SPS - STN problem with picture

silentscream · 09/23/2009, 10:13 PM

So to make a long story short, I had roughly 4 to 5 gallons of top-off water with kalk dump into the system unbeknown to me. My Salinty had dropped from 1.026 to 1.023 in what I can tell was 1 or 2 days. Over the last few days after discovering this issue, I've brought my salinity up to 1.025. However, my alk has dropped from 8dkh to 6dkh, and has remained at 6 dkh since the incident. Is this drop in alk enough to cause a recession at the base of 3 of my SPS corals? Or could something else be a problem here? Red bugs are present, but not what I would call great numbers. Here are some pictures of the rose milli, I appologize in advance for the poor photos. The problem corals are a rose milli and 2 different slimer frags. Other SPS show no stress signs.

The second part to my question is, once I bring my alk back up, can I expect the recession to stop and ultimately recover?

Brian Prestwood · 09/23/2009, 11:05 PM

Hey Justin

If your corals were healthy otherwise I would say no, the dKh drop didn't cause the RTN.

I've done 2 point swings in dKh over a day w/o tissue issues at least ten times. It does usually cause a slight loss of color.

If they were stuggling already then just about anything, including the drop in dKh, could cause RTN.

My experience has been that when things get bad enough to cause RTN it takes a while (4+ weeks) for the coral to START to regain the loss. Once you stop the loss you will have to be patient.

Paulca916 · 09/24/2009, 04:18 AM

I've had corals STN over night with no drop in Alk or anything else
with no warning.
Recently I had my colony of Cali Tort which was healthy and very colorfull one night and the next morning all white.
STN is such a mystery to me.

silentscream · 09/24/2009, 07:30 AM

Brian: Thanks for your input, hopefully I notice a stop in the recession once I get the alk back up, I'd rather not have to chop this mini-colony up into frags as a last ditch effort.

Paul: I've heard of horror stories like that, and have been lucky in the past I guess. But with it happening to 3 different corals I figured it wasn't random, but something had to be going on.

Thanks for your comments, will keep everyone posted.

Brian Prestwood · 09/24/2009, 08:39 AM

Justin

You are welcome.

Like Paul, I usually have one or two mysteries in my tank. I've got a frag of green prostrata (possibly mille)...

that's had almost no PE for almost a month. I'm not sure what is irritating it. That's one of about 35 acros that are doing well. I've struggled with this coral a few times now.

With three of your corals RTNing at once I would NOT ignore it.

One of my favorites...

Was a 5" tall wild propogated mini-colony that STNed. When the tissue necrosis reached the last 1/2" inch I clipped all the healthy tips off and glued them to a plug. The results were definately worth the effort.

FWIW IME - Wild propogated (AKA maricultured) frags dont' do nearly as well as tank raised or even wild collected.

Justin74 · 09/24/2009, 12:19 PM

Brian's on the money. Being that there present, the corals immune and tolerance is already being pushed to the limits so an alk spike or drop will easily cause STN.

You have a pm coming your way

-Justin

mpoletti · 09/24/2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Prestwood

[IMG]
One of my favorites...

Nice piece Brian; Gomezi's are always a great choice.

Brian Prestwood · 09/24/2009, 05:12 PM

Thanks Marc

It looked like a gomezei when I got it. The new growth is more delicate like an echinata. I'm thinking gomechei

mpoletti · 09/24/2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian Prestwood
Thanks Marc

It looked like a gomezei when I got it. The new growth is more delicate like an echinata. I'm thinking gomechei

No problem Bryan, the rounded coralites give away it a gomezi

09/23/2009, 10:13 PM	#1
silentscream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 953	SPS - STN problem with picture So to make a long story short, I had roughly 4 to 5 gallons of top-off water with kalk dump into the system unbeknown to me. My Salinty had dropped from 1.026 to 1.023 in what I can tell was 1 or 2 days. Over the last few days after discovering this issue, I've brought my salinity up to 1.025. However, my alk has dropped from 8dkh to 6dkh, and has remained at 6 dkh since the incident. Is this drop in alk enough to cause a recession at the base of 3 of my SPS corals? Or could something else be a problem here? Red bugs are present, but not what I would call great numbers. Here are some pictures of the rose milli, I appologize in advance for the poor photos. The problem corals are a rose milli and 2 different slimer frags. Other SPS show no stress signs. The second part to my question is, once I bring my alk back up, can I expect the recession to stop and ultimately recover? __________________ Justin

09/24/2009, 04:18 AM	#3
Paulca916 Retired Reefer ;-) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Roseville Ca 95661 Posts: 2,881	I've had corals STN over night with no drop in Alk or anything else with no warning. Recently I had my colony of Cali Tort which was healthy and very colorfull one night and the next morning all white. STN is such a mystery to me. __________________ I can think of worse addiction's to have Current Tank Info: Boxes of reef equipment

09/24/2009, 07:30 AM	#4
silentscream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 953	Brian: Thanks for your input, hopefully I notice a stop in the recession once I get the alk back up, I'd rather not have to chop this mini-colony up into frags as a last ditch effort. Paul: I've heard of horror stories like that, and have been lucky in the past I guess. But with it happening to 3 different corals I figured it wasn't random, but something had to be going on. Thanks for your comments, will keep everyone posted. __________________ Justin

09/23/2009, 11:05 PM	#2
Brian Prestwood Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 3,775	Hey Justin If your corals were healthy otherwise I would say no, the dKh drop didn't cause the RTN. I've done 2 point swings in dKh over a day w/o tissue issues at least ten times. It does usually cause a slight loss of color. If they were stuggling already then just about anything, including the drop in dKh, could cause RTN. My experience has been that when things get bad enough to cause RTN it takes a while (4+ weeks) for the coral to START to regain the loss. Once you stop the loss you will have to be patient.

09/24/2009, 08:39 AM	#5
Brian Prestwood Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 3,775	Justin You are welcome. Like Paul, I usually have one or two mysteries in my tank. I've got a frag of green prostrata (possibly mille)... that's had almost no PE for almost a month. I'm not sure what is irritating it. That's one of about 35 acros that are doing well. I've struggled with this coral a few times now. With three of your corals RTNing at once I would NOT ignore it. One of my favorites... Was a 5" tall wild propogated mini-colony that STNed. When the tissue necrosis reached the last 1/2" inch I clipped all the healthy tips off and glued them to a plug. The results were definately worth the effort. FWIW IME - Wild propogated (AKA maricultured) frags dont' do nearly as well as tank raised or even wild collected.

09/24/2009, 12:19 PM	#6
Justin74 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Diamond Springs, CA Posts: 7,627	Brian's on the money. Being that there present, the corals immune and tolerance is already being pushed to the limits so an alk spike or drop will easily cause STN. You have a pm coming your way -Justin

09/24/2009, 05:12 PM	#8
Brian Prestwood Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 3,775	Thanks Marc It looked like a gomezei when I got it. The new growth is more delicate like an echinata. I'm thinking gomechei