STN with no reason

Zbutcher · May 5, 2022

Hey everyone,

My tank has been up for almost a year.

Its 180g 6'x3'x12" tall. Basically a large coral flat lol.

I have been waiting for it to be "ready for coral" but any time I try an a hardy SPS. It usually STNs after a month.

I have honestly been so confused and I genuinely have no idea why. So I decided to try LPS. I have a Duncan head doing great and a dispastrea doing good. But my Hollywood stunner completely bleached and died via STN.

I'm confused as all hell whats going on.

I use ONLY RODI water with 0 TDS. I use kalkwasser for PH buffer and calcium and alk.

Alk hovers from 9-9.3
Calcium is 400-450
Magnesium is 1300-1350.

I am so confused I got an ICP test. And I am posting the results for you guys here. There are a couple things that are a slight low or high but nothing crazy. Or am I just ignorant. Please let me know. All advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Triton Lab Showroom - Explore this water test results and click on the image above.

Someone wants to show you the water test results and shared this link to the evaluation. Click on the image above to explore the water test results.

www.triton-lab.de

Lanny · May 5, 2022

I'm gonna be crazy and say the fact that your "home kit testable" trace elements like iron is absolutely 0 that may be something. Iron is extremely important for photosynthesis. I would consider looking into trace elements for sure. Just my observation

I can't say for sure that's the issue, but I have seen an improvement once I started monitoring Iron potassium and iodine and added them do my dosing while changing no other variables.

Do you have say algae issues? I see you didn't post any of your organics.

Zbutcher · May 5, 2022

Lanny said:
I'm gonna be crazy and say the fact that your "home kit testable" trace elements like iron is absolutely 0 that may be something. Iron is extremely important for photosynthesis. I would consider looking into trace elements for sure. Just my observation

I can't say for sure that's the issue, but I have seen an improvement once I started monitoring Iron potassium and iodine and added them do my dosing while changing no other variables.

Do you have say algae issues? I see you didn't post any of your organics.

Oh sorry. No I don't have any algae issues.

Infact only coralline in the flat it's kind of odd lol. But I run algae scrubber.

I checked my nitrates and phosphates a couple weeks ago and my nitrates were 43
And phosohates were .19 but according to ICP which is most recent, my phosphates are .046

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 6, 2022

I do not see any huge concerns in the ICP, but you may fine iodine dosing useful (I did not), and a trace element supplement (iron, manganese, etc.) might be useful.

Zbutcher · May 6, 2022

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I do not see any huge concerns in the ICP, but you may fine iodine dosing useful (I did not), and a trace element supplement (iron, manganese, etc.) might be useful.

Hey Randy,

Really appreciate the input man thank you!

I am curious though, do you think STN without much reason is a bit extreme for what could be maybe a trace element thing? I would be shocked if adding trace elements all of a sudden stopped any coral death

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 7, 2022

Zbutcher said:
Hey Randy,

Really appreciate the input man thank you!

I am curious though, do you think STN without much reason is a bit extreme for what could be maybe a trace element thing? I would be shocked if adding trace elements all of a sudden stopped any coral death

Depends on how low. Corals absolutely require elements such as iron.