STN on Favia's, other LPS

[Catra2030]

For the past 2-3 weeks I've been having some issues with tissue recession mainly on my favia's and 2 chalices to be exact. Before I get into it I'll provide the important information. My parameters are as follows and have not changed since atleast November to the best of my knowledge. Temp 77.8, pH 8.0, Amm, Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates .02ppm, PO4 0.04, Calcium 420, Alk 8.9 and Mg 1320-1350. Not exactly happy with my Alk and Mg levels, but they've been this way for months on end. I also run ROX carbon, but recently switched over to ROWA during my last water change.

My 120 has been set up going on 2.5 years now, but it has been fishless since september due to an ich issue. Within the past month to month and a half I've also siphoned portions of my .75 inch thick sandbed in three areas, each during a water change. Below are my thoughts on why this may be happening, wondering if anyone else has had these same issues due to any of my following thoughts

1. Lack of nutrients due to the tank being void of all fish for 5.5-6 months. I've since removed my skimmer to see if things turn around over the next few weeks. I have noticed that the recession is limited to the edges and at night and during the day they seem to be casting what looks like fishing line, like what corals cast when they are too close to another. But it makes me believe they are actually stinging themselves, cannibalizing their flesh and or eliminating it and thus creating less that needs food.
2. Water changes, maybe a bad batch of salt, but these issues showed up towards the end of my current bucket of salt. Reef Crystals. Or the siphoning stirred things up?
3. My source water, I have city water, run a 5 stage unit and all stages were replaced at the end of October, maybe something is getting through.]

Let me know what you think or any questions, thanks.

mike

 

[Nickel9]

I'm having similar issues with my favia and nearly identical parameters. All other coral are thriving. I'll let you know if I find anything in my research on the issue.

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[joeyhatch11]

Same here. My parameters are fine and my sps, favia and one acan lord are looking crappy. Everything else in the tank is doing fine. I did a 15g WC, usually only do 5-6g. I hope it turns around because i too don't know the cause.

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[joeyhatch11]

Good luck with yours

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[Catra2030]

I've checked everything, absolutely everything and right now I'm down to a few things that could be the cause, RO unit needs new filters again, poor nutrients in the tank, white band disease which I've only reverse through fragging, or some mysterious and small organism that likes to munch on my favias. Last ditch effort will be a treatment with interceptor.

With that said, I have noticed that cut a few favias back slightly just to remove the edges that were showing signs of necrosis and did a dip with coral rx. Some seem to be doing better, some are the same, its just so slow that I don't really a difference unti a whole eye or half an eye is gone. I'll keep you posted, but I don't think I'll see any solid results for a few weeks.

 

[joeyhatch11]

Im just going to stick with my weekly water changes, feed like I do every other day and dose as needed. Im going to wait it out and see what happens, I have been told though that when STN or RTN happens its a slow process to bounce back from. Sometimes taking 1-3 months to see a change. Most of the time leading to a few corals losses. Right now Ive lost 5 frang, all sps too. I've seen my acan's do this before one other time but it only lasted maybe 2 weeks and them it was growing again. Right now it's been a good 7-8 weeks and Im starting to worry. The last thing I want to do is panic and dose something in the tank that's only going to make matters worse or even kill my fish.

 

[Catra2030]

I'll keep this thread updated as I see noticeable changes but from here on out I'm going to take the following actions. As of now my skimmer has been taken off line but I will continue to run my filter socks. I will continue to target feed 2-3 times a week and broadcast feed phyto 2-3 times a week (or atleast try). I will be performing 20 gallon water changes bi-weekly over a period of a few hours. I'm also going to replace all RODI filters and pick up some test kits from spectrapure to test for chlorine and CO2, as well as a HACH CN-70 test kit for chlorine since its capable of reading minor levels. I'm also going to start adding fish, my Yellow tang is serving his last week in the QT tank, and then its on to aquiring and QT'ing the 3 wrasse that I'd like to get for 3 weeks. During this time all testing, dosing will continue as normal.

I do agree joeyhatch11, any signs of improvement won't be seen for several weeks. If things don't turn around or I don't find the reason for this my only conclusion for my issues would be white band disease, which I've only stopped through fragging. Thats what I'm leaning towards now due to all my other corals not having any issues except 2 chalices. I however am hesitant to confirm white band disease becuase the recession is not uniform like I've observed in the past and the one coral that I fragged back is still receeding. So....we shall see what happens and I will keep this thread posted.

 

[TulsaTye]

How's the water flow on the coral with receding tissue?

 

[Catra2030]

All the corals showing recession are located in areas of indirect water flow ranging from moderate to low. I've moved several out of areas with direct flow thinking that may be contributing to this, but at this point in time my favia collection numbers in the 40's, and given all their locations and flow patterns, one particular set of conditions do not seem to be showing signs of more/less recession verses another set.