White tips on acro

Reef Hammer · Apr 16, 2019

I know you guys have probably looked at something similar a thousand times, but as a fairly new person I could use some help. Here are the water parameters first:

Kh: 8.8
Ca: 475
NO3: 0
PO4: 0
Salinity: 1.027 (35ppm)
Mg: 1560

I am doing a small adjustment to the triton dosing I am running. Dialing it down just a little. I do see some strands of “mucous” coming from it. Any help is appreciated!

It has been in the tank for almost two months and just noticed this in the past week.

BestMomEver · Apr 16, 2019

You’re parameters seem fine. What lights do you use? How old is your tank? I would guess it’s a light issue or some sort of parasite. Did you dip them?

AngryMike2016 · Apr 16, 2019

I wouldn't keep nitrates and phosphates at 0; they're building blocks for coral.

Reef Hammer · Apr 16, 2019

BestMomEver said:
You’re parameters seem fine. What lights do you use? How old is your tank? I would guess it’s a light issue or some sort of parasite. Did you dip them?

I have a T5 LED hybrid (4 T 5s and 2 Kessil 360). Kessils get up to 55% intensity and color (running off an Apex with a total time of 12 hours) and the T 5s are 3 actinic plus and one coral plus and run for about 5 hours in the middle of the day.

Tank has been running for a little over a year. I have a few birds nest that have been growing nicely, two anacropora that are growing as well as a Millie that I got the same time that is showing good crusting on the plug and is starting to grow another branch.

I did dip with coral rx. Should I do another dip? Decided to try an acro now that tank is over a year. I am a little discouraged.

I also have some zoas, Goni, and torch corals which are all doing well and growing.

I appreciate the help!

Reef Hammer · Apr 16, 2019

Suggestions on how to get nitrates and phosphates up? I am all ears! I feed fish twice daily and use bra reef chili a couple times a week. Can’t get them to go up!

AngryMike2016 · Apr 16, 2019

I use Neophos for phosphate, works great. Brightwell also makes Neonitro for nitrates. Good products.

Jason Hieger · Apr 17, 2019

Don't go dosing things! You may loose one but dont risk the rest of your corals you listed as fine for the one you are concerned about. Just my opinion thought. Good luck!

dean.reef · Apr 17, 2019

If your po4and no3 are really zero 8.8alk is high in unls highest I would go is 7.5alk,general rule is high nutrient levels high alk low nutrient levels low alk

Hemmdog · Apr 17, 2019

Why’s your mag so high?

Auto-pilot · Apr 17, 2019

If you ask me it looks like your acro is pretty brown, your alkalinity seems a tad high, hemmdog does have a good point with your mag and if your PO4 and NO3 is really at 0 that's a problem. If you have no nutrition for your coral they will brown and die. PO4 and NO3 is required for coral to grow. If your tips are white I would think it could an alkalinity issue. If alkalinity is changed to fast up or down corals tend to get "burnt" on their tips. Make sure your alkalinity is stable even 1dkh change can do that sometimes

BestMomEver · Apr 17, 2019

Reef Hammer said:
I have a T5 LED hybrid (4 T 5s and 2 Kessil 360). Kessils get up to 55% intensity and color (running off an Apex with a total time of 12 hours) and the T 5s are 3 actinic plus and one coral plus and run for about 5 hours in the middle of the day.

Tank has been running for a little over a year. I have a few birds nest that have been growing nicely, two anacropora that are growing as well as a Millie that I got the same time that is showing good crusting on the plug and is starting to grow another branch.

I did dip with coral rx. Should I do another dip? Decided to try an acro now that tank is over a year. I am a little discouraged.

I also have some zoas, Goni, and torch corals which are all doing well and growing.

I appreciate the help!

Cool! Then light isn’t the issue. Don’t be discouraged. I’ve been doing this for quite a while (17+ years with a break in the middle) and I’m still learning. I still have an occasional coral that doesn’t thrive and there are still some things I can’t manage to keep (mandarins). Everyone is offering great advice. What test kits are you using? Oh.... thought.... have you ever sent in an ICP test? They’re eye opening!

Reef Hammer · Apr 17, 2019

I am going to send another ICP test (after I have finished with adjusting the dosing and have my KH where I want it). Haven't sent one in a while (3 months or so). I am using Red Sea Pro test kits. I am not going to do a bunch of things all at once. I am going to slowly adjust the dosing of the Triton solutions to try and get to a KH of around 7.5 (my alkalinity has been between 8.5 and 8.8 for the past 4 months or so). I am hoping with the decrease in dosing that the Mg also comes down some. I have been battling a little bit of green cyano on my sand as of recent too. I do plan to do a few 10% water changes over the next few days also (once a day). I don't want to start dosing PO4 or NO3 until I know that I have brought the other parameters to where I want them. Am I doing too much all at once? Other thoughts?

Reef Hammer · Apr 17, 2019

Figured I would post some of the other corals for feedback...maybe what I thought was doing good isn’t? They have grown since I got them. That is why I am a bit baffled.

Also, here is the same acro with lights on.

I really appreciate everyone and the advice to this newer reef keeper.

Reef Hammer · May 2, 2019

Wanted to give an update to everyone. Tip recession has stopped and tissue is growing back over the tips. I only did a slight decrease in my dosing (decrease of 2 ml for each solution a day). I did have a cyano outbreak which I treated with chemiclean and I have kept my protein skinner off to raise the nutrients in the tank. Everything is looking so much happier. Thank you all for the encouragement!