SPS help - Seasonal die off of my SPS

Mike240g

Premium member
For the second year in a row I had a major die off of my SPS. Happened in Late April/early May both last year and this. This year I had about a 90% loss after great recovery and growth after last years issues. My Alk was steady and no major issues that I can think of.

A few people on Reef Central have mentioned that Chloromines might be a problem. I live in Cary and use City water, I use a 7 stage water filter:
5 micron sediment filter
1 micron sediment filter
5 micron carbon block
1 micron carbon block (both BRS)
70 gal/day RO
2 stage DI

I did not have a working PH meter on the tank but nothing was changed to cause the issues.

Does anyone have any water suggestions or experiences similar issues?
Thanks,
Mike
 

maidia

Team CR
I used City Water too and I got 5 stages RO/DI and SPS are fine. What is your water level, Ca, Alk, Mag, Nit, PO4? How long and how much you change water?
 

GugsJr

TeamCR
What they mention sounds right, I would send an ICP test out to confirm if it's any other contaminate.

You could also get a DI for chloramines I believe

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

xmoji

Eat, Sleep, Reef
Interesting. I’m currently going thru some sps issues. My strawberry shortcake colony started to rtn’d two days ago. Currently lost about 75% of the colony. Several other sps lost color and polyp extension is almost nonexistent on certain pieces.

Chemistry is spot on.

I was thinking high nutrients were the cause and never thought about water contamination. Currently using 4 stage rodi unit and changed my media a week ago when I started noticing issues.

Interested in hearing if anyone else had had seasonal losses.
 

xmoji

Eat, Sleep, Reef
What they mention sounds right, I would send an ICP test out to confirm if it's any other contaminate.

You could also get a DI for chloramines I believe

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
How do I send a sample for an ICP test?

- - - Updated - - -

What they mention sounds right, I would send an ICP test out to confirm if it's any other contaminate.

You could also get a DI for chloramines I believe

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
How do I send a sample for an ICP test?
 

Mike240g

Premium member
I have a 375g and do 40g water changes about 2-3x month. Just weird that it happened the same time of year as last crash. Montis went first then acros.
My KH was a bit low at 7.2-7.5 but steady, its now 8.1 but change was over the last 2 months. CA430, MG 1400. NO 10, PO was about 12ppb on the hanna checker. I was purposely raising NO from about 2 due to my acros fading a bit.
 
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maidia

Team CR
I have a 375g and do 40g water changes about 2-3x month. Just weird that it happened the same time of year as last crash. Montis went first then acros.
My KH was a bit low at 7.2-7.5 but steady, its now 8.1 but change was over the last 2 months. CA430, MG 1400. NO 10, PO was about 12ppb on the hanna checker. I was purposely raising NO from about 2 due to my acros fading a bit.
Hmm, it's weird. Water level seem fine to me. I think you better send some water sample for testing.

- - - Updated - - -

I have a 375g and do 40g water changes about 2-3x month. Just weird that it happened the same time of year as last crash. Montis went first then acros.
My KH was a bit low at 7.2-7.5 but steady, its now 8.1 but change was over the last 2 months. CA430, MG 1400. NO 10, PO was about 12ppb on the hanna checker. I was purposely raising NO from about 2 due to my acros fading a bit.
Hmm, it's weird. Water level seem fine to me. I think you better send some water sample for testing.
 

Mjl714

Well-known member
What about temperature? This time of year everything changes around here, at least slightly higher.
 

Mjl714

Well-known member
Chloromines, is your Rodi still producing 0tds? I thought chloromines would start eating your membrane and Then rodi would deteriorate faster.
 

madjoe

Premium member
You can check with your city sometimes they do crap to the water once a yr maintenance or some crap. I had some issues when they did mine one yr and my filters on my r/o were past due for changing
 

EricTheRed

No, I'm not a communist..
Before you spend money on testing for chloramines, call your city water department and they will tell you if chloramines are added to the water. No need to jump through hoops until you talk to them.
 

ultimatemj

Active member
Um, weird...

Parameters look good and stable. SAL 1.026, ALK 10, CAL 455, Mag 1320, N03 0.50, P04 0.04

My ATO reservoir is refilled directly from my RODI.

Early May all was happy, and over the last 4 wks I have had a significant "die off" of SPS as well :(
 

dvanlier05

Active member
Do you guys run an external air intake for your skimmer? Maybe its pollen or some other air contaminants getting into the system
 

Smitty

Premium member
The first thing that comes to mind is maybe the temp swings around this time of year. Especially with the weird weather we've been having lately. My temp had dropped down to 73° last week and I hadn't noticed.

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