Trumpet Coral Brown Spots

[DSmithZ28]

Having some issues with my Trumpet coral. Lost two heads on it and noticed that there is some brown spots left on the skeleton. Nothing else has died and the rest of the coral looks great. I’ve had it about a year and it has split several times. These were actually the original heads. Should I cut these heads off or leave the skeleton?

 

[Reeferdood]

I would cut the the dead branches off, but the question is what caused them to bleach in the first place? Did you change anything or have parameter swings?

 

[DSmithZ28]

I would cut the the dead branches off, but the question is what caused them to bleach in the first place? Did you change anything or have parameter swings?

I cannot get any readable Nitrate or Phosphate numbers. My feeling is I struggle with nutrients. I feed ReefChili and I also feed LPS Fauna Marin LPS Pellets. PH swings from 8.00 to 7.75. I try to keep it higher with my Kalkwasser stirrer and planning drilling a hole through the wall for outside air to the skimmer.

 

[Reeferdood]

I cannot get any readable Nitrate or Phosphate numbers. My feeling is I struggle with nutrients. I feed ReefChili and I also feed LPS Fauna Marin LPS Pellets. PH swings from 8.00 to 7.75. I try to keep it higher with my Kalkwasser stirrer and planning drilling a hole through the wall for outside air to the skimmer.

Is there a reason why you don't want nitrate of phosphate present? I would bet you are starving the corals and that is why they are dying off. Try raising the nitrate to @10 and phosphate to @ 0.01 and see if your coral don't hug you for it.
7.75 is also on the low end, is your house sealed up pretty tight? If so, is it an option to run an airline to fresh air?

 

[DSmithZ28]

Is there a reason why you don't want nitrate of phosphate present? I would bet you are starving the corals and that is why they are dying off. Try raising the nitrate to @10 and phosphate to @ 0.01 and see if your coral don't hug you for it.

I do want them. I took my struggling refugium offline as well as discontinued GFO I was running in a reactor. I feed reef chili and LPS pellets heavily. Now I have macroalgae growing on my rock. I may need to look at other means to introduce usable nutrients into the system.

 

[Reeferdood]

Dose nitrate, but do it very slowly.