SPS problems.. browning and loss of polyps

[Biff0rz]

The tank looks a little young, but in spite of your water changes and using AB+ this is likely a trace element issue. I suggest the following:

The Jason Fox solution to everything – Water Changes! 4 to 5 20% water changes over a few days, then continue moderate weekly water changes.
No Reef-Roids as standard food (very high phosphate content).

Start by dosing Tropic Marin A- & K+ per label.
Dose Brightwell Aquatics Ferrion. Don’t follow the directions on bottle, only dose 1ug/l (0.001mg/l) once or twice a week. This will probably be only a few drops each time.
Perform the very sensitive Oceamo ICP-MS test (see Reef Moonshiners Webstore), and correct trace elements. Especially the ones that deplete quickly:

Cobalt (B12)
Iron
Manganese
Selenium
Chromium
Copper
Zinc
Nickel

Continue to monitor trace elements with ICP-MS. Note - Standard ICP will only identify elevated levels, but not depleted levels of many trace elements. ICP-MS is a must!

If a trace element deficiency is corrected, you can expect a pretty quick and significant improvement in as fast as a few days, and also a shift in the tanks biology. It may go through some ugliness as the tank re-balances, and unfortunately you may also have to deal with some pests. But give it some time, address the issues, and that should do the trick.

It’s not your current problem, but for SPS I would consider slowly lowering Nitrate to around 5ppm, and phosphate to around 0.050ppm.

Plenty of folks run successful tanks without dosing trace. I don't think trace's are causing browning and bleaching issues for OP. (note, I run moonshiners and like it)

OP, what are you using to check par? What test kit are you using for alk and how old is it? What are you using to test SG? I too had a lot of issues like this when kicking off...my SG was way off. Hanna and Refracto (calibrated) would show up at 35ppt/1.026. When I finally bought a tropic marin hydrometer it showed 1.0285!....Needless to say that was a large issue I had to fix. How old is the tank? It looks young. Did you start with dry/base rock or live rock?

 

[125mph]

The tank is young

Plenty of folks run successful tanks without dosing trace. I don't think trace's are causing browning and bleaching issues for OP. (note, I run moonshiners and like it)

OP, what are you using to check par? What test kit are you using for alk and how old is it? What are you using to test SG? I too had a lot of issues like this when kicking off...my SG was way off. Hanna and Refracto (calibrated) would show up at 35ppt/1.026. When I finally bought a tropic marin hydrometer it showed 1.0285!....Needless to say that was a large issue I had to fix. How old is the tank? It looks young. Did you start with dry/base rock or live rock?

The tank is young, about a year old. I test SG with a refractometer. I use calibration fluid. Maybe should test with the tm hydrometer.

Anyway, I did what @RelaxingWithTheReef suggested... Went with weekly water changes and dosed Tropic Marin Elements A- and K+.. It's been 3 weeks and wow, big difference. The birdsnest, stylo and acros all responded very positively. I fragged the green slimer that was bleaching, snipped off the tip that was dead... Polyps are back on it and it looks VERY good. Just simple change and results are very apparent.

I'm not sure if the more frequent W/C did this or if its the elements.

Also, lowered NP to around 6ppm and 0.06pm. That seem to help a lot too.

My GMK zoas were always partially closed. I never got them to stay open every day.. With the changes above, they are now open 24/7

 

[Biff0rz]

The tank is young


The tank is young, about a year old. I test SG with a refractometer. I use calibration fluid. Maybe should test with the tm hydrometer.

Anyway, I did what @RelaxingWithTheReef suggested... Went with weekly water changes and dosed Tropic Marin Elements A- and K+.. It's been 3 weeks and wow, big difference. The birdsnest, stylo and acros all responded very positively. I fragged the green slimer that was bleaching, snipped off the tip that was dead... Polyps are back on it and it looks VERY good. Just simple change and results are very apparent.

I'm not sure if the more frequent W/C did this or if its the elements.

Also, lowered NP to around 6ppm and 0.06pm. That seem to help a lot too.

My GMK zoas were always partially closed. I never got them to stay open every day.. With the changes above, they are now open 24/7

That's a great outcome. My guess is it was the w/c's, they'll correct those N/P numbers and corals get happy. The trace will help w colors and health now that your nutrients are in line. Good stuff!