Bleached Coraline Algae -A Sign Of......?

[globaldesigns]

Hey Mark,

Firstly you should get your parameters in check, the following are out of whack:

ALK is to low - the acceptable range is 7-12
Ca is high, but not a biggie - 400 is optimal so I wouldn't worry about that
Mg - way too low, acceptable value is 1350 - plus if you Mg is low, most likely your Strontium is also

Before you can really try to figure out what is the cause, you need your tank stable, right now you have many things not in check, and may be causing some of your issues. I personally don't think HA is related to the above, but again you can't really make good decisions when others things are not in check.

In regards to the BioPellets, they are not the cause... But you can remove if you wish. I just think you will be wasting time there, as you need to stabalize things first, so work on those parameters.

As we also discussed, you are looking at band-aid solutions to things like your HA... Instead you need to look at the solution to the overall problem not a quick band-aid to assist, as the original problem will still be there. In regards to HA, I suspected it to be flow, of which you probably don't have enough, especially through the live rock.... Dead areas can be breading grounds for lots of things (Nitrates, etc) and then they leach into the rest of the water column. Try to get good flow through your aquascaping... Believe me I had issues with HA and Cyano, but once I got the good flow, it is now a thing of the past.

Rick

[DiverDude]

Ricky, Ricky, Ricky....

Alk is measuerd in Meq, not DKH. 2.5 is fine
Mg is a tad low but that's not the issue, I don't think.

My comment about replacing the bio-pellets with PhosBan was because I only have space for the single reactor and I can't run both in 1 reactor. I know the pellets aren't the issue but if phosphates are, PhosBan may be a better use of the reactor for a while.

I hear you on flow but it's the dead sea hare that's in the lowest flow part of the tank that's the real problem. Once that's out, I hope to see improvement (if, in fact, I can find it). I'll try to open up the rockwork a bit at the same time if I can.

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Hey Mark,

Firstly you should get your parameters in check, the following are out of whack:

ALK is to low - the acceptable range is 7-12
Ca is high, but not a biggie - 400 is optimal so I wouldn't worry about that
Mg - way too low, acceptable value is 1350 - plus if you Mg is low, most likely your Strontium is also

Before you can really try to figure out what is the cause, you need your tank stable, right now you have many things not in check, and may be causing some of your issues. I personally don't think HA is related to the above, but again you can't really make good decisions when others things are not in check.

In regards to the BioPellets, they are not the cause... But you can remove if you wish. I just think you will be wasting time there, as you need to stabalize things first, so work on those parameters.

As we also discussed, you are looking at band-aid solutions to things like your HA... Instead you need to look at the solution to the overall problem not a quick band-aid to assist, as the original problem will still be there. In regards to HA, I suspected it to be flow, of which you probably don't have enough, especially through the live rock.... Dead areas can be breading grounds for lots of things (Nitrates, etc) and then they leach into the rest of the water column. Try to get good flow through your aquascaping... Believe me I had issues with HA and Cyano, but once I got the good flow, it is now a thing of the past.

Rick

[MitchM]

I would consider Mg almost 30% low to be an issue.

Mitch

[DiverDude]

Oh, sure...gang up on me !

I've been working my Mg up and it's higher than it's ever been before. So yes, it needs to keep increasing but that's not what's causing the coraline to bleach because it would have bleached far worse before.

...and I'm only 11% down on the lower end of what Seachem says is a good range (1200-1350)

[MitchM]

With that many water changes, I would think that your Mg should be higher than that anyways.
Which salt are you using?

Mitch

[DiverDude]

Reef Crystals. I've been experimenting with how much of what to add to each 5 Gal bucket of water I make up. Right now, I'm adding 1 TSP Ca; 1TSP Mg and every other change, 1/2 TSP Sr.

I think I might double the Mg for a bit and see where it stabilizes.

[blacknife]

Just put the phosban in a nylon... err.. media bag in a high flow area, wont work as good as in the reactor but will still pull some out the pellets can get the rest, if they work as good as everyone says.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by MitchM

I would consider Mg almost 30% low to be an issue.

Mitch

I agree!!! Can't say it is contributing to the HA and other issues... But as I stated before, instead of using band-aid techniques, you need to have a stable tank first, then if the problems persist you can look at other things that might be causing it. I hope this makes sense.

[globaldesigns]

We are not ganging up on you. Well maybe I am Just kidding.

The phosban in a media bag may work well, but if you want to run in the reactor just put the BioPellets in a bucket of fresh RO water and exchange the water out everyday... If it is going to be long term, just lay them out on a cookie tray with paper towel under them and let dry... I have done this and then reused successfully.

Don't you have any MG supplement, as I would get that up to the 1350, there is no reason for it being that low... Also make note that Strontium will be low also, as they tend to work together and deplete together also.

Again, I will voice my thoughts... Flow, Flow and more Flow!!! I personally think that is your problem. You have some dead areas in your tank, most likely within your rockwork, these areas are trapping the poop and stuff and thus creating issues... The goal of flow is getting it everywhere. I speak from experience!!!! Remember I had HA and Cyano, and once I got the flow throw the rockwork, VOILA!!! it went away. So just my 2 cents there. We already discussed on the phone, what I think you should try. Have you? Why not?

[DiverDude]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

Don't you have any MG supplement, as I would get that up to the 1350, there is no reason for it being that low... Also make note that Strontium will be low also, as they tend to work together and deplete together also.

Again, I will voice my thoughts... Flow, Flow and more Flow!!! I personally think that is your problem. You have some dead areas in your tank, most likely within your rockwork, these areas are trapping the poop and stuff and thus creating issues... The goal of flow is getting it everywhere. I speak from experience!!!! Remember I had HA and Cyano, and once I got the flow throw the rockwork, VOILA!!! it went away. So just my 2 cents there. We already discussed on the phone, what I think you should try. Have you? Why not?

Sure I have Mg. I dose it -but I guess just not enough. I've doubled-up my doses and we'll see how that goes. As for Strontium, I'm a bit torn on that one. I've read in several places that you get plenty from regular water changes and there's no need to does it at all. That said, there doesn't seem to be much danger to over dosing it either so I put 1/2 tsp of Sr in every other 5 ga water change.

On the flow topic, I tore the tank apart the other day and still couldn't find the damned sea hare remains. took me hours of plucking HA from rocks but I did manage to open up the rockwork a bit so we'll see how that goes.

Skimmer is still acting up an overflowing periodically -not that there's much to skim with all the water changes I'm doing. I'll do another tonight.