Encrusting woes

[ZLogic]

I can't seem to keep an encrusting coral.  I buy them, I add them, they sit and do nothing and then die.  I've tried 3 leptoseris frags and a cyphastrea with all the same results except for the cyphastrea.  That one started to bleach, so I thought maybe lighting and I put it in a back corner where it has gained it's color back, but not seeing any growth.

 

Biocube 32

1.025

PH - 8.2

Amm - 0

No2 - 0

Po4 - 0.10

Alk- 12dkh

Cal - 400ppm

 

Dont know par on the lights, Steve's LED at 18% whites, 28% blues, I feed Benepets reef food 2x weekly.  Mushrooms, zoas, and frogspawn are doing fantastic.

[Nic]

Alkalinity is fairly high, though it is certainly within limits according to some. From what I understand about higher alkalinity tanks, it is necessary to have a somewhat elevated nutrient level in order to sustain growth in a higher alkalinity environment. It could be that the higher alk and lower nutrients are making it impossible for the coral to undergo the process of calcification necessary for skeletal growth. 

 

Take this with a grain of salt, however, and if anyone is more knowledgeable, please correct me if necessary. 

[ZLogic]

The higher alk would come from the salt that I use, I would assume, right?  I use the Fritz RPM blue box right now because it's what my main LFS uses, but I've been looking at the Coral Pro that they also carry.  One of my LFS here just said "well some coral just won't grow in your tank."

[Nic]

7 minutes ago, ZLogic said:

The higher alk would come from the salt that I use, I would assume, right?  I use the Fritz RPM blue box right now because it's what my main LFS uses, but I've been looking at the Coral Pro that they also carry.  One of my LFS here just said "well some coral just won't grow in your tank."

Yeah man, a lot of salts come at an elevated level of both calcium and alkalinity. I use Tropic Marin Pro which mixes at a more "natural" level of 7 dkh. I am running Zeovit and the folks who operate with that system consistently harp on the issues surrounding higher alkalinity and lower nutrients. The elevated salt levels are typically utilized by folks who maintain a higher nutrient level in the tank and if I understand correctly, that higher alkalinity can only be sustained with an equally elevated nutrient level. It very well could be your issue. If that's the case you have the option of dosing nitrates and phosphates OR lowering your alkalinity gradually by switching salts. 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

The Fritz blue box shouldn’t be anywhere near 12 dKh. If I remember correctly, it’s around 8. Are you currently dosing anything? I’m wondering if they’ve been selling you Coral Pro all ready, since it mixes around 12 dKh. 
 

I run a high Alk tank, but it’s got lots of Nitrates and Phosphates, and is well established. 
 

How long were they in your tank for, before dying? 

[ZLogic]

2 hours ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

The Fritz blue box shouldn’t be anywhere near 12 dKh. If I remember correctly, it’s around 8. Are you currently dosing anything? I’m wondering if they’ve been selling you Coral Pro all ready, since it mixes around 12 dKh. 
 

I run a high Alk tank, but it’s got lots of Nitrates and Phosphates, and is well established. 
 

How long were they in your tank for, before dying? 

No I'm not dosing anything.  I actually recently removed chemical filtration (chemi-pure elite and purigen) trying to document baseline parameters of my water.  Corals lasted about 6 weeks before seeing bleaching tips.

[Nic]

6 minutes ago, ZLogic said:

No I'm not dosing anything.  I actually recently removed chemical filtration (chemi-pure elite and purigen) trying to document baseline parameters of my water.  Corals lasted about 6 weeks before seeing bleaching tips.

Yeah I would say you are most likely experiencing what folks who run a ULNS with high alk experience which is the coral is having a hard time with growth because the skeleton is developing faster than the low nutrients will allow the flesh to envelope it. (At least I think that’s the mechanics of it) regardless, I think your culprit is higher alk combined with low nutrients. 
 

I would either switch salts and bring it down over a couple of weeks or increase nutrients whether permanently by way of fish addition/feeding or actually dosing nitrates and phosphates. 

[Reefkid88]

RSCP is going to mix at what you are at now or higher. I have it mix so high my test kits were maxed out. So be aware of that. 

 

 I also have had a batch of RSCP have a reading of 1ppm phosphates as well. 

[ZLogic]

13 hours ago, Nic said:

Yeah I would say you are most likely experiencing what folks who run a ULNS with high alk experience which is the coral is having a hard time with growth because the skeleton is developing faster than the low nutrients will allow the flesh to envelope it. (At least I think that’s the mechanics of it) regardless, I think your culprit is higher alk combined with low nutrients. 
 

I would either switch salts and bring it down over a couple of weeks or increase nutrients whether permanently by way of fish addition/feeding or actually dosing nitrates and phosphates. 

Would there happen to be a beginner's guide to dosing?  I've still got more than half of this big box of fritz, so i may try bumping nutrients and see how things change 

[Nic]

I would check their website. I’m running a ULNS and have actually never dosed nitrates or phosphates so I don’t want to lead you astray. 

[Tired]

If you want more nutrients in your tank, try not doing water changes for awhile. Feed anything that'll eat, like LPS or hermits, not just your fish. And make sure your fish are getting plenty to eat in the first place. You generally need at least 0.03ppm phosphates for basic functioning of photosynthetic organisms, and most tanks run best with at least 5ppm nitrates. If the tank doesn't have high nutrients and/or low skeleton-related elements, skip the water change for now. That's often simpler than dosing. 

 

(hat said, dosing is pretty simple too. Bottled nitrates and phosphates say how to dose them on the bottle. Dose small amounts until you hit and can maintain a good level. 0.03-0.1ppm phosphate and 5-10ppm nitrate is good for most tanks, and some tanks do just fine with higher nutrients. Soft corals in particular often appreciate higher nutrients. 

 

Also, make sure the corals have somewhere to encrust onto. That's probably not your issue, but they do need space to spread.