Red stuff acropora tips?

[MichaelB]

I have red alage stuff my guess is cyano???

It's growing on the tips of about 3 different acroporas. It hasn't spread to any of the others or any different type of corals. It's been about the same not spreading or going away for the last 3 months.

I added one packet of fritz slime out I won at the frag swap raffle. I under dosed it out of caution so will probably give it a bit of extra time to see if it works or not.

Just to be clear it's extremely minor in scope and not a serious issue at all currently. Seeking advice/ ID here in a attempt to be proactive.

None of what I see is bigger than a typical zoanthid polyp. Blow it off ur keeps coming back. It also blows in the flow.

My concern is could it be effecting my adam bomb frag thats browned out?

I have a larger peice of adam bomb that doesn't have any red stuff on it so not sure.

Open to any feedback or suggestions if anyone has dealt with something like this before.

 

[derek_SR]

My concern is not the cyano it’s that your acro have dead tips. Stuff doesn’t grow on living coral tissue, in my experience.

Sounds like cyano to me, which comes and goes. Flow is the biggest factor for me - I know you were concerned about flow in your other thread, is that still an issue maybe or no?

 

[tribbitt]

Unfortunately it sounds like there's no longer living coral "skin" on the tips of your acropora, allowing algae to colonize. Could it be an alk spike (your alk moved from 8 to 8.9 to 8.6, not sure if there was even more change not recorded)

Algae grows on skeleton, not meat for the most part.

 

[MichaelB]

My concern is not the cyano it’s that your acro have dead tips. Stuff doesn’t grow on living coral tissue, in my experience.

Sounds like cyano to me, which comes and goes. Flow is the biggest factor for me - I know you were concerned about flow in your other thread, is that still an issue maybe or no?

I honestly don't know if the flow is good enough or not yet. It's Much better than I had it before no doubt. I played with the settings and made this the flow pattern.

When I compare what the single mp40 does in the 65 gallon tank, to the mp10 in the 32cube, it’s a night and day difference in over all flow.
65 looks like a rip current.

Others have shared videos of their flow so it gave me a idea, but i'm still kinda guessing with my own.

I wasn't sure about some of the tips, they were new growth tips, but never seemed to get the polyps/ colors the other parts had.

It's hard for me to answer your question with my limited experience. As to could flow still be a issue. Maybe we could do a video call one daynif you were up to it, so I could give you a more accurate view.

 

[MichaelB]

Unfortunately it sounds like there's no longer living coral "skin" on the tips of your acropora, allowing algae to colonize. Could it be an alk spike (your alk moved from 8 to 8.9 to 8.6, not sure if there was even more change not recorded)

Algae grows on skeleton, not meat for the most part.

I didn't even consider the tips were actually dead as they didn't turn white, I just thought very unhappy. They originally sent up new growth, than shortly after the red stuff apeared on the tips. It all happened back around the time I swapped the wave makers. So not anything new that's recently come up. It’s seems like its the 3/4 sticks grouped in that specific spot in the tank. Those higher up and on the frag racks look better and never lost color or got that red slime.

So now knowing the tips are dead. I'm wondering should I clip the tips off in hopes that it: 1.) inspires them to start growing again 2.) It prevents that cyano from spreading to the rest of those specific acros.

I feel like my results from testing are far from being dialed in yet but I'm happy to see the numbers holding a little better these last few tests, than they were a few weeks ago. Also po4 continues the downwards trend.

Just trying to keep leaning and improving. I've been inspired by many of the members tanks here that tells me it's possible.

 

[tribbitt]

If you remove the algae it can recolonize that lost skeleton. However, if the tissue is actively dying back, you also might want to clip it. I will step aside for acro pros to give advice.

I will say that I dropped my tongs on the growth tip of my tricolor valida that finally grew a centimeter so I feel your pain. Luckily it skinned over before algae happened, but it stopped growing

 

[iani]

Best to clip it.

