SPS fading, tips losing flesh, brown algae - need advice plz

[numin8r]

Today’s parameter after feeding - ab +, fish food and reefroids

Alk 8
Calc 430 (salifert). Local LFS said calc was 512 yesterday. They had an APT AQUASPIN TESTER.
Mag. 1350
NO3. 17
PO4 .02 - this bottomed out. I was dosing carbon (NP bacto balance). Stopped dosing for now. Been 4 days.

I’m getting cyano I think and some SPS are losing color, tips and losing flesh.

On the regular I dose all for reef, kalk in ato (10mL in 10 gallon), zeobak , zeofood.

 

[Pod_01]

feeding - ab +

I am assuming that is Red Sea ab+ amino supplement.
What I know is that when you have low level of PO4 (below 0.04) it is not recommended to dose amino. It is another type of carbon dosing and it will drive PO4 to zero. Since your NO3 is at 17 I don’t think you need more N.

While amino can be good supplement for coral other things like cyno/ Dino love it as well.

My suggestion stop with the amino. Restart with TM Bacto Ballance in week or two at reduced dose (1/4 recommended dose). This is just to feed bacteria.
Also you might be adding too many coral foods reefroids, zeobak , zeofood. You can over fertilizer and slowly kill your corals.

Good luck,

 

[numin8r]

I just dose reefroids for the first time since I acquired SPS corals. Before then it was zeobak and zeofood. The idea was to boost PO4 with the reefroids. I wasn’t aware about RS AB+. I will stop dosing that.

 

[ScottB]

The PO4 depletion is the most obvious culprit here. Could be something(s) else but in my systems I wouldn't need to look any further. Also would explain the new cyano. Any time the balance between PO4 and NO3 goes wack, it gets a good foothold.

 

[numin8r]

The PO4 depletion is the most obvious culprit here. Could be something(s) else but in my systems I wouldn't need to look any further. Also would explain the new cyano. Any time the balance between PO4 and NO3 goes wack, it gets a good foothold.

I checked phosphate again today and it was zero. I may need to look into some product to continue to dose. I added some more reefroids for the time being

 

[ScottB]

I checked phosphate again today and it was zero. I may need to look into some product to continue to dose. I added some more reefroids for the time being

Using Hanna ULR for a zero? You can buy some off the shelf Neo Phos. Or mix your own with food grade Trisodium Phosphate. Don't confuse with "TSP".

You will be shocked how much PO4 dosing is required to keep a reading after 24 hours. I had to dose 2 liters of DIY solution. The sand and rock will bind the PO4 until saturated. Then it will begin releasing some back to the water. Dose HARD. Test OFTEN.

 

[Pod_01]

I just dose reefroids for the first time since I acquired SPS corals. Before then it was zeobak and zeofood. The idea was to boost PO4 with the reefroids. I wasn’t aware about RS AB+. I will stop dosing that.

So out of the other two I would still use Zeobak:

The bacteria might be useful.

But I would discontinue the Zeofood:

It contains amino supplement and based on your NO3 values not that useful in your case. If you had NO3 in the 1-2 range there might be benefit.

With reefroids you could try to mix some in a cup, let it sit for 1/2 hour and put it in.
Perhaps that way you get bigger P/PO4 spike.

Frozen food has lot of P/PO4 so that is an option.
Best coral food is fish poop, I feed my fish 3-4 times a day.

From my experience sinking PO4 values especially going from 0.05 to 0.01 always ended up badly for my SPS. Montiporas show it first but acros are not far behind. People can make it work but I think most are seasoned reef keepers.

 

[SamMule]

If you are intent on running a ULN type system, you need heavy in/heavy out.
More fish and frequent feedings.
From my understanding, if you dont have residual Po4 or No3, you need a constant supply of fish waste or you will be starving your corals.
As others have said, feeding more is the best way to get your residuals up.
If it were me, I would feed very heavy until I saw residuals rising. Then, increase nutrient export to match and keep them stable with a little "buffer" (somewhere above 0.