White tips and bleaching flash

[haninja]

I've been having a slow decline in my tank for some time now. My tri-color has white bleached tips. Various acros are slowly losing flash as in bleaching not RTNing. I'm also experiencing STN on some of my millis. I'm even loosing mushrooms and zoa. This has been going on for some time with me trying to pinpoint the problem. I was attributing it to IO salt which I just switched to Seachem. I also am attributing it possibly to high alkalinity.
My parm:
Sg. 1.026
NO3 25
KH 14
Calc 440
Nitrate in my tank are always on the high side so I'm not too worried about that. The Alk. though worries me. Would that be what causing this type of slow decline?
How do I lower Alk? From what I read - massive water change. Any other options?

 

[glxtrix]

Do you have a ca reactor on your tank? If so, you may want to check that...or turn it off for a few days to help lower the ALK. 14 is not horrific, but yes it is getting high.

 

[ralph atl]

Alk is high, but might contribute if other things are outta hand. I suspect phates and maybe some trates.

 

[ralph atl]

Time to vodka dose

 

[haninja]

Yes, I have a calcium reactor running. I took it off for a while, replaced all the media and now it's back on. I haven't seen much improvement during the time it was off.

 

[haninja]

mysterybox;392872 wrote: Time to vodka dose

I've been dosing Vodka almost every night, the problem is I keep waking up with a hangover. :lol2:
Kidding aside, I wouldn't want to introduce Vodka until I get my tank back under control.

 

[jcusmarine]

Phosphates may be an issue....

 

[skriz]

Start with a massive water change. Return the parameters to an equilibrium.

 

[grouper therapy]

Alk swings have been said to contribute to burnt tips and stn on some systems.

 

[sailfish]

Have you dipped any of the acros? That is the first thing I would do.

Have you recently started using GFO?

I have bleached acros with a dkh 16 but not sure about 14. It was when I first set up my reactor. The frog spawn started to lose color as well so if yours is still green then DKH MAY not be the cause. I would get it down around 10 if I was you. You can shut the reactor down for a few days or just reduce the drip rate it will go down on it's on. It should not take long with al the sps you have.

How long has it been at 14? Unless it has been that high the entire time you have been having problems then it would not be the whole cause.

Joe

 

[chauwall]

Sorry to hear that. Did you get a new MH bulb by chance?

 

[haninja]

sailfish;392924 wrote: Have you dipped any of the acros? That is the first thing I would do.?

Dipped when I got them? Yes. They have been in my tank for quite a while.
No way I can take them out and dip them, they are massive...

sailfish;392924 wrote:
Have you recently started using GFO?

I have been using GFO since the BRS powerbuy. i stopped using it today...

sailfish;392924 wrote:
I have bleached acros with a dkh 16 but not sure about 14. It was when I first set up my reactor. The frog spawn started to lose color as well so if yours is still green then DKH MAY not be the cause. I would get it down around 10 if I was you. You can shut the reactor down for a few days or just reduce the drip rate it will go down on it's on. It should not take long with al the sps you have.

How long has it been at 14? Unless it has been that high the entire time you have been having problems then it would not be the whole cause.

Joe

 

[haninja]

chauwall;393006 wrote: Sorry to hear that. Did you get a new MH bulb by chance?

I replaced the bulbs about a month ago, they were due. But the problems started before that.

 

[drnecropolis]

Dang Hanin.. I'm sorry to here you are still having troubles.. Not that its the cause but did you spot that worm since we last talked? When it all recovers (and I know it will) I would like to come by one day and shoot the breeze and take a in depth look under the hood and get some pointers from you if you don't mind some company..

 

[william1]

I would say the alk is the problem. I just had a similar problem where my alk spiked overnight and rtn'd a couple corals.