 

[Ayman]

I have the same exact issue right now. I used the slime out which i also won at the frag swap and it didn't really help. Lights out for 2 days what seem to help the most plus feeding3x a day.

I honesly think slime out made it worst and since my tank is new it could not handle it.

Note i am losing almost all my sps,favias I am testing phosphate which came back low. Still did not test nitrate.

 

[MichaelB]

I have the same exact issue right now. I used the slime out which i also won at the frag swap and it didn't really help. Lights out for 2 days what seem to help the most plus feeding3x a day.

I honesly think slime out made it worst and since my tank is new it could not handle it.

Note i am losing almost all my sps,favias I am testing phosphate which came back low. Still did not test nitrate.

Bummer, I noticed so far slime out had zero effect yet day (3), I added a little more last night to see if I didn't use enough. Ill just say screw it tonight if I see no change. Any maybe just go with chemiclean next week.

If I feel like it over the weekend I may hook my uv up and run it for 2-3 days.

 

[H2OPlayar]

Has anyone mentioned flow yet? When there is enough flow, red cyano shouldn't be able to stick. Cyano lives in every tank in in the ocean reefs in low flow areas.

Try playing with your flow or adding a powerhead if you think you have your current setup optimized.

 

[jhuynh]

stop using chemicals. those are just temporary fixes and you havent found the root of the cause. get another mp10 for more random flow. cut off the burnt tips below the healthy skin to promote growth if you havent done so.

looking at your journal, you had a large swing from 7.6 to 8.9 alk which probably cause it. keep parameters close and no large swings. keep in mind, you have a smaller water volume so no drastic changes. have patience. nothing is quick in this hobby. do not chase numbers. do not make one coral happy when the others are doing great. make another rock structure higher where your other sps are doing great. maybe the spot where it currently is, is a dead spot (lack of flow / low par). move sps around and see where they like it. coral placements are very important especially with sps.

 

[tribbitt]

stop using chemicals. those are just temporary fixes and you havent found the root of the cause. get another mp10 for more random flow. cut off the burnt tips below the healthy skin to promote growth if you havent done so.

looking at your journal, you had a large swing from 7.6 to 8.9 alk which probably cause it. keep parameters close and no large swings. keep in mind, you have a smaller water volume so no drastic changes. have patience. nothing is quick in this hobby. do not chase numbers. do not make one coral happy when the others are doing great. make another rock structure higher where your other sps are doing great. maybe the spot where it currently is, is a dead spot. move sps around and see where they like it. coral placements are very important especially with sps.

I agree with this point. Your tests only measure points in time, so we don’t truly know what’s happening between them. If there was an alkalinity swing (and especially sudden elevation) the tips could have burned.

And while I understand that chemicals are great sometimes, my personal reefing ethos involves spending a long time trying to solve something naturally - if it is cyano and is not blanketing your rock, try increasing flow or decreasing nutrients a little.

 

[tribbitt]

Oh, and when it’s convenient I would like to see a picture under white light - things can look drastically different sometimes, even with orange filter or white balance

 

[MichaelB]

Oh, and when it’s convenient I would like to see a picture under white light - things can look drastically different sometimes, even with orange filter or white balance

Best I can do, I have whites programed to come on only 2 hours a day, i'm very rarely home when they come on. Not very easy to turn them on without having to reprogram everything pain in the but. (So maybe if I think about while i'm home and they come on I can shoot a video then.)

This is was taken during the start of the ramp down period I have set up. So euphyllias are closing up- they are 3/4 times bigger earlier in the day.

 

[Arvin R]

SPS is hard. Nice Acros even harder. What makes it easier is a mature established reef, which also means that the tank and all parameters are stable, and a SPS/Acro dominant tank usually requires a lot more into equipment than a LPS/softy tank. Also if you're going after lineage "name brand" SPS which usually have better coloration than more basic SPS, that usually means quite a bit of money into your acro stock. I noticed you have anemones in the tank. This is one thing I highly recommend against in a SPS/Acro tank as they can for no reason, go walking one night and leave a wake of dead coral behind and a lot of wasted money.

