SPS RTNing... Why?

[Nemo Niblets]

So I added a ton of carbon after doing a big WC because I was treating flatworm exit.

 

The water was 2x clearer than I've ever seen... but some of my acros started RTNing. One of them bleached.

 

Could it be because of too much light? It is a 250w EVC 20k on a nanocube 28. I raised the light higher off the tank and took out the carbon.

 

My parameters are perfect.

 

Calcium: 420

Alk: 9

Mag: 1420

Temperature swings from 78 to 78.5.

Nitrates: 0.

 

Zoas, LPS doing great. Only SPS aren't.

 

Read more: SPS RTNing... due to increase in light?

[kthehun89]

RTN can come from alot of reasons, most times we can never know. hopefully everything returns back to normal, if not then frag the viable tissue

[organism]

Maybe the parameters changed so quickly from what they were used to that they stressed out? I had a similar thing happen after nuking a ton of flatworms with FWE, turns out there were piles of dead ones I hadn't seen under the rocks that were poisoning the tanks.

[Nemo Niblets]

Maybe the parameters changed so quickly from what they were used to that they stressed out? I had a similar thing happen after nuking a ton of flatworms with FWE, turns out there were piles of dead ones I hadn't seen under the rocks that were poisoning the tanks.

 

AGH! I'm doing another 5g water change. I didn't have too many though, and I did a BIG wc. Tons of carbon too. Hopefully they will come back... I didn't think about the toxins.

 

Could it be brighter light, though?

[organism]

Is it a new light?

[Nemo Niblets]

Is it a new light?

 

No, however it's a very strong light, and I just added alot of carbon. The water got extremely clear, and one acro actually bleached at the base.

[cheryl jordan]

I have heard of this happening a few times with the addition of alot of charcoal, no one really knows why, but it does happen.

[Maddevil1]

Am I missing something? You treated the tank with FWE, did a large water change and added a "ton" of carbon. But yet you think its the light?

 

Why not the FWE it got exposed to, toxins from FWs, maybe the large water change (depending on close the change water was to the tank water), or maybe adding too much carbon?

 

You said the tank was 2x clearer than you've ever seen, do you not normally run carbon?

 

If they bleached right after the water change, I wouldnt suspect the light, rather something you did before.

[nick1912]

It could be the light. My sps frag was doing fine under 20k ushio, then swapped it with the 14k peonix and it has RTN or bleached on the side that has direct light exposure. Carbon can polish the water and the light might have gotten much more intense since.

 

Just swapping bulbs my sps frag bleached, so I can see it happening.

[Nemo Niblets]

Am I missing something? You treated the tank with FWE, did a large water change and added a "ton" of carbon. But yet you think its the light?

 

Why not the FWE it got exposed to, toxins from FWs, maybe the large water change (depending on close the change water was to the tank water), or maybe adding too much carbon?

 

You said the tank was 2x clearer than you've ever seen, do you not normally run carbon?

 

If they bleached right after the water change, I wouldnt suspect the light, rather something you did before.

 

I don't normally run carbon. Now that I did, the water's alot clearer, so there's more light penetration.

[lakshwadeep]

Light penetration could be an issue. Here's an interesting article on large water changes that talks about rapid increases in water clarity:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/12/aafeature

[glennr1978]

It could be the light. My sps frag was doing fine under 20k ushio, then swapped it with the 14k peonix and it has RTN or bleached on the side that has direct light exposure. Carbon can polish the water and the light might have gotten much more intense since.

 

Just swapping bulbs my sps frag bleached, so I can see it happening.

 

 

I'd be willing to bet that the PAR of the phoenix is far greater than the ushio, not to mention the difference of going from the old (ushio) to a new (phoenix) lamp.

 

To the OP, did you just use regular ol' activated carbon, or one that contains a PO4 remover? If it had a PO4 remover then that may be the cause of your problems. Rapid depletion of PO4 in our tanks can, and in most cases will cause coral bleaching. I had to learn that lesson the hard way.

[revaltion131]

IMO, it's water chemistry related and not related to the light. That may have some merit, but I doubt it is the cause. You mentioned that it was acros RTN'ing and in my experience, it is really hard to expose an acropora to too much light (I have used 250w HQI's of one form or another for a couple of years now) and I doubt a water clarity change would do it. If your carbon was potent, it could very easily cause problems.

 

Regardless of what the actual cause is, I suggest slowing down. Fish, inverts, etc can deal with a series of "large" water changes but SPS do not take to them as well and you could easily compound your issues further if you become careless with your changes. If you feel that you need to keep doing water changes, I would take extra caution and time to assure that the change water's chemistry is reasonably close to that of the tank's so as not to shock anything or cause a serious fluxuation in alkalinity (which is noooooot fun).

 

Good luck. I know what it feels like to lose your full SPS stock and being able to do nothing throughout it all. I hope things don't go that way for you.

[SpankythePyro]

nuked flatworms = toxins released.

 

or is you are open top someone who have sprayed any type of aerosol. My sps STN after an incident with spray deoderant

[Nemo Niblets]

I shaded the tank with two layers of mesh screen and the RTN stopped... I also removed the carbon. Hopefully it's all better. I didn't go through with the water change as recommended.

[revaltion131]

Glad to hear things are turning around. I would deal with them just like you would deal with new or scared fish. Take things slowly, gently, and carefully, and watch them like a hawk!