Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Coral Forums > SPS Keepers
Blogs FAQ Calendar

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 01/31/2008, 11:15 AM   #1
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
SPS turning white from the top

I have a 65 with a few SPS colonies and a few frags. I have a 20K radium bulb over top. As of lately I have noticed that my one acro thats always open is a little less extended, and a few of my frags have started to turn a little white on their tops. Do I need to replace my bulb? I was planning on doing it soon anyways, or is it something else? My parameters all tested fine. and all my LPS seem fine.
Thanks Gina


__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/31/2008, 11:19 AM   #2
flyyyguy
King of the white corals
 
flyyyguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,239
whats "fine" on the parameters and how are you testing

sounds like possibly an alk issue to me

OR, you may be doing something right and you just arent used to seeing this much growth and the tissue isnt catching up to the growth making the tips white


__________________
I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach
flyyyguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/31/2008, 11:37 AM   #3
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
I have salifert test kits for calcium, alkalinity and nitrate. I test these at least twice a week and My calcium is between 440 and 460, my alk tests between 10.2 and 10.9, and I don't have nitrates. I have the phosphates tested at my lfs and I don't have any of those either. I have seen growth before and this ain't it. I'll post some pics when I get home from class.


__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/31/2008, 11:45 AM   #4
02REDZ28
Registered Member
 
02REDZ28's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MI
Posts: 244
Alk should be a little higher. Whats your mag level? What do you do to maintain these levels?


__________________
Patrick

1.5 Liters is a good size for a beer, not an engine.

Current Tank Info: Aquarium Free
02REDZ28 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/31/2008, 02:36 PM   #5
seapug
Registered Member
 
seapug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: 4980 ft.
Posts: 7,954
Blog Entries: 1
I think you might just be seeing new growth. Growth of the terminal polyp is often white or at least a contrasting color in acros. If the white area stretches down into previously normal colored tissue, then it could be bleaching. Either way if the tissue isn't peeling off, I'd keep doing what you are doing.


__________________
insert clever saying here.

Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.
seapug is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/31/2008, 06:58 PM   #6
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
I dose 2 part daily. I haven't tested my mag recently. Its parts of the acro that were previously colored hat are now white. Its not the best pics, but this is a frag.



__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/02/2008, 04:48 PM   #7
eco37
Registered Member
 
eco37's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Miami
Posts: 98
her alk is fine. i would not want a dkh higher than 11


eco37 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/02/2008, 11:07 PM   #8
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
 
Ralph ATL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL)
Posts: 1,842
Tip down could be fluctuations in Alk, Flow or Phosphates.
Phosphates wrecked havoc on my tank twice. They did the same thing to my corals. Phosphates cause your corals to stop calcifying, so it's where most growth or highest metabolism occurs is where it starts IMO. Your fastest growers will usually die first IMO.

Phosphate reduction/ removal is most likely the answer. Get a refugium with Macro algae and CHANGE your media in phosphate reactor more often. Your media might be getting saturated in 2 weeks depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD merk, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT.

You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever.

check out:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php


__________________
Ralph Scheriff
Ralph ATL is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/03/2008, 08:34 AM   #9
Dave VG
Registered Member
 
Dave VG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Northeast, Pa
Posts: 3,129
Quote:
Originally posted by mysterybox
Tip down could be fluctuations in Alk, Flow or Phosphates.
Phosphates wrecked havoc on my tank twice. They did the same thing to my corals. Phosphates cause your corals to stop calcifying, so it's where most growth or highest metabolism occurs is where it starts IMO. Your fastest growers will usually die first IMO.

Phosphate reduction/ removal is most likely the answer. Get a refugium with Macro algae and CHANGE your media in phosphate reactor more often. Your media might be getting saturated in 2 weeks depending upon how much is bound up in your rocks, tank, algae, etc. Use less media, change every 2 weeks. Use a great test kit like DD merk, Hack, or colormeter or send to AWT.