Be patient, take your time and be slow to get into the SPS/Acro dark hole. Majority that have gone there have lost plenty of sticks along the way and have the stories and lessons to tell. Not many of them stay in the stick game.

 

[MichaelB]

stop using chemicals. those are just temporary fixes and you havent found the root of the cause. get another mp10 for more random flow. cut off the burnt tips below the healthy skin to promote growth if you havent done so.

looking at your journal, you had a large swing from 7.6 to 8.9 alk which probably cause it. keep parameters close and no large swings. keep in mind, you have a smaller water volume so no drastic changes. have patience. nothing is quick in this hobby. do not chase numbers. do not make one coral happy when the others are doing great. make another rock structure higher where your other sps are doing great. maybe the spot where it currently is, is a dead spot (lack of flow / low par). move sps around and see where they like it. coral placements are very important especially with sps.

I've had this issue for like 4 months fyi. I don't test daily. I personally wouldn't call it a sudden swing I just got back into the swing of dosing AFR daily. My previous issue was the alk, calc, and mag numbers kept drasticly droping. I've been trying to dial in the proper amounts to dose daily to keep things stable. Last few weeks I think I'm getting closer on the mark still not there yet.

As far as more rock structures this tank has no room for more rock. Heck I have 5 frag racks in this tank as it is.

I would love another mp10 but I can't currently afford one. So on the look out for someone will to make a deal or trade for one.

Most of the sps in this tank will be shifted to my 65 gallon where I will have a much essier time having the tank aimed soley at keeping them happy. I Won't add any of the higher end sps/ acros to that tank until it's well up and running for a good while. I will probably add some montis, digis, stylo frags to it in a month or so ad peices I can use moniter the tanks progression.

This issue hasn't gone away in over 4 months so used the slime stuff to see if it can knock it out. I didn't mean to imply wasn't any type of rash or over night decision on my part.

The main coral that's effected is my adam bomb frag thats part of the grow out contest. So I'm extremely recluantant to clip it. The other two acros effected I wouldn't mind clipping if this Treatment fails.

The ones effected are in direct linenof the mp10, and the par is adquate. I had colored them up from being brown out. The numbers fell down alot and they browned out on me again. As I refrenced above my struggle was trying to keep the numbers up. I haven't moved them from where I had them when they were doing better.

 

[MichaelB]

SPS is hard. Nice Acros even harder. What makes it easier is a mature established reef, which also means that the tank and all parameters are stable, and a SPS/Acro dominant tank usually requires a lot more into equipment than a LPS/softy tank. Also if you're going after lineage "name brand" SPS which usually have better coloration than more basic SPS, that usually means quite a bit of money into your acro stock. I noticed you have anemones in the tank. This is one thing I highly recommend against in a SPS/Acro tank as they can for no reason, go walking one night and leave a wake of dead coral behind and a lot of wasted money.

Be patient, take your time and be slow to get into the SPS/Acro dark hole. Majority that have gone there have lost plenty of sticks along the way and have the stories and lessons to tell. Not many of them stay in the stick game.

Definitely no anemones in the other tank, my maroons are in love with them only reason I still have them in this tank.

Yes I'm using the 65gallon in my mind as the in between tank. Meaning my current cube will certainly be my main until I can get a serious upgrade. For me the 65 gallon is my first real tank with a sump, dosing pump, decent skimmer, and improved lighting. I hope to luck my way into a Neptune setup at some point as well. That tank is what I’m hoping will be where I’m able to really learn and test myself on acros and all the equipment that I've yet to try. The equipment that seems pretty standard to most that have been reefing a while.

I hope for a few frags of nicer named sps, but definitely not going after a crazy expensive coral selection. So definitely a solid mix of named and unamed sticks.

