STN and atlanta water?

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.
 
acroholic- so you had the same issue? did you lose all of your acros or just specific ones? how long did the event last? this has been about a month for me
 
robertshaw85;512782 wrote: acroholic- so you had the same issue? did you lose all of your acros or just specific ones? how long did the event last? this has been about a month for me

Not being able to blame ANYTHING specific, I just decided to go ahead business as usual and if I lost everything I lost everything. The only constant to the STN was that it was always from the base up, never starting on the tips.

My issues started shortly after my TOTM thread (5/09). I lost a few colonies completely, I had some that would STN for a while, then stop, then start up. I recently took down the 210 my SPS were in, and reaquascaped open style in a 300 gallon Marineland DD tank. I have a colony of tricolor valida that did the on and off STN thing, and it seems to have stopped and looks nice since my tank reset.

The thing about my STN issues was there was no specific pattern to it. And on a couple colonies like the tricolor valida I mentioned above, I had growth on the tips with good polyp extension that basically equalled the STN from the base up. I didn't lose colony after colony to complete STN. I lost a few, but others had partial STN. Others got it, then stopped. No pattern I could find.

I haven't seen any more STN since my tank reset, so I'll keep my fingers crossed, but it happened in my 210 for about 9 months.
 
Just to add to the above post: I also had many acropora colonies that never had any STN period, so I had the whole gamut of STN fom none to slightly affected to toally wiped out.......weird symptomology.
 
I did a very quick search on it but couldn't find any definitive pictures of either STN or RTN


does anyone have anything that they can post up (what it looks like on various corals)
 
Rbredding;513446 wrote: I did a very quick search on it but couldn't find any definitive pictures of either STN or RTN


does anyone have anything that they can post up (what it looks like on various corals)

No difference between STA and RTN except the rate at which it progresses. RTN can kill a coral in a day, and STN can progress in days or weeks.

Just imagine white patches starting at the base or tips of your corals (usual starting point) and progressing up or down the branches. The tissue slowly flakes off. Stark contrast of the total white skeleton vs any remaining colored tissue. When it is complete all you are left with is calcium reactor media.
 
Acroholic;513454 wrote: No difference between STA and RTN except the rate at which it progresses. RTN can kill a coral in a day, and STN can progress in days or weeks.

Just imagine white patches starting at the base or tips of your corals (usual starting point) and progressing up or down the branches. The tissue slowly flakes off. Stark contrast of the total white skeleton vs any remaining colored tissue. When it is complete all you are left with is calcium reactor media.

In that case, I have a BUNCH for someone with a reactor! :) I was actually thinking of using the skeletons and seeing if I could get encrusting monti to take over. What do you think?
 
i would think it would be a great replacement to frag plugs.. (I prefer to buy my frags on rock, anyway..)
 
Robert - I have a TDS meter and live downtown if you would like to borrow it.
 
so by the way Dave answered the post, It doesn't sound like there's anything that can be done once a coral comes down with it.. ?


since I read this post, I've noticed a "hole" in one of the brains in my tank.. looks like I might have it...

what are my options?
 
Rbredding;514358 wrote: so by the way Dave answered the post, It doesn't sound like there's anything that can be done once a coral comes down with it.. ?


since I read this post, I've noticed a "hole" in one of the brains in my tank.. looks like I might have it...

what are my options?

I am just relating my personal experience with STN in my tank. My issue was I could not blame anything specific for the cause.

There are things you can do, which may or may not help. And these are not all inclusive, and may or may not work (sorry for the wishy washy answers here):

1. You can dip the affected coral. If there is a bacterial issue at work, or AEFWs, it may remove the predator or kill what is causing the STN. Tropic Marine Pro Coral Cure or Coral Rx are supposed to be good products. I use the Tropic Marine one.

2. You can frag the coral. I did this with several corals and got healthy frags out of it. I also did it and lost the colony and frags. Kind of a crapshoot there, at least IME. You should always make sure that you are cutting off healthy tissue, however. Don't cut the acro where the STN is occurring. Cut into tissue.

Your brain is an LPS, so I'm not sure how to tell you to proceed here, as my knowledge of LPS, outside of chalices, is lacking. I have never heard the term STN applied to LPS, however. Your brain issue could be from several sources, not a slow recession of the tissue. I would PM/call Tim at Keen Reef or Chris at FishScales and ask them about that coral.
 
Acroholic;514373 wrote: I am just relating my personal experience with STN in my tank. My issue was I could not blame anything specific for the cause.

There are things you can do, which may or may not help. And these are not all inclusive, and may or may not work (sorry for the wishy washy answers here):

1. You can dip the affected coral. If there is a bacterial issue at work, or AEFWs, it may remove the predator or kill what is causing the STN. Tropic Marine Pro Coral Cure or Coral Rx are supposed to be good products. I use the Tropic Marine one.

2. You can frag the coral. I did this with several corals and got healthy frags out of it. I also did it and lost the colony and frags. Kind of a crapshoot there, at least IME. You should always make sure that you are cutting off healthy tissue, however. Don't cut the acro where the STN is occurring. Cut into tissue.

Your brain is an LPS, so I'm not sure how to tell you to proceed here, as my knowledge of LPS, outside of chalices, is lacking. I have never heard the term STN applied to LPS, however. Your brain issue could be from several sources, not a slow recession of the tissue. I would PM/call Tim at Keen Reef or Chris at FishScales and ask them about that coral.

In my case the gene pool needed more chlorine:lol2: sorry could not help myself.
 
grouper therapy;514385 wrote: In my case the gene pool needed more chlorine:lol2: sorry could not help myself.

Yea, kinda sounds like we are talking body parts here.
Dave
 
Back
Top