Dying acropora!

[abielat]

I am trying to find someone to help me figure out why my acrapora, in only one location in my tank is dying. One 4"x4" cluster died over the last 3 days. It got a film on it lost it's color and the film proceed to spread all over the plant/animal. I took this out and broke a piece off another healthy plant/animal, now, in less than 24 hours, and in the same place it appeasrs to be dying!

I thought the first death was becasue of excessive Idonine I added above the plant. Now I have no clue? Help?

[Dr. Mac]

Not sure exactly what may be going on in your tank. Have you double checked all water parameters such as pH, alkalinity, etc? I would suspect that one of these is not at optimum levels or you have something else that is suddenly stressing the corals. If you have had these corals for a while and they just suddenly are falling apart then it is some type of major stress that is initiating the problem, unless you dumped a lot of Iodine on the coral I do not think that is the cause, especially if you have enough water flow around the colonies. However, I would not add Iodine to a reef tank at all, don't think it is needed in a typical reef tank as a supplement, you could have toxic levels if you have regularly been adding Iodine or other individual chemicals/supplements. If a "film" is developing on the corals it may indicate a lack of water flow around/through the colonies and maybe adding more water flow will help. Might help if you detail some water parameters, what you use to supplement and how frequently and maybe post some pics and someone on the board may be able to add some helpful comments. Many possibilities as to why corals may die and it is a bit difficult to try to diagnose a situation with limited info.