I've finally got the 65 up and running. Yet I have to make modifications to the sump to add a fudge section to it. I figured it's best to do it now before I have anything living in the tank. So I'm not in any type of rush with that tank.

 

[MichaelB]

Has anyone mentioned flow yet? When there is enough flow, red cyano shouldn't be able to stick. Cyano lives in every tank in in the ocean reefs in low flow areas.

Try playing with your flow or adding a powerhead if you think you have your current setup optimized.

Yes I had a previous thread about flow, posted a video below in one of my responses. My current tank is a mix reef so it's kinda tricky maxing the flow and not pissing off the other half of the tank. The ones with the slime are right infront of the mp10, the ones further from it don't have any on it.

I am hoping to find another mp10 though so I can alternate the flow patterns back and forth. Right now I just have a really cheap wavemaker on the other side.

 

[H2OPlayar]

My current tank is a mix reef so it's kinda tricky maxing the flow and not pissing off the other half of the tank.

That's why I ended up with an sps and an lps side of my last reef.

Edit, just watched your video. First off, you should feel bad for videoing in portrait. Shame!

Second, I would get those bubble tip nems out now before they split more and sting the coral you like. Ask me how I know...17 stupid nems I had to scrape out

Third, looks like you have sps and lps kind of mixed all over the rockwork. I would optimize what you are growing where based on flow first, light second, and where you like it third. This may mean having one side or region be sps dominant while the other area is lps/softies.

For wavemakers, cheap isn't bad, random is good, high flow can be useful to move water from one side to the other, but generally, sps like "medium flow" relative to what most powerheads can put out. 4 Jebao wavemakers sized appropriately will cost less than 2 mp 10's and will give you more randomness, like shooting one across the bottom to kick detritus up. When things were really cooking in my old tank, I had 3 gyres, 2 tunze's and my flow from my main pump had a rfg on one and the other shot water across the overflow in a stream to push food away from the overflow. So 7 flow generators.

 

[MichaelB]

That's why I ended up with an sps and an lps side of my last reef.

Edit, just watched your video. First off, you should feel bad for videoing in portrait. Shame!

Second, I would get those bubble tip nems out now before they split more and sting the coral you like. Ask me how I know...17 stupid nems I had to scrape out

Third, looks like you have sps and lps kind of mixed all over the rockwork. I would optimize what you are growing where based on flow first, light second, and where you like it third. This may mean having one side or region be sps dominant while the other area is lps/softies.

For wavemakers, cheap isn't bad, random is good, high flow can be useful to move water from one side to the other, but generally, sps like "medium flow" relative to what most powerheads can put out. 4 Jebao wavemakers sized appropriately will cost less than 2 mp 10's and will give you more randomness, like shooting one across the bottom to kick detritus up. When things were really cooking in my old tank, I had 3 gyres, 2 tunze's and my flow from my main pump had a rfg on one and the other shot water across the overflow in a stream to push food away from the overflow. So 7 flow generators.

Thanks alot for your feedback It's given me several things to consider.

My fault on the video I didn't even think about it as a possible issue, only my 3rd video ever lol. So I will keep it in mind next time I do one.

Tank is only 32 gallons so space is tight. I don't have anything attached to the rock work except the sps that are on it. All the euphyllia is just in a rock type of frag holder. For the most part euphyllia is towards the bottom, sps takes up the upper 1/3 of the tank, exception the two torches I have slightly higher up on the glass. I probably have more on the glass than on the rock structure.

By cheap wavemaker I meant to imply you plug it up and it's just a stream zero options beyond pluging it in. I've never really heard of the jebao wavemakers- I will look into them.

The nem recently split for the first time a month or so ago probably because I was feeding it every other day (i no longer target feed it since it split) it hasn't move a inch in the 3 years that I've had it. It's currently contained on its own rock. I watch them closely. The main reason I still have them in this tank is my maroons are crazy about it. If they move or split anymore they are definitely getting the boot.