tank IMO

 

[Undertaker]

Tank is 150 gallons. Upgraded from a 55g two months ago. I added my existing live rock to new dry rock. Dry rock was curing for a little over a month. I was suspecting that the new rock was leaching phosphates because it steadily increased from .06 to .46 in a matter of a couple weeks.

Fish load is not heavy. Have a maroon clown, a couple damsels, and a couple chromis. I feed a couple small times a day and reef roids every two days.

I am testing phosphates with Hanna ULR checker and Nitrates with Red Sea. Have yet to see a slight hint of pink on the Red Sea Colorimeter wheel.

Did a 20 gallon water change earlier in hope's that might help.

I use to use Red Sea to test nitrates and switched to salifert. Best thing I ever did. Easier to use and a more accurate reading.