SPS browning and turns into white

[nanchil]

My tank is up and running for more than 18 months. After getting the water stability for more than 6 months , I decided to add some “easy” sps frags. Couple of the frags are turning brown and this morning I saw it’s turning white. What’s going on here ? Thanks in advance for the help.


My water parameter as of yesterday evening. And my average for the last one month. Using NOPOX to control Nitrate and Phosphate.

Temp - 78 ~ 79
PH - 7.9 ~ 8.1 Apex
Alk - 8.12 ~ 8.4 Redsea
Ca - 430 ~ 460 Redsea
Mg - 1220 ~ 1430 Redsea
Nitrate - 0 ~ .2 Salifert
Phosphate - 0 - .125 Salifert

Thanks

 

[Hitman]

Get a better PO4 test as it could be to high. What's work flow like?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

It’s the nopox. I had that happen when using nopox 2 years ago. Lowering no3/po4 artificially will kill acros much faster and more often than having high no3 and po4. My no3 is 20 and po4 is 0.25 and I have beautiful fast growing acros.
Stop chasing low nutrients.

What is your lighting?


https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/some-crazy-6-week-growth.598383/

 

[nanchil]

Get a better PO4 test as it could be to high. What's work flow like?

What test kit you recommend ? I read and was told that Salifert is a good one. I had Hanna kit and I was not happry with that. In fact I sold that one right here sometime back. I have 2 MP40s for the flow. Its is Read Sea 525XL tank.

 

[nanchil]

It’s the nopox. I had that happen when using nopox 2 years ago. Lowering no3/po4 artificially will kill acros much faster and more often than having high no3 and po4. My no3 is 20 and po4 is 0.25 and I have beautiful fast growing acros.
Stop chasing low nutrients.

What is your lighting?


https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/some-crazy-6-week-growth.598383/

I have 3 AI 26 led .. Its a Redsea 525 XL tank.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I have 3 AI 26 led .. Its a Redsea 525 XL tank.

How many gallons is the 525 and what is your ai program? I have 52’s and 26’s and a par meter

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

How many gallons is the 525 and what is your ai program? I have 52’s and 26’s and a par meter

Never mind I looked it up. 3-hydra 26 HD’s isn’t much light for a 108 gallons.

 

[Hitman]

What test kit you recommend ? I read and was told that Salifert is a good one. I had Hanna kit and I was not happry with that. In fact I sold that one right here sometime back. I have 2 MP40s for the flow. Its is Read Sea 525XL tank.

Salifert is good but if you have patience Hanna is best.

 

[nanchil]

Never mind I looked it up. 3-hydra 26 HD’s isn’t much light for a 108 gallons.

But do you really think the light is the problem? I am not sure on that one.

 

[nanchil]

Salifert is good but if you have patience Hanna is best.

So should I try Red Sea phosphate kit ? Do you think the phosphate is the problem? I can run the GFO if needed ...

 

[Hitman]

It very well can be and with a result of 0 to 0.125 that’s a big gap. Anytime mine gets over 0.08 mine start to turn brown. I lost all my sps last year from high PO4. Now I have to dose it as I always test zero.

 

[Hitman]

But do you really think the light is the problem? I am not sure on that one.

That is a bit on the low end. What setting and intensity are they at?

 

[nanchil]

It very well can be and with a result of 0 to 0.125 that’s a big gap. Anytime mine gets over 0.08 mine start to turn brown. I lost all my sps last year from high PO4. Now I have to dose it as I always test zero.

Thanks. But I was told to have little PO4 and not to maintain 0 .... will get Redsea kit and test. Anything else I should check ? Any other parameters out of range ? How about Alk ?
Thanks

 

[nanchil]

That is a bit on the low end. What setting and intensity are they at?

I did download this setting from their website. It was recommended by lot of people

Thanks

 

[Hitman]

Thanks. But I was told to have little PO4 and not to maintain 0 .... will get Redsea kit and test. Anything else I should check ? Any other parameters out of range ? How about Alk ?
Thanks

Everything else looks good. Yes you want PO4 best to keep it at 0.02 and 5 to 10 ppm NO3 in my experience. I have to dose both if I don’t I go right to zero.

 

[nanchil]

Everything else looks good. Yes you want PO4 best to keep it at 0.02 and 5 to 10 ppm NO3 in my experience. I have to dose both if I don’t I go right to zero.

Thanks

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

But do you really think the light is the problem? I am not sure on that one.

Depends on your settings. But low light will definitely over a long period of time will starve sps. 90% of their energy comes from light. Combine low light with stripping the water by using nopox, gfo, etc and they will shut down and wither away. I bet they slowly retracted their polyps, started to look dark, dried up with thin flesh and finally the flesh started to peel away.
Am I on the right track? That’s what I experienced my first year listening to all the “acro know it alls”.
“Your po4 should below 0.05”, “Your no3 is too high, dose nopox”, “It looks like led burn, turn your lights down.”
Wrong!!!! All wrong!!!! They couldn’t be more wrong. My single hydra 52 HD settings over my 50 gallon cube was barely generating 175 par in the center and less than 100 outside of that. Now my no3/po4 is much higher than recommended and my acros are colorful and growing very well.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

So should I try Red Sea phosphate kit ? Do you think the phosphate is the problem? I can run the GFO if needed ...

This is a great plan if you enjoy watching sps slowly die.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

That converts to 0.12 po4
Honestly that’s a little lower than I like. Time for more fish poop. But don’t take my word or picture proof for it. Here’s a link from a very popular vendor who makes part of his living selling acros.
https://battlecorals.com/blogs/blog/185869191-phosphate-ramblings

 

[Jinko]

I'd agree, stop dosing nopox, you would be better off growing cheato if that's an option.
I don't think lighting is the issue, if you are new to sps, start with montipora and stylophora and go from there.
The success of keeping corals is dependant on how stabile your water parameters are as well, so focus on nailing that down.