You must export the same or more nutrients than you put in. Overfeeding, tap water, high phosphate foods, etc. Use a phosphate reactor with some phosar or ROWA or whatever, and something to lower nitrates like a fuge, AZNO3, or whatever.

check out:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ndex.php<br />
Ditto couldn’t have said it better myself


__________________
Dave

Current Tank Info: 40B Display, 40B sump/fuge
Dave VG is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/03/2008, 09:46 AM   #10
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
I have cheto in my fuge and a good amount at that. I trim it back at least every 2 weeks. I run chemi-pure elite and phos-ban. I have the phosphates tested at my lfs and they always say its 0. I had a friend of mine suggest maybe its my bulb and its time to be replaced. I am doing a large water change today to see if that helps any. And I replaced my bulb yesterday.


__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/03/2008, 10:20 AM   #11
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
 
Ralph ATL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL)
Posts: 1,842
a good mh bulb will last about a year, maybe 14 months or so. since your lfs is getting a 0 reading, it means they are not using a test kit that detects in the low range.


__________________
Ralph Scheriff
Ralph ATL is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/04/2008, 10:38 AM   #12
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
Ohh what's a good test kit for phosphates? I will just test at home if I have to. My bulb was like 13 months old. I notice a big difference in color with the new one.


__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/04/2008, 07:00 PM   #13
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
 
Ralph ATL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL)
Posts: 1,842
DD Merck, HACH, or you could try Elos. 13 month bulbs could be a possibility, but I doubt it. New bulbs will look great. They lose their peak after about 4-6 months, than stay steady for the next 8 months to a year (on average for MH). Also, alk levels & calcium levels that go below reef levels. Flow is another cause. Those seem to be the most common, but of course, there are really 100's, from red bugs, to flatworms to diseases. Try to eliminate the most common ones first. Your cheato might be thriving too good for the amount of nutrients might be too much. Change your phosar (or other iron based media) every 2 weeks for a couple a months to see if it's that. Get a phosphate kit. Also, get a salifert nitrate kit, it works OK. API sells a cheap alk kit that is super easy and is accurate enough.


__________________
Ralph Scheriff
Ralph ATL is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/04/2008, 08:12 PM   #14
NanoReefWanabe
Registered Member
 
NanoReefWanabe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,639
from those pics it looks like you have the ever so popular REDBUG....

i am 100% sure those bright yellow flecks are redbugs ...they will cause the coral to discolour...and the PE to be nil...

how has the PE been on this and other acros in your tank?


NanoReefWanabe is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/04/2008, 09:08 PM   #15
Ralph ATL
Formerly mysterybox
 
Ralph ATL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Flowery Branch, GA (North ATL)
Posts: 1,842
WOW, great eyes! that's a really blurry picture, and until you mentioned it.................those look like red bugs!

Get a couple of better, more focused pictures & post em (close ups)! Just take like 100 until you get a few that come in clear!


Quote:
Originally posted by NanoReefWanabe
from those pics it looks like you have the ever so popular REDBUG....

i am 100% sure those bright yellow flecks are redbugs ...they will cause the coral to discolour...and the PE to be nil...

how has the PE been on this and other acros in your tank?



__________________
Ralph Scheriff
Ralph ATL is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 02/04/2008, 10:29 PM   #16
rydr119
Registered Member
 
rydr119's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Worth, Fl
Posts: 846
Its just the pic, not red bugs thats one of the first things I looked for. I did a 20 gal water change yesterday and with the new Mh things are already looking a whole lot better. I am guessing it was the phosphates I changed my carbon also. I m gonna have to get a phosphate kit, thanks for all the help


__________________
If I could fit into my reef tank I wold be snorkeling right now.

Current Tank Info: Custom 183 gal, Euro reef rs 250 protein skimmer, 400W 20K radium lighting, 2-darts, 75gal sump/fuge
rydr119 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:24 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2025 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2025 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.