SPS Bleaching

tcoyle · Dec 1, 2015

Hey local friends!

I am having a really hard time with my SPS now. As some of you remember I had a reagent issue with my Hanna Alk checker back in August and my Alk jumped from 8 to 12. Since I have resolved that issue my Alk has been fairly stable since October at 8-9 dkh.

But recently in the past month I have lost a bunch of SPS frags and more are starting to go now. They all start to bleach at the tips, then the base. My Joe the Coral is the latest to start going. I lost a sunset millie, enchinata, Sunset monti and my WWC rainbow monti is looking really bad.

So my question is could all this be from an Alk swing that happened back in October? When it happened I did not lose anything, but started losing items about a month later.

Current parameters:
Alk - 8.6
Calcium - 450
Mag - 1350
PH - 8.0 - 8.18
Salinity - 1.025
Nitrate - 3ppm
Phosphate - 0ppm

Dosing:

25 ml of 2 part daily.

I have been dosing potassium nitrates to get my NO3 up to 3ppm. I still can't get my phosphates up at all. I just took my GFO reactor offline about a week ago.

Any help would be appreciated as I am at a loss. My one mariculture mini Acro colony is doing great and my red planet is starting to color up nicely after the addition of NO3. But the rest of my SPS look like crap. Other corals are doing awesome and look amazing.

Thanks
Tim

roadrashpaul · Dec 1, 2015

What lights are you using? It t5 how old are the bulbs?

Change or add anything else in the past month or so? Gfo, pellets anything?

tcoyle · Dec 1, 2015

Lighting is 2 kessil 360we. Besides what I mentioned before on the potassium nitrates, only other thing was tiny bit of Red Sea Coral B (potassium) to see if that would bring my sunset monti back from being grey. But the bleaching on the other SPS were already happening before I added this.

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

Are you dosing magnesium with your 2 part Tim ? Also are you testing your phosphates with a Hanna checker? If yes you might want to start dosing some coral foods or feeding the tank more to get your phosphates up to at least between .02 and .08

tcoyle · Dec 2, 2015

I am not dosing magnesium as my testing shows the tank to be in the 1300-1400 range. Yes checking phosphates with the Hanna checker. I have been putting in some coral food, but guess I still need to add more. Thanks for the replies!

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

Tim you still have to dose magnesium when dosing 2 part.

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

For every gallon of brs 2 part added you have to add 20oz of the brs magnesium mix. I believe is 20oz but let me check

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

20 oz is right

tcoyle · Dec 2, 2015

ok.. even if I am testing in the ideal range? I just bought a new test kit to make sure its not off. I had been using RSCP for a while and the last 3 months changed to 4:1 ratio of RS and RSCP. So normally my water changes have kept my mag stable. I am now on straight RS.

Although 20 oz seems like a lot.. thats close to 600 ml, obviously I don't want to dose that all at once?

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

Tim 20oz if for every 1 gallon that you have dosed but you can spread it. Even if your magnesium number is in the ideal rage you have to dose magnesium when you are dosing 2 part.

A "third" part of this additive system contains magnesium, sulfate, and chloride. It needs to be added only once in a while at a fixed rate relative to the other two parts. It cannot be readily combined with either of the other parts, based on the ingredients discussed here that are readily available to aquarists (commercial systems may have more chemicals to select from, such as sodium sulfate, allowing more flexibility). This third part is necessary to prevent magnesium depletion, and to prevent abnormal chloride and sulfate ratios in the aquarium.

Source:http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

tcoyle · Dec 2, 2015

got it.. i read that it says an appropriate amount. So I was just testing and being in the ideal range thought I was still ok. I will add some tonight. Still where did you get the 20 oz per gallon of 2 part solution. I believe you, but that seems like a ton. Like I said thats almost 600 ml. If I calculate my dosing of 2 part over 30 days, I am around 750 ml a month. So the 600 ml of mag, just seems high.

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

Is on the brs instructions and video. Also is on that article under dosing part 3 it states to add 2.5 cups of the solution I believe.

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

This is from that article.

Recipe #1, Part 3B

Dissolve a 64-ounce container of Epsom salts (about 8 cups) in enough purified freshwater to make 1 gallon total volume. This solution is added much less frequently than the other two parts. Each time you finish adding a gallon of both parts of Recipe #1, add 610 mL (2 ½ cups) of this stock solution. It can be added all at once or over time as you choose, depending on the aquarium's size and set up. Add it to a high flow area, preferably a sump. In a very small aquarium, or one without a sump, I suggest adding it slowly.

tcoyle · Dec 2, 2015

you rock.. thanks.. I totally missed that! I was just testing and assumed I was still ok.. Learning can be expensive some times!

.AcroKiller. · Dec 2, 2015

Yea lots of people always forget the 3rd part.

reefwiser · Dec 2, 2015

Best to here it from the person who developed the 3 part method
Hans-Werner Balling

I use straight Balling as it is a higher grade of material than the BRS and so last me a lot longer.

tcoyle · Dec 2, 2015

Thanks guys, this may very well be my issue!

Jimbo · Dec 2, 2015

iiluisii said:
Tim you still have to dose magnesium when dosing 2 part.

I'm pretty sure BRS states this as a guide line and not a definite amount. The amount of magnesium needed is going to vary from tank to tank.

The way I understand it is to test magnesium and try to stay in the general range of about 1280-1350, some go higher , some stay a little lower than that.

If your magnesium is low, dose it. If it is within range why add it? That's the way I've always done it anyway.