I had the same issue about a year ago, and at the same time there were SPS threads regularly on ReefCentral and Reef2Reef about "corals dying but water parameters are good". so I don't think this is something confined to Atlanta or any specific geographic region.
My guess is that it is a common set of tank conditions that arise separately in different reefs, since most reefers have the same basic formula for keeping SPS corals (high water movement, skimming, GDFO,GAC, fuges, etc). And in my case, at least, it was not redbugs or AEFWs or any predation I could find.
The conclusion of a couple of the RC threads was that it was a bacterial condition and was probably the result of the live rock being bound up with organics or something like that.
Who knows, however? It could be anything. That is the problem with anecdotal conclusions.
I tried almost everything: new salt (D&D), new Radium bulbs, running a sulfur denitrator, not running a sulfur denitrator, running GAC, not running GAC, dipping affected colonies. New test kits, having my test kits double checked by someone else. In other words, I could not pin the blame on anything specific, which was the most troubling thing about it. My parameters are always good, as I test and adjust water chemistry regularly, so I do know it wasn't from neglect.
I would look elsewhere than Atlanta water, because we'd probably see this happening all over the place with Reefers, and not just a couple cases like this. Just my opinion, however.
My guess is that it is a common set of tank conditions that arise separately in different reefs, since most reefers have the same basic formula for keeping SPS corals (high water movement, skimming, GDFO,GAC, fuges, etc). And in my case, at least, it was not redbugs or AEFWs or any predation I could find.
The conclusion of a couple of the RC threads was that it was a bacterial condition and was probably the result of the live rock being bound up with organics or something like that.
Who knows, however? It could be anything. That is the problem with anecdotal conclusions.
I tried almost everything: new salt (D&D), new Radium bulbs, running a sulfur denitrator, not running a sulfur denitrator, running GAC, not running GAC, dipping affected colonies. New test kits, having my test kits double checked by someone else. In other words, I could not pin the blame on anything specific, which was the most troubling thing about it. My parameters are always good, as I test and adjust water chemistry regularly, so I do know it wasn't from neglect.
I would look elsewhere than Atlanta water, because we'd probably see this happening all over the place with Reefers, and not just a couple cases like this. Just my opinion, however.
I was actually thinking of using the skeletons and seeing if I could get encrusting monti to take over. What do you think?
