Unknown SPS issues-Help

[Fragmented 99]

So here the deal. Have a mostly sps tank that has been doing great the past 3 years. In the last 2 months the 4/5 tips of an acro nana colony started to bleach/turn white. At the same time some of the green and red plating monti's lost some color as well. Picture from July 2009
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=332
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6907

I assumed this was due to a spike in alkalinity as I manually dose 2 part ( Randy Recipe) daily and had a similar issue previously that went away. I was dosing 70/80 ml daily and maintaining CA at 425, Mag 1300, and Alk at 3.25-3.35, temp 79, salinity 1.025. Running a phosban reactor and carbon in the sump.The issue has progressed and the entire colony was affected as well as a nearby sps colony. Here are some current photo's:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6902
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6905
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6908

I took some frags from the acro colony and they are still in the tank. The seem ok but are more brown than purple in some places
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6904
Its now affecting these other frags as well:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6906
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6903
http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=1100&pictureid=6901

Here are my thoughts #1 - an alkalinity spike caused the coral to STN and that is now spreading to the other corals.

2nd thought- I also recently felt a slight tingle when touching the light reflector in the tank a few months back. Finally bought a meter and measured voltage in the tank- 45. The biggest culprit was the auto topoff 10 volts and heater 10 volts. When measuring amps i receive 5 with all power off and 25 with the heater on. I removed the heater 4 days ago . Could stray current be causing this.? No grounding probe on the tank

I have checked for Monti Nudis and have not seen any. Havent seen any AEFW or redbugs either. It seems when looking at corals it seems to be an algae growing on the corals. Tried 10 minute dips in Revive for the acro nana colony and yellow acro. Yellow acro looked good for a day but is now showing more brown areas. any Thoughts

[scrapz]

strays is the most likely culprit causing your STN. I've seen it happen to more and more tanks everyday.

tips were cause most likely by alk burn. stning on different parts of your coral are usually caused by strays..

[Stanley-Reefer]

similar issues in my 175. I have a grounding probe and feel no current in my water. Some of my corals look just like yours near the base.

Out of nowhere and all parameters are how hey were growing colonies from frags.:sad1:

[Fragmented 99]

I've read that a grounding probe will eliminate yourself from being shocked, but could translate into actual current as opposed to voltage in the tank.

[beeker]

STN from my experience doesen't spread, IMO your alk went out of whack and caused the corals to be stressed and start the recession

get your alk between 9 and 11 dkh and see if that doesen't help, if it's already there then lower it some, if you are carbon dosing then keep alk at 7-9 dkh

Alk is the biggest factor in my tank and keeping sps in my opinion

You dose a lot of 2 part, i only dose 15ml of alk and 25ml of calc daily on a heavily stocked 30g BC mixxed reef but mainly sps, maybe your dose's have been too high, and need to be readjusted to a lower level

i try to test my tank atleast once a week to make sure i can keep an eye on Alk/Calc and Mg consumption and adjust accordingly

[Fragmented 99]

I was testing weekly with a salifert kit and was increasing dosage only if the readings were consistently low. I seem to get consistent readings with the salifert kit but notice differences when one kit runs low and I buy another. At that point i run a test with each kit but receive a different result. This happened with the previous 2 salifert kit. What brand alk are you using

[apt220]

Elos makes a good kit. My experience with Salifert is that they give a higher reading than what is actually true.

[Ian]

I was testing weekly with a salifert kit and was increasing dosage only if the readings were consistently low. I seem to get consistent readings with the salifert kit but notice differences when one kit runs low and I buy another. At that point i run a test with each kit but receive a different result. This happened with the previous 2 salifert kit. What brand alk are you using

I think LaMotte makes the best alkalinity kit...

[plyle02]

QUOTE=Ian;16343899]I think LaMotte makes the best alkalinity kit...[/QUOTE]

:thumbsup:[

[Stanley-Reefer]

Well, looking at your pics vs. Mlev's pics of AEFW, I decided to pull my troubled pieces because my parameters are spot on and my 90 is perfect, but my 175 like yours is not looking as it has.

Bad News----AEFW----About 300 of them came off 4 corals pulled. My valida about the size of two hands side by side grown from a 1" ORA frag plug was covered in them and some were huge.

I've read how to treat and without a dedicated treating tanks to alternate, the bigger colonies had to go.:thumbdown

I've been through nudis and now this. :